History of Honda® Motorcycles
For decades, Honda has been a leading name in the field of powersports. They’ve built some of the best motorcycles available on the market. From their humble beginnings, this Japanese company has come a very long way in terms of upgrades to their designs, construction and development processes. All of this is why Honda motorcycles are so beloved by racers, commuters and pleasure riders alike.
Motorcycle Maxx, serving Lewis Center, Ohio, is your local Honda powersports dealership. As such, we’ve provided this brief history of the brand and its motorcycles below so you can learn more about this industry giant!
Early Days
Soichiro Honda was a man with a plan. He started out in engineering school, but became frustrated with its rigidity and rules. So he left his courses and took his experience with vehicles as a sign to begin his very own company in 1948, christening it after himself. Honda then hired another engineer named Takeo Fujisawa the next year to assist him in his goal of creating simple vehicles that would appeal to the general public, rather than complex machines made only for experts. The two men worked well together, with Honda working on launching the models while Fujisawa tended to the finances.
The D-Type motorcycle was released soon thereafter. “D” stood for “dream,” representing the way the two men’s dream had been realized in a reliable and easy-to-ride bike for the masses. The D-Type became extremely popular, leading to Honda becoming the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer by the end of the 1950s.
Entering The U.S. Market
Honda established headquarters in Los Angeles, California, in 1959. This offshoot was their first overseas subsidiary, referred to as the American Honda Motor Company. After less than a decade in business, Honda had sold a million motorcycles to American riders across the country.
To succeed in the American marketplace, Honda used a different marketing approach. Contrary to the American-based companies that focused on building bulky bikes for rebels to rev, stirring up trouble, Honda went for a simpler approach. They decided to use the slogan, “You meet the nicest people on a Honda,” with a focus on the superior rideability and approachability of their commuter motorcycles.
Soon, the average American was drawn to Honda motorcycles because of their wide-ranging appeal that allowed for everyday citizens to use motorcycles as commuter bikes and inner-city transportation. This increased demographic, combined with the lightweight and affordable bikes themselves, led to Honda dominating the United States motorcycle market.
1968 saw the release of the CB750, which launched the new category of superbikes. The four-cylinder overhead camshaft engine had previously seen exclusive usage in racing bikes, but now it was equipped for the everyday rider to add some speed and improved performance to their rides. The CB750 sold at an affordable price point and gained the title “Motorcycle of the Century” due to its proliferation.
Honda® In The 21st Century
Soichiro Honda sought to build a company based around reliable and affordable means of transport that everyone could use, no matter their background. In this quest, he succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. The company sticks to these principles to this very day, building new models all the time, like the long-distance touring Gold Wing to the supersport RC213V-S. Whatever it is you’re looking for in a motorcycle, you’ll be able to find it in a Honda.
Stop by our Lewis Center dealership to see our current inventory of used motorcycles for sale, including Honda® motorcycles. We offer financing options to help you get the bike of your dreams! Motorcycle Maxx welcomes all our Buckeye State customers coming from the cities of Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio.
