The Paragraph from "Zen and" is just excellent. I remember experiencing something like this when I was only 17 and riding a smaller 500CC Honda CB street bike for the first time actually on the streets for an extended period of time. I think when the quote refers to "The Frame is removed or not there" as well as the asphalt being there but not as it once was yet you could feel it and see it but not the way you usually do when walking on it. To me when I first was riding the bike I felt almost naked. Or even like the world was immediately and constantly "In my personal space" Or perhaps I was in it's. Everything felt closer. Everything was as though it could reach me and there was no separation between myself and the rest of everything. As though anything could just reach out a touch me at any time and Visa Versa. Maybe I'm way off on what that Paragraph meant but it seemed to me like the experience I had back then was exactly it. Thanks for the great videos and the new bikes are perfect additions IMHO.
Nobobody forgets riding a motorbike. Never. The feeling is so special. I'm 69, and I wish I did'nt cancel my bike permit some 10 years ago. Now it's too late for me. I would have to go trough a whole year of class and training. Now, I could only ride a 50 cc cheap chinese wizzz scooter like a teenager. Thus, I envy you finding a Cub 50, my very first bike. Good, unbeaten ones are rare and crazy expensive in Canada ! And yes, this is the best ever bike ever made. Bullit proof, simple to fix and utterly reliable. PS The only rare are the carb parts. You may find used OEM in Vietnam, Japan or Philippines. PS2 : Hochiro Honda was a genius. Period. Same as Mr. K at Datsun.
Hi Jethro - About the fuel tank: the valve is open when it is parallel to the hose. The other two positions are either closed or reserve. This engine is very reliable if you maintain it a little, you just have to pay attention to the timing chain tensioner (a simple roller...) and the oil level. I had three of them when I was a student and I have unforgettable memories. All the best with these new projects 🤓
Great episode, Jethro, in your usual great style - thank you! The quote you chose is so apt. I remember several years ago being at a friend’s place for dinner. Afterwards he wheeled out an old Honda he’d been restoring. I’m not a bike guy so couldn’t tell you what it was but it had the classic lines of your 250 in a slightly larger size. He said “you’ve got to try this,” and with that he plopped his helmet on my head, gave me the briefest lesson on shifting, and pushed me off down the drive. After a lap of the street, wobbling and weaving along I began to get the feel and soon it was bloody magic. Just as Pirsig said, the entire world is just right THERE all around, coming up at you and whooshing by. I doubt I broke 60 km/h but I’ll never forget it. One day I’m getting one. 😎
Morning Jethro. From 4 wheels to two wheels lol 😆 I did it the other way round 🤣 I had a Honda cub 50 as my very first venture into motor vehicles in 1974 and I loved it 👍🏻 The sense of speed coming from a bicycle to a machine was incredibly 😊 looking forward to seeing you fix the up. Cheers Stevie 🏴
I’m in Vietnam and those Cubs are still the favored transport of market ladies and farmers across the country. My dream bike is a Honda Sport 90(64-69) looks like a mini cafe racer.
I have one c50 Honda 40 years since i wass student in the university. I maintain it using Haynes manual, very easy to do the job, very reliable and tough, don't worry about spare parts you can find on the super market of your neighborhood,at least that happens in Greece, there are plenty of them . Good luck you will enjoy it.
I haven't even watched the video yet and I already love it! "What do you do when you have more projects that you can handle, buy two more motorcycles of course" I couldn't agree more
I've been in love with Italian machinery since before i knew they were Italian. Alfa's {Gulia super my personal favorite, Ducatis and Aermacchis, but I have to agree with James May about the little Honda. When you've been exposed to them in there natural element you realize what a game changer they were for literally million of people. They stepped in for all sorts of industrial vehicles and excelled, so many time stepping over the ' that can't be done' line and ignoring the ' impossible ' A worthy restoration project!
Good luck with the bikes Jethro. Engine spares are available with the 200cc. I think they are from China though. A question on the Alfa. The1963 Guilia, was that a 1500cc. I had a 1962 Gullietta ti 1300cc. The legend Streepie track car had 1500cc sleeve kit. Was that the same sleeve kit fitted to the 1500cc Guilia? regards Donald
my dad bought a red (any other colors?) step-through honda 50 back in the '60s. at about twenty years of age, i ended up with it and used it to commute to the garage where i was employed for a couple of years. helmet laws had just been enacted and i wore one, of course. my roommate, who was fashion conscious, told me i looked like a dweeb. i have no doubt i did. :) my dad eventually took the honda back. he had a camper/pickup and made a front bumper mount for it. and one summer with my mother in tow and the honda firmly mounted up front they set off for a few days in toronto. i remember him telling me the story about him and my mother accidently merging into toronto rush-hour intercity freeway traffic. he said he was never so terrified in his life. cars whizzing past them at 70 and 18 wheelers at 65 with my mother seated behind him screaming as they were crawling along at 35 or 40 :) i believe him, it only went about 50 MPH at the best of times when i drove it! :0
I've always enjoyed riding 'bikes, even if I'm not really into them, for the same reasons you exposed in this video. It's a more "physical" experience compared to any car, it brings a sense of adventure to any trip. Look forward to your future Honda restorations and, of course, I'm happy the Alfas will be back too :)
As a fellow Alfa lover and past motorcycle owner I can say you're going to really love it. Cars were my first love but I had a brief dalliance with two wheels and there's a lot to love about it, especially in a warm country like SA. I live in the UK, so I don't ride any more sadly! There's a lot to learn and quite a lot more to un-learn, coming from cars, but you'll enjoy how easy they are to work on and how simple everything is to access and fix. Removing an entire engine with my hands and lifting it up by myself was an amazing experience having never removed a car engine. Best of luck, can't wait to see more videos on these two. Also you really seem to be working the TH-cam algorithm better now, the video title and the presentation are much more flashy, great work!
