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posted by Fnord666 on Tuesday August 07 2018, @12:26PM   Printer-friendly
from the rollin-rollin-rollin dept.

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.

Source: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2018/08/04/lifestyle/wheels-keep-rolling-hondas-diminutive-super-cub-celebrates-60th-anniversary/


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 07 2018, @02:53PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 07 2018, @02:53PM (#718274)

    I'm not a strong cyclist and I've passed some scooters & mopeds on my pedal bicycle... Ignoring any social stigma, what is the point of this slowest class of scooter?

  • (Score: 2) by MostCynical on Tuesday August 07 2018, @08:25PM

    by MostCynical (2589) on Tuesday August 07 2018, @08:25PM (#718427) Journal

    In genuinely congested cities, these are effective, cheap, and efficient (especially for parking*)

    https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-taipei-taiwan-december-2015-heavy-rush-hour-scooter-traffic-on-a-busy-92539574.html [alamy.com]

    *only the US seems to have parking lots the size of farms [jcdecaux.com]

    --
    "I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
  • (Score: 2) by LoRdTAW on Tuesday August 07 2018, @11:17PM

    by LoRdTAW (3755) on Tuesday August 07 2018, @11:17PM (#718502) Journal

    Those smaller electric scooters appear to fit your description. Why not use a peddle bike? Well not everyone can ride long distances throughout the day narrowing your labor pool. Next up is liability as these reduce the liability surface as the rider can not injure themselves via peddling (over exertion, exhaustion, etc). They are also very compact and are not petrol fueled making indoor storage possible and safer. Big win for the delivery business owner who I see operating them (the mexican joint by me has two).