# Honda Cub.



## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

How many of you have owned/ridden one then?

Over 100,000,000 sold and the latest one isn't available in the UK. :angry:










There have been times in my life when one of these has been my only way of getting about, and very good they were at doing so (and cheap).


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## Robden (Apr 2, 2016)

Only rode one once and boy did I feel stupid.

I called into my then father-in-law's house, on the way home from work. 32 miles from work to home. I rode a Yammy FZR 1000 Exup, full face helmet, full leathers with sliders and matching boots all in red and white. He then told me that he had arranged an MOT for his Honda at a garage about 5 miles away, in an hours time. As he wasn't feeling well, he knew I wouldn't mind taking it for him......or so he thought. I was really embarrassed when I rode into the MOT bay and parked next to some of the monsters waiting...............at least it passed.


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## gimli (Mar 24, 2016)

I'd like to own one honestly. Talking short distances/urban areas it should tick all the boxes, except for the one under VANITY.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Robden said:


> I was really embarrassed when I rode into the MOT bay





gimli said:


> VANITY


 You posers. :laughing2dw:

I ran for well into the 100,000's on one of these. :huh:










You become "invisible" on a Honda Cub. :yes:


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

gimli said:


> I'd like to own one honestly. Talking short distances/urban areas it should tick all the boxes


 Not very waterproof though are they especially in the weather we are having at the moment here in the UK

:laugh: :laugh:


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## bridgeman (Dec 9, 2008)

WRENCH said:


> You posers. :laughing2dw:
> 
> I ran for well into the 100,000's on one of these. :huh:
> 
> ...


 Aargh the East German 250 2stroke with 21 hp? Or is that the 150.? I actually lashed out and bought the "sports" version of this in 1969 just had an enormous bulge of fuel tank BUT it had......telescopic forks!

as you say did lots of miles and lots of smiles too.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

bridgeman said:


> as you say did lots of miles and lots of smiles too.


 And the "daddy" of these.



















https://thevieweast.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/the-degner-defection/


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## gimli (Mar 24, 2016)

BondandBigM said:


> Not very waterproof though are they especially in the weather we are having at the moment here in the UK
> 
> :laugh: :laugh:


 Been very warm the last week here in Ro. :beach: Next month we'll probably get a blizzard or something but that's a different story. :huh:


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

WRENCH said:


> How many of you have owned/ridden one then?
> 
> Over 100,000,000 sold and the latest one isn't available in the UK. :angry:
> 
> ...


 I had one, not in the slightest bit glamorous but a good reliable work horse which`ll just keep on going :thumbsup:

As to the MZ, unfortunately I never owned the Earls forked version but I did have a TS250/1 which was a dependable & comfortable bike to ride :thumbs_up:


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

mach 0.0013137 said:


> I had one, not in the slightest bit glamorous


 How times have changed. Huge cult following now.



















and the Australian postie bike has taken many on long distance journeys.


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## Biker (Mar 9, 2013)

WRENCH said:


> How many of you have owned/ridden one then?
> 
> Over 100,000,000 sold and the latest one isn't available in the UK. :angry:
> 
> ...


 First motorbike I ever fell off... I was 10 years old in the 7 pits park in Sale. Parked it in a hedge.


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## BlueKnight (Oct 29, 2009)

*Rode my wife's Peugeot a few times two-up around the narrow farming roads. She loved it. Good for 60 kph and the the 1 gallon tank lasted for ever...*

*Ca. 1980*


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

BlueKnight said:


> *Rode my wife's Peugeot a few times two-up around the narrow farming roads. She loved it. Good for 60 kph and the the 1 gallon tank lasted for ever...*


 I've got one of these lurking under the bench in my workshop.










It has a 1gallon tank mounted on the rear rack. Consumption is not measured in MPG, but GPY. Gallon per year. From memory it's 27cc.


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## ong (Jul 31, 2008)

I had the C90 back in the 80s when I rode bikes. Great workhorse but totally uncool so traded it for a CB250 Honda. I got tired of being wet and cold and always adjusting the rattly cam chain so learned to drive instead.


