As the most popular, most sold motorbike in history by numbers, chances are excellent that you're familiar with the Honda Super Cub. But did you know that Honda also released a number of special variants over the decades? I'm talking about more than just special commemorative badges and new paint and graphics, also.
Take, for example, the News Cub, which was later re-imagined into the Press Cub. Their names tell you exactly who they were meant for: Hardcore newspaper delivery riders.
Extra large baskets and/or panniers, reinforced carriers to take all the extra weight of hundreds of printed newspapers, more powerful brakes, and a more robust side stand to handle it all were key upgrades to these models.
And they were far from the only ones as the Cub was and remains a great blank slate sort of motorbike, easily molded to fit specific needs throughout the populace. Mail Cubs, for example, made use of several similar features to the News Cubs.
During the height of the oil crisis in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Honda developed a super fuel-efficient Econo Power Engine for the Super Cub 50SDX. Fuel economy, Team Red claimed, was 150 kilometers per liter, equivalent to around 352 miles per gallon. Even if the OEM was being a bit optimistic, if the reality was anywhere close to that number, it's not difficult to see why commuters might want one at that time.
In 1997, though, in a bid to appeal to women and riders of smaller stature, Honda released the Little Cub. Outfitted with smaller 14-inch wheels, it also incorporated a winning combination of retro design touches with its slightly smaller, easier handling form factor.
As much as we (okay, I) could talk about Cub variant history all day long, though, that's not what I'm here to talk to you about. No, I wanted to talk to you about the Little Cub so you can fully appreciate what a monster this example has become under its current ownership.
On first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking that it this custom Little Cub only has six brake calipers. After all, that's all you see in the profile view. But what if I told you that the front and rear both have dual brake discs, and that there are therefore actually six calipers per wheel?
(The owner, for his part, says he doesn't really use the front brake at all when he's riding it. Too scary.)
The longer you stare, the more details will stand out to you. There are two carburetors, for example, which you can see sticking up just in front of the saddle. It's still a single-cylinder engine, although the owner alludes to parts from a CB125 in this video (which is in Japanese, but English speakers can turn on the subtitles if needed).
Beyond that, though, this Little Cub also has a trick adjustable ride height suspension. Even better, it's independently adjustable both in the rear and up front. Watch the video, and you'll get to see a demonstration of this adjustability at both ends, as well as see and hear the bike start up and run.
It's clearly a show bike, yes, but would you like to see an insane and whimsical build like this show up at your next meet? Let us know in the comments.