You should watch 'Itchy Boots', then. Has recently completed a tour of South Afirca and is currently somewhere up North of Brandberg in Namibia. Good luck with the project bikes.
Feels like growing up in my rural small town near Thai/Malaysia border in mid 80s where the Alfa Romeo was a cop car and sold off to the public and the super cup is used to carry sack of rice and rubber from Harvard , Guthrie plantation to awaiting truck.
Excellent! Orders of magnitude easier than Alfa, on it's best day. Utterly unskilled people have been rebuilding little Hondas for decades, with few tools, and no shop but a piece of street. Sometimes not even a piece of street! Kits are available, pretty much everywhere, and cheap. Super Cubs can be rebuilt, engine and gearbox, in a day. And those little Brenlys are pretty sweet, too! Looking forward to this!
There is a anime called "Super Cub" it's in a slice of life style, but what cool about that anime that it was written with Honda supervision to make sure that all info and looks are 100% accurate about the bike.
Honda Cub are very popular, here ( NZ ) they sell for almost double the price of other small bikes. The CB are very popular too, partly because Honda,s are well made and last. Search online for parts i am sure Cub parts are still readily available, repair/rebuild as much as possible OEM is best, at least the CB runs. Good luck with the cars, Alfas do like too rust, then electrics do not work properly because NEG earth runs thru the body.
The frame disappearing is only part of the zen of it. The sudden increase in height, being able to see over hedges, walls and cars is also transformative. Growing up in the U.K. and biking there, you get a full onslaught of smells, sounds and g-forces. But the thing that always stays with me is temperature changes at night between the cold countryside and warmer towns and cities. Enjoy the experience.
I know the feeling. I have a CBX 1000 that just looks cool in the corner of the garage. Slowly but surely and they will never go down in value. Plus they don't take up as much room in the shop so that's one less reason to sell them. Love the Cub.
Yes... As Trussedmetal says your Back ... and welcome to the world of two wheelers Jethro . Funny how you are chasing the same goals and all . My second bike was a 1970 Honda CB350 k1 very similar to yours, I still wish I had it..! Currently I do have a Honda dominator 650 and Xt500 and others . Collecting MC is like converting superannuation to something tangible. Eventually someone see’s the value in it and it’s a good investment hey..! Great story... Cheers
My dream would be to own a 1976 400 Four, but I think these are a good place to start. The Cubs were worthless at one point, I guess people are starting to see the value in them.
Awesome additions to your collection! I have had (And still have) many bikes in my own collection. Here in the States, I'm in Seattle, we actually race vintage Honda CB/CL175's. They're a blast, and the knowledge of building, racing, and intimately knowing the bikes we ride/race is something that can't be put into words. I think you'll enjoy the process as much as riding them. Looking forward to seeing your progress. Cheers!
Nice to see someone else who saw that episode and was influenced by it many years later. You know that part when they're on Hải Vân Pass, set to a Hendrix track, and they stop to look out over that amazing view? I was travelling through Vietnam in 2013 and realised that Hội An, where I wanted to stop for a couple of days, was quite close to Hải Vân Pass. So I rented a little scooter and took myself off up the coast. Had never ridden a motorbike before aside from 45 seconds on a friend's pit bike in a muddy field, had no maps or anything, just wrote down a bunch of directions and took off. I found that exact spot, and it truly is magnificent. I have some pictures of me sitting there, admiring the same view that Clarkson, Hammond and May did. Brilliant memories, even down to the idiotic sunburn I got despite heavy cloud cover all day. That really was a brilliant episode, possibly the high point of the trio.
I think that episode is one of their all time greatest hits. It's just an amazing piece of storytelling. I've never been to Vietnam, but I would love to.
Yeah, same. The journey is perfectly planned, ending at that bar in the bay. I took a similar route to some extent, starting in Ho Chi Minh and ending in Hanoi. I took buses between the cities, but I've heard of a number of people buying bikes and replicating the Top Gear episode closely. It's amazing, well worth the trek over there. One of the best places I saw, definitely. Just for future reference, the admiring-the-view part is at 16.227041, 108.093060 on Google Maps. Really enjoying your content, too. :-)
Health issues forced me off of my BMW K1600gtl and onto a 1983 Honda C70 Passport (aka Super Cub everywhere but the USA due to copyright law). It's amazing the things I've noticed riding around in my home town on a motorcycle that won't go over 40 mph (64 kph). I can't take the freeway (Motorway) so I ride on the surface streets. "When did they build that?" "Look at the architecture in this neighborhood." "I've never noticed that side street before." All these things I keep telling myself as I rediscover my home town. No longer am I transfixed looking out a windshield at the car ahead of me. You'll enjoy the head turning and thumbs up your Super Cub gets too. Those little Honda engines are the definition of "bulletproof". You'll have it running very quickly. Parts are readily available from international sources such as the UK, Thailand or The Philippines. The only upgrade I'd make to your vintage Super Cub is to replace the ancient rectifier with a modern one, and replace all the brake shoes regardless of wear because they probably still contain asbestos. Enjoy your new toy...welcome to the club.
