History of the Honda C50
First seen in 1958, the Honda C50 Super Cub is still in production today, easily making it the most popular motorcycle in the world. Of course, many changes were made to the basic specifications in the five decades, but the basic look and design has remained true to the first C50 of 1958. A very small vehicle, it was powered by a tiny 49cc engine that produced barely 4.5hp When Honda first began exporting the Super Cub in 1959, it faced an uphill challenge against the much larger British motorcycles. With the slogan You Meet The Nicest People On A Honda, they managed to find acceptance with people looking for a decent ride that had a clean reputation.
From the start, the design of the Honda C50 made it stand out, looking colorful and small next to the larger chrome motorcycles. While other smaller motorcycles used two-stroke engines, Honda introduced a four-stroke engine to the C50, increasing RPM for additional power and improving fuel efficiency by more than 300 mpg. Weighing just 170 pounds, this little bike has a simple three-speed transmission, making it easy to learn and ride at any age. The Honda C50 also had a long wheelbase that made it stable, even if the top speed didn’t exceed 50 mph.
The first major update took place in 1967, when Honda modified the engine to offer a slightly better 4.9 hp by using a new 49cc SOHC engine. In this year, the C70 and C90 bikes were also introduced. These were basically the same Honda Super Cub design, but with larger displacements. Since then, Honda has continued to improve the C50, with minor cosmetic changes and new features like CDI ignition and electric start (select models).
Today, the Honda C50 remains a very popular compact motorcycle for short trips in busy cities and towns. In fact, sales in Japan have been improving, with the latest C50 models offering an even better ratio of power to fuel efficiency. For many young riders, it’s the ideal choice for a fun, basic ride. Motorcycle enthusiasts also love collecting older Super Cubs, especially since there are such a wide variety of variants like the Baby Cub, Press Cub, and Street Cub. If you’re careful to use genuine parts, you can keep any Honda C50 model running in tip-top condition, joining the 60 million other Super Cubs on the world’s roads.