This was my "first car" $10 at a garage sale when i was 13 not running, poor compression. My retired neighbor Mr Seaver RIP took the head off and adjusted the valves and taught me a bit about how a 4 stroke works. That was a life changing moment. IOU one bud.
A retired WWII vet named Mr Luptom gave me the same life changing experience but with a Honda 50 Mini Trail. Early Sunday Mornings at 12 yrs old I'd use it to deliver my paper route when no one was awake. Been riding motorcycles and working on engines ever since.
@@clutchpedalreturnsprg7710 I delivered papers in a '50 Desoto and a '67 (I think) Beetle. Went on to a 30 year UPS delivery career . :) My 95 year old Dad delivered supplies to Russia during WWII on Liberty ships. We were the original drones!
I was on study abroad in Japan and one roommate had a Honda Cub 50. He'd fire it up in the morning to go to school, and I noticed that the valve noise never subsided after a few seconds when the oil should have gotten up there and quieted things down. I was a little worried, so one day me and my roommate put it up on the center stand and checked the oil. There was about 1mm of oil on the bottom of the dipstick. I asked him how long he'd had the bike, "three years" he said. I asked when the last oil change was, "oh I've never changed the oil, I don't know how." I had him take it in to get the oil changed and the mechanic couldn't believe the bike was still running, his exact words were, "You're really lucky that Honda makes such a good engine." Honda's are just about as bullet proof as you can get, my own Cub is still going strong at 35, they're great little bikes. It's nice to see that Jay appreciates even the little wonders in the engineering world.
@@allgoo1990 Soichiro Honda taught every motorcycle manufacturer in the world (apart from BMW) how to make durable two wheeled machines, he did that with engineering, not marketing.
I have a 2020 Super Cub. I've owned it for 10 months and rode it for 7. I have close to 9 thousand miles on it. Goal is to get it up to 100k miles. Super fun little bike and you just can't stop the attention. Everyone loves it.
Would love another one.. My dad has old pictures of me as a kid roosting my passport in the dirt.. These things only needed gas maintenance free as they come lol..
I was a Honda mechanic from 1968 to 1970 and serviced a bunch of 50 cc step through bikes . The chain did not run in an oil bath. The guard was merely to keep everything sanitary. The black rubber plug in the side was to gauge the chain tension.
@@libertylarry6766 that's because you probably run the bike at WOT for most of the time. Their battery were sized and designed to stay charged on average, ( not US crazy pinning the throttle..) usage, in other words not blasting around at full revs. Slow down and save your engine and the battery, these bikes were never meant to run wide open as a steady diet
Is it the trail 90 with high and low gearing switch. I had a 69 Trail 90, That I killed when I was 16. Only way you could kill em was drive with no oil in crankcase. Poor thing chirped like a bird then ceased.
Funny the new one you can't double on. Different times. I never had the pleasure of having a Honda 50cc, but I had a Solex with a side car! Columbus, OH Handi Bikes was the main importer to the U.S. for Motobécane and Solex. My dad had a side job making them Dept Of Transportation compliant. Thumb bells and brake light on Solex and Horn and turn signals on Motobécane. 20 years later I bought a mint condition black Solex with a chrome motor guard and the big fiberglass side car, ser.# 0005 all for $70. My wife rode it to school every day. Our nephews loved the side car. I doubt they made 100 side cars.
These Honda Cubs were a part of the scenery all over Japan. From farms to the city, carrying everything from onions, fish to newspaper to letters. The same Honda 50 cc engine was used for the ST50 Dax, Monkey, Gorilla and others, and these motorcycle were what got me into mechanical engineering! Aftermarket parts, piston, cylinders, carbs, jets, sprockets, exhaust, you name it, everything was there. My favorite was to go to the junkyard to find a rotten cub for parts!
You can go anywhere and you can load anything on it,doesn’t matter how much it weighs it’ll pull. Even without no service it’ll do it’s job. Most reliable motor vehicle ever produced. Really cheap to run. It’s incredible how the Cub50 has helped all the people in Asia to do their daily work without any hassle. Families depend on this Cub50. You can’t destroy the cub 50. Cheers to Honda for helping out so many lives.
A terrific video, Jay. My uncle, who was a merchant marine, routinely traveled to Japan. In 1966, he brought us a black Honda 55. Not a 50, a 55 cc motorcycle. In those days the Honda 55 had turn signals, which the domestic version didn’t. They came later. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
My father drove twenty six miles to, and twenty six miles from work for over twenty years on this bike in all weather never missing a day or night as a train driver. On this bike.
@@keithlarsen7557 Railroad Engineers in the #1 Union in the United States make more money than they are really worth. They can afford luxury boats, cars, and motorcycles. The rest of us non-union working folks just pay taxes and suck eggs. 😒
I have one and it runs perfectly, I didn't start it for 2 years, and went out and it started right up. Great bike... The postmen here in Japan still deliver mail on them, including the harsh winters here in Hokkaido!
@SpeedRacer 650 Call honda, if that gets you no where, you'll need to find a custom fabrication shop. Perhaps honda could at least provide blue prints. If not, when you find a prefab shop, take the old parts/bike with you. Do a lot of research on custom shops to see potential options. There's no way you'll find oem parts for this bike unless you get them made.
The great thing about these bikes is they bring back such wonderful memories for those of us who saw them and those who rode them, they were wonderful years. And you can see the happiness in Jay's eyes as he makes so many interesting comments, they were a wonderful toy and joy to him.
I bought a brand new Honda 50 in 1965. It wasn't a step-through, like this, but most things were the same... My Honda had a clutch and the gears were "one down- three up". I drove that Honda everywhere! In 1966 a woman pulled out in front of me--- broke my leg, but worst of all, it broke my Honda and my heart! I'll never forget that sweet little bike.
Jay I know you will never see this,but I want to thank you so much for doing this video,You have brought back wonderful memories for this old man. Thank you again .
I just scored a 1963 Honda 50 with 2K original miles in great shape. Was sitting in my buddy’s grandfather’s garage. He gave it to me for $100. Only think it needed was a new set of tires (originals were dry-rotted) and a new air filter. Boom!!
LMAO!!! My cousin had a brand new 125 Honda that was a pure lemon.We used to push it back home singing "You meet the nicest people pushing a Honda." He swapped it for a Yamaha 125 you couldn't kill.That thing was bulletproof.
Thanks to Jay Leno and other public figures/actors with undying passion for motorcycles. Thanks for being a large voice helping to keep this lifestyle vibrant and diverse.
I still ride my '65 Super Cub. It's one of 8 bikes in the garage, and still brings a smile to my face. Took my road test on that little machine, too. Well done, Honda.
In 1967, when I was sent to Vietnam. I landed in Saigon. One of the first things that I noticed in Saigon was that for every car you saw in the city you would see a hundred Honda 50's. Literally, everybody rode them, for obvious reasons they were inexpensive, and you could carry two people on them. Seeing Jay riding that Honda 50 was quite a sight.
