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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

Retro-Styled Dual Sport Revealed in Honda Patent Application

Thu, 15 May 2014

A newly-published patent application reveals Honda is working on a retro-styled dual sport. The application, filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, reveals a streetbike with round headlight and mirrors but with hand guards, wire spokes and a high-rising exhaust suggesting some off-road capability.

A Dizzying Lap Of Imola + Video

Wed, 14 May 2014

Nilox, the action camera sponsor for World Superbike, makes it a point to film an on-board lap of each track on the calendar before each race weekend. A few weeks ago we brought you footage of Giuliano Rovelli lapping a Honda CBR1000RR SP around Assen. This week Rovelli is back, this time aboard a Kawasaki ZX-10R, giving us a rapid tour of Imola, the track made famous by the tragic passing of Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna 20 years ago, and also by the legendary battle between Troy Bayliss and Colin Edwards in 2002 which decided the championship.

Honda Re-Signs Marc Marquez Through 2016 MotoGP Season

Wed, 14 May 2014

Marc Marquez has signed a contract extension with Honda Racing Corporation that will see the reigning MotoGP champion stay with the manufacturer through the end of the 2016 season. “We are very satisfied to have reached an agreement to keep Marc in the team for a further two seasons,” says Shuhei Nakamoto, executive vice president of HRC. “Of course, as Honda, we wanted to keep Marc in our family, and he also wanted to stay with us so … it was natural to renew the contract even if it is very early in the season!

Continental Tire Rules The Vintage Racing Circuit

Thu, 08 May 2014

Continental’s Road Attack 2 Classic Race tires offer racers a modern high-performance tire in sizes suitable for classic machines. The Road Attack 2 Classic Race tires features contemporary components like high-performance compounds, radial construction, a multi-compound tread design, and other modern technologies not found in other tires designed for classic bikes. Proof of the tires’ performance is evidenced by victories around the world during the 2013 season.

Motors For Nothing (Kicks For Free): A New E-book By Dain Gingerelli

Wed, 07 May 2014

Care to lap a race track alongside racing legends Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, Bubba Shobert and other greats? Curious about what really takes place during a new-motorcycle test session? Want to know how those cool action photos you see in the magazines are created? All this and a whole lot more is within the digital pages of Dain Gingerelli’s new tome; Motors For Nothing (Kicks For Free).

2014 AMA Supercross Season Wrap-Up

Mon, 05 May 2014

With the AMA Supercross season now over, the American Motorcyclist Association congratulates the three riders who claimed AMA No. 1 plates during the 2014 AMA Supercross season — Ryan Villopoto, 450SX champion; Justin Bogle, 250SX East champion; and Jason Anderson, 250SX West champion. Ryan Villopoto, from Seattle, Wash., locked up his fourth straight AMA Supercross premier class title in the series’ penultimate round, clinching at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

2014 AMA Supercross – Las Vegas Results

Mon, 05 May 2014

Ryan Villopoto capped off his fourth-consecutive AMA Supercross championship with an impressive victory at the season finale at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider clinched the title at last week’s New Jersey round so he didn’t have to prove anything in Vegas. But he did, leading all 20 laps and winning by nearly 14 seconds.

Shawn Higbee Wins On The Brough Superior Taylor Made Racing Moto2

Thu, 01 May 2014

In only its second race appearance, the Brough Superior Taylor Made Racing Moto2 bike competed in the WERA F1 and B Superbike events on April 27th at the Autoclub Speedway in Fontana, California, run in conjunction with the first round of the GEICO Superbike Shootout, presented by Yamaha. During the F1 race, rider Shawn Higbee moved up to as high as 2nd place from a 5th row start on the Brough Superior TMRGP2 bike.  The TMRGP2′s lightweight all carbon fiber chassis and 600cc Honda powerplant demonstrated impressive cornering speed on the tight infield sections but could not match the top speed of the heavily modified 1000cc F1 bikes on the long straights. On the last lap Higbee was shuffled back to 4th place at the finish line.

Arai Helmet Sponsoring Upcoming Superbike Shootout Race Weekends

Thu, 01 May 2014

Arai Helmet has thrown its proverbial hat in the ring by signing up to sponsor the next two events of the new GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout Presented by Yamaha. In addition, Arai has been named the official helmet of the series. The Arai Pacific Nationals will be hosted by the AFM next weekend, May 3-4, at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California.

A Dizzying Lap Of Assen + Video

Wed, 30 Apr 2014

Nilox, the official action camera sponsor for the World Superbike series, has provided this clip of a lap around the Assen circuit in the Netherlands. “The Cathedral of Speed,” as it’s known, is a fan favorite because of its rich history. Its layout has also lent itself to some spectacular racing over the years.