Honda C125 Cub Euro 5 scooter

[capitano]

a C90 with an Innova engine

The clown bike?

It still lives?

[wightegi]

The clown bike is BCP`s this one was Nige`s bike , Ash was on his Adress 125 and Fatboy on his GS1200 and of course Vick on his Burger and HTP on the mighty Jailing.

[capitano]

The clown bike is BCP`s this one was Nige`s bike , Ash was on his Adress 125 and Fatboy on his GS1200 and of course Vick on his Burger and HTP on the mighty Jailing.

Ah, I thought that Nige's bike was an Innova with some Cub plastics. I also remembered after posting that BCP's clown bike is a Jailing 70 with an Innova motor, not a C90 with an Innova motor.

[honda fairy]

My other half owned a 2019 one, just swooped it in for sh125i and he thinks that is great improvement.
Smoother on road, more luggage space just all round ease of use. He found the cub bit bangy on front end and like abitmad never saw another one in a year.
They look lovely though but not as practical as T&G.
We put small screen on it and a rack and now dealer selling it for more than what we bought it for .
As in previous post we had to charge battery, gave up in end and charged on bike as it we ever managed to get it out I doubt if would ever be able to get it back in.
Bit of tight fit to say least.
Like look of new one.

[Data]

Yeah, they do look lovely don't they! I note the new C125 for 2022 has not only a new more powerful motor, but the suspension has been upgraded for better comfort and better load carrying. The bike should be more capable at speed too with the way the power curve is now designed. Can't wait to try one. My main reason for looking hard at the new C125 is that I have quite a serious back condition (no doubt caused through lifting too many engines and gearboxes over the years) that has laid me out for months at a time over lockdown.

I have to say that I absolutely love my Vespa GTS300ie, it's beautiful and goes like hell. Easy to look after, terrific fun to ride etc etc. But it's getting heavier (at least it seems that way) for someone with a back issue. I want to stay out of a wheelchair if I can and a bike change may be forced on me depending what my consultant says. I'm due surgery soon but even so, I'm thinking the C125 being much much lighter could be the way to go and it should be just as practical with the right accessories. Top speed is listed at 65mph and that's ok. Knocking around at 55mph is more than enough for me, and Mr Fish (of Youtube fame) seems very impressed with his own C125 and regularly has adventures on his. He is from memory 6'4" tall and near 20 stone in weight and the bike has no problem racing around with him on it. We'll see eh!

[MrGrumpy]

Is there much difference weight-wise between the Vespa and the new Cub? I always associate Vespa with being light in weight (especially as they are so low slung), but maybe the GTS Vespa is a different beast to the classic little Vespas! My previous Bev 350 felt heavy, but mostly because it was rather top-heavy.

[abitmad]

If you are referring to the Ves 300 GTS HPE, it weighs about 160kg wet. (Piaggio quote a dry weight of 148 so I've added a rough guess for all the wet stuff). The existing SuperCub is quoted at kerb weight (ie. with all wets) at 109kg. The new version will be a little heavier I expect due to the pillion seat and pegs. So there is a big difference in weights but that's not comparing like with like because the Ves is a 278cc and uses the larger frame as distinct from their small frame 125 models which would be the best comparison, which weigh around 125kg wet.

Again, not like with like, but the Ves 300 HPE is on a different planet on power compared with the weedy SuperCub. Having owned both recently, I can compare them. I like a bit of poke so unlike Data, I'm a bit miserable with a 60/65 top speed and even that drops right back on a hill, so it's not a sustainable top speed anyway. The Ves takes has a top speed of maybe 75 (about 80 on the optimistic clock) and has a speed limiter. It is not forced to slow down on most hills.