I to was a 67 grad. Of Saigon U. I remember the bicycles with a small 2 cycle motor maybe 1 hp. With a rubber roller that engaged the front tire. Peddle to start moving. Always 2 Vietcong per bike.
I disagree. this is typical leno: gets the guys in - then doesn't give them a chance to say anything. often I wish he'd stfu so we can hear what the guests have to contribute
I started with a Honda 50 in 1965 with my learners permit and got a Honda 305 scrambler the next year. In Cali we rode year round. Ah, childhood on the left coast!
My heart soared when he started that 50. Talk about something you never forget. From minibike to theTrail 90 at age 14, then stepped up to the CB160. Got the CL350 in '68 that was a superbike of it's time, hard to believe. Priceless memories Honda gave to me, Thank You
I bought one of those in about '64, second hand. I was 10. It sold me on Honda. Great memories of beating around on trails. Very, very tough little bike.
I do dislike the keyless ignition, though. It's a freaking Cub. Put the key in, twist, thumb starter, go. It's why I prefer the Trail version in concept.
@@andrewweitzman4006 I prefer keyed ignition but I don't miss snapping a key in half. 15 years of daily use and the best keys snap in half. If only the batteries in the new fobs could be changed easily, though the RFID uses very little and they're lithium based.
Back in 1963, when I was 15 yo and living in Glendale, Ca. I bought a new Honda 90 Super. I picked it up at a dealership that likely doesn't exist today. That would have been Honda of Burbank, just up the street from your old home, NBC studio. The memories that this video brings back so clearly, are like going home again. All of the sights and people back then are priceless. Griffith Park instead of high school, where I ran into my friend and fellow delinquents. Too much more to share. Thank you, Jay PS: I did meet you and ride with you on a couple of Love Rides in the 1990s. Good times.
Probably the bike that established Honda's reputation for quality. Together with Japanese cameras and lenses, established Japan's reputation for quality.
You can thank an American named Deming for that largely. He had a revolutionary philosophy of manufacturing that all American companies passed on. So...he went to Japan and they ate it up. They even have an award named after him in Japan that is awarded every year to a top business.
@@williampgalloway . No, but Canon, Pentax, Olympus, Minolta and a host of other Japanese manufacturers started selling sophisticated, reliable SLR cameras with good optics at a fraction of the price of European ones. Western makers were caught napping. As with motorbikes and consumer electronics.
Funny you say that, my first bike was a cub 90 at 14 too.. had great illegal fun on it.. I paid £5 for it from a freind in 97.. it was a 60s bike and I abused it.. shredded the chain tensioners doing doughnuts.. sold it for £30.. wish I still had it. Worth a £1000 in uk now
@@balreadysaid I was born 83 too.. never a dream bike for me.. till recently.. now I'd love another one.. expensive now in the uk.. known affectionately as the chicken chaser in Britain..
Small bikes are always an absolute blast to ride, i love my mt09, my kx250, my xl125, my ttr125 but something about my 70s mini bikes that bring a smile from ear to ear every single time i bust one out of its basement storage lol.
I had a 1963 Honda 50 Sport that I bought used in '64. I remember topping it out at 55 mph! I think I even hit 62 going down a slight incline with a tailwind one time. It was winding so tight it sounded like a mosquito.
Jay, I bought my 2019 in July of that year thanks to you. Added side stand, luggage rack, Kijima saddle bag frames and Chase Harper Aero 300 bags. I have sold all my motorcycles and just use this. At 4500ft here in Salt Lake I'm getting over 150mpg riding the piss out of this thing. I love and enjoy riding this machine. Thanx for the intro.
Brought back many happy memories of my first bike a 1966 Honda 50. No one mentioned in the video that if you had the idle rate too high you'd pull a bit of a wheelie from take off with that centrifugal clutch, used to get me very stressed at traffic lights! Great little bike, never did any maintenance on it because it just started and ran whatever you did to it!
mine did the wheelie too, it had the early vertical carb. that couldn't be stopped from flooding. The later version with the horizontal carb was better, probably wouldn't have wheelied. I sold it on, it was well worn out, needed a rebuild and i didn't have the means to do the repairs.
Jay, the "TOP" indication and arrow on the instrument/speedo gauge is a gear speed range indicator. It is indicating not to drop below about 17mph when engaged in top gear to avoid stalling. In later models, the gear speed indicator would be more precise, indicating what speed ranges are okay for gears 1, 2, etc.
Did you know that Honda is the biggest producer of gas powered engines in the world? Not just bikes and cars, but try to find a service truck with a small pump for any liquid that doesn't have a 5 hp Honda engine on it. Here in Asia, they are everywhere.
Hello Jay: I've loved your show for the last hundred years or so, and I just finished watching you checking out the "Made in India" Royal Enfield bike. Absolutely great show. I hope you never retire as it so refreshing to watch all of your cars and bikes being checked out. I'm eighty three now and I still can't watch your show without thinking about some of the bikes and cars that I have had over the years. I'm British born and my family emigrated to Canada when i was 14 Y.O. My elder brother bought an Aerial 350 cc Single, new. He didn't know it but I learned to ride on that bike. I bought a used '53 Square Four, and then a 1956 Square Four, a 1957 Square Four, then finally A Honda 750cc Four, a 700cc Royal Enfield, twin, and then my first new bike, a Honda 900cc, four cylinder . Please keep on doing what you do do. Thanks Jay. Kind regards., Terry Southgate.
When I was in Vietnam I saw thousands of Honda 50’s. When I return home I had Honda 90 Sport and it had a clutch top speed about 54. Very Cool Vlog Jay.🏍🇺🇸
@@michaels721 factory claims 55 but 40-45 is where I thought it feels happy I am about 170bs Honestly it doesn't feel much peppier then my buddys 1981 passport which is the cub with a 70cc and a 3 speed
@@michaels721 Top speed is 63-65 mph, depending on the road and wind conditions. It's more comfortable around 50-55 though, and it will hold that speed all day long without straining. My bike has over 1500 miles on the clock already and is returning about 135 mpg average! It's a a great little machine. -QM
JAY. The Honda 50 is a very popular bike here in Ireland. Had one myself in the seventies for my first bike. 30 pence would fill the tank and keep it going for ages ! 😊 They are red and white fairing here.
My first bike was a '65 S90. Rode it to and from my summer job...about 15 mi each way. The next summer I got a 305 Super Hawk. Loved that bike. Both were bought used, and both ran flawlessly.
Jeffry Blackmon, Hahahaha. My exact story as well. First thing I did when I was assigned permanent party at McGuire AFB was to buy a used S90. I rode it everywhere in the Garden State.
@@motorradmike I rode it from Springfield, MA to Niagara Falls and back once. Then I bought a 305 "Dream" and rode it back and forth at least once. Later on in life I graduated to Harley Davidsons- 2 Sportsters and and an ElectraGlide until I learned the hard way that I could no longer balance. Then the 'Glide got a sidecar.
Jeffry Blackmon, this is pretty funny...my second bike was a 250 Dream! After the service I graduated to a Suzuki 750 LeMans GT “Water Buffalo”. I still ride and am down to three bikes.