What a cool bike to have in high school! I've been after one for years and I finally found this project 1966 C50. It's going to be my sunny day runabout.
My first bike was a grey C90 that I bought for £13, 47 years ago when I was 13, If I realised it was going to be such a classic I would have kept it, good luck with the build.
welcome to two wheel adventures. Started last year with a Simson s50 B2 restauration scrambler style. sold it when it run 20 Hours without any issues. Then I got an vespa PK50 - tuneup and sold. (loose interest when everything works out fine) Next I will participate an 50cc competition in the famous Schwarzwald in two weeks. My latest project I bought an 1985 vespa Pk80 largeframe I work these days to get it ready for the event. Also would love to have an seventies 2 cylinder 125cc honda or an 125xl...maybe next winter project. cheers
Honda moved the production of the Super Cub to China, so parts wouldn't necessarily be a problem, though I don't know if the parts of all the make-years are interchangeable. But that also means that there are a lot of clone engines available in a lot of different sizes, and because they have been making them for so long (long before the production officially moved) those clones are also bullet-proof. This might be good to know.
Thanks! I'm sure I'll be able to hunt down some parts for the original 50cc. I'm going to try get the original engine running first, and if it really can't be done I'll look for a replacement engine.
Brilliant film Jethro, a lot I can relate to. I've also got a nagging obsession for these cubs that has been persisting since my teenage years. Started with James May's various segments and reading zen last year was another box ticked. The fact that I'm just a bit younger than you makes me feel like I'm just a few years off the same fate... Great delivery as always.
I bought a used US version Honda 50 in 1966. Used it to commute to school. Aside from extended uphill grades it was a great little bike. The kick starter broke off at the shaft but it still jump started. Also the rear axle shifted and all the rubber pieces the drive sprocket connected to fell out. I replaced them and kept riding. Eventually gave it away to my cousin.
Awesome - thats pretty much how my first bike/ride went as well. Yamaha sr500 i bought sight unseen as my first bike, never having ridden a motorcycle before haha. You re gonna be fine with these two!
Nice small projects but definitely fun! I am rebuilding a 1974 Honda CB360 as a scrambler/cafe something I can ride to school for my last 2 years of college.
Good luck with the bikes. Hondas are well made and has good parts availability so very restorable. Cmsnl has many parts ( and is a good part number source). Local honda dealers can often order the parts if they have the part number. Davidsilverspares in the uk have most parts. I restored a ct90 and other Hondas and it’s great fun. Enjoy
The little Honda should be fun. Although the cub is mechanically simpler, easier to source parts etc. Depending on distances traffic etc the 200 will be easier to get comfortable riding. I can't imagine not having a little Honda in the garage.
Weirdly here in South Africa the parts availability is reversed, lots of CD200 parts, no Cub parts. I think between the two bikes I’ll be very happy. I’m just dreaming of going down to my local coffee shop on the Super Cub on a Sunday morning.
@@JethroBronner That's seems so strange. ,I'd always thought the Super Cub and the "postie" bikes CT90's were sort of a common denominator world wide. Sunday morning rides will always remain a simple pleasure if not the stuff of dreams and legends.
Haha yeah I do. I have a couple of customer cars in at the moment. I'll be doing a video about the white Duetto, but not about the blue Berlina. Thanks again for your continued support man!
Hi Jethro The beach boys one looks like a ct110, the off road one. Used I'm Australia and NZ as "posties". Used to deliver mail. Sold in the US as well.lots of them had a two range gearbox. Closer to you, they were sold to Tanzanian Aid organisations but also to the government to use as rural service providers. They are available in those countries. I worked on a farm in the bush in Tz and they are bullet proof. Sometimes available in Japan but at wholesalers. Why do I know, I'm looking for one. There have been several documented trips from Australia to The UK
My brother had a super Cub. He had painted it purple, tyres included and wrote "I hate purple" on it. Strange chap. Still is actually. I rode it occasionally and it was lots of fun, except when I had an accident with it which threw me off to land on a traffic sign pole.
Again, good to see you again Jethro. It's funny that you have a Honda bike. I like cars and ended up getting a bike. A HONDA. It's a 83 Nighthawk 650. It hasn't run in 10+ years and I'm sure the carbs will need a rebuild. I haven't been to motivated to get on this, but I'll get it running and sell it. I don't trust myself or others on a motorcycle. Hope all is well!
I love that top gear, but recently I found a MotorWorld with Jeremy from 1995, when he was young, before top gear, where he was in Vietnam, talking about how expensive cars are, and then he rides a Honda cub around.... (the Botswana/Lancia/Merc/Oliver one is still my favorite)
Well what can I say new subscriber here love what you are doing outstanding will follow with great interest having owned a c70 two c90 now a new super cub plus a zillion other 70s bikes I know exactly where you are with these! All the best from Arizona USA
Wow, as much as I dislike motorcycles, I am quite exited for these projects! The closest thing I have been to motorcycle restoration, is helping my dad prep and paint his old KZ900. Anyways, great work as always Jethro!
