Cub Stories
The Super Cub Spearheads Honda’s Advance into the Mature European Markets
Honda’s advance into Europe commenced in 1961, two years after the establishment of American Honda. Its wholly owned local subsidiary, European Honda, was established in West Germany, marking the start of Honda’s challenge for a place in the ‘home’ of motorcycles, which boasted a market demand of over 2 million bikes per year.
In 1961, Honda achieved overwhelming racing victories in the 125cc and 250cc classes of the Isle of Man TT, and was also champion in both classes in the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix. However, seen from the viewpoint of the traditional European motorcycle makers who had invented and led motorcycle development until then, Honda was no more than a newcomer, despite already being the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles.
Europe at the time was already a ‘mature’ market where mopeds roamed freely through every town. Its many manufacturers offered a solid lineup of large motorcycles, as motorcycles had long been a familiar part of European life, from production to retail. It was no exaggeration to say that there was no more room for Honda to make inroads.
However, Honda’s thinking at the time was that Europe should be challenged because it was indeed the home of motorcycles, and that there was value in rubbing shoulders and co-existing with the more traditional European manufacturers.
Accordingly, from its base at European Honda in West Germany, Honda conducted detailed market surveys in each European country. With the countries of Europe each being their own distinct ethnic states having their own respective dynamic and complex histories, this was no easy task.
Super Cub the First Model to Roll Off the Line at Honda’s New Belgium Factory
Following the Super Cub, Honda’s Belgian plant commenced production of the C310, Honda’s first local spec overseas production model
After spending two years establishing a network of branch offices in the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands, Honda constructed its Belgium plant and started manufacturing operations in 1963. Rather than exporting motorcycles from Japan to Europe, it chose to commence local production from the start. Since, in line with local laws and customs, it was necessary to launch a plant from scratch in order to conduct local production, this entailed a lot of difficulty. However, Honda was prepared to push through with local production in order to work together with the populace, gradually build relationships of trust with local suppliers and retail agents, blend into European society and become accepted by the traditional European manufacturers.
The first product manufactured at Honda’s Belgium factory was the Super Cub C100. But, as to whether the Super Cub might appeal to Europeans who were long familiar with scooters and mopeds equipped with bicycle-like pedals and powered by 2-stroke engines, although it eventually come to be viewed as just another moped at its Belgium plant, it never really became a popular model. Since mopeds were already an integral element of European culture and a part of everyday life, even though the higher performance of the Super Cub, with its four-stroke engine, was recognized in Japan, it did not become an overnight hit in Europe.
Rather, Honda produced a pedal-equipped model at its Belgium plant, called the C310, which was based on the Port Cub C240. This was Honda’s first overseas production model, and it was just one of the ways that it strived to blend into the European motorcycle market. This experience led to the development of the P25 Little Honda, which truly was Honda’s first original moped.
Today, Honda’s local production in Europe continues in the areas of general-purpose products, motorcycles and automobiles. Honda’s motorcycles have attracted many Honda fans, and exist shoulder-to-shoulder with the traditional European makers. And all this started with the first Super Cub to roll off the line at its Belgium factory in 1963.
