The mythic Honda Cub needs no introduction. Along with the Ford Model T, the Volkswagen Bug, and possibly the Toyota Hilux, the Cub helped provide residents of developing nations with something like first-world transportation. Half motorcycle, half business plan, the Cub represented mobility—and possibility—for the masses.
It’s also been back in the North American market since 2019. Now the 2022 Honda Super Cub C125 ABS packs a few updates underneath its new Matte Gray Metallic color scheme.
The venerable 124cc air-cooled four-stroke got stroked, with bore and stroke now at 50.0mm by 63.1mm (from 52.4mm by 57.9mm). The bottom end gets redesigned crankcases from the current Japanese-market C110, while the SOHC two-valve top end is from the new Grom. Compression rises from 9.3:1 to 10.1:1. A revised engine means revised engine hangers, and rubber inserts help tame handlebar and footpeg vibration.
Speaking of footpegs, the US Super Cub again gets only one pair, unlike the European, Asian, and Australian variants. You might meet the nicest people on a Honda, but in America, you’re not going anywhere with them. A call to Chicago’s DuPage Honda Yamaha dealership yields one story of a customer paying for aftermarket pillion mounting. It takes a lot of work, as the footpeg mounts get welded shut on US models. And yet, as if to tease us, Honda’s US site features an image of passenger pegs in the “technology” feature section. Why, Honda, why?
Cubs have always seemed to run just fine on neglect and non-maintenance. Regardless, the oil filter is now apparently easier to service. The air filter has likewise been redesigned for better airflow. A remapped ECU complements these engine revisions, resulting in a claimed increase in combustion efficiency. Accordingly, the signature exhaust now has only one catalyzer instead of two, though outer appearance is unchanged.
Lastly, the 2022 Super Cub weighs 2 pounds less than the 2021 model, a total of a mere 238 pounds. Honda doesn’t release horsepower figures for the Super Cub, but it’s safe to assume the figure is somewhere between 8 hp and 50 hp; it’s likely closer to the former.
Along with the 2022 improvements, buyers still get rugged, thoughtful features and a design largely unchanged since 2019, if not the mid-1960s Four clutchless gears drive two 17-inch cast aluminum wheels hanging on to tubeless tires. Gone is the leading link front suspension, replaced by a 26mm telescopic fork for better handling.
Riders also get one ABS brake, on the front. Does the Super Cub need ABS? Of course; universality and the Cub’s stated ethos of getting (and keeping) people mobile demand it. If you build a bike for everyone, make sure it’s usable by anyone. That includes people prone to danger and mayhem.
No word yet if the 2022 Super Cub still runs after being dropped from a four-story building and filled with cooking oil, but smart money says yes. Lots of semi-talented people build bikes that reach fleeting figures on dynos or accumulate show ribbons. The true test of engineering is longevity.
Long live the 2022 Honda Super Cub C125 ABS. As if it needs any help.
2022 Honda Super Cub C125 ABS Technical Specifications and Price
| PRICE | $3,799 | |
| ENGINE | 124cc, SOHC, air-cooled, four-stroke single-cylinder; 2 valves/cyl. | |
| BORE x STROKE | 50.0 x 63.1mm | |
| COMPRESSION RATIO | 10.0:1 | |
| FUEL DELIVERY | PGM-FI w/ automatic enrichment | |
| CLUTCH | Automatic centrifugal | |
| TRANSMISSION/FINAL DRIVE | 4-speed semi-automatic/chain | |
| MEASURED HORSEPOWER | N/A | |
| MEASURED TORQUE | N/A | |
| FRAME | Tubular steel | |
| FRONT SUSPENSION | 26mm telescopic fork; 3.5 in. travel | |
| REAR SUSPENSION | Twin shock; 3.6 in. travel | |
| FRONT BRAKE | 220mm hydraulic disc w/ ABS | |
| REAR BRAKE | Mechanical drum | |
| WHEELS, FRONT/REAR | Die-cast aluminum; 17 in. | |
| TIRES, FRONT/REAR | 70/90-17 / 80/90-17 | |
| RAKE/TRAIL | 26.0°/2.8 in. | |
| WHEELBASE | 48.9 in. | |
| SEAT HEIGHT | 30.7 in. | |
| FUEL CAPACITY | 1.0 gal. | |
| CLAIMED CURB WEIGHT | 238 lb. | |
| WARRANTY | 1-year, unlimited-mileage limited | |
| AVAILABLE | January 2022 | |
| CONTACT | powersports.honda.com |
Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com