Honda Motorcycles

About Honda

Honda is the largest motorcycle manufacturer in Japan and has been since it started production in 1955. At its peak in 1982, Honda manufactured almost three million motorcycles annually. By 2006 this figure had reduced to around 550,000 but was still higher than its three domestic competitors.

Soichiro Honda began producing motorcycles in 1946 to satisfy a thirst for cheap transportation in war devastated Japan. Honda began his effort by installing military surplus engines in bicycles. As Honda became more prosperous, he designed his own 50cc engine for the bicycles. The first motorcycle that featured a completely Honda designed motor and frame was produced in 1949. It was called the Model D for Dream. Soon Model J Benly appeared.

Honda wanted to sell a more powerful motorcycle that led to the 146cc over head valve four-stroke E-Type Dream with a top speed of 50mph. The motorcycle featured Honda's own designed frame and suspension on both wheels.

In 1952 Honda began producing the Cub with two-stroke engine. Its big sales became basis for future development.

In 1953 Honda began producing a four-stroke single powered motorcycle featuring more engineering sophistication. This small motorcycle was also called a Benly and featured a three-speed gearbox, pressed steel Frame, rear suspension with the engine and swinging arm on a sprung pivot, and telescopic front suspension and produced 3.8bhp.

A revolution in the motorcycle industry began in 1958 when Honda brought the C100 Super Club to the American market. It was the first Honda motorcycle sold in the U.S. The small step through design was easy to ride reliable bike. It was featured in the famous “you meet the nicest people on a Honda” marketing campaign that eventually made the C100 motorcycle the best selling motorcycle of all times. Eventually more than 30 million would be built.

CB models included the CA72 (250cc) and followed by the CA77 (305cc). The parallel twin engines proved very reliable, however their stamped steel welded frames handled poorly at higher speeds.

Performance and handling improved when the company bolted the little parallel twin engines to a steel tubular frame and added twin carburetors for more power. The motorcycles were known as the CB 72 and 77 super hawk models and gained a reputation of reliability.

The first commercially successful large motorcycle was the CB450, brought out in 1965 and called the black bomber. This innovative engine featured torsion bar valve springs that allowed high rpm and was the first serious effort by Honda to challenge English dominance in the American marketplace.

This was followed in 1969 with the Honda CB750 four. A powerful and reliable motorcycle that dominated the motorcycle market. The success of the CB 750 4 cylinder Honda led to a series of smaller Honda motorcycles with 350, 400, 550 cc motors and ushered in the era of the universal Japanese motorcycle.

This design would reach its fruition when it morphed into the cult classic inline 6 cylinder CBX in 1978.

The reliability and power of the four cylinder Honda 750 soon led to a new kind of motorcyclist, the long distance touring rider. Craig Vetter designed a full fairing for the motorcycle called a Windjammer. Before long thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts were touring the countryside on their motorcycles behind a Windjammer.

In 1974 Honda brought out the GL1000 Gold Wing. The motorcycle featured a flat four cylinder 999cc a water cooled engine with power delivered through a driveshaft. It proved to be as reliable as the cars of the day. Soon thousands of Goldwings were bought up and converted to touring motorcycles by their new owners.

With interest running so high for touring models, Honda brought out the Interstate model in 1980. This was the first Japanese produced motorcycle to roll off the assembly line as a complete touring motorcycle. The motorcycle featured a full fairing, trunk and saddlebags.

In addition to touring motorcycles, Honda began developing a series of V-four engines in the 1970s. This led to the production of the Honda Sabre and Magna in 1980. These two models led to a whole series of VF designated high performance motorcycles ranging between 400cc and 1000cc. But due to mechanical problems the VF line was unable to sustain itself.

Following the VF was the new VFR series of motorcycles. The VFR 750R was a sport touring motorcycle with lots of power, good balance and reliability. In 1996 Honda produced the fastest motorcycle in production with the CBR1100XX Super Blackbird (1137cc). The motorcycle became popular with the long range high speed touring crowd.

Soichiro Honda died on August 5, 1991 of liver failure.

Honda's entry into the U.S. motorcycle market during the 1960s is used as a case study for teaching introductory strategy at business schools worldwide. There are a few theories explaining their great success.

Moto blog

South West Motorcycle Show 2010, August 28th & 29th

Need something to do on August Bank Holiday weekend, then read below: "Although the South West Motorcycle Show has been running at the Westpoint Arena for the last sixteen years, 2010 is the first year that the show hosts the all-new Vertical Trix European Stunt Championship. The show contains all the usual attractions that have been delivered to motorcyclists from over the south-west and further afield since 1994 – including all the appropriate trade stands, and with strong support from local dealers – plus attractions such a a dyno on site, restaurant, bar, bike displays, live music and of course the live action arena. Although the action in the show arena has previously been stunt displays, rather than a full-on competition.

