The Honda Super Cub is Back!

Saints be praised, it's a bona fide miracle.  Honda, having kept the Super Cub away from US enthusiasts since 1983 (the last year the "Passport C70" was sold in America) has finally decided it's time for it to make a comeback!  The 2019 Honda Super Cub C125 is available in Honda Powersports dealerships across the country!

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!

Symba Sails Into the Sunset

Alas, I'm afraid there is sad news for Symba fans.  After over 40 years of continuous production, SYM has ceased manufacturing the Symba. Alliance Powersports, SYM's authorized distributor in the USA, now lists it as a "discontinued" model.

Perhaps a brief recount of the history of the Symba is fitting at this point.  SYM, known in Taiwan as San Yang Motorcycle, manufactured the Honda Super Cub (C100, C102, CM91, C70M, C70, etc...) under license by Honda from 1961 to 2002, and from that point on continued the line independently, enhancing and improving the design through 2015. The final version, the Symba 110, was the model that SYM exported to the USA from 2009 up until sometime last year, to the delight of Super Cub fans in the States.

Although I didn't see this coming, I probably should have. Having lived in Taiwan since 2013, I can't help noticing how rare it is to see a Symba among the throng of scooters on the streets of Taipei and other major cities on the island.  For a while the model seemed to hang on as the mainstay delivery vehicle of the Taiwan Post Office.  I don't know the export sales figures, but, apparently they are no longer enough for SYM to keep the Symba in production.

Farewell, faithful, reliable, simple, and elegant friend!

GearChic Takes the Symba for a Spin

The San Francisco-based motorcycle blog GearChick has posted a review of the Symba.

"... if you had Honda's original version of this motorcycle, or you're a new rider just looking for something to ride instead of the bus, to save gas and have fun doing it, then you'll love this".

http://sfmoto.com/wordpress/?p=242

At Least She Pulled Over to Text...

Here's a Symba in a rather rare color - Brown! It was one of the available colors in Taiwan for the 2009-2011 model years.  It has never been available in the USA, and is no longer available even in Taiwan. This particular rider is, for Taiwan, pretty geared up, with a 3/4 helmet, long sleeves and long pants.  But the sneakers?  Ugh!

The Daily Symba Report

It has been raining a lot here in Taipei, Taiwan, so I've missed a few days of Symba sightings.  Here's one from just this (clear) morning.  Note the EFI module just below the seat.  In Taiwan, all motorcycles and scooters have to have fuel injection - it's the law.  I'm starting to think the side covers should be the same color as the frame; in this particular case, it would avoid the visible scuff marks on the white plastic.  Still, one has to remember that here, a Symba is a daily commuting vehicle, not something that is kept in a garage and groomed by an admiring enthusiast.  For that reason, spotting them on the streets of Taiwan is a testimony to their durability!

Another "Business Cub" sighting on the streets of Taiwan.

A Great Source for Symba Parts and Accessories

The new SYM USA dealer network is taking shape, albeit slowly - which is actually a good thing because slow growth generally translates into stable growth.  God knows we don't need a repeat of the Carter Brothers debacle! Nevertheless, Symba owners may find themselves at a loss over where to get parts and accessories.  Scooterseals is a small company in Taiwan that specializes in parts for SYM scooters and motorcycles, and they carry quite a few items for the Symba.  It's run by a expatriate Canadian fellow named Cam Purvis who has lived in Taiwan for years and knows how to track down quality Symba stuff locally that we foreigners typically wouldn't have access to.  His native language, of course, is English, and so communication is a breeze.  He ships worldwide, and his prices are reasonable!  Check it out!

Symba Land

This is a common sight on the streets of Taiwan.  This particular version of the Symba is used as a delivery vehicle for everything from flowers, pizza, beef noodle soup, to the mail.

SYM Taiwan Adds EFI to the Symba

Here's the 2013 Symba as it is sold in Taiwan.  Note the new "thing" between the fuel tank and the legshield - that's the EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) module.

Also note the smaller headlight, turn signals, and black covers on the rear shock absorbers.  The '13 seat is all black instead of black with white trim.

Nice, eh?  Hopefully, the USA will be getting the benefits of EFI soon.  It's required in Taiwan due to more stringent air quality standards than required by the EPA.

Note the red side-covers!  USA models are white.

Symba - THE bike for City Life!

Don't you agree?  This guy looks better on the Symba than he would on ANY scooter or motorcycle.  It's just unique, iconic, and classic all at the same time!

Alliance Powersports Releases Symba Promo Video

These Symba promo videos just get better and better.  Kudos, Alliance Powersports!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJuMuZF4YGI

The Symba Scores a Gig in Crystal Light Ad

Symba Review at MotorcycleUSA.com

MotorcycleUSA has posted a "First Ride" review of the Symba!  Read it here.

To de-smog or not to de-smog. That is the question.

The Symba's Secondary Air Injection System ("AIC")

Now that so many Symbas are in use in the USA and have been for almost 3 years, some "experience" is developing regarding certain aspects of the bike.


More than a few Symba owners have reported a problem with the engine not starting, or not running smoothly.  One of the first solutions promulgated on the SYM Owner's Forum was the air-mixture adjustment screw on the carburetor (or, carburettor, if you're British).  


