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Submitted via IRC for Runaway1956
The 20th century spawned a number of iconic long-selling motor vehicles, among them Ford's Model T, Germany's Volkswagen "Beetle" and Italy's Vespa scooter. In terms of total sales, however, none of them has come close to approaching the success of the Honda Super Cub, which has outsold the other three combined.
Designated model C-100, the Super Cub went on sale 60 years ago this week. Since then, it has enjoyed steady demand at home and abroad, particularly in Southeast Asia. Last year, Honda Motor Co.'s total sales of the Super Cub, including sports and commercial models adopting the same platform, shot past the 100 million mark; they account for about 30 percent of the 350 million motorcycles Honda has sold worldwide.
Rebutting the philosophy of "planned obsolescence" that some manufacturers have been accused of building into their products, the Super Cub's minimalist profile remains immediately recognizable, having changed only slightly over the past 60 years. And while nobody knows the exact number still in running condition, nostalgia buffs in search of an original C-100 have been known to bid over ¥300,000 on auction sites online — six times its 1958 selling price.
(Score: 3, Touché) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday August 07 2018, @01:50PM (7 children)
Mmmmm. I disagree. Now, I don't want one, but they are pretty cool all the same.
The first two-wheeled powered vehicle I ever attempted to ride was a Wizard scooter, from Western Auto, or one of those old forgotten places. It was supposed to be five horses, pull start Briggs & Stratton. The damned thing threw me on the ground, and proceeded to ride itself across the school yard. An adult had to go catch it before it ran into the doors of the high school. I probably didn't weigh fifty pounds at that time, and no one warned me that my skinny little ass would slide backwards on that flat seat if I gave it any real throttly.
Decades later, when my youngest son asked me about "What's the best motorcycle for me to buy, Dad?" I told him, no motorcycles - YET. First, you get yourself a silly little scooter, and wear it out. Then, you get a little 90 cc dirt bike, and try to break your neck in the woods and pastures. THEN, you might be ready for a little 250 street bike. If you manage to stay alive on a 250 for a year or two, THEN you MIGHT be ready for one of those big bikes you've got your eye on.
Scooters are good learning experience, for beginners.
Today, my big ass would look really funny, trying to perch on top of a scooter. The smallest thing I would consider riding today is my Silver Wing. Nothing smaller would work for more than a few minutes, what with my knobby knees sticking out to the sides and all.
I'll go along with you to a point, Buzzard. If you see a man over 5' 8", and weighing more than 140 pounds on a scooter, you're looking at some gay shit. Dude needs to hurry up and learn to ride, so he can move up to something at least semi-serious. But scooters are great for kids, women, and other small (probably timid) people.
Some dude is only about 4 ft 12 inches tall - you think he's going to climb up on a real motorcycle? A three-wheeler, maybe. With a couple of steps attached. Then he won't look so damned gay.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday August 07 2018, @02:01PM (6 children)
Gotta disagree on your progression. Bicycle up until you can easily stand a 90cc dirtbike back up off the ground. Then 90cc dirtbike in primarily mud and shallow water (softer when you fall) until you don't fall over too often. Then < 200cc enduro on dry dirt and very low traffic pavement (residential areas or remote roads). Then < 1Kcc street bike of your choice on city streets and highways. Then a good sized Harley, Indian, or Norton anywhere you care to take it.
Never a helmet though. Helmets divorce you from the environment and the wind and those are over half of the experience.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 07 2018, @02:47PM (1 child)
> Gotta disagree on your progression. Bicycle...
Lots of parents still start their kids off with training wheels which are a disaster technically, since they make a bike steer like a trike or car--turn-right to go right, without the banking/leaning component. To learn bicycle control (relatively complex relationship between steer and lean), either a bike with a low seat and no pedals, or a small kick scooter are the right choices.
(Score: 3, Informative) by HiThere on Tuesday August 07 2018, @05:33PM
If the training wheels are adjusted properly, only one, if any, will be touching the ground at any one time, and usually none will be touching the ground. So you get both balance and steering properly. That said, the really short bikes are probably a better way to start.
Javascript is what you use to allow unknown third parties to run software you have no idea about on your computer.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by bob_super on Tuesday August 07 2018, @06:14PM (2 children)
That's the most American thing I've read so far today (didn't hit that Trump post yet, though).
Ever been buzzarding over Asia ? Scooters are the SouthEast Asian vehicle of choice for a whole lot of very good reasons.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday August 07 2018, @09:17PM (1 child)
The primary one being that they aren't awesome enough to ride a real bike. It's not a racial thing though, it's cultural. American folks of Asian descent can be just as awesome as anyone else. Unless you're Jackie Chan or a ninja though, you're probably getting the shit end of the awesome stick if you live in Asia.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @02:49AM
When I was in Taiwan ~20 years ago, scooters were everywhere. It wasn't cultural, it was legal -- motorcycles with more than 200cc (or there-about) were either banned, or so highly taxed they they might as well have been banned. Might have been a wheel size limit as well, since all the scooters had typical small wheels. Huge import duties on any kind of motorcycle meant the scooters were all made in Taiwan. So cheap that they weren't repaired, just junked when they quit, common to see them laying in the ditch.
I told my guide that he was seeing "peak scooter" and it was time to start collecting some of them for a future museum, the various designs and "faces" made by headlights and front fairing were of wide variety and really showcased the local designers/stylists. When I was there the rules were about to open up, larger engines were about to be allowed and import duty lowered. My guess (at that time) was that the scooter era with all its wild and huge variety was about to be lost--but the Taiwanese I talked with scorned them like last years appliance. I haven't been back, I wonder if there are any left?
(Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Wednesday August 08 2018, @09:20AM
I might not be able to as I was having seizures for a few years. On the 16th I have a Neurologist appointment, I'll ask for an EEG as well as his opinion as to whether it is safe for me to drive.
My father was so heavily into his bikes that he would bike twenty miles each way to work in the rain while wearing a snowmobile suit and leather gauntlets.
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