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## Cyclops930 (Oct 20, 2017)

My first bike was a Honda 50 cub, used it for work never did anything to it other than put petrol in it. Utterly reliable swapped it for a bigger bike a BSA bantam which broke down with alarming regularity. 

Being thick I still ride motorbikes to this day and been eyeing up a Honda 90 as a winter project.


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

I bought a Honda SS50 sports moped when i was 16 in 1974.

It was one of the slowest sports mopeds and the only 4 stroke. But, it was reliable, did about 160mpg and had a kickstart instead of having to pedal it to get it going.

Loved it


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Turpinr said:


> I bought a Honda SS50 sports moped when i was 16 in 1974.
> 
> It was one of the slowest sports mopeds and the only 4 stroke. But, it was reliable, did about 160mpg and had a kickstart instead of having to pedal it to get it going.
> 
> Loved it


 'Seen the price of them now. :huh:

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/bikes-for-sale/honda/ss50/3502865/

My mate bought a new KH 250 triple in the mid seventies, and took the standard exhaust of it and put on a set of expansion chambers. He recently found the original exhaust, still as new, and sold it on eBay for almost twice what he paid for the bike. The classic Japanese market is insane. Just go and have a look at what RG 500'a, NSR 400's, and RD 500's are making.


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

How much did your mate get for the pipes??

I bought a 400/4 in 1996, 19 years after they first came out.

Id wanted one in 1975 when they came out but i was a 17 year old apprentice and struggled to pay for the RD200 that i had.

I bought the 'waterfall' 4 into 1 exhaust system from David Silver @ £200 for the lot but have no idea how dear they are now.

I remember the S1, S1a and KH 250's and the bigger triples too. I can well believe the exhausts are extortionate to buy.

I was talking to a bloke with a H1 last year and he reckoned he got 12mpg without caning it hahaha thats thirsty. :swoon:

I still love all those 70's bikes but the one I'd really love is the 850 Commando but I'd settle for any of the Jap bikes or British twin.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Turpinr said:


> How much did your mate get for the pipes??


 He got in excess of £1000 for it after eBay had their cut. The guy who bought it was completely over the top about having everything original for his bike, even down to the year of production.

I thrashed an H1 from Dundee to Edinburgh (62miles)and had to stop for fuel three times. :laughing2dw:


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

WRENCH said:


> thrashed an H1 from Dundee to Edinburgh (62miles)and had to stop for fuel three times. :laughing2dw:


 Hahaha i can believe it.

I had a go on one once and wondered what all the fuss was about but found out later it had a hole in the middle piston.

That bloke's i was talking to had two steering dampers on it and the forks were the same diameter as my mountain bike's, no wonder they didn't handle.

Your mate did well on that deal. When i got my RD200 in 1975 it was £410 and 250's were about a £100 dearer.

All those triples were charismatic bikes. I miss the smell of 2 stroke oil.


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## JDMdenon (May 11, 2017)

I've got a CD90z which is similar however it's not a stephrough. Also own 74 Popsi purple fizzy!!!!!!!!!


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## bowie (Mar 12, 2005)

Turpinr said:


> I bought a Honda SS50 sports moped when i was 16 in 1974.
> 
> It was one of the slowest sports mopeds and the only 4 stroke. But, it was reliable, did about 160mpg and had a kickstart instead of having to pedal it to get it going.
> 
> Loved it


 I to I had a green ss50 think it was 5-speed mates had fs1e and Suzuki ap50 we went all over the northeast on them had the head done three times 1st moped was a freebie from my uncle a puch 50 one seat job 50p lasted a month.