Nice to see you back :) I went looking at a Alfasud Sprint the other day as a project for my channel... I could almost hear your voice in my head.... It was to expensive unfortunately.. I never owned a Alfa! Its almost criminal by now...
@@JethroBronner Exactly! I feel almost like a traitor to not have owned one yet! haha! But being in Denmark where we salt the roads 4-6 months a year.... its pretty hard to get one that is still together... ;) Thanks for your videos!
I bought a 1955 zundapp Bella back in the 90s , did full concourse resto, ended up laying in the garage for 25 years never ridden sharing place with a 67 Guilia Super and 71 1750 GTV right off. Anyway sold both Alfa’s and part traded the Bella for a 1960 Mk Jaguar. Funny how tastes change when you get older.
There were LOTS of cubs in south africa, I had a honda 50, a yamaha 250, I have quite a few bikes still,there were CB77,s on every street corner,I have three in various stages rebuild,but they are very hard to find,there were honda cubs,Itoms Garreli etc al.
If two bikes are parked next to each other. one needing a lot of tlc, and the other in a good running order, you will pick the one needing tlc, methinks.
Well, aren't I dense. I didn't know you still lived in South Africa. I thought you moved to Europe and took a few Durban paltes with you or something. Lots of the backdrops and scenery doesn't look like SA, so I assumed otherwise. Awesome channel I found. It really sucks that lots of the common Hondas didn't come in large numbers to SA. We have a mint 78 CB400T that I'm working on in my free time. It got me interested enough in motorcycles to the point where I want to get a license and drive one. Also looking for a classic honda. CB550, but finding one with papers is proving difficult. I only found one complete one for 25k, very nice condition, but no papers ad disappeared quickly like another honda I found. I would like to see the follow-up of this.
![PASULOL รามเกียรติ์ ตอนที่ 4 นนทกพบรัก [Ramakien Ep.4: Nonthok in love]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tMUQgmZzf_A/mqdefault.jpg)
The Paragraph from "Zen and" is just excellent. I remember experiencing something like this when I was only 17 and riding a smaller 500CC Honda CB street bike for the first time actually on the streets for an extended period of time. I think when the quote refers to "The Frame is removed or not there" as well as the asphalt being there but not as it once was yet you could feel it and see it but not the way you usually do when walking on it. To me when I first was riding the bike I felt almost naked. Or even like the world was immediately and constantly "In my personal space" Or perhaps I was in it's. Everything felt closer. Everything was as though it could reach me and there was no separation between myself and the rest of everything. As though anything could just reach out a touch me at any time and Visa Versa. Maybe I'm way off on what that Paragraph meant but it seemed to me like the experience I had back then was exactly it. Thanks for the great videos and the new bikes are perfect additions IMHO.
Yeah I think that’s exactly the feeling he was describing. I’m looking forward to experiencing that, as I’ve only ever owned bikes that don’t run.
Nobobody forgets riding a motorbike. Never. The feeling is so special. I'm 69, and I wish I did'nt cancel my bike permit some 10 years ago. Now it's too late for me. I would have to go trough a whole year of class and training. Now, I could only ride a 50 cc cheap chinese wizzz scooter like a teenager. Thus, I envy you finding a Cub 50, my very first bike. Good, unbeaten ones are rare and crazy expensive in Canada !
And yes, this is the best ever bike ever made. Bullit proof, simple to fix and utterly reliable.
PS The only rare are the carb parts. You may find used OEM in Vietnam, Japan or Philippines.
PS2 : Hochiro Honda was a genius. Period. Same as Mr. K at Datsun.
Looking forward to seeing the progress on these two :)
Thanks! And I’ll be following the Kawasaki build closely too!
My comment (above) goes for you as well Ronald. I enjoy your work.
One TH-cam legend talking to another:)
He's back guys
James is right i had one i used it for work for 5 years that super cub never let me down apart for a puncture
Good to see you again Jethro.
It's good to be back
Hi Jethro - About the fuel tank: the valve is open when it is parallel to the hose. The other two positions are either closed or reserve. This engine is very reliable if you maintain it a little, you just have to pay attention to the timing chain tensioner (a simple roller...) and the oil level. I had three of them when I was a student and I have unforgettable memories. All the best with these new projects 🤓
Thanks for the tip! I'll give the 200 a service and see if it runs better. But I'm not holding out much hope.
Believe me when I say these bikes will put a big smile on your face. Looking forward to the tale.
Great episode, Jethro, in your usual great style - thank you! The quote you chose is so apt. I remember several years ago being at a friend’s place for dinner. Afterwards he wheeled out an old Honda he’d been restoring. I’m not a bike guy so couldn’t tell you what it was but it had the classic lines of your 250 in a slightly larger size. He said “you’ve got to try this,” and with that he plopped his helmet on my head, gave me the briefest lesson on shifting, and pushed me off down the drive. After a lap of the street, wobbling and weaving along I began to get the feel and soon it was bloody magic. Just as Pirsig said, the entire world is just right THERE all around, coming up at you and whooshing by. I doubt I broke 60 km/h but I’ll never forget it. One day I’m getting one. 😎
Welcome back, been missing your videos and skills.
