Photo/Illutration A 50cc Honda Giorno. The company has decided to end production of its Cub models and other mopeds with 50cc or smaller engines. (Provided by Honda Motor Co.)

When I was a child, my family erupted with joy every time my mother proclaimed that she would order food delivery.

She would turn the dial on the rotary dial telephone and place an order at a nearby “soba” noodle restaurant.

I would wait, listening attentively.

I remember how the sound of the approaching engine made my heart pound.

It must have been a Cub, Honda Motor Co.’s Super Cub scooter.

It is OK for the motorbike to be handled a little roughly.

The small but powerful motorized bicycle had long been an unmissable piece of townscape; it was used not only by noodle delivery drivers but also newspaper delivery staff, post offices and liquor shops. 

The first model was produced in 1958.

Apparently, the development concept was to design a motorcycle that could be ridden with one hand while carrying a tray of soba noodles with the other.

A clutch lever and other parts were removed from the left grip to meet the need.

It was an order that was uniquely Soichiro Honda-esque, the founder of the company who despised imitation.

Thanks to its easy and convenient use, its popularity spread to every corner of the world.

It is said that in southern Vietnam, many people still call all two-wheel vehicles “Honda” regardless of the manufacturer.

Honda is set to end production of the Super Cub and other minibikes with 50cc or smaller engines.

Although the company will continue producing other models with a larger engine displacement, I can’t help but feel a twinge of sadness.

The smaller bikes fail to meet the latest emissions standards and are being outperformed in sales by stylish electric kick scooters and other alternatives.

I probably feel the way I do because I, too, was born in the Showa Era (1926-1989), and I can’t view something that lags behind present-day trends simply as someone else’s problem.

The Super Cub I saw on the street yesterday must have been ridden for quite some time. With a rusted muffler and peeling paint, the motorcycle looked like an old soldier.

For those who work up a sweat, there had been no partner more dependable than the Super Cub.

—The Asahi Shimbun, June 28

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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