True confession time, guys: I still Haven’t been to any Cube House Honda locations yet. Ever since it opened in Thailand in 2018, I’ve wanted to go; And even though I’ve been quite close at times, due to many other time commitments, I couldn’t make it work.
Rest assured, if I were able to do so, I would definitely chances are also less For the last few years I have remained silent about this place till now.
In both countries, the name ‘Cub House’ is a clever play on words. Honda wants you to believe it’s not all about its proud Cub/Super Cub lineage, insisting that the name is short for “Culture Unique Bikes.” Backronym, maybe? In any case, I mean, why not both?
If you’re a fan of Honda’s small-displacement offerings the appeal is immediately obvious. But at least for me, it’s something deeper than that. When I was in high school and college (but before I was of legal drinking age), when I wasn’t in school, I spent a lot of time doing what a lot of kids that age do: hanging out.
Photo by: HondaGeo Bike Lab
Photo by: HondaGeo Bike Lab
Of course, I had my favorite spots; Record stores, comic shops, coffee shops; You get the general idea. Some friends were into skating, so sometimes we would hit up a skate shop or two. If I had discovered motorcycles earlier, maybe something like that would have been on the menu.
Or maybe, just maybe, if something like a cube house had existed where I grew up (and when I was growing up), it would have been the thing that would have gotten me into motorcycles sooner. Because, you see, this isn’t just a motorcycle shop; It’s a great hangout spot/cafe/shop all rolled into one. This is exactly the kind of place I belonged at that age (and honestly, it’s not nearly as bad as being an actual adult).
At a time when everything seems busy, hectic, and as if you are constantly surrounded by your obligations on all sides, there is an incredible appeal to being able to cool off in the TF and have a nice cup of coffee, hopefully with a motorbike too. That’s what Cube House intends to offer, and that’s why it’s good Now it has opened its first Japan locationIn Saitama.
Although there is only one location in Japan so far, there are active plans to open more at the Honda Commuter Center, starting in fall 2026. Of course, while Cub House has plenty of parts, accessories, apparel and other lifestyle items on display and offered for sale, it’s also about building and promoting the local riding community.
Photo by: HondaGeo Bike Lab
When the shop opened, Honda published an interview Along with two of his employees who were deeply involved in the project, Kosuke Kuroda and Sakika Suzuki. One thing he specifically pointed out in regards to the difference between Cub House in Thailand versus Cub House in Japan is the appeal to younger, new riders (as well as returning riders). While some of those riders may want custom parts for their bike, others may want to start with something more accessible (and less expensive) like a set of decals.
So, there are plenty of cool stickers you can put on your bike without feeling the need to spend billions of yen on plastics and racks and suspension upgrades and wheels. Again, this kind of thing rings true to me, because when you’re young and don’t have a lot of money, maybe stickers and small, silly stuff that makes you happy helps keep you going when you’re too busy dreaming big, but you can’t do anything else.
Could I possibly squeal when I saw the motorcycle tire lighting fixture in this photo? Yes, yes I did.
Photo by: HondaGeo Bike Lab
Running around and being constantly busy is stressful; Having a third space, which seems like the goal of cube houses (in other words, places to gather and just be with other people that either don’t live where you do or work/go to school) is totally necessary. Yes, there are good moto shops that have that kind of atmosphere, but in my opinion, the more, the merrier. After all, isn’t that how you build culture?