I thrashed my Honda 50 and it just kept going. It finally died when I drove it through water so deep it got into the air filter. I currently have a SYM Symba 100 cc which is a Honda Cub made by the same manufacturer of the Honda Cub.
Not this exact one but the first motorcycle I’ve ever ridden was my grandpa’s 1988 100cc Honda Cub EX5. Learned how to ride it around the neighbourhood when I was 11 years old. He took me everywhere on it, had tons of great childhood memories on a Honda Cub.
He didn't teach very much he stands there and says they didn't have electric start ಠ︵ಠ and anybody that knows anything about the first Cubs knows that they had electric start Jay doesn't know as much as he used to LOL
He doesn't have as much knowledge as he used to have he's kind of reading off of his I don't know he's losing his memory on stuff I see it all the time sorry jay it's six volt electric start and that's a push rod engine the first Cub did not have overhead cam it had push rods but they're not going to talk about that and he wouldn't know it anyway
I was with Sport cycle in Galveston in the sixty's. We sold Suzuki Suzi's for 15 dollars less than the Honda. We sold 20 a month in the beginning and by 1970 we sold 115 during the summer.
I have a 1967 Honda P50, the engine is inside of the rear wheel. A real conversation piece. Still runs perfectly. FYI top 9n the speedometer is the point where you should be in top gear, recommended. Thanks for the memories Jay.
Those small bikes are very valuable tools in emerging economies because they make it possible for people to do something most people take for granted and that is: "GOING PLACES". It's really smart from Honda to bring back such a beloved bike.
This is sooooo Funny..!! Those 50s were built so well..!! Back in 1981 I purchased a Honda Dream 305 for $150. and had a blast driving it around the hills of San Jose California. Thanks for the memories.!
Bought 2 Honda 50’s 1982 and 1979 restoring them with my dad at age 14 was the best decisions I ever made they are really fun to ride after riding a blue 86 model I told my dad to get one ASAP
These foreign brands(Honda, Toyota, VW, Subaru, etc.) have all forgotten what them great. Reliability through simplicity. Simplicity also meant they were inexpensive. 1962 these were $1800 ($215 modified with inflation) vs $3600 today. Hop into a foreign car of the 70-early 80's and it's laughable how cheap and basic it is; but that's what made them great.
Mitsubishi still Makes the L300 with the Legendary 4D56 diesel engine where I live, although that might change in 2021 when they update the emissions standard.
First gear---its alright---second gear----lean right---third gear ----hang on tight---faster---alright! Not a motorcycle, just a kooky little motorbike!
Jay's knowledge and enthusiasm are compelling. Given today's need for fuel economy, why are these amazing motorcycles not everywhere? They should never have disappeared.
I think I kept Honda in business back in the 1960's and 70's. I've had at least 10 Honda 50's.(all were C 110s with 4 speed transmissions except one with a 3 speed) Had a Trail 90, a SL 350, XL 350.(the 350's had Power all big bore kits) I've also had a 250 Scrambler and a bunch of 305 Scramblers and Super hawks. I sold the last 305's a few years ago to a guy up around the Tri Cities in Washington.(4 Super Hawks and 3 Scramblers) As for the Honda 50's, I still have a spacer for the left rear shock to make it possible to run a 72 tooth trail sprocket that bolted over the original stock sprocket. I remember taking a pair of pliers to hold the brake cam forward, then slip the actuator lever off and back on a different spline an the brake cam to get some more out of my brake pads. Those old leading link front shocks worked pretty good for what they were. My 50's were all 5hp and cost about $300 bucks new in the mid to late 60's. You could run about 50 mph if you lay'd down.(Although I only weighed about 170 back then) I've given up on Honda motorcycles and now concentrate on Honda ATV's. (At my age, I need something with 4 wheel to keep me upright!!!!(;>))
I bought the Honda 50 on HP in 1963 when they first came out on sale which had a dual seat too and carried two up with ease, a great little runaround. I loved that it was four stroke too. That little Japanese bike was the beginning of the end for English motorbike supremacy. My best friend at the time also had the Honda 50 and before long he bought the Honda 400 which was a beautiful beast of a machine.
The dual seat was standard. The single seat didn't come along until a dealer in Idaho started modifying them into the first trail bikes. Honda adopted his changes, which included a single seat.
I had a Honda 50 when I was going to Indiana University (Bloomington) in the 60's and 70"s. For storage I strapped a beer case (two hinged openings on top) on the luggage rack. I sealed the case so that it was impervious to water. Sometimes I'd take the Honda to visit relatives who lived about 40 miles south of Bloomington. It would take me forever to get there because of the hills in southern Indiana! A great little cycle.
In Hawaii back in the 90s Honda scooters were such a hot commodity that they would get stolen nightly around the island. Kids would soup them up and they would have little biker gangs on scooters. They were crazy fast too. I'm talking wheelie fast. My wife had a pink scooter in Hope's of it not getting stolen.....it still got stolen at 3am in waikiki. Great way to get around when roads are jammed and parking is non existent.
Why she think a scooter wouldn’t get stolen if it was pink? And the theft issue hasn’t changed, it not a 90’s thing, especially in waikiki. Lane splitting not legal on the islands so not sure how that helps with trafic. Wheelie is getting the rider getting the front end end up and balance, don’t mean it’s fast. Sorry brah you aint local smh
The same one james may rode across Vietnam. My family have a couple of those in various engine version still works fine. Never overhauled never refurbished.
I had a Lao made Kolao when I lived in Laos. I had it for eight years and rode it every day as my main form of transport. It never let me down and gave it away when I left Laos in 2015. It's still being ridden today. I bought a new Super Cub four months ago as a second bike. I love the thing.
Amazing to read the comments! So many people got their first connection to motorized travel from this or similar bikes! Sadly, it’s a lot harder today to find such innocent fun that could last a lifetime.
I am 76 now and fondly remember my first motorcycle, although I cannot remember if it was 1963 or 4. It was a red Honda 50 sport. Just the right size to learn on. Next I made a huge jump to a 160cc Honda. How awesome. I kept jumping up in size although I am now wanting a Yamaha bolt. Not to small, not to big, just right. I hope to ride it to heaven!
I was the xxxth owner of one of the very early pushrod 50's. Had a friend looking after it but when I was ready to restore it he had somehow 'lost' it :-( Love Jay's little smile when the 50 started, had one just like it :-)
Just finishing restoration of a ‘64 Honda 55 Sport(C115), the Super Cubs “big brother” that my big brother bought in 1966 and was available in Canada but not the US, likely because it required a licence to drive.
I know this is now 5 years old but after years of pretty never riding a motorcycle, I'm finally starting the MSF course locally and this will be my first motorcycle. Everyone who has ever reviewed one on the internet says it's perfect for getting started in riding and zipping around town.
Nice to look at something not so glamorous, not so powerful, not so expensive once in a while. Jay is a sport for doing this - I can think of some bikers who would not be seen dead on one of these! But I think he gets it, this ubiquitous little motorbike is kind of important as well. Interesting and entertaining, thanks.
