What makes the Honda Cub-type motorcycles so successful worldwide?

Among the best-selling motorcycles, the Honda Cub in its many different iterations and variants is one of the easiest examples to be remembered. Successful in so many countries with differences pertaining to the economical and social conditions, even in Brazil derivatives such as the Honda C100 Dream can be found. There are good reasons for the Honda Cub and its derivatives to be so appreciated worldwide.

The underbone frame for instance, made it attractive for East Asian and Southeast Asian women, as it was much easier for them to ride it while wearing traditional attires which often include long skirts. Not to the same extent of modern scooters with an usually flat floor, yet easier than in a regular motorcycle with its conventional frame. For many women, in Western countries too, the Honda Cub turned out to be their first experience with motorcycles.

With an automatic clutch, novice riders in general tended to be more at ease, and it also became favored by motorcycle couriers in Japan and even in other countries as it allowed the rider to eventually handle some materials with the vehicle still moving. It was also possible to keep the 1st gear engaged with the motorcycle stopped during a delivery, so the courier would be able to depart faster to the next stop. Odd enough, in Brazil the C100 Dream and its replacemens were never favored by motorcycle couriers, yet a similar engine with a manual clutch is now used in a bare-bones motorcycle which is now quite usual among motorcycle couriers due to its (competitively) low price.

With bigger wheels than a scooter, the Honda Cub also tended to cope better with rugged terrain, which makes it an easy choice in 3rd-world countries, both in urban areas and rural regions. Among the many derivatives of the Honda Cub, there are trail models too, which are actually more favored by recreative riders than those who use a small motorcycle for daily commuting. Easy to ride, fuel-efficient and able to cope with some of the harshest environmental conditions, no wonder the Cub is a best-seller.