Honda’s View of the Motorcycle Industry in Canada

Recently here on Motorcycle.com, we’ve been bringing you reviews of a handful of Honda scoots that are available to our neighbors (or is that neighbours?) to the North in Canada, yet remain forbidden fruit for American consumers. Reviewer Costa Mouzouris gave us a look at the naked CB1000R that Honda Canada is considering importing, the already-available half-faired CBF1000, and the entry-level CBR125R. Meanwhile, Honda’s competitors have also announced some new products for Canada that have yet to be made available in the U.S.

McGuinness' Guinness 'Blade at Lancaster Honda

That picture is of John McGuinness' actual 'Guinness Rep' Fireblade. The bike is on show at Lancaster Honda. The 15 times TT winner has been (quite rightly!) given this 'Blade by Honda, but you can order one for yourself.

Electric Motorcycle Conversion [video]

If you were ever curious how to convert your smelly, noisy and dirty gas powered motorcycle into a quiet and zero emissions electric motorcycle then you have to check this video out from GomiStyle.  They take an old Honda Rebel 250 and customize the frame to accommodate the electric motor and batteries, they claim the conversion should take about two to three days to complete, the batteries will take about 5-8 hours to charge and will give you a top speed of 45 mph. Here is a link to the step-by-step instructions, check out the video after the jump. The GomiCycle – An Electric Motorcycle Conversion from Media Sapien on Vimeo.

The Japanese oddity to naming teams

Whenever the calendar shifts to a major Japanese race, such as the Suzuka 8hr, one of the more amusing things to do is glance down the team sheet This years highlight for me has to be team Moto Bum, with other stand outs including aprilia D.D.BOYS, Team Etching Factory Yamaha and MITO MOTO & e'freaks Honda. Looking back through the ages some of the great Japanese team names have been Burning Blood Racing Team, Dog Fight Racing and Team Moto Space amongst others. Credit to a member of the Twitterati @temalive

So that's why he's called RANDY de Puniet

RANDY de Puniet may well have just been ejected from his LCR Honda RC212V MotoGP racer during qualifying for Sunday's Sachsenring GP but that ain't gonna stop him from bringing one of the company perks with him to Dr Costa's on-circuit surgery. The Frenchman crashed during qualifying after hitting oil and water spilled on track by Jorge Lorenzo's Fiat Yamaha, after it spewed its guts along almost the entire length of the start finished straight. Following the crash De Puniet was whisked away on a stretcher with a suspected broken foot.

Gardner chilling out and taking it easy

Away from the pressures of being a Grand Prix racer in the days when fierce on-track battles and unexpected highsides were common place, Wayne Gardner throws a Honda VFR750F around Oran Park in Australia. The bike that Wayne is likely to be riding is special VFR750F, that was given the codename '6X'. The VFR was an experiment with prototype components including titanium valves and magnesium flat-slide carburetors, the result was the bike that weighed less than a factory RC30.

Old Spice ad gets, er, spiced up

WE CAN'T believe an aftershave worn by most of our grandfathers is still on sale, or that people actually buy it, but Old Spice has given a new twist to their popular TV ad by including a motorcycle in the promo.The commercial stars former American football player Isaiah Mustafa and ends with, what looks like, a 1970s Honda twin in a jacuzzi.It's all completely bizarre but clever.

How to solve the mystery of the wildcard replacement

With the two test riders coming forward to act as replacement riders for the injured Rossi and Aoyama, it brought back memories of the days when the grid would be gifted with wildcard riders from the respective countries. The Japanese rounds were always attended by some of the top guys with experience of the 500GP and MotoGP bikes, through racing them in their domestic championships. What resulted was getting to witness the exciting and talented Japanese riders, and bring new riders to the attention of the teams.

Parrish's predictions for Silverstone MotoGP

I'm at Silverstone for the British MotoGP and Steve Parrish spoke to us all about his predictions for the podium. Parrish has gone for Stoner, Lorenzo and Pedrosa to take the top three spots and spray the bubbly at the end of the race. Not too sure on his call though as I think Dani will be riding on a high after winning at Mugello and surely the speedy Spaniard will take full advantage and wring the neck of the Honda at the (supposedly) high speed Silverstone Circuit.