Morning Jethro. From 4 wheels to two wheels lol 😆 I did it the other way round 🤣 I had a Honda cub 50 as my very first venture into motor vehicles in 1974 and I loved it 👍🏻 The sense of speed coming from a bicycle to a machine was incredibly 😊 looking forward to seeing you fix the up. Cheers Stevie 🏴
You are not stupid and you don’t need help.
Well done sir.
So nice to hear Robert M. Parsig quoted! A seminal book for me, good luck.
the image of the spinning super cub with the text over lay "I'm stupid.. please help" is destined to be a reaction gif
The passion you have is infectious and inspirational. Thank you for the content and beautiful imagery.
"I'm stupid...please help." LIKED!!
I’m in Vietnam and those Cubs are still the favored transport of market ladies and farmers across the country. My dream bike is a Honda Sport 90(64-69) looks like a mini cafe racer.
I have one c50 Honda 40 years since i wass student in the university. I maintain it using Haynes manual, very easy to do the job, very reliable and tough, don't worry about spare parts you can find on the super market of your neighborhood,at least that happens in Greece, there are plenty of them . Good luck you will enjoy it.
I haven't even watched the video yet and I already love it!
"What do you do when you have more projects that you can handle, buy two more motorcycles of course"
I couldn't agree more
I've been in love with Italian machinery since before i knew they were Italian. Alfa's {Gulia super my personal favorite, Ducatis and Aermacchis, but I have to agree with James May about the little Honda. When you've been exposed to them in there natural element you realize what a game changer they were for literally million of people. They stepped in for all sorts of industrial vehicles and excelled, so many time stepping over the ' that can't be done' line and ignoring the ' impossible '
A worthy restoration project!
Good luck with the bikes Jethro. Engine spares are available with the 200cc. I think they are from China though. A question on the Alfa. The1963 Guilia, was that a 1500cc. I had a 1962 Gullietta ti 1300cc. The legend Streepie track car had 1500cc sleeve kit. Was that the same sleeve kit fitted to the 1500cc Guilia? regards Donald
my dad bought a red (any other colors?) step-through honda 50 back in the '60s. at about twenty years of age, i ended up with it and used it to commute to the garage where i was employed for a couple of years. helmet laws had just been enacted and i wore one, of course. my roommate, who was fashion conscious, told me i looked like a dweeb. i have no doubt i did. :)
my dad eventually took the honda back. he had a camper/pickup and made a front bumper mount for it. and one summer with my mother in tow and the honda firmly mounted up front they set off for a few days in toronto. i remember him telling me the story about him and my mother accidently merging into toronto rush-hour intercity freeway traffic. he said he was never so terrified in his life. cars whizzing past them at 70 and 18 wheelers at 65 with my mother seated behind him screaming as they were crawling along at 35 or 40 :) i believe him, it only went about 50 MPH at the best of times when i drove it! :0
Self effacing and laugh out loud funny- Spot on Jethro!
You look good on the CB200 looking forward to see the restoration. Cheers
Thanks 👍 I'll put some stuff on Instagram about it too.
I've always enjoyed riding 'bikes, even if I'm not really into them, for the same reasons you exposed in this video. It's a more "physical" experience compared to any car, it brings a sense of adventure to any trip.
Look forward to your future Honda restorations and, of course, I'm happy the Alfas will be back too :)
The Alfas will be back next week! Alfa Romeo will always be my first love.
Your work on YT is exemplary. Always a joy to watch as is Jethro.
Along with the likes of "Ivans Shed" this is the absolute cream.
Keep it up..
As a fellow Alfa lover and past motorcycle owner I can say you're going to really love it. Cars were my first love but I had a brief dalliance with two wheels and there's a lot to love about it, especially in a warm country like SA. I live in the UK, so I don't ride any more sadly! There's a lot to learn and quite a lot more to un-learn, coming from cars, but you'll enjoy how easy they are to work on and how simple everything is to access and fix. Removing an entire engine with my hands and lifting it up by myself was an amazing experience having never removed a car engine. Best of luck, can't wait to see more videos on these two.
Also you really seem to be working the TH-cam algorithm better now, the video title and the presentation are much more flashy, great work!
Thanks! Yeah I'm trying to get a handle on this whole TH-cam thing.
You should watch 'Itchy Boots', then. Has recently completed a tour of South Afirca and is currently somewhere up North of Brandberg in Namibia. Good luck with the project bikes.
Oh I’ve come across her channel a few times, she’s done some very interesting stuff with motorcycles. And very brave!
A man can never have enough projects :)
Ain’t the the truth!
Yes. Simply amazing. My youth just took a revival pill!
Feels like growing up in my rural small town near Thai/Malaysia border in mid 80s where the Alfa Romeo was a cop car and sold off to the public and the super cup is used to carry sack of rice and rubber from Harvard , Guthrie plantation to awaiting truck.
Looking forward to your next instalments both on two wheels and four. Love your channel. Hi from Sydney Australia.
Thanks!
Finally the bikes get some screentime 🤩
Finally! After two long years just sitting in the background.
I bought a Honda Super Cub C70 about a month back. It is truly is something special. I’m looking forward to more Honda videos!