WRENCH said:


> 'Seen the price of them now. :huh:
> 
> http://www.motorcyclenews.com/bikes-for-sale/honda/ss50/3502865/
> 
> My mate bought a new KH 250 triple in the mid seventies, and took the standard exhaust of it and put on a set of expansion chambers. He recently found the original exhaust, still as new, and sold it on eBay for almost twice what he paid for the bike. The classic Japanese market is insane. Just go and have a look at what RG 500'a, NSR 400's, and RD 500's are making.


 that's the same colour as mine in the link I sold mine for £40.00 A PETROL TANK DRIVER


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## Steve D UK (Sep 28, 2016)

I've had a few of them in my time in 50, 70 and 90cc versions but I also had a Yamaha V80 which was a sort of copy of the Honda with a two-stroke engine and was a fair bit nippier than the Hondas from what I recall. I bought it off a bloke who was initially impressed with the performance but it gradually got slower and slower. He didn't know about cleaning out the exhaust baffles on a two stroke. It looked like this but my one, I kid you not, had a raised backrest for the pillion which, thinking back, could have come off of a Rayleigh chopper!


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## RSR934 (Sep 26, 2017)

WRENCH said:


> How many of you have owned/ridden one then?
> 
> Over 100,000,000 sold and the latest one isn't available in the UK. :angry:
> 
> ...


 Hi WRENCH.

I remember as a kid living in Stockton -on -Tees. The C70 and C90's were everywhere. Used for commuting to and from work by lots of people. Then DVLA /C what ever it was back then changed the rules and introduced the CBT type of stuff. They seemed to disappear literally over night. My friend had one that he let me have a thrash (thrash in the loosest terms of course) about on around the streets. I used to think it was fast as a kid. Happy days.


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## RSR934 (Sep 26, 2017)

WRENCH said:


> How times have changed. Huge cult following now.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 The minimalist beauty of what is hiding under all of that plastic. I bet my mate wished he knew this at the time. (Top two photo's)


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

bowie said:


> I had a green ss50 think it was 5-speed mates had fs1e and Suzuki ap50 we went all over the northeast on them had the head done three times 1st moped was a freebie from my uncle a puch 50 one seat job 50p lasted a month.


 I had a green 5 speed one as well. They had caliper brakes and higher bars. The one i bought had been stolen and the forks taken off and wiring harness cut.

I put the forks off my original one on it and because id only paid £30 i was quite chuffed.i was 18 at the time so only used it for work.

I can remember all sorts of mopeds turning up at this youth club when i got my first one as a 16 year old.

Honda and Yamaha, Garelli Rekord and Tiger Cross, Casal, Malagutti, Puch, Motobecane, Gilera and even a Fantic Chopper.

One of my mates had nearly 70 out of his Garelli Rekord with the wind behind him but with the wind in his face it was as slow as my SS50.

The European mopeds were exotic looking but the electrics were medieval and the magnetos always blew.

Happy days though, petrol at 60odd pence/gallon which was just as well as my apprentice wages were £10.96/week


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

JDMdenon said:


> I've got a CD90z which is similar however it's not a stephrough. Also own 74 Popsi purple fizzy!!!!!!!!!


 When i was in my 5th (and last) year at school a couple of the lads turned up on fizzies. That would have been late '73 and they were both in Yamaha gold.

Another lad did his paper round on his SS50, boy was i jealous :bash: as i saw his moped outside of the paper shop where we worked. The Git :laugh:


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## bowie (Mar 12, 2005)

Turpinr said:


> I had a green 5 speed one as well. They had caliper brakes and higher bars. The one i bought had been stolen and the forks taken off and wiring harness cut.
> 
> I put the forks off my original one on it and because id only paid £30 i was quite chuffed.i was 18 at the time so only used it for work.
> 
> ...


 Thanks for the good memories of my ss50 yes I remember those moped's great day's


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

bowie said:


> Thanks for the good memories of my ss50 yes I remember those moped's great day's


 I'd forgotten all about the lad doing his paper round on his SS50 till i started typing it.

The Italian mopeds all had stubby pedals that they used to pedal frantically to get going whereas the jap ones had kickstarts and modern electrics.

My first Honda was £210 bought on 1st of August 1974.the FS1E's were £199 without indicators and £209 with.

They were great days, flares and bum fluff hahaha

I saw a purple FS1E in a shop in Wigan about 20 years ago and it was dearer than the NC30 that i bought.