I bought a new '68 Honda 160 in mid 1969, the 175's were already introduced, for $219.00 from Del Strong (Glendale Honda) I rode the wheels off of that thing until I blew the crank roller bearings. The replacement crank was $80.00!!! Outrageous!!! lol When I bought a 350 I thought it was a rocket ship!! A friend had a S90, we got it to 55 with 2 people on it!! Ahh, the good old days..
It's quite amazing to think that Jay Leno made his name in such a different field entirely - the man has got such a vast knowledge on vehicles. Respect. (TBH I was more of a Letterman guy but still).
My first bike was a blue 60s Honda 50. My father bought it as a basket case, and we built it up and got it running again. I was 12. I hadn't heard that sound again since now.
![[UNCUT] The Loyal Pin ปิ่นภักดิ์ EP.15 (2/4)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qbHbshrA1f0/mqdefault.jpg)
This was my "first car" $10 at a garage sale when
i was 13 not running, poor compression. My retired neighbor Mr Seaver RIP took the head off and adjusted the valves and taught me a bit about how a 4 stroke works. That was a life changing moment. IOU one bud.
A retired WWII vet named Mr Luptom gave me the same life changing experience but with a Honda 50 Mini Trail. Early Sunday Mornings at 12 yrs old I'd use it to deliver my paper route when no one was awake. Been riding motorcycles and working on engines ever since.
Z-50s Rule.
So interesting to hear stories like this
Hopefully you can be that influence to someone someday where they will be able to replicate your story....
:)
@@clutchpedalreturnsprg7710 I delivered papers in a '50 Desoto and a '67 (I think) Beetle. Went on to a 30 year UPS delivery career . :) My 95 year old Dad delivered supplies to Russia during WWII on Liberty ships. We were the original drones!
This is a motorcycle my grandfather got brand new, my dad drove it, I drove it. It still rides. Good old kick start
No kick start on the new ones, at least not on the US models..
I was on study abroad in Japan and one roommate had a Honda Cub 50. He'd fire it up in the morning to go to school, and I noticed that the valve noise never subsided after a few seconds when the oil should have gotten up there and quieted things down. I was a little worried, so one day me and my roommate put it up on the center stand and checked the oil. There was about 1mm of oil on the bottom of the dipstick. I asked him how long he'd had the bike, "three years" he said. I asked when the last oil change was, "oh I've never changed the oil, I don't know how."
I had him take it in to get the oil changed and the mechanic couldn't believe the bike was still running, his exact words were, "You're really lucky that Honda makes such a good engine."
Honda's are just about as bullet proof as you can get, my own Cub is still going strong at 35, they're great little bikes. It's nice to see that Jay appreciates even the little wonders in the engineering world.
I believe it, I own a 81 and love it, had it 7 years and put about 6000 mi. on it. And this is after riding a Triumph chopper for years.
Bagledog5000
oh, not oil change for 3 years ...
where are you from?
Mr. Honda was a brilliant engineer.
@@francisdedumo3323 , yes ..
C50 was overhead cam
So the noise was probably the cam chain
The one Jay had is a C102 with electric start or C100 without both overheag valve engines
Thumbs up to the late, great Soichiro Honda - he was an engineering genius.
" he was an engineering genius."
--
Marketing is far more important, and it's 90% luck.
Thomas Edison wasn't right. it's not 9o% perspiration.
@@allgoo1990 Soichiro Honda taught every motorcycle manufacturer in the world (apart from BMW) how to make durable two wheeled machines, he did that with engineering, not marketing.
@@dreamdiction Well put. And it's not that the marketing was bad or anything... but the genius here was the engineering.
Combine the genius engineering , with a genius choice of marketing and guess what? Stellar success. ! Great video jay. Thank you Mr. Honda .🖖
@@dreamdictionand he did it without a hs/college education.
I have a 2020 Super Cub. I've owned it for 10 months and rode it for 7. I have close to 9 thousand miles on it. Goal is to get it up to 100k miles. Super fun little bike and you just can't stop the attention. Everyone loves it.
im having one in 2 years time.
My family cub 50 is 40+years old and still running.
share us a picture amigo!
heres my 36yrs old yammy!
imgur.com/a/W1YtzSz
It's called maintenanced.
I've had a lot of good times on the one I had. Wish I still had her.
@@fidelcatsro6948 nice bud, thanks for sharing.
Would love another one.. My dad has old pictures of me as a kid roosting my passport in the dirt.. These things only needed gas maintenance free as they come lol..
I was a Honda mechanic from 1968 to 1970 and serviced a bunch of 50 cc step through bikes . The chain did not run in an oil bath. The guard was merely to keep everything sanitary. The black rubber plug in the side was to gauge the chain tension.
I thought that had to be wrong. The two Honda guys held their tongues (at least I assume they knew Jay was mistaken).
I have a 64 Honda 50 that over charges. I put an updated rectifier on it didn’t help. Can u help Gary?
*Are you certain the rectifier is for 6-volt?* *Anything 'higher' will definitely over-charge and ruin the battery*
@@teeroh99 Leno THINKS he knows EVERTHING ..... But doesn't! ROFL!
@@libertylarry6766 that's because you probably run the bike at WOT for most of the time. Their battery were sized and designed to stay charged on average, ( not US crazy pinning the throttle..) usage, in other words not blasting around at full revs. Slow down and save your engine and the battery, these bikes were never meant to run wide open as a steady diet
I have had my Honda 90 for almost 50 years. I got it as a child and have kept it garaged it’s whole life.
share us a pic!
Is it the trail 90 with high and low gearing switch. I had a 69 Trail 90, That I killed when I was 16. Only way you could kill em was drive with no oil in crankcase. Poor thing chirped like a bird then ceased.
fastdude2002
Any buddies allowed to drive it as kids🤔
Never in my life have I had as much fun as I’ve had at less than 40mph on scooter/bikes like these. Amazing fun.
Funny the new one you can't double on. Different times. I never had the pleasure of having a Honda 50cc, but I had a Solex with a side car! Columbus, OH Handi Bikes was the main importer to the U.S. for Motobécane and Solex. My dad had a side job making them Dept Of Transportation compliant. Thumb bells and brake light on Solex and Horn and turn signals on Motobécane. 20 years later I bought a mint condition black Solex with a chrome motor guard and the big fiberglass side car, ser.# 0005 all for $70. My wife rode it to school every day. Our nephews loved the side car. I doubt they made 100 side cars.
These Honda Cubs were a part of the scenery all over Japan. From farms to the city, carrying everything from onions, fish to newspaper to letters. The same Honda 50 cc engine was used for the ST50 Dax, Monkey, Gorilla and others, and these motorcycle were what got me into mechanical engineering! Aftermarket parts, piston, cylinders, carbs, jets, sprockets, exhaust, you name it, everything was there. My favorite was to go to the junkyard to find a rotten cub for parts!
You can go anywhere and you can load anything on it,doesn’t matter how much it weighs it’ll pull. Even without no service it’ll do it’s job. Most reliable motor vehicle ever produced. Really cheap to run. It’s incredible how the Cub50 has helped all the people in Asia to do their daily work without any hassle. Families depend on this Cub50. You can’t destroy the cub 50. Cheers to Honda for helping out so many lives.