Congratulations on the Cub! There will be plenty of Honda videos over the rest of the year.
The Top-Gear trio are great. Love the idea of tackling something you know nothing about. Of course, I wanna see Alfas.
Excellent! Orders of magnitude easier than Alfa, on it's best day. Utterly unskilled people have been rebuilding little Hondas for decades, with few tools, and no shop but a piece of street. Sometimes not even a piece of street! Kits are available, pretty much everywhere, and cheap. Super Cubs can be rebuilt, engine and gearbox, in a day. And those little Brenlys are pretty sweet, too! Looking forward to this!
Ah good! So I'll be ok then!
Oh boy, this should be fun!
I am in total agreement with you and James May!
Very true on losing the frame…I’m rediscovering my local countryside on a bicycle and seeing lots of new things.
It makes everything feel new. I'd ride a bicycle here in SA if I didn't live so far from everything.
There is a anime called "Super Cub" it's in a slice of life style, but what cool about that anime that it was written with Honda supervision to make sure that all info and looks are 100% accurate about the bike.
I did watch a couple episodes of that, however I did find it very slow going. Maybe I should give it another try.
Honda Cub are very popular, here ( NZ ) they sell for almost double the price of other small bikes. The CB are very popular too, partly because Honda,s are well made and last. Search online for parts i am sure Cub parts are still readily available, repair/rebuild as much as possible OEM is best, at least the CB runs. Good luck with the cars, Alfas do like too rust, then electrics do not work properly because NEG earth runs thru the body.
The frame disappearing is only part of the zen of it. The sudden increase in height, being able to see over hedges, walls and cars is also transformative. Growing up in the U.K. and biking there, you get a full onslaught of smells, sounds and g-forces. But the thing that always stays with me is temperature changes at night between the cold countryside and warmer towns and cities. Enjoy the experience.
Cycling too is a joy..
I know the feeling. I have a CBX 1000 that just looks cool in the corner of the garage. Slowly but surely and they will never go down in value. Plus they don't take up as much room in the shop so that's one less reason to sell them. Love the Cub.
Yes... As Trussedmetal says your Back ... and welcome to the world of two wheelers Jethro . Funny how you are chasing the same goals and all . My second bike was a 1970 Honda CB350 k1 very similar to yours, I still wish I had it..!
Currently I do have a Honda dominator 650 and Xt500 and others . Collecting MC is like converting superannuation to something tangible. Eventually someone see’s the value in it and it’s a good investment hey..!
Great story...
Cheers
My dream would be to own a 1976 400 Four, but I think these are a good place to start. The Cubs were worthless at one point, I guess people are starting to see the value in them.
Awesome additions to your collection! I have had (And still have) many bikes in my own collection. Here in the States, I'm in Seattle, we actually race vintage Honda CB/CL175's. They're a blast, and the knowledge of building, racing, and intimately knowing the bikes we ride/race is something that can't be put into words. I think you'll enjoy the process as much as riding them. Looking forward to seeing your progress. Cheers!
I just bought one today , a brand new 2020 Super Cub C125. Took the long way home from the dealership, an 18 mile ride.
Nice to see someone else who saw that episode and was influenced by it many years later. You know that part when they're on Hải Vân Pass, set to a Hendrix track, and they stop to look out over that amazing view? I was travelling through Vietnam in 2013 and realised that Hội An, where I wanted to stop for a couple of days, was quite close to Hải Vân Pass. So I rented a little scooter and took myself off up the coast. Had never ridden a motorbike before aside from 45 seconds on a friend's pit bike in a muddy field, had no maps or anything, just wrote down a bunch of directions and took off.
I found that exact spot, and it truly is magnificent. I have some pictures of me sitting there, admiring the same view that Clarkson, Hammond and May did. Brilliant memories, even down to the idiotic sunburn I got despite heavy cloud cover all day.
That really was a brilliant episode, possibly the high point of the trio.
I think that episode is one of their all time greatest hits. It's just an amazing piece of storytelling. I've never been to Vietnam, but I would love to.
Yeah, same. The journey is perfectly planned, ending at that bar in the bay. I took a similar route to some extent, starting in Ho Chi Minh and ending in Hanoi. I took buses between the cities, but I've heard of a number of people buying bikes and replicating the Top Gear episode closely.
It's amazing, well worth the trek over there. One of the best places I saw, definitely. Just for future reference, the admiring-the-view part is at 16.227041, 108.093060 on Google Maps.
Really enjoying your content, too. :-)
Health issues forced me off of my BMW K1600gtl and onto a 1983 Honda C70 Passport (aka Super Cub everywhere but the USA due to copyright law).
It's amazing the things I've noticed riding around in my home town on a motorcycle that won't go over 40 mph (64 kph). I can't take the freeway (Motorway) so I ride on the surface streets. "When did they build that?" "Look at the architecture in this neighborhood." "I've never noticed that side street before." All these things I keep telling myself as I rediscover my home town. No longer am I transfixed looking out a windshield at the car ahead of me. You'll enjoy the head turning and thumbs up your Super Cub gets too.
Those little Honda engines are the definition of "bulletproof". You'll have it running very quickly. Parts are readily available from international sources such as the UK, Thailand or The Philippines.
