Which Honda moped-style engine kit was introduced in 1952?

The Honda Cub F was the moped-style engine kit introduced in 1952. Rather than being a complete motorcycle, it was a clip-on gasoline engine designed to turn bicycles made by other manufacturers into motorized transport.

The Cub F used a 50 cc air-cooled two-stroke single-cylinder engine producing about 1 horsepower. Its rear-wheel mounting and carefully arranged exhaust helped keep oil and exhaust away from the rider’s clothing. Honda promoted it with the memorable “white tank, red engine” image, which helped make the product recognizable in postwar Japan.

Honda shipped thousands of Cub F units in 1952 and built a nationwide dealer network through bicycle retailers. Production ended in 1954 as customers began seeking more complete and refined vehicles. The Cub F is therefore an ancestor of the Super Cub, but it should not be confused with the four-stroke Super Cub C100, which arrived in 1958.