Shape of Super Cub Becomes First Vehicle to Obtain Three-dimensional Trademark Registration in Japan

May 26, 2014, Japan

Corporate

TOKYO, Japan, May 26, 2014 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that the Japan Patent Office granted a three-dimensional trademark registration for the shape of the Super Cub, Honda's popular and long-selling scooter. This is the first time in Japan for the shape of a motorcycle or any other product from an automaker to be registered as a three-dimensional trademark, and it is an extremely rare case for an industrial product of any kind.

More than 50 years since the Super Cub was first introduced in 1958, Honda has maintained the consistent design concept of the Super Cub while continuously achieving functional improvements. As a result, it came to a point where most consumers who see the design of the Super Cub recognize it as a Honda product, and that became one of the determining factors for the Japan Patent Office to grant the trademark.

The Super Cub has been sold in more than 160 countries*. Cumulative worldwide production of the Super Cub has reached 87 million units* as of March 2014, which makes the Super Cub a motorcycle with the largest production volume in the world.

Honda will continue cherishing the basic concept of the Super Cub and strive to deliver joy to customers all around the world.

  • *Honda's internal data
Sample of three-dimensional trademark of Super Cub

Sample of three-dimensional trademark of Super Cub

<About the Super Cub production>

Cumulative worldwide production of the Super Cub series
10 million units: August 1974
50 million units: December 2005
60 million units: April 2008

Key countries of the Super Cub series production:
Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil, China, Nigeria, Japan, etc.
Honda is currently producing the Super Cub series at 15 production plants in 14 countries around the world.