The only Honda Wave in Canada?
It very well could be!
A couple years back, in 2022, while scrolling through a local Facebook group, I stumbled upon a post from a guy on Vancouver Island selling an imported Honda Wave.
Intrigued, I was then tagged and messaged by a number of friends who knew that I would be interested in this bike. Without hesitation, I decided to buy it essentially sight unseen.
I had long been wanting to import a Honda Wave, and this one already landed was enough for me to invest the money, time and effort to purchase it, then eventually modify it to my personal tastes. Even if it takes a few months or years. I know it will still be one of the most unique bikes in my local area.
After a few conversations with the seller, we worked out a plan of attack, and a few days later I hopped on a bus and took the ferry over to the island. Upon meeting, we finalized the deal, with my original plan to catch the next ferry back. However, the conversation we had was so engaging that I wound up missing the return boat! No matter; I took the opportunity to explore the city of Nanaimo a bit before waiting for the next ferry.
During my little jaunt around the city, I didn’t push the bike to its limits during that ride around, but I did get a feel for the bike and learned a few things. While the engine was mechanically sound, the bike’s exterior told a different story. It had clearly seen better days. Broken body panels, non-functional dashboard lights, and various spots held together with packing tape—it was apparent that this bike needed some serious TLC.
After some time examining my new ride and grabbing a bite to eat, I made my way back to the ferry terminal for the return trip. Once aboard, I was eager for the ride back home.
It was on the ride home that I truly had the chance to open up the throttle and discover the bike a bit more, including the unique rotary shift pattern. Unlike North American bikes, this underbone allows for continuous shifting, letting you seamlessly move from top gear to first gear at a stoplight through a single depression of the gear lever. It was a bit confusing at first, but also incredibly fascinating—definitely not something I was used to!
At home, I carefully stored the bike away, knowing that I’d take my time in the days ahead to thoroughly inspect it and figure out what it needed. With other insured bikes at my disposal, I decided to park the Honda Wave for now and focus on creating a list of parts required for its restoration.
After a couple of weeks in storage, I felt it was time to pull it into my basement work shop, I gradually disassembled the bike, meticulously documenting everything I wanted to replace. The challenge? Finding the necessary parts was no easy feat, as there are no available parts anywhere in North America. So, it was back to the late nights, and conversations with my contacts in Malaysia and Thailand, where I hoped to source the components to bring this Honda Wave back to life.
And that, is how it is till today. I know I could have been quicker in the rebuild process, but there were other bikes, and other life situations that came up first. However, for the upcoming 2025 year, this will get a little more attention than it’s seen.