Cub Stories
'We can aim for 30 thousand units!'
The timeless Super Cub takes off
Once the frame and exterior designs were nearly complete, the next important point of appeal for users would be its name. What should it express? Discussions about the model name also advanced.
Kimura — “There were a lot of galley proofs of the Cub F logo left over in the molding room, and they all looked good. While I’m skilled at handling machines for industrial design purposes, unfortunately I’m not particularly adept at things related to commercial design, so I thought of using the name and logo of the Cub F. In those days, people associated the word ‘Super’ with something fresh, new and exciting, so I made up my mind to name it the Super Cub. I drew a sketch of the emblem and showed it to the Old Man. He simply said, ‘Oh, that’s nice,’ and the name was decided on instantly. Everybody, including the sales staff, started using that name smoothly without hesitation.”
A ‘Super’ Cub to surpass the Cub? The name had the power to transcend generations, and the manner in which the name was determined highlighted the ethos and power of the Honda company’s youthful spirit.
Towards the end of December, 1957, a final mockup was finally completed, which the staff of the chemical section responsible for parts molding had put their hearts and souls into. The mockup was ‘enshrined’ on a wood veneer plinth placed on a desk in the dining hall. Managing director Fujisawa was called, and when he saw it he shouted out,
“We can sell at least 30,000 of these!”
At the time, the total number of motorcycles sold per month was about 40,000 units. Standing around their boss Soichiro Honda, the members of the development staff all thought that 30,000 units would be the annual production volume, and this caused a stir among those assembled. However, in a loud voice Fujisawa corrected…
“No, not 30,000 per year, 30,000 per month!”
It was easy to imagine everyone in the room cheering even louder than Fujisawa. In fact, the Super Cub greatly surpassed all predictions for its success, and then went on to astonish the world. Having taken on the day-to-day responsibilities of running the company as its managing director, Fujisawa put into motion a perceptive sales strategy in the belief that the emergence of a strong new product could go a long way toward supporting the foundations of the company’s management. President Soichiro Honda concentrated on finalizing the details leading to the start of sales, all the while encouraging and inspiring his production staff.
Kimura — “Although the Old Man was a good business manager, what was great was that despite all that he told us, ‘Don’t focus on the cost.’ He insisted, ‘Don’t worry so much about the cost, as we can get it back in production.’ That he would go so far as to tell us that gave us the confidence to really challenge ourselves.”
The Honda C100 Super Cub was announced in August 1958. Actual sales began one year later, in August. Basking in the midsummer light, the priorities of the times really began to sparkle.