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## JDMdenon (May 11, 2017)

Turpinr said:


> I'd forgotten all about the lad doing his paper round on his SS50 till i started typing it.
> 
> The Italian mopeds all had stubby pedals that they used to pedal frantically to get going whereas the jap ones had kickstarts and modern electrics.
> 
> ...


 Yup, the earlier fizzy's are fetching some high prices! In between £4K-£7k!!! Id still like a NC30 but even they are fetching a lot, and I've seen a few in pretty rubbish states for silly prices.

I try to buy original with the intention to rebuild the engine and overhaul the bike keeping as much original as possible. I simply don't trust other people's spannering skills!


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## JDMdenon (May 11, 2017)

WRENCH said:


> You posers. :laughing2dw:
> 
> I ran for well into the 100,000's on one of these. :huh:
> 
> ...


 I've got an ETZ 125 in bits alongside a Simson s50!! Love the Eastern European stuff!! Uncle owns a 175 jawa and a 653 isdt!


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

JDMdenon said:


> Yup, the earlier fizzy's are fetching some high prices! In between £4K-£7k!!! Id still like a NC30 but even they are fetching a lot, and I've seen a few in pretty rubbish states for silly prices.
> 
> I try to buy original with the intention to rebuild the engine and overhaul the bike keeping as much original as possible. I simply don't trust other people's spannering skills!


 How much are NC 24's and 30's going for now??

I had one of each but the 30 was much better. It was grey red and black. I paid £2,600 for it about '98 or so and it was still restricted when i got it.

I actually thought the old 400/4 handled better than both

PS. I wonder if you can still get those old yammy clock rubbers?



JDMdenon said:


> I've got an ETZ 125 in bits alongside a Simson s50!! Love the Eastern European stuff!! Uncle owns a 175 jawa and a 653 isdt!


 I remember those old CZ/Jawas having a dual kick start-gear lever, or did i dream that?


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

JDMdenon said:


> I've got an ETZ 125 in bits alongside a Simson s50


 I rebuilt loads of engines for these when Barry Rogers, and BSA Regal sold the spares. Their back up was second to none, sadly no more, which is why I gave up building them. The last Simson engine I built, was for someone who did an "end to end" charity run, completed trouble free. The only real problems with these things were poor quality bearings from the factory and bad metal on the gear selectors, both which could be improved easily and give thousands of trouble free miles. I had one of the last Turkish MZ's. Kanuni 301, very ugly. :laughing2dw:


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## JDMdenon (May 11, 2017)

Turpinr said:


> How much are NC 24's and 30's going for now??
> 
> I had one of each but the 30 was much better. It was grey red and black. I paid £2,600 for it about '98 or so and it was still restricted when i got it.
> 
> ...


 I've seen 'decent' ones at £4K, they are still obtainable..... for now. The only issue with them as I understand is alternator trouble. We had an NC for a little while and the alternator went funny at Manx GP (spectating) so we got rid!

Interesting about the 400/4, we have one, did you find your hands went numb on it??

And yes, you can still get the clock rubbers.... which serve absolutely no purpose!!



WRENCH said:


> I rebuilt loads of engines for these when Barry Rogers, and BSA Regal sold the spares. Their back up was second to none, sadly no more, which is why I gave up building them. The last Simson engine I built, was for someone who did an "end to end" charity run, completed trouble free. The only real problems with these things were poor quality bearings from the factory and bad metal on the gear selectors, both which could be improved easily and give thousands of trouble free miles. I had one of the last Turkish MZ's. Kanuni 301, very ugly. :laughing2dw:


 I'd like to get an extra barrel for the Simson to put a big bore kit on for abut of fun!!


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## Turpinr (Dec 18, 2017)

JDMdenon said:


> I've seen 'decent' ones at £4K, they are still obtainable..... for now. The only issue with them as I understand is alternator trouble. We had an NC for a little while and the alternator went funny at Manx GP (spectating) so we got rid!
> 
> Interesting about the 400/4, we have one, did you find your hands went numb on it??
> 
> And yes, you can still get the clock rubbers.... which serve absolutely no purpose!!