Top Gear tossed one off of a several story building. It ran fine after that ....
A terrific video, Jay.
My uncle, who was a merchant marine, routinely traveled to Japan. In 1966, he brought us a black Honda 55. Not a 50, a 55 cc motorcycle. In those days the Honda 55 had turn signals, which the domestic version didn’t. They came later.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
My father drove twenty six miles to, and twenty six miles from work for over twenty years on this bike in all weather never missing a day or night as a train driver. On this bike.
That's nuts. Rail road pays so much better here in the states.
Oh yes. They run on fresh air and last for ever.
That’s cool man he must loved that lil bike bet he figured the bike was like him never missed a day
@@keithlarsen7557 Railroad Engineers in the #1 Union in the United States make more money than they are really worth. They can afford luxury boats, cars, and motorcycles. The rest of us non-union working folks just pay taxes and suck eggs. 😒
@@jamesburns2232 Now we don't even get the eggs
I have one and it runs perfectly, I didn't start it for 2 years, and went out and it started right up. Great bike... The postmen here in Japan still deliver mail on them, including the harsh winters here in Hokkaido!
@SpeedRacer 650 Call honda, if that gets you no where, you'll need to find a custom fabrication shop. Perhaps honda could at least provide blue prints. If not, when you find a prefab shop, take the old parts/bike with you. Do a lot of research on custom shops to see potential options. There's no way you'll find oem parts for this bike unless you get them made.
eeey a fellow hokkaido gaijin! i lived in oshamambe, where are you living btw?
I have a mail delivery monkey, Japan import. Love the little thing.
The great thing about these bikes is they bring back such wonderful memories for those of us who saw them and those who rode them, they were wonderful years. And you can see the happiness in Jay's eyes as he makes so many interesting comments, they were a wonderful toy and joy to him.
Bought mine for $20 about 40 years ago, still have it.
Raw Bacon just picked up a 1963 C102 that’s in pretty great shape. Old man give it away to me for $100. Runs like a raped ape!
@@Chris-hj3lc I cant find one under 1000
@@Chris-hj3lc Awesome find, have fun!
god
The new ones are now $4000.
I bought a brand new Honda 50 in 1965. It wasn't a step-through, like this, but most things were the same... My Honda had a clutch and the gears were "one down- three up". I drove that Honda everywhere! In 1966 a woman pulled out in front of me--- broke my leg, but worst of all, it broke my Honda and my heart! I'll never forget that sweet little bike.
That’s called an s50, the “sport cub” if you will.
I had one also in 1965. I believe mine was a Honda 50 super sport,
Jay I know you will never see this,but I want to thank you so much for doing this video,You have brought back wonderful memories for this old man. Thank you again .
This scooter mobilised large parts of the world, the importance of which cannot be understated, plus it’s fun which is why it sold popular everywhere.
I have my Honda 1964 55cc which is my first motorcycle..I take it to mid Ohio…and really relive my youth driving it..congrats Leno
I just scored a 1963 Honda 50 with 2K original miles in great shape. Was sitting in my buddy’s grandfather’s garage. He gave it to me for $100. Only think it needed was a new set of tires (originals were dry-rotted) and a new air filter. Boom!!
Wow!
Did it explode?
" You meet the nicest people on a Honda."
LMAO!!! My cousin had a brand new 125 Honda that was a pure lemon.We used to push it back home singing "You meet the nicest people pushing a Honda." He swapped it for a Yamaha 125 you couldn't kill.That thing was bulletproof.
@@donnienicholson6062 And here i am trying to kill Yamaha Mio with only 113,4cc it still won't blow up no matter how hard i pull the gas pedal
You meet the nicest people on a Honda , but lm not one of them 😂
The only good thing anyone will ever say about a person who owns Honda
@@jerichothetech1065 Your AMC broke down again eh?
Thanks to Jay Leno and other public figures/actors with undying passion for motorcycles. Thanks for being a large voice helping to keep this lifestyle vibrant and diverse.
I still ride my '65 Super Cub. It's one of 8 bikes in the garage, and still brings a smile to my face. Took my road test on that little machine, too. Well done, Honda.
In 1967, when I was sent to Vietnam. I landed in Saigon. One of the first things that I noticed in Saigon was that for every car you saw in the city you would see a hundred Honda 50's. Literally, everybody rode them, for obvious reasons they were inexpensive, and you could carry two people on them. Seeing Jay riding that Honda 50 was quite a sight.
I to was a 67 grad. Of Saigon U. I remember the bicycles with a small 2 cycle motor maybe 1 hp. With a rubber roller that engaged the front tire. Peddle to start moving. Always 2 Vietcong per bike.
Were you in the U.S.M.C. @@howardsnyder7402
Jay knows more about Honda 50, than Honda guys.
They certainly didn't prepare for the show.
to be fair, Jay knows more about most cars than anyone who isn't an expert in that exact car.
They couldn't get a word in ... Jay takes the lead & gives his viewers something worth listening to.
Honda guys are sellers and tbh how much do they know about history
I disagree. this is typical leno: gets the guys in - then doesn't give them a chance to say anything. often I wish he'd stfu so we can hear what the guests have to contribute
20 years ago I would've never thought that one day Jay Lenno will be my history teacher.
I started with a Honda 50 in 1965 with my learners permit and got a Honda 305 scrambler the next year. In Cali we rode year round. Ah, childhood on the left coast!
same here! same place same time.... traded a drum set for it!! Lol
Oh man i love those scramblers i had a 360. Very underestimated performance!
My heart soared when he started that 50. Talk about something you never forget. From minibike to theTrail 90 at age 14, then stepped up to the CB160. Got the CL350 in '68 that was a superbike of it's time, hard to believe. Priceless memories Honda gave to me, Thank You
"You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda" the Honda Cub is such a masterpiece, Thank you Soichiro Honda ! Love from Italy.
I bought one of those in about '64, second hand. I was 10. It sold me on Honda. Great memories of beating around on trails. Very, very tough little bike.
Nice! I have a Honda 50. I got it a few years ago when I was 13. Used it to go back and forth to gymnastics practice.
normally i hate when they update things, but this update of the design is actually ok!
Honda is one of companies that are really good at that.
@@EddieFly00 agreed.
Sad tho the seat is for one person only
I do dislike the keyless ignition, though. It's a freaking Cub. Put the key in, twist, thumb starter, go. It's why I prefer the Trail version in concept.
@@andrewweitzman4006 I prefer keyed ignition but I don't miss snapping a key in half. 15 years of daily use and the best keys snap in half. If only the batteries in the new fobs could be changed easily, though the RFID uses very little and they're lithium based.
I grew up in Vietnam riding one one these before. amazing bike! This is iconic to see honda cub and honda scooters in the world.