The only upgrade I'd make to your vintage Super Cub is to replace the ancient rectifier with a modern one, and replace all the brake shoes regardless of wear because they probably still contain asbestos.
Enjoy your new toy...welcome to the club.
What a cool bike to have in high school! I've been after one for years and I finally found this project 1966 C50. It's going to be my sunny day runabout.
Honda projects sound good too . The worlds largest engine company 😎
My day just got a whole lot better.
My first bike was a grey C90 that I bought for £13, 47 years ago when I was 13, If I realised it was going to be such a classic I would have kept it, good luck with the build.
welcome to two wheel adventures. Started last year with a Simson s50 B2 restauration scrambler style. sold it when it run 20 Hours without any issues. Then I got an vespa PK50 - tuneup and sold. (loose interest when everything works out fine) Next I will participate an 50cc competition in the famous Schwarzwald in two weeks. My latest project I bought an 1985 vespa Pk80 largeframe I work these days to get it ready for the event. Also would love to have an seventies 2 cylinder 125cc honda or an 125xl...maybe next winter project. cheers
Those all sound like fun projects. I know how you feel, I prefer projects with lots of work too.
Honda moved the production of the Super Cub to China, so parts wouldn't necessarily be a problem, though I don't know if the parts of all the make-years are interchangeable.
But that also means that there are a lot of clone engines available in a lot of different sizes, and because they have been making them for so long (long before the production officially moved) those clones are also bullet-proof.
This might be good to know.
Thanks! I'm sure I'll be able to hunt down some parts for the original 50cc. I'm going to try get the original engine running first, and if it really can't be done I'll look for a replacement engine.
The Honda super cub is a legendary motorcycle...probably the mother of half the motorcycle riders in the world...
It really is one of the best, most simple machines made!
Brilliant film Jethro, a lot I can relate to. I've also got a nagging obsession for these cubs that has been persisting since my teenage years. Started with James May's various segments and reading zen last year was another box ticked. The fact that I'm just a bit younger than you makes me feel like I'm just a few years off the same fate...
Great delivery as always.
Get one before they’re all gone! Although there are 100 million of them…
Film?.... Oh yes film, cuz video hasnt come out yet.
@@ricardomierz8467 Oh you don't know? This was originally uploaded in 16mm Kodachrome, but youtube stopped that service a while ago unfortunately.
Love it!
So glad! Thank you!
@@JethroBronner I Thank you, you are such an inspiration! Great quality, great storytelling and also great projects! Keep it up! 🔥
I bought a used US version Honda 50 in 1966. Used it to commute to school. Aside from extended uphill grades it was a great little bike. The kick starter broke off at the shaft but it still jump started. Also the rear axle shifted and all the rubber pieces the drive sprocket connected to fell out. I replaced them and kept riding. Eventually gave it away to my cousin.
Awesome!!! I've always wanted a CD200. Can't wait to follow the process.
Hope you enjoy it!
Good luck. Both interesting projects.
Thank you!
Impeccable taste, Jethro!
Haha well I think so...
@8:42 ah, yes, the handy ability to push start these small displacement motorcycles!
Great vid. Looking forward to the progress
Thank you!
Looking forward to the future video's 👍
Great episode Jethro! Great to see some humour in it too 😊
Awesome - thats pretty much how my first bike/ride went as well. Yamaha sr500 i bought sight unseen as my first bike, never having ridden a motorcycle before haha. You re gonna be fine with these two!
I sure hope so! Maybe someday I'll graduate up to a 500-750cc bike too.
That’s gonna be fun. 😀
Looking forward to seeing more on the old hondas!
Great video by touching on the history of this bike I’m very excited to be getting mines soon.
Nice small projects but definitely fun! I am rebuilding a 1974 Honda CB360 as a scrambler/cafe something I can ride to school for my last 2 years of college.
Sounds great! What a perfect bike for college!
Thanks man you got our legend super cub🇯🇵
I'm very happy to finally have one! I think they are amazing! Thanks for watching.
Cool video, thanks Jethro. What's the story with the the Berlina? Is it also yours?
Unfortunately it’s not. It’s just in for a little while. Will be heading home in a month or so.
Keep at it Jethro, always awesome to see what you're up to!
Stay safe bro.
I can relate! Should be fun!
Good luck with the bikes. Hondas are well made and has good parts availability so very restorable. Cmsnl has many parts ( and is a good part number source). Local honda dealers can often order the parts if they have the part number. Davidsilverspares in the uk have most parts. I restored a ct90 and other Hondas and it’s great fun. Enjoy
I've had a look at both of those suppliers. I think I'll reach out to CMSNL for some advice on finding the correct parts for the Cub.
The little Honda should be fun. Although the cub is mechanically simpler, easier to source parts etc. Depending on distances traffic etc the 200 will be easier to get comfortable riding. I can't imagine not having a little Honda in the garage.
Weirdly here in South Africa the parts availability is reversed, lots of CD200 parts, no Cub parts. I think between the two bikes I’ll be very happy. I’m just dreaming of going down to my local coffee shop on the Super Cub on a Sunday morning.
@@JethroBronner That's seems so strange. ,I'd always thought the Super Cub and the "postie" bikes CT90's were sort of a common denominator world wide. Sunday morning rides will always remain a simple pleasure if not the stuff of dreams and legends.