 I loved that 400/4 and particularly liked the riding position. The only thing i had to do was buy a coil besides replace the chrome work.

I dont know whether i had alternator prpblems on that nc30 or regulator re tifier, it was something like that.

It had the tiniest spark plugs and the engine was a work of art.



Turpinr said:


> I loved that 400/4 and particularly liked the riding position. The only thing i had to do was buy a coil besides replace the chrome work.
> 
> I dont know whether i had alternator prpblems on that nc30 or regulator re tifier, it was something like that.
> 
> It had the tiniest spark plugs and the engine was a work of art.


 Youre right about the clock rubbers.


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## Steve D UK (Sep 28, 2016)

I'm thinking of getting one for a bit of fairweather riding. Any suggestions on which model to get? Something that would get a fair proportion of my my money back if I sold it in 5 years time. I'd prefer a round headlight one. What are those JDM super cubs like? I can't remember ever seeing any of those on the road.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Well here's what's on the horizon for later on this/next year.

new Cub.










monkey bike,










and this one, which probably won't reach the U.K. and I want it.










Do me just fine for bobbing about on, and not too much of an old gits scoot either.



Steve D UK said:


> I'm thinking of getting one for a bit of fairweather riding. Any suggestions on which model to get? Something that would get a fair proportion of my my money back if I sold it in 5 years time. I'd prefer a round headlight one. What are those JDM super cubs like? I can't remember ever seeing any of those on the road.


 If you can get one of these at the right money. Honda P.S. 250 "Ruckus" .they don't depreciate. That backrest folds down into a dual seat, CVT transmission, and pretty bomb proof.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Knocked up some slow miles and it's great fun.










180 mpg, honest. Bit too fancy though, ABS, EFI, keyless. Not the simple hack anymore.


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## Q.Lotte (Feb 10, 2014)

I miss my old Suzuki AP50 - 49cc and unrestricted, tearing down the bypass at a scary 60mph!

[IMG alt="Image result for suzuki ap50" data-ratio="74.81"]http://www.bikesrestored.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/suzukiap50-1976-9.jpg[/IMG]

A handsoem little cherry red bik that just looked like a scaled down 'proper' bike. I must have bought it for a couple of hundred quid in the early 80's, probably spent a couple fo hundred doing it up, then sold it for a couple of hundred a few years later when I got my car licence. Mint ones are now going for 3-5,000!

Cheerio

QL


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Q.Lotte said:


> Mint﻿ ones are﻿ now ﻿going for 3﻿-5,000﻿!﻿


 Nostalgia certainly comes at a price.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1975-Yamaha-FS1E-49cc-Classic-Vintage-Genuine-UK-70s-Pedal-Moped-In-Purple-WoW/132982215374?hash=item1ef65b92ce:g:1wkAAOSwXetchAq0


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## Delta (Dec 16, 2015)

WRENCH said:


> How many of you have owned/ridden one then?
> 
> Over 100,000,000 sold and the latest one isn't available in the UK. :angry:
> 
> ...


 I've just come back from Thailand and Cambodia - I think I've seen most of the 100,000,000 :biggrin:


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Q.Lotte said:


> I miss my old Suzuki AP50 - 49cc and unrestricted, tearing down the bypass at a scary 60mph!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 These are what my mates had.



































Garelli and the Cassal were the quickest, the Gilera was reliable, and the KTM was superb quality.


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## midnitemo (Aug 30, 2017)

The first picture is a C90 i bought new in 1997 , second pic is my current Cub derivative prior to setting off for the 2020 Dragon Rally , third is Kieran learning to ride on a Lifan 110 in about 2006 and finally me heading of to work in about 1988(Z500 is the wifes bike) rode them on the fields as a kid , had a few as winter hacks....love em!


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## midnitemo (Aug 30, 2017)

WRENCH said:


> How times have changed. Huge cult following now.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 The way the motor hangs gives it a look of a Jawa speedway bike



midnitemo said:


> The way the motor hangs gives it a look of a Jawa speedway bike the sky blue one at the bottom


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