Back in 1963, when I was 15 yo and living in Glendale, Ca. I bought a new Honda 90 Super. I picked it up at a dealership that likely doesn't exist today. That would have been Honda of Burbank, just up the street from your old home, NBC studio. The memories that this video brings back so clearly, are like going home again. All of the sights and people back then are priceless. Griffith Park instead of high school, where I ran into my friend and fellow delinquents. Too much more to share. Thank you, Jay
PS: I did meet you and ride with you on a couple of Love Rides in the 1990s. Good times.
Probably the bike that established Honda's reputation for quality. Together with Japanese cameras and lenses, established Japan's reputation for quality.
Despite the ridiculous put-down of "as accurate as a cheap Japanese watch" - as Seiko and others were, by and large, extremely accurate and reliable!
You can thank an American named Deming for that largely. He had a revolutionary philosophy of manufacturing that all American companies passed on. So...he went to Japan and they ate it up. They even have an award named after him in Japan that is awarded every year to a top business.
Carl Ziess was Japanese?
@@williampgalloway . No, but Canon, Pentax, Olympus, Minolta and a host of other Japanese manufacturers started selling sophisticated, reliable SLR cameras with good optics at a fraction of the price of European ones. Western makers were caught napping. As with motorbikes and consumer electronics.
@@curmudgeon1933 +Let's not forget Nikon, which gave you near-Zeiss quality for less than half the price.
everlasting japanese food delivery bike
th-cam.com/video/HR3SJANY2j0/w-d-xo.html It's not one bowl of noodles. Its the all purpose delivery vehicle.
I'll be damned. I thought these are the Indian way
First bike was a Trail 90... I was 14, so much fun. The Cubs are still very popular here in Japan.
Me too!. Red with the rack in back and the flip up seat. Didn't have the flip handle bars
Cub was a dream bike for me born in 83
Funny you say that, my first bike was a cub 90 at 14 too.. had great illegal fun on it.. I paid £5 for it from a freind in 97.. it was a 60s bike and I abused it.. shredded the chain tensioners doing doughnuts.. sold it for £30.. wish I still had it. Worth a £1000 in uk now
@@balreadysaid I was born 83 too.. never a dream bike for me.. till recently.. now I'd love another one.. expensive now in the uk.. known affectionately as the chicken chaser in Britain..
First motorcycle I ever rode. I was about 10 years old. Belonged to a friend and kind of a yellowish gold.
I've watched Jay ride many bikes but I've not seen him have more fun than this.
Small bikes are always an absolute blast to ride, i love my mt09, my kx250, my xl125, my ttr125 but something about my 70s mini bikes that bring a smile from ear to ear every single time i bust one out of its basement storage lol.
Try walking 10 miles then you can appreciate those little motorcycles. Luv em!!
Honda is such a great company. I miss the 90s Hondas!
MaxSpeed i miss the 90’s at all. No social media and great products
My first bike was a red S90. Rode it everywhere.
I miss the 70's Honda's before you missed the 90's Honda's.
Miss my 96 honda CB250 jade,40hp cylinder dohc 250cc
@@higbeedoug OK young man
I had a 1963 Honda 50 Sport that I bought used in '64. I remember topping it out at 55 mph! I think I even hit 62 going down a slight incline with a tailwind one time. It was winding so tight it sounded like a mosquito.
In Ireland, they still racing Honda 50 on the race track. It's great craic
Too cool. Thanks
Jay, I bought my 2019 in July of that year thanks to you. Added side stand, luggage rack, Kijima saddle bag frames and Chase Harper Aero 300 bags. I have sold all my motorcycles and just use this. At 4500ft here in Salt Lake I'm getting over 150mpg riding the piss out of this thing. I love and enjoy riding this machine. Thanx for the intro.
Brought back many happy memories of my first bike a 1966 Honda 50. No one mentioned in the video that if you had the idle rate too high you'd pull a bit of a wheelie from take off with that centrifugal clutch, used to get me very stressed at traffic lights! Great little bike, never did any maintenance on it because it just started and ran whatever you did to it!
mine did the wheelie too, it had the early vertical carb. that couldn't be stopped from flooding. The later version with the horizontal carb was better, probably wouldn't have wheelied. I sold it on, it was well worn out, needed a rebuild and i didn't have the means to do the repairs.
Jay, the "TOP" indication and arrow on the instrument/speedo gauge is a gear speed range indicator. It is indicating not to drop below about 17mph when engaged in top gear to avoid stalling. In later models, the gear speed indicator would be more precise, indicating what speed ranges are okay for gears 1, 2, etc.
I thought it would've been obvious that that's what it is, especially to Honda employees...
*That's absolutely correct!* (my '68 'Super-Cub' had no 'gear-arrows' on the speedo...I wonder why?)
@@MiG21aholic those two were clowns.
@@davidbrennan5 Yup, more office type than mechanical
Honda is an amazing company...they have such a big impact on our modern world.
Did you know that Honda is the biggest producer of gas powered engines in the world? Not just bikes and cars, but try to find a service truck with a small pump for any liquid that doesn't have a 5 hp Honda engine on it. Here in Asia, they are everywhere.
We all wanted a Honda 50 Scooter! I have nothing but great memories about these scooters.
Hello Jay: I've loved your show for the last hundred years or so, and I just finished watching you checking out the "Made in India" Royal Enfield bike. Absolutely great show. I hope you never retire as it so refreshing to watch all of your cars and bikes being checked out.
I'm eighty three now and I still can't watch your show without thinking about some of the bikes and cars that I have had over the years. I'm British born and my family emigrated to Canada when i was 14 Y.O. My elder brother bought an Aerial 350 cc Single, new. He didn't know it but I learned to ride on that bike. I bought a used '53 Square Four, and then a 1956 Square Four, a 1957 Square Four, then finally A Honda 750cc Four, a 700cc Royal Enfield, twin, and then my first new bike, a Honda 900cc, four cylinder .
Please keep on doing what you do do.
Thanks Jay.
Kind regards.,
Terry Southgate.
My dad had one in 1965 when I was 15 and when he was away at summer school I’d sneak it out of the garage and ride it around, couldn’t resist.
When I was in Vietnam I saw thousands of Honda 50’s. When I return home I had Honda 90 Sport and it had a clutch top speed about 54. Very Cool Vlog Jay.🏍🇺🇸
Hey Jay, Honda owes you a commission cheque... you just sold me on a Cub😁
If you can get some buddies together and go out in a group it is one of the funniest experiences if your in a City.
What's the top speed of the new 125 Cub?
@@michaels721 factory claims 55 but 40-45 is where I thought it feels happy I am about 170bs
Honestly it doesn't feel much peppier then my buddys 1981 passport which is the cub with a 70cc and a 3 speed
@@michaels721 I have had mine up to 65mph drafting a car length back behind an SUV on a flat road. No head wind.
@@michaels721 Top speed is 63-65 mph, depending on the road and wind conditions. It's more comfortable around 50-55 though, and it will hold that speed all day long without straining. My bike has over 1500 miles on the clock already and is returning about 135 mpg average! It's a a great little machine. -QM
In Malaysia this bike is famous among younger generation, we call it The kapcai
Hello my fellow Malaysian 🇲🇾
Hi I have a Proton Impian GSX (Waga) here in England. I love it ☺
@@markwhitehead1658 awesome!