Great to see you back 👍🏻
Good to be back!
Jethro I swear you got some different project cars in your shop. Looking forward to this build series. You have a few builds going on! Good luck!
Haha yeah I do. I have a couple of customer cars in at the moment. I'll be doing a video about the white Duetto, but not about the blue Berlina. Thanks again for your continued support man!
Hi Jethro
The beach boys one looks like a ct110, the off road one. Used I'm Australia and NZ as "posties". Used to deliver mail. Sold in the US as well.lots of them had a two range gearbox.
Closer to you, they were sold to Tanzanian Aid organisations but also to the government to use as rural service providers.
They are available in those countries. I worked on a farm in the bush in Tz and they are bullet proof.
Sometimes available in Japan but at wholesalers. Why do I know, I'm looking for one. There have been several documented trips from Australia to The UK
What's up with the blue Berlina in the shop? I hope we'll see more of that one.
It's just in for a little work and storage. Not mine unfortunately.
My brother had a super Cub. He had painted it purple, tyres included and wrote "I hate purple" on it. Strange chap. Still is actually. I rode it occasionally and it was lots of fun, except when I had an accident with it which threw me off to land on a traffic sign pole.
Great video as always thanks from JDS in AZ usa. It's a bit like poetry
Again, good to see you again Jethro. It's funny that you have a Honda bike. I like cars and ended up getting a bike. A HONDA. It's a 83 Nighthawk 650. It hasn't run in 10+ years and I'm sure the carbs will need a rebuild. I haven't been to motivated to get on this, but I'll get it running and sell it. I don't trust myself or others on a motorcycle. Hope all is well!
Please keep up the great work !!!
Will do!
Amazing collection you have....love from Pakistan dear.😊❤
Always loved the look of the CD200, Keen to see you get it sorted, good luck with the bikes amigo !
Thank you!
My first experience on a bike was a CB175 Honda very similar to yours. Loads of fun. Be careful the plugs strip out easily!!!!!!!!! :-)
I'll watch out for that! Thanks!
So stoked for this Jethro!
I love that top gear, but recently I found a MotorWorld with Jeremy from 1995, when he was young, before top gear, where he was in Vietnam, talking about how expensive cars are, and then he rides a Honda cub around.... (the Botswana/Lancia/Merc/Oliver one is still my favorite)
I think my favourites are:
Vietnam bike special
Botswana special
Bolivia 4x4 special
North Pole Expedition.
But that show was just so amazing.
Well what can I say new subscriber here love what you are doing outstanding will follow with great interest having owned a c70 two c90 now a new super cub plus a zillion other 70s bikes I know exactly where you are with these! All the best from Arizona USA
Wow, as much as I dislike motorcycles, I am quite exited for these projects! The closest thing I have been to motorcycle restoration, is helping my dad prep and paint his old KZ900. Anyways, great work as always Jethro!
Thanks for watching! I'll have Alfa content back next week.
Nice to see you back :)
I went looking at a Alfasud Sprint the other day as a project for my channel... I could almost hear your voice in my head.... It was to expensive unfortunately.. I never owned a Alfa! Its almost criminal by now...
Yeah you're going to have to get one some day! It's Clarkson's Law!
@@JethroBronner Exactly! I feel almost like a traitor to not have owned one yet! haha!
But being in Denmark where we salt the roads 4-6 months a year.... its pretty hard to get one that is still together... ;)
Thanks for your videos!
I bought a 1955 zundapp Bella back in the 90s , did full concourse resto, ended up laying in the garage for 25 years never ridden sharing place with a 67 Guilia Super and 71 1750 GTV right off. Anyway sold both Alfa’s and part traded the Bella for a 1960 Mk Jaguar. Funny how tastes change when you get older.
I am about to pick up C50 in few days. I look forward to your adventure.
It's my favorite channel with the upload oh boy oh boy!
Thanks for watching Diego!
There were LOTS of cubs in south africa, I had a honda 50, a yamaha 250, I have quite a few bikes still,there were CB77,s on every street corner,I have three in various stages rebuild,but they are very hard to find,there were honda cubs,Itoms Garreli etc al.
If two bikes are parked next to each other. one needing a lot of tlc, and the other in a good running order, you will pick the one needing tlc, methinks.
That's essentially accurate yeah.
Love the video, Jethro! Looking to get my first bike too!
Good luck with it!
Ah.... the classic inspirational James May
Welcome to our world 👍🏻🏍
so much enjoyed this one. like any of your videos :)
Well, aren't I dense.
I didn't know you still lived in South Africa. I thought you moved to Europe and took a few Durban paltes with you or something.
Lots of the backdrops and scenery doesn't look like SA, so I assumed otherwise.
Awesome channel I found.
It really sucks that lots of the common Hondas didn't come in large numbers to SA.
We have a mint 78 CB400T that I'm working on in my free time. It got me interested enough in motorcycles to the point where I want to get a license and drive one.
Also looking for a classic honda. CB550, but finding one with papers is proving difficult. I only found one complete one for 25k, very nice condition, but no papers ad disappeared quickly like another honda I found.
I would like to see the follow-up of this.
Jethro...good to see ya. Oh by the way, get yourself some lathers....stay safe.
Will do!