This Isn't A Super Cub. But What If It Took Over The World In An Alternate Universe?
After Honda turned Japan on its head with the introduction of the Super Cub, competitors like Yamaha had to come up with their own versions.
The Autumn Stafford Sale at Bonhams is coming; in October 2026, to be precise. If you're a motorcycle history nerd like I am, it makes for excellent watching, even from afar; you never know what's going to appear, nor what kind of rabbit holes it'll lead you down as you start to research. And while I've talked about the Yamaha TownMate before, something we haven't previously delved into is Yamaha's first-ever attempt at its very own Super Cub.
This is the Yamaha MF-1, upon which Team Tuning Fork says it eventually based its Mate (and later iterations) moped line. Stylewise, you can certainly see the resemblance between the MF-1 and the original Super Cub.
When Honda introduced the Super Cub in 1959 (after first announcing it in 1958), it reportedly sold 24,000 of the adorable little guys within the first five months of its release. Over the next year, Honda's official history of the Super Cub says that it sold "as many as 167,000 units." That same history notes that at the time, Japan's total motorcycle sales (across all manufacturers) were around 300,000 per year.
The Legend(s) Continue
You can see why competitors like Yamaha would want a piece of that particular pie, right? In developing the Super Cub, Honda invented the automatic centrifugal clutch system that it still utilizes on the model to this day; that was, in fact, the reason they invented it. Takeo Fujisawa and Soichiro Honda wanted to make operation of the Super Cub as easy as possible, so they developed this unique clutch solution for use on this little four-stroke machine.
This was meant to be a bike for everyone; young, old, men, women; absolutely everyone. It needed to have at least 4 horsepower (it ended up with 4.5 by the time it was produced), the better to cope with the fact that under 10% of Japan's roads were paved at the time of its release. Development of the Super Cub also entailed Honda convincing both a spark plug manufacturer to make special spark plugs for it, as well as a tire manufacturer to make special tires to fit 17-inch wheels (much smaller than the standard 24 to 26-inch diameter in use on a lot of other Euro mopeds).
Gallery: Yamaha MF-1
Understandably, a year or two later, competitor Yamaha came out with the MF-1. While the visual similarities are undeniable, the mechanical differences were significant. The MF-1 only output a claimed 3.4 horsepower (so down by nearly 25% on the Super Cub), and the engine was a two-stroke, not a four-stroke like the Super Cub. (As you may or may not be aware, Soichiro Honda famously hated two-strokes and did not want to make them.)
There was one thing the MF-1 had going for it in terms of technological advancement: In addition to a standard kickstart, it also added an electric starter, all the way back in 1960. In Yamaha's archives, it also touts the use of a Neidhart-type front suspension paired with an Eligo rear suspension for added rider comfort.
At Bonham's upcoming Autumn Stafford Sale, here in 2026, you could very well buy this example of the MF-1 and make it your own. It's up for auction on October 11, 2026, has been restored, and even comes with a key. The engine turns over, according to Bonhams, and it has 2,224 kilometers on the clock.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
Miss Piggy Once Rode A Two-Stroke Motorcycle. And She Even Had A Stunt Double
A Major Used Motorcycle Chain Just Went Into Administration. Here's What That Means For Motorcyclists
We Have Ducati Because The Allies Flattened The Hell Out of Its Ammunition Factory in WWII
Lidl Is Selling a Ridiculously Affordable Motorcycle Paddock Stand. But There’s a Catch
At Last, Here's A Motorcycle Movie That Captures The Essence Of Moto Love On Screen
The Used Market Is Thriving Because People Can't Afford New Motorcycles
Did You Know That Yamaha Almost Built The World's First Hypercar?