Honda Super Cub and Monkey bring retro to the motorcycle market
The power of retro styling has been a signature of the modern muscle car market, and Honda is translating the phenomenon onto two wheels with the just-announced return of the Monkey and Super Cub.
The original Super Cub gained popularity while advertising, “You meet the nicest people on a Honda.” That means there should be several boatloads of nice people out there, because Honda sold more than 60 million Super Cubs worldwide between 1958 and 1974. Now it returns, hopefully better than ever, with a larger 125cc single-cylinder engine and ABS brakes that strives to make the Super Cub thoroughly modern and usable.
The Monkey also seeks to cash in on a similar vintage cool. Using the same 125cc engine as in the Super Cub, power certainly won’t be a problem for such a small machine. Only two colors will be available when the Monkey rolls into dealerships in October: bright Banana Yellow and Pearl Nebula Blue. Both the colors, and many of the design features, harken back to the simple designs that made the Monkey popular when it was introduced in 1960.
Hopefully these new mini-motos bring even more momentum to the retro-styled motorcycle movement. Honda’s delightful machines are a great way to get out there and enjoy a ride. Who knows, you just might meet someone nice.