I ran into this on my daughter's Symba.  Right out of the crate, it was reluctant to start and it ran poorly - rolling on the throttle resulted in engine cut-off, requiring quick action (pumping the throttle) to avoid stalls.  The solution was to re-adjust the air-fuel mixture - a simple procedure on older bikes such as my '69 Honda Cub, but made a PITA on the Symba by the EPA-mandated shaving and sealing of the screw.  I wound up purchasing a whole new screw and removing the old one by drilling away the resin sealant and using an easy-out tool (since the head had been shaved off).  If you feel you need to do this, see the info here.


Now Symba owners are starting to discover other problems - bikes that suddenly won't start, even when the engine is warm, and particularly after filling the gas tank, resulting in the sorry spectacle of a Symba being pushed home on the side of the road, like some POS Znen or Wildfire bike that also rusts over if you put it in the same room with a damp rag.


The problem seems to be, again, over-zealous pollution control subsystems.  The Symba has two of these encumbrances:  the Secondary Air Injection System ("AIC") and the Evaporative Emissions Control System ("EEC").  Some riders who have encountered engine starting woes have removed one or both of these, which takes only novice mechanical skills.


If you're having the problems described, it might be worth considering going this route.  For more info, see these entries in the SYM Forum's Symba section.

Well, it's that time of the year again, at least for Symba owners in the parts of the world that get all snowy and icy during the Winter months.  I could have moved to southern California, or Texas, but New Jersey is my home and I've just got to bear it.

Here's a guide to winterizing your Symba.  It's advised if you are going to store your bike for more than a month, you'd best follow these procedures so that you get back on the road in the Spring with a minimum of hassle.

Exclusive Peek Inside the New Alliance Powersports Website!

Breaking News! Our intrepid research staff at Teamsymba.com has managed to hack into www.alliancepowersports.com and download unpublished web pages, such as the above screen shot of the 2012 SYM Wolf Classic page. Does that put us in the same class with those guys that hide in the Ann Arbor shrubbery for days trying to snap a spyshot of some future Ford or Buick?  Unfortunately not. Actually, we just stumbled across the pages that Google had already cataloged by its own methods and added to search results.  Oh well. Anyway, its still interesting to see the new site take shape!

Lance Powersports Demo Website

Astute observers at Teamsymba.com recently noticed that Lance Powerports has put up a demo version of their new website, featuring the (SYM-manufactured) Cali Classic. Soon they'll be adding the full line of SYM USA scooters and, of course, our beloved Symba.  


Rumor has it the much-anticipated Classic-150 will be making its USA debut either late this year or early in 2012. That's a very interesting bike! Very much a retro throw-back to the Honda CB125 of the '70's, and with some really cool trim options, such as a Triumph Cub look (with pea-shooter exhaust, which I adore), a cafe racer, and even a '40's military version. I'm not sure how many of these Alliance will decide to bring in from Taiwan, but they're all on the table.

Could the Symba be the World's Most Fuel-Efficient Mode of (ICE) Transportation?

Fuelly is a website that posts real-world fuel efficiency data for cars and motorcycles collected by people who own and use the vehicles in question. So far there are five posts by Symba owners, indicating that the Symba gets from 104.9 to 111.6 MPG. That's pretty darn good - even for a motorcycle - and about twice what you get in a Toyota Prius.


The higher the price of gas goes, the more sense it makes to have a Symba in your garage (next to your bicycle and Chevy Volt, of course)!


Click here to see the Symba MPG resluts at www.fuelly.com.

Good News From Alliance - Symba Parts Are Coming Soon!

This is good news: Alliance Powersports is expecting a new container shipment of SYM bikes ('12 models) and parts to be on its way within 30 days, including a good quantity of Symba bench seats and the rear racks that fit with them.


Now would probably be a good time to contact your dealer and put in an order for one of the new and improved bench seats. According to photos I've seen of the new seat, its much taller and therefore probably provides more cushioning for a softer ride. That was one of my concerns about the original design - the padding was rather thin.  

Also, the new rear rack that is designed to fit with the bench seat installed should be available soon. Previously, you had to make a choice:  solo seat and rack, or bench seat and no rack. Now you can have both!

Introducing:

Anyone who owns a Symba or a SYM scooter will soon be familiar with this name:  Alliance Powersports (website not quite up yet).  They're the new USA distributor of SYM vehicles, taking over this month from the former distributor, Carter Brothers (see story about Carter Brothers, below).

This is great news for Symba fans!  So far, the response by SYM dealers regarding Alliance Powersports has been very positive:  scooters are in stock and shipping, parts and accessories are flowing again, and warranties are being honored - including those on bikes sold through the previous distributor.  The people at Alliance are excited at this new opportunity to really do justice to the Symba and the other quality scooters made by SYM.  They are definitely keeping the Symba as part of the USA product line (why wouldn't they - it's very popular!), and are looking to adding the new and much-anticipated Classic 150.  The impression I got from my emails and phone calls with Mike Hickman, the head honcho over at Alliance, is that this is going to be a whole new ball game.  Hooray!

And by the way, if you'd like to add a really fine 125cc scooter as a companion to your Symba, you can get the (made by SYM) Lance Cali Classic at only $1995 ($300 less than the SYM Fiddle-II), at Alliance's sister company, Lance Powersports.