HONDA C90 (1967 - 2002) Review

The Honda C90’s steel chassis is simple, with a tube downtube attaching the steering head to a pressed rear section. Bumps are sort-of dealt with by twin rear shocks and leading-link front forks that rise up under braking (a curious sensation, though you soon acclimatise).

While suspension action is very basic, the Honda’s ride quality is better than most classic scooters – lots of which don’t have anything as sophisticated as front and rear suspension.

Nice having 17in wheels too, as it makes the handling more bike-like and means there’s greater stability than on a small-wheel scoot or moped. Pillions are more than welcome, though can have an entertaining effect on the C90’s willingness to turn into corners.

Cable-operated drum brakes front and rear need a good tug for swift stopping. The curious load paths of the front suspension mean it’s possible to lock the front wheel in treacherous conditions.

Honda’s horizontal air-cooled single is surely one of the greatest engines of all time. The overhead-cam version was introduced in the 1960s, and though it’s been upgraded and tweaked over the years is still in mass production. Astounding.

Original Honda C90s are 89cc; capacity dropped to 86cc with an update in the early 1980s. All versions nudge 100mpg in normal use and give way more if you’re just sauntering down lanes in the sunshine. And sauntering is best.

The 90 has more grunt than the C50 and C70 but isn’t actually much faster than the 70, with 55mph being about the comfortable limit – it’s geared tall for economy, and the 8bhp motor struggles to use all its revs most of the time. It’ll go faster plunging down a steep hill, though feels terribly coarse as the motor thrashes away.

The clutch doesn’t have a lever. Its centrifugal design means you knock the Honda into gear at standstill, and the clutch engages automatically as you open the throttle and revs increase. You can come to a halt in top gear and it’ll just tick over. Stalling is impossible.

With just three speeds the gearbox has long, widely spaced ratios. Though the engine’s willingness to simply chug along regardless means it’ll pull third from jogging pace, it’s easy to stamp down a gear too soon and get an excess of engine braking (and screaming revs).

All examples of the C90 are staggeringly reliable. When I was a teenager, I had a mid-70s example as a field bike complete with homemade straight-through exhaust and old tights stretched across the open carb inlet to provide an air filter.

After being caned mercilessly for years, one day someone realised we’d never checked the oil. We did and the engine was bone dry – but we were also miles out in the country and didn’t have any oil, so carried on riding. It was weeks before we remembered…

For a cheaply-priced commuter the C90’s build quality was always good. You’ll probably be looking at a pampered time-warp bike or one that’s been rebuilt, though there are examples out there that have only recently been retired from a life of year-round all-weather commuting (some of which have been splashed with shiny paint and labelled as ‘restored’).

Rust is the C90’s enemy. The structural steel rear mudguards rotted even from new, causing the back of the bike to collapse, so expect either rust, repairs or completely new sections – and check for filler and other bodges. Later C90s have a bolt-on plastic mudguard section that hides corrosion, so have a good poke about.

Frame down tubes rust above the engine, which is hard to spot (worst case scenario is the bike will snap in half), spokes get crusty, and the forks and swingarm can corrode through from the inside – prod suspicious bits with a screwdriver.

Other stuff? Clutches slip if incorrectly adjusted (two-minute fix with a screwdriver) or the engine level is wrong. Bushes in the front forks can fail, and so can the ones in the rear shocks, given away by squeaking and an even bouncier ride than normal.

Parts are readily available for 1980s-on 12-volt models, though most bits for bikes from 60s and 70s now tend to be ‘budget’ parts from the Far East. Look out for examples with replacement engines from Chinese-built ‘pit bikes’ – no good if you want originality, but handy if you fancy more power and an extra gear.

Our Honda C90 owners' reviews are very positive indeed, with the only real negative comment the lack of equipment. What exactly can you expect from a bike like this, though? Another note claims it's the "best little bike ever", which shows the love people have for the C90.

Classic insurance will cost less than a night in the boozer, servicing is peanuts, and you’ll get over 100 miles from a fiver’s worth of unleaded. Tyres last ages and are cheap when you need them, and if you get a bike that’s 40 years old or over road tax is free, and it won’t need an MOT. The C90 might no longer be the penny-pinching commuter’s tool of choice, but it’s still super-cheap to run.

Whether spending four or five grand on an old Honda step-thru’ is good value is another question. You can’t put a price on the personal satisfaction and warm fuzziness that ownership might bring, but the recent surge in values – and no shortage of supply – means the cost of a good C90 has surely peaked. Buy one to ride and enjoy, not as an investment.

You get a speedo (that also shows which gear to use at what speed on a pre-1984 bike), indicators, hooter and lights. That’s about it – and if you’ve ever ridden a six-volt Cub then you’ll know that classing the feeble glow from the front as a headlight is pushing it.

You don’t need more, mind. The C90’s charm is in being simple, honest, fuss-free two-wheeled transport.

There are a million-and-one aftermarket accessories on the market thanks to the C90's ubiquity and longevity and so from heated grips to luggage racks spotlights, the sky is the limit.

Alaska to Argentina on a Honda C90

In 2011 36-year-old Seán Dillon from Ireland left his job, stuck his 25 year old Honda C90 into a crate and left for Alaska. His aim: to ride from Anchorage, Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost tip of the South American mainland.

Seán said: "I chose a C90 because I wanted to pay tribute to what is regarded as the greatest motorcycle in the world, the Honda Cub. The C50s, C70s and C90s were the people’s motorcycles and they had a huge impact on transport in Ireland and the world from the 1960s onwards.

"There is so much about travelling on this bike that fitted in with my journey. I wanted a simple and reliable machine, and there are none more so than the Honda Cub, I also wanted a bike to blend in with the crowd. When you ride into the poorer areas of the world with a fancy BMW or a shiny KTM you immediately set yourself apart from the local people.

"This bike allows you to melt into the background and become part of the picture and surroundings. It breaks down barriers between locals as they will see you as more of an equal, an underdog and not a rich gringo. Perhaps most importantly it’s a go-anywhere bike. It never once held me back no matter where I rode. I took that little bike across some of the worst terrain imaginable and ended up in places most large over-landers simply couldn’t reach. It’s so light you can take it anywhere."