Vol.1 The Real Story, from the U.S.｜CT Stories｜HISTORY｜Cub

The Hunter Cub was born in the U.S.A.

In 1959, Honda began exporting the Super Cub from Japan to North America, and two years later in 1961, the Honda CA100T Trail 50, known as the “original Hunter Cub,” was launched by American Honda.

The idea of developing a small trail-bike that could be ridden on any road based on the Super Cub was conceived by American Honda.

But, why the U.S., and not Japan, where Honda products were developed?

As Fujisawa, senior managing director of Honda, wrote in the company newsletter about his business trip to the U.S., Honda was attentive to “the lifestyle of American customers,” which is why Honda was able to create the Hunter Cub. This seems to be a typical Honda way of doing business.

American Honda was having a hard time selling the Super Cub. There was little demand for small motorcycles in the U.S. at the time, and motorcycle dealers were not yet aware of the Super Cub’s potential popularity.

American Honda, which was expanding its own sales network for this purpose, was eager to sell the Super Cub not only to motorcycle dealers but also to outdoor sports stores that dealt with fishing, hunting, and other equipment.

Magazine ad from 1961 when the CA100T TRAIL 50 was first introduced. The advertisement states that the Honda Trail 50 is inexpensive, lightweight, fuel efficient, and test rides are free. There was also a Christmas campaign in which customers could win a Honda Trail 50 by lottery if they entered the contest at a dealership.

These efforts led to outdoor enthusiasts, who enjoyed fishing and hunting, turning their attention to the Super Cub. They would load a Super Cub into the back of their pickup trucks and take it to the beach or to the mountains, and when they came to a road that could not drive over, they rode their Super Cub. Sometimes they would drive on rough roads or up to sand dunes. For this reason, American Honda converted the Super Cub to a trail bike.

In hindsight, it was only natural that American Honda came up with the idea of developing the Hunter Cub for the outdoor sports scene.

American Honda wasted no time in drawing up a product plan and asking Honda in Japan to develop a trail-version of the Super Cub. This was how the Honda CA100T Trail 50 was born.

The Trail 50 was a derivative model of the Super Cub with a removed leg shield, front fender, chain case, and thick muffler that could cause wildfires, and was equipped with new block tires, a large carrier, under guards, and a large, switchable drive sprocket.

At a time when the Super Cub was sold for $245, the Trail 50 went on sale for $275. New hires at American Honda earned $500 per month at the time.

The Trail 50 became a new must-have item for enjoying outdoor sports. American Honda was able to open up a market for the Super Cub that was non-existent. From there, the company continued to improve the Trail 50 based on user feedback, and gradually developed the market.

1961CA100T Trail 50

The CA100T Trail 50, the original CT model, is launched in the United States. Based on the Super Cub C100, the leg shield and front fender were removed, and a large rear sprocket and block tires were fitted. Rear carrier and under-guards were optional, and the body color was a bright scarlet red.

1962C105T Trail 55

Based on the 54 cc C105, with increased power. Equipped with a thin, down swept muffler to prevent bush fires, the C105T had a slightly larger seat than the CA100T TRAIL50, and a chrome rear carrier was standard equipment. The C105T was available in red and yellow until the 1971 model.

The Honda CA100T Trail 50, launched in 1961 with a 49 ㏄ OHV engine, was upsized to a 54 ㏄ OHV engine in 1962 to become the Honda CA105T Trail 55. The rear brake could be operated by either the left handlebar lever or the right pedal, and it was equipped with a steel folding step along with other minor improvements.

In 1963, an upward-tilted muffler was adopted to improve safety. It was also the debut of a unique design that would become the iconic Hunter Cub.

This 1963 model was exhibited as a reference export model at the 10th All Japan Motor Show, and its nickname at the time was “Hunter Cub.”

1963CA105T Trail 55

From the 1963 model, upward-tilted mufflers became standard. Essentially the same as the 1962 model, apart from the muffler, a special model was later released with chrome plated body and front fenders.

1963C100H

At the 10th All Japan Auto Show held in October 1963, a booth for the Super Cub series was set up in conjunction with the Nicest People ad campaign. The 50 cc C100H, which became an export model, was also exhibited.

Source: Motor Magazine

A great leap forward was made by the launch in the U.S. of the CT200 Trail 90 in 1964. It was equipped with a newly designed 87 cc OHV engine, nearly 1.6 times bigger than the previous models. It was equipped with pipe handles and front fenders with mudguards. In 1966, the engine was changed to an 89 cc SOHC and the model name was changed to the CT90 Trail 90. From the later version, the transmission was changed to a 4-speed with a sub-transmission, and the drive sprocket was smaller. The Honda Trail CT series was improved every year and became a popular model.

1964CT200 Trail 90

The CT200 was launched combining the larger Super Cub CM90 chassis with the 87 cc OHV engine of the C200 business model. It was equipped with a 4-speed automatic centrifugal clutch and two rear sprockets (one large and one small).

1966CT90 Trail 90 (K0)

With the Super Cub changing from an OHV to the new OHC engine, the CT200 was remodeled with the 89.6 cc OHC engine from the Super Cub C90. The early model used two rear sprockets for the 4-speed automatic centrifugal clutch. The later model eliminated the double rear sprocket and added an auxiliary transmission to the 4-speed automatic centrifugal clutch.

Some customers began to use the Trail instead of horses on large farms and ranches. The Trail CT series, once a tool for fun, became a tool for work. This was a true demonstration of the Cub series’ versatility.

In 1969, a new model better suited to trail riding, was released. The front suspension was redesigned as a more sporty telescopic setup, and the front fenders were adjustable. The carburetors were rear-facing and the air cleaner was moved to the side of the frame. The frame pipes were covered with a resin protective cover. The selling price was $340.

The Hunter Cub, based on the Super Cub, became a Cub-derived trail model that originated in the outdoor sports scene in the U.S., and was improved, and expanded to countries around the world.

1969CT90 Trail 90 (K1)

Front forks changed from bottom-link to telescopic for improved off-road capabilities. Available in scarlet red or bright yellow, with a gray plastic shroud on the frame.

1970CT90 Trail 90 (K2)

Equipped with foldable swivel-lock handlebars, and redesigned muffler guard. Body colors remained unchanged, but side covers and shrouds were a dark gray metallic.

1971CT90 Trail 90 (K3)

Paint on the muffler under the cover was changed to a heat-resistant black. Available in scarlet red and summer yellow, with a new white stripe was added to the shroud on the black background.

1972CT90 Trail 90 (K4)

Auxiliary fuel tank, which later became one of the CT90’s distinctive features, became standard equipment on the left side of the rear carrier. Chrome-plated rivets were added to the fuel tank seat. Until K3, colors were red and yellow, but from K4, colors were changed to mars orange, and the shroud was changed to dark gray metallic. (Photo: 1973 model)