Sunday, December 18, 2022

The Honda Super Cub trail origin story

 In 1959, when Honda first began selling motorcycles in the USA, Herb Uhl started modifying the Super Cub C100 49cc motorcycles in Boise, ID for trail use.


His son Billy started out racing one as well.

The story is documented in a book on Honda's history and magazine articles. "Herb had converted and sold a couple of hundred machines when Jack McCormick national sales manager for American Honda noticed that Herb was selling more Honda Cubs than all the dealers in Los Angeles combined. McCormack asked Uhl to send one of his trail conversions down to California. McCormack crated the bike back up and sent it to Japan, with a request that the company creates a production version of Uhl’s creation."

Honda made a promotional film, “Hunting with Hondas”. Some of the footage was shot in ID and Herb is the person riding the blue Cub with a double seat.

This page is part of an effort to compile, share and preserve Herb Uhl's part in the genesis of the Honda trail linage and the explosion in popularity of All Terrain Vehicles.




Tuesday, June 12, 2018

The 2018 return of the Honda Super Cub to America

On June 1st, 2018 I happened to stop at the local Honda dealer, Poulin's Inc., and heard that Honda is bringing back the Super Cub and Monkey with 125cc engines in 2019! They showed me a Honda 2019 model introduction video that made the announcement to the dealers. https://youtu.be/cEQLXDVjE2M



This was amazing news! I had hoped Honda would bring it back the Super Cub to America for the 50th anniversary in 2008 and then the 55th in 2013 but it did not happen. I came home and searched the web but there was precious little information out there. I did find one other source to confirm it with more details. http://www.hondaprokevin.com/2019-honda-super-cub-125-scooter-motorcycle-release

Slowly more information became available from Honda. Then on Friday, June 7th, Honda blew us out of the water by a surprise unveiling in Townsend, TN. at the Smoky Mountain Crawl. The first I saw of the news was on the Japanese Vintage Motorcycles Facebook group when some pictures were posted.


Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Early Super Cub Pictures

I got a Feb. 2008 Motorcyclist magazine from Japan with pictures and articles on the Super Cub's 50Th anniversary. Here are some of the pictures showing the different years.


1958




When I get some translated I will post more.
Happy Thanksgiving











Tuesday, October 28, 2008

The invisible Super Cub

I still don't know what to think of Honda's advertising strategy of not showing the Super Cub bike but some how it just takes the pzazz out of it for me.



Check out these videos at;

http://world.honda.com/ThePowerofDreams/SuperCub/

http://world.honda.com/SuperCub/main.html



Here is my favorite ad from an early one put out in Japan targeting women.


Saturday, October 18, 2008

Early morning flight

Early Saturday mornng I got to fly over the Cascade mountains to Monroe and pick up a friend who was ahead of me to deliver a Cessna 180 to it's new owner. He had to be back and get to work so we left as it was getting light.


The lights of Yakima while climbing out.



Mt Rainer as I fly by.



Over the last of the mountains you can see the layer of clouds scattered across the coastal plain. It reminded me of the mornings flying to the interior of Borneo and looking for a hole to descend through over a village.

The runway here was narrow but paved and 2,000 ft. long. There was wispy fingers of fog over part of the runway that where only enough to throw off the depth perception so I had a bouncy landing. My passenger was waiting and jumped in with the engine running. It was my quickest turn ever as all I had to do was continue to the end, turn around and takeoff for home. The trip back put the winds at my back and the Pacer saw as much as a 133 mph ground speed. The fall colors where glorious and I am grateful every time I get to fly this time of the year.





Sunday, October 12, 2008

Honda's 50Th Anniversary



For several years I have been looking forward with anticipation to the Honda Super Cub's 50Th anniversary. Finally it arrived!


"Honda Motor Co., Ltd. held a ceremony, July 21, 2008, to commemorate the 50Th anniversary of Super Cub sales which began in August 1958." http://world.honda.com/news/2008/208072350th-Anniversary-Super-Cub/

If I get to pick between the 2 I would choose the black full size one. I have not figured out how to afford one let alone get one to America. Maybe the will have an American 50Th edition. Evidently Honda "improved the Super Cub engine last year and went to "Programmed Fuel Injection" and a few other engine mods that combined reduced the gas mileage it gets. http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.honda.co.jp%2Fnews%2F2008%2F2080723-cub.html&sl=ja&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

This is my initiation into blogging so bear with me.