Honda announced this news in late 2018, but decided to wait until bikes were actually being delivered to dealerships to post anything, and I am now pleased to say that, yes, it is, no joke, really happening. Although allocations are small, anyone in the US wanting to buy a genuine Honda Cub can go to their nearest dealer and put in an order.
There are two reasons why I am excited about the 2019 Cub: first, because Honda has designed this year's model to be much closer in appearance to the classic C100/C102 of the 1960's compared to, say, the 2013 model year, which IMHO looked more like a Honda Wave/Innova than a Cub; second, because Honda has loaded up the 2019 model with many new features, such as:
- ABS front disk brake
- Fuel injection
- 125cc engine
- 4-speed transmission
- Telescopic fork front suspension
- LED lighting
- Fuel gauge, gear indicator, trip odometer
- Keyless start
A few downsides:
- Price - $3,600 (quite a jump in MSRP from the SYM Symba @ $2,400)
- Electric start only - no kickstarter (we've all been there before)
- You can get any color you want, as long as its blue
- Solo only - no option for a bench or pillion seat and no passenger pegs (of course, the aftermarket may change this)
- Keyless start - more to go wrong and a drain on the battery
- Limited availability - but worth the wait if you want one
So, with the exit of the Symba in 2016, at least Cub enthusiasts have a new (and totally unexpected) option!
I have to say, IMHO the 2019 Honda Super Cub is superior to the SYM Symba. Not just because its a Honda, although that's a big part of it, but because of the fidelity the bike has to the Super Cub legacy. You just can't beat that.
Of course, if you own a Symba, you have a great bike - so, enjoy it!
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