In greece they are LEGENDERY!!!
@@thomassmith6027 cup-tchai
JAY. The Honda 50 is a very popular bike here in Ireland. Had one myself in the seventies for my first bike. 30 pence would fill the tank and keep it going for ages ! 😊 They are red and white fairing here.
I had a 69 Honda Sport 50 that wasn’t a step through. I ran that little engine full out all the time and it never broke down. Those were the days. 👍
I used to own a Honda spree, is that the same thing.
Jamey Hibberd No the Spree is a scooter with small wheels
My first bike was a '65 S90. Rode it to and from my summer job...about 15 mi each way. The next summer I got a 305 Super Hawk. Loved that bike. Both were bought used, and both ran flawlessly.
Same here, John. I've had over 30 bikes-those first two were great-esp the 305!
I owned an S-90 in '67-'68 while in the USAF. It was a lot of fun.
Jeffry Blackmon, Hahahaha. My exact story as well. First thing I did when I was assigned permanent party at McGuire AFB was to buy a used S90. I rode it everywhere in the Garden State.
@@motorradmike I rode it from Springfield, MA to Niagara Falls and back once. Then I bought a 305 "Dream" and rode it back and forth at least once. Later on in life I graduated to Harley Davidsons- 2 Sportsters and and an ElectraGlide until I learned the hard way that I could no longer balance. Then the 'Glide got a sidecar.
Jeffry Blackmon, this is pretty funny...my second bike was a 250 Dream! After the service I graduated to a Suzuki 750 LeMans GT “Water Buffalo”. I still ride and am down to three bikes.
I thrashed my Honda 50 and it just kept going. It finally died when I drove it through water so deep it got into the air filter. I currently have a SYM Symba 100 cc which is a Honda Cub made by the same manufacturer of the Honda Cub.
@@voltecrules624 I looked them up- they look very nice. The reviews were all favorable. Happy safe riding!
I love the - "you won't need the 9 horse power but it's nice to have it..." So funny.
Not this exact one but the first motorcycle I’ve ever ridden was my grandpa’s 1988 100cc Honda Cub EX5. Learned how to ride it around the neighbourhood when I was 11 years old. He took me everywhere on it, had tons of great childhood memories on a Honda Cub.
Just got a 2020 model C125. I freaking love it! I'm stoked to get a long seat and rack.its powerful enough to go, but slow enough to roll. Love it!
I had 2 Honda 90's in the '60's. Gas was 25 cents a gallon. For a quarter, I could drive for a week,
Just gotta love how one day Jay knows everything about a million dollar car, and the next day he teaches Honda guys about his Honda 50. :)
He's just reading from Wikipedia
Those dudes seemed to know know much about their product!
He didn't teach very much he stands there and says they didn't have electric start ಠ︵ಠ and anybody that knows anything about the first Cubs knows that they had electric start Jay doesn't know as much as he used to LOL
No they are not literally bicycle tires Jay they are 17 in motorcycle tires
He doesn't have as much knowledge as he used to have he's kind of reading off of his I don't know he's losing his memory on stuff I see it all the time sorry jay it's six volt electric start and that's a push rod engine the first Cub did not have overhead cam it had push rods but they're not going to talk about that and he wouldn't know it anyway
I managed a Honda shop in 1969. We sold a bunch of these 50's for about $200. Honda has a sale to dealers for these at $99 each if you bought 10.
@Walter K Bauer that's an insane profit even now. Doubling your money on each vehicle? That's unreal!
I was with Sport cycle in Galveston in the sixty's. We sold Suzuki Suzi's for 15 dollars less than the Honda. We sold 20 a month in the beginning and by 1970 we sold 115 during the summer.
I have a 1967 Honda P50, the engine is inside of the rear wheel. A real conversation piece. Still runs perfectly. FYI top 9n the speedometer is the point where you should be in top gear, recommended.
Thanks for the memories Jay.
Those small bikes are very valuable tools in emerging economies because they make it possible for people to do something most people take for granted and that is: "GOING PLACES". It's really smart from Honda to bring back such a beloved bike.
Jay Leno's Garage Sunday night video uploads always be keeping me up on a work night when I should be sleeping. Thanks Jay!
This is sooooo Funny..!! Those 50s were built so well..!! Back in 1981 I purchased a Honda Dream 305 for $150. and had a blast driving it around the hills of San Jose California. Thanks for the memories.!
I recently bought the new super cub and I absolutely love it. It’s so fun to drive and every time I take it out, someone asks about it.
Literally tearing up the whole time. Its so beautiful 🥺 the appreciation they are giving the bike makes it even more emotional
Bought 2 Honda 50’s 1982 and 1979 restoring them with my dad at age 14 was the best decisions I ever made they are really fun to ride after riding a blue 86 model I told my dad to get one ASAP
These foreign brands(Honda, Toyota, VW, Subaru, etc.) have all forgotten what them great. Reliability through simplicity. Simplicity also meant they were inexpensive. 1962 these were $1800 ($215 modified with inflation) vs $3600 today. Hop into a foreign car of the 70-early 80's and it's laughable how cheap and basic it is; but that's what made them great.
3600 is very decent and competitive for a brand new motorcycle of this type
the chinese make c50,c90,c110 replicas, and they're as bulletproof as the hondas, i got mine for 700$
Mitsubishi still Makes the L300 with the Legendary 4D56 diesel engine where I live, although that might change in 2021 when they update the emissions standard.
@@tristan6509 probably will emmisions get rid of older tech. Even tho a 1980s Honda engine could get over 50 mpg. But oh bad emmisions.
They made vehicles "fashionable" which explains the expensive prices. Stupid move.
First gear---its alright---second gear----lean right---third gear ----hang on tight---faster---alright! Not a motorcycle, just a kooky little motorbike!
Not a big motor machine just a groovy little motor bike, gonna turn on my head light, so I can ride my Honda tonight.
Honda it's all right
My nephew has spent the last year in Japan working. His only transportation is a Honda Cub. He has traveled all over the country on it.
that sound of the honda 50 just make me cry.thank you so much
Jay's knowledge and enthusiasm are compelling. Given today's need for fuel economy, why are these amazing motorcycles not everywhere? They should never have disappeared.
My friend had a Honda Passport with the 70cc engine. Bulletproof and fun as can be! GREAT video, thank you for posting it!
I think I kept Honda in business back in the 1960's and 70's. I've had at least 10 Honda 50's.(all were C 110s with 4 speed transmissions except one with a 3 speed) Had a Trail 90, a SL 350, XL 350.(the 350's had Power all big bore kits) I've also had a 250 Scrambler and a bunch of 305 Scramblers and Super hawks. I sold the last 305's a few years ago to a guy up around the Tri Cities in Washington.(4 Super Hawks and 3 Scramblers)
As for the Honda 50's, I still have a spacer for the left rear shock to make it possible to run a 72 tooth trail sprocket that bolted over the original stock sprocket. I remember taking a pair of pliers to hold the brake cam forward, then slip the actuator lever off and back on a different spline an the brake cam to get some more out of my brake pads. Those old leading link front shocks worked pretty good for what they were.
