Honda Adds Super Cub And XR650L To 2020 Lineup

Honda's biggest moto announcement last week had everything to do with the new Africa Twin 1100cc bikes, but buried way down deep in the press release was the mention of a couple of returning models. For 2020, the popular Super Cub 125 single is coming back to join its Monkey and Grom stablemates in Honda's miniMOTO category. There were also a few sentences in the release to let us know the XR650L dual sport motorcycle will be re-upped for 2020 as well.

Last year's reintroduction of the Super Cub marque—the model behind the game-changing "You Meet the Nicest People" ad—turned out to be a slam dunk for Honda, with enthusiasts and average Joes and Janes alike being smitten by its retro lines and accessible presence.

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Honda is taking full advantage of 2019 being its 60th anniversary of doing business in America, and the 2020 Super Cub model continues that riff on the theme, retaining the classic S-letter silhouette and step-through design assembled around a simple and efficient 125cc air-cooled and fuel-injected single-cylinder engine. The four-speed semi-automatic transmission remains unchanged as does the standard ABS, but for 2020, the Super Cub 125 is available only in the new Pearl Nebula Red colorway, and price ticks up to $3,649. It’ll be available in dealers in December 2019.

Honda had previously let it slip that the Grom-based Monkey would also be returning to the 2020 miniMOTO segment, still in the same funbike form backed up by a punchy 125cc air-cooled single engine. That means the low 30.6-inch seat height, four-speed transmission, high-rise handlebar, and disc brakes all return as standard equipment; Honda says there's still an ABS option available (for $200 more), but the Banana Yellow colorway gets scrapped and replaced with Pearl Glittering Blue. You can still opt for the existing Nebula Red color too. Price stays the same, so MSRP is still $3,999 for the standard model and $4,199 for the ABS iteration. The Monkey appears in dealers in October 2019.

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Is it a mini? Is it a sportbike? Is it both? The pocket-size Grom—essentially the bike that created Honda's miniMOTO segment back in 2014 and shook up the entire category in the process—is back for 2020 as well, with no big tweaks to report for the new model year. The sporty SOHC four-stroke engine, fuel injection, four-speed transmission, LCD dash, stacked LED headlight layout, and available ABS are all things we've seen before, but naturally the color options have been shuffled. For 2020, the Grom ABS is available in Cherry Red with an MSRP of $3,599.

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The standard Grom can be had in Cherry Red; Blue Raspberry; Incredible Green; or Halloween Orange. MSRP is $3,399. Both models are already in dealers.

Unsurprisingly, Honda’s also bringing back the legendary XR650L to its line of 2020 motorcycles available in the US. With its Baja heritage and long record of reliability and solid performance, the versatile dual sport has long been a staple in Team Red’s portfolio. The simple, air-cooled 644cc single-cylinder engine is virtually bulletproof, and the long-travel suspension can take on cracked pavement and dicey gravel alike. It’ll only be available in the classic red colorway and retail for $6,999. Availability in showrooms is scheduled for March 2020.