As I say the proper comparison for the Cub is not the Ves 300, it's other T&G 125 scooters from Vespa etc. On any practical comparison grounds the Cub loses, heavily but it's not bought on practical comparisons. Although the Cub and all its earlier versions is the biggest selling bike in the world by a very long way, these days it's bought in the UK by a tiny handful of enthusiastic, nostalgic and very old farts (like me!). My guess is that almost nobody seeking a practical 125 scooter would consider a Cub if they compare it with a T&G 125, as it is deficient in all the aspects that make the competing scooter so attractive (weather protection, storage, no gear changing, no chain maintenance) and that's why they just never sold here in any quantity to those looking for this type of bike. And it's not as if there's a trade-off in that it's a lot cheaper than 125 scooters, it's not, in fact it's dearer than some.

I enjoyed my year or so with the Cub, particularly at first, but got bored with it in the end. In contrast, I am not at all bored with my Ves 300 HPE, it is one great classic scooter in my view.

[Data]

Yes my Vespa GTS300ie abs/asr is 159kg. So that's quite a saving in weight if moving to the Cub.

I'm not looking for a direct like for like replacement for my GTS. That's not possible. I'm not looking for the same performance that my GTS has. I know how good the GTS's are and agree with everything you say about it. Mine is particularly fast...I've tinkered a bit! But in standard form they go like crazy. I wouldn't go for any of the plastic twist and go bikes either. They don't appeal. The Honda is a much better prospect for me and can be made to be pretty much as practical as my Vespa. I have after all ridden big bikes all my life and they all needed luggage of some sort added. That's what you do with motorcycles. If it's no bike due to weight or a C125 then the Honda has it. I'm not sure I'd sell the Vespa though. I'd like to keep it alongside the Cub and maybe just use it now and again if the surgeon is ok with that.

I notice too that the Cub now has a more powerful generator fitted. Good for heated grips!

[abitmad]

Like you I've always been a big bike rider but in my case I still am, my other bike is a Harley. Because I tend to change quite often, I've owned a large range of big bikes over the years so scooters have mainly been a second bike for me, though when I had a TMax that was my "big bike". Some of them didn't need additional luggage because I quite liked tourers that come with bags as stock, like BMW RT, Some Harleys, Yam Tracer 900GT, Tiger 800 on a special offer. I don't anticiipate touring much any more though so luggage capacity is not a major question for me.

What's good about the Vespa is that I can fit my open face helmet in the boot, though unlike many other scooters it won't take a full face. Mine's the touring version so came with the folding rear rack as well. Carrying a helmet around when you go somewhere and walk about is a pain, though I know you can usually lock it to the bike somewhere. Many people have top boxes which are good for that, but those offend my aesthetic bike sense. I'm suffiicently vain that how a bike looks is important to me. So I'd say that from the purely practical viewpoint of carrying stuff, a Vespa or any T&G is superior to a Cub cos you have the boot and a rack, front one too if you like.

Enjoy your Cub if you get one. They are fun - for a time :~I

Health issues apart, if you get rid of the Vespa and have a Cub as a sole bike, my guess is that you would quickly be fed up with the low power, especially as a big bike rider and being used to grunt. At first the nostalgia, enthusiasm, people admiring the Cub because it does attract attention, and general old fartiness win. But as time goes on, those points fade into insignificance against the wimpish performance and other weaknesses of the bike and your inner hooli becomes desperate to emerge. Did for me anyway but we're all different of course. I guess that don't matter if you use it purely for city hops, but go for some long rides and you may become frustrated. Not everyone does, I did.

[Dave Weller]

I get on very well with the Innova 125i and so brought a Wave 110i, the Wave is being undressed of plastic panels, some work is required to the left fork leg, then I will buy CT125 parts to make it a mild green lanner, Road Legal.
Fuel economy on the Injection models is very good, starting either by the electric or kick starter instant.
The back roads we use are empty, the bulk of traffic use their sat/navs these days which puts them with all the other drivers on the same crowded main roads doing bigger distances.
See 'Great Fun on Small Bikes and Small Bikes Big Adventures for info.