My 50's were all 5hp and cost about $300 bucks new in the mid to late 60's. You could run about 50 mph if you lay'd down.(Although I only weighed about 170 back then)
I've given up on Honda motorcycles and now concentrate on Honda ATV's. (At my age, I need something with 4 wheel to keep me upright!!!!(;>))
The Honda guys are wrong about the dual seat only being fitted to US bikes.
We had dual seats on them in the UK too.
Absolutely, I had one in England.
I bought the Honda 50 on HP in 1963 when they first came out on sale which had a dual seat too and carried two up with ease, a great little runaround. I loved that it was four stroke too. That little Japanese bike was the beginning of the end for English motorbike supremacy. My best friend at the time also had the Honda 50 and before long he bought the Honda 400 which was a beautiful beast of a machine.
I saw them in Vietnam too
why would we ever steal them if 3 of us couldn't fit on it
The dual seat was standard. The single seat didn't come along until a dealer in Idaho started modifying them into the first trail bikes. Honda adopted his changes, which included a single seat.
Every home should have one. Great community bike for errands and social.
I had a Honda 50 when I was going to Indiana University (Bloomington) in the 60's and 70"s. For storage I strapped a beer case (two hinged openings on top) on the luggage rack. I sealed the case so that it was impervious to water. Sometimes I'd take the Honda to visit relatives who lived about 40 miles south of Bloomington. It would take me forever to get there because of the hills in southern Indiana! A great little cycle.
In Hawaii back in the 90s Honda scooters were such a hot commodity that they would get stolen nightly around the island. Kids would soup them up and they would have little biker gangs on scooters. They were crazy fast too. I'm talking wheelie fast.
My wife had a pink scooter in Hope's of it not getting stolen.....it still got stolen at 3am in waikiki.
Great way to get around when roads are jammed and parking is non existent.
that's why you keep them inside, you can literally carry these by yourself...
Why she think a scooter wouldn’t get stolen if it was pink? And the theft issue hasn’t changed, it not a 90’s thing, especially in waikiki. Lane splitting not legal on the islands so not sure how that helps with trafic. Wheelie is getting the rider getting the front end end up and balance, don’t mean it’s fast. Sorry brah you aint local smh
@@kayhoww But its a freaking island, where do they hide them all???
@@ToreDL87 can be dismantled and sell the parts easy brah.
Love these old school bikes from the 60s
They’re still around in the Dominican Republic
The same one james may rode across Vietnam. My family have a couple of those in various engine version still works fine. Never overhauled never refurbished.
was it made in thailand tho
I had a Lao made Kolao when I lived in Laos. I had it for eight years and rode it every day as my main form of transport. It never let me down and gave it away when I left Laos in 2015. It's still being ridden today. I bought a new Super Cub four months ago as a second bike. I love the thing.
Amazing to read the comments! So many people got their first connection to motorized travel from this or similar bikes! Sadly, it’s a lot harder today to find such innocent fun that could last a lifetime.
I am 76 now and fondly remember my first motorcycle, although I cannot remember if it was 1963 or 4. It was a red Honda 50 sport. Just the right size to learn on. Next I made a huge jump to a 160cc Honda. How awesome. I kept jumping up in size although I am now wanting a Yamaha bolt. Not to small, not to big, just right. I hope to ride it to heaven!
I was the xxxth owner of one of the very early pushrod 50's. Had a friend looking after it but when I was ready to restore it he had somehow 'lost' it :-(
Love Jay's little smile when the 50 started, had one just like it :-)
Someone, please help Jay find the 350 Bridgestone motorcycle so we can get another great video!
No one bought them.
UK eBay two on now
@@scott1brayden2 Yes they should be out there they sold 9000 of of them but they was not a cheap motorcycle at the time.
htboston had a '69 350 Bridgestone, the thing was a rocket, sold it in 76 or 77.
drove one back in the day. Two stroker and the shift pattern went around in a complete circle.
I have a 1970 Honda trail 70. Next year it will be 50 years old
My dad has a 1974 ct70, he brought new. I drove it like a like a dirt bike growing up, crashing it regularly. We still run it to this day.
cerealfamine 1974 that’s when I was born. I need to rebuild the Carb on mine. Those things are a blast!
@@opichocal I was born in 82. They are absolutely a blast!
First mini bike I ever rode!! 1976
Awesome man my 70 is a gold 70 haha they're too much fun I need to redo my seat and Speedo glass glad to see so many still around
Just finishing restoration of a ‘64 Honda 55 Sport(C115), the Super Cubs “big brother” that my big brother bought in 1966 and was available in Canada but not the US, likely because it required a licence to drive.
I know this is now 5 years old but after years of pretty never riding a motorcycle, I'm finally starting the MSF course locally and this will be my first motorcycle. Everyone who has ever reviewed one on the internet says it's perfect for getting started in riding and zipping around town.
My wife and I had one each in the sixties and went on our honeymoon on them to the Lake District in the UK ,
Lol i bet you two had the funny hippie hats going around
Nice to look at something not so glamorous, not so powerful, not so expensive once in a while. Jay is a sport for doing this - I can think of some bikers who would not be seen dead on one of these! But I think he gets it, this ubiquitous little motorbike is kind of important as well. Interesting and entertaining, thanks.
I bought a new '68 Honda 160 in mid 1969, the 175's were already introduced, for $219.00 from Del Strong (Glendale Honda) I rode the wheels off of that thing until I blew the crank roller bearings. The replacement crank was $80.00!!! Outrageous!!! lol When I bought a 350 I thought it was a rocket ship!! A friend had a S90, we got it to 55 with 2 people on it!! Ahh, the good old days..
Jay is just the most genuine and humble enthusiast ever. Never know he was a super star, if you didn’t know he was a super star.
It's quite amazing to think that Jay Leno made his name in such a different field entirely - the man has got such a vast knowledge on vehicles. Respect. (TBH I was more of a Letterman guy but still).
Days between today, 15-Jul-2019 and 15-Jul-1962, is 20,816days. That equates to 4,803.997 bikes per day to reach 100M bikes. AMAZING!
When you guys went out for a ride, sort of expected "Born To Be Wild" to start playing.
James May did this after he had re-assembled a Honda Z50.
th-cam.com/video/_3R4pstLlqE/w-d-xo.html
The main reason for the heel toe shifters on scooters is most of the riders are wearing sandals, at least in Asia.
Sandals, jean shorts, beer jersey, and a 3 year old in front.
@@barrybambmessagedeletedbyy7467
Gotta love those Daisy Dukes 🤩
@@Winterstick549 .. on ladies yeah
The hillarious thing is if the brakes fail and you try to stop it by puting on the road your feet WEARING SANDALS.....
Makes sense now. Just picked up a 1963 C102 and the rear shifter is more so on my arch than the heel. Designed for little feet
My first bike was a blue 60s Honda 50. My father bought it as a basket case, and we built it up and got it running again. I was 12. I hadn't heard that sound again since now.
hearing that kickstart bring so many memories.