THE HISTORY OF HONDA MOTORCYCLES.

Soichiro Honda, the founder of the motorcycle factory.

Soichiro Honda was born in 1906 near Mount Fuji in Komio, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. He was the oldest of nine siblings and not very fond of school, the parents realized that Soichiro learned better with practice. He was a nonconformist kid and did everything he could to distinguish himself from others. Soichiro Honda soon developed confidence in himself and in his skills with technical matters that would lead him later to the production of the famous Honda motorcycles.

This young man worked for the first time with mechanics at the age of 15, he was an apprentice in an auto mechanic workshop. Soichiro helped develop a race car and was a mechanical driver.

Then he built their own 4-cylinder Supercharged Ford engine then set a speed record in 1936, the exact same day he wrecked the vehicle, thus ending his racing career. Until then he was showing no interest in motorcycles.

During World War II, Soichiro worked in a Honda pilot factor. After the warhe also sold his piston band firm to Toyota to fund his new company, by which he turned into a bicycle manufacturer.

Origin of Honda motorcycles.

Soichiro's original idea was to make motorized bicycles. After the war, Soichiro bought some bikes and motors that the army sold at cheap prices. With these materials and a great imagination, Honda began work in its Hamamatsu workshop.

The first motor used in the bicycles was too heavy and the firm quickly went bankrupt. However, Honda did not give up and built a lighter, faster and quieter engine that was immediately successful. Soichiro Honda managed to adapt the engines to the bicycles with good results and in 1946 he made his first motorcycle the Honda S. Somewhat later, he made his own 50cc two-stroke engine known as the A-Type.

Birth of Honda Motor Company.

With the capital raised from the sale of the A-Type engine, Soichiro Honda founded Honda Motor Company Limited in 1948. The first motorcycle manufactured by the company was the D-type Dream in 1949. Then Soichiro changed the name of that model to Honda Dream. D. In 1951 Honda manufactured the E-type Dream, its first 146cc 4-stroke engine.

Production skyrocketed and factories were set up all over Japan. The company's reputation grew as Honda motorcycles began to win international competitions. In 1958 Honda built the Super Cub that sold more than 30 million units over four decades. This model is part scooter and part motorcycle. Soichiro always pushed and encouraged his employees to attain the greatest possible outcomes.

Relevant points at the history of Honda bicycles: 1946:

After World War II Soichiro Honda sold his car engine piston ring business to Toyota to finance his new motorized bicycle business.

1948: Soichiro founded Honda Motor Company.

1949: the first motorcycle manufactured by the firm was the Honda Dream D.

1958: Honda manufactured the Super Cub motorcycle model that sold more than 30 million machines over four decades.

1959 - The Business Generated the American Honda Motor Company at Los Angeles, California.

1963: Honda motorcycle manufacturing in Europe started in Belgium. The Asian Honda Motor Company was also founded in Thailand.

1968: by this date the firm managed to sell more than 10 million motorcycles worldwide.

1969: Honda launched its 4-cylinder "CB750" motorcycle which was a milestone in the history of motorcycle design.

1970: Honda opened production plants in Mexico and Brazil.

1973: Soichiro distanced himself from the firm, letting Kiyoshi Kawashima run it. 1979: Honda motorcycle production began in the United States.

1981: The production of the "Gold Wing" moved its production from Japan to Ohio in the United States.

1991: Soichiro Honda died at 84 years of age, but Honda motorcycles are still considered quality vehicles, very reliable, and the firm has a lot of prestige.