I rarely have a destination in mind when I jump on the Cub, sometimes staying in the subdivision to avoid faster traffic.  This time, I ventured out onto Masonic Boulevard and headed toward Jefferson, following the Lake St Clair shoreline north into Harrison Township.

The Super Cub isn’t a fast machine, topping out around 35 MPH.  Most of the time, the light Sunday morning traffic was no issue, but at other times, I’d have 4 or 5 cars behind me, waiting to pass or for me to pull over to the shoulder.  I received all sorts of friendly hand signals from drivers as they passed.

I rode north, past Ryan’s house, until I reached South River Road.  I followed this road east to the Harley Ensign DNR Memorial Boat Launch.  I stopped for some photos in a nearby parking lot, then headed back, tying up traffic.  Today’s little trip added 22 miles to the odometer.  This little ’65 Honda is 49 years old and still as fun and reliable as ever.

People unfamiliar with motorcycles may not recognize the significance of the Super Cub.  It’s the most produced motor vehicle in history, and has been in production since 1958.  I parked my little Cub 18 months ago, when the original muffler rusted through and the bike needed some attention.

The following work has been done over the past 4 months:

1) Replaced the original muffler, which had rusted through and had gotten quite loud.

2) Added the correct turn signals, wiring, flasher and handlebar switch gear from the general export model.  The American export model did not include turn signals.

3) Added aftermarket polished aluminum lower fork covers, a chrome center luggage rack and headlight visor to add some bright work to the bike.

4) Replaced the original side covers and latches.

5) Disassembled and cleaned the carburetor.

6) Re-lubricated all cables.

7) The old speedometer didn’t work, so I replaced it with an aftermarket speedometer, which I disassembled and set to the same odometer reading as the old one. I also transferred the old “MPH” speedometer face plate from the old speedometer to the new unit.

8) Replaced the battery and added wiring for a 6-volt Battery Tender (charger).

9) Replaced the single mirror with a pair of mirrors for added visibility.

10) Replaced the original selenium rectifier with a modern silicon rectifier.  The rectifier converts the AC from the alternator to DC, and older rectifiers can be inefficient.

When the weather improves, I’ll haul the Super Cub down state to join the other ’65 Honda in the garage.