History of Honda Motorcycles

The most popular motorcycle in the United States has a storied history, originally hailing from a small village on the southern coast of Japan. Honda has been innovating and excelling in the motorcycle realm for over half a century, producing high volumes of quality bikes built for a variety of riders. If you want to hop on a Honda of your own, Crossroad Powersports in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, is here to help you find the bike of your dreams. Curious about the history of this powerhouse of a company? We’ve got the lowdown on why Honda has been an industry leader in motorcycles for decades.

Founding

Soichiro Honda left engineering school to follow his own path, starting his eponymous company in 1948. As a consummate lover of all things motors, Honda wanted to build better engines than the ones he saw on the current market. Following in the footsteps of other early motorcycle manufacturers, Honda first installed his small engines onto motorized bicycles, which were very popular at the time.

In 1949, the first Honda motorcycle, the D-Type, or “Dream” Type, went into production. That same year, Honda hired a new engineer, Takeo Fujisawa, who shared Honda’s vision to create popular, easy-to-ride vehicles for the public. Fujisawa had met Honda through a mutual business contact and discovered that, while the two men were very different people, they shared an innate sense of how to work best with others. Fujisawa and Honda understood each other, as well, and each played to his strengths, with Fujisawa taking on financial duties while Honda focused on creating new models. The two men would work together before both stepped down from their positions in 1973.

Despite an economic downturn at the start of the 1950s, Honda persevered and continued to manufacture the D-Type, which became very popular globally. While earnings stalled at the start of this decade, they quickly recovered when Honda was tasked with producing engines for vehicles used in the Korean War. As the economy recovered, Honda was able to continue innovating and creating more kinds of motorcycles, eventually leading them to expand beyond Japan’s shores.

Taking The American Market

Los Angeles, California, was Honda’s first foothold in the United States, with the American Honda Motor Company being established there in 1959. Following this launch, Honda rapidly became the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the United States, just as it had become in Japan and then globally. Their most popular ad campaign for the Super Cub motorcycle, “You meet the nicest people on a Honda,” took hold in the American market and forever altered the image of motorcyclists. Instead of being antisocial rebels, a motorcyclist could be someone from any walk of life.

By 1968, Honda had sold one million motorcycles in the United States. The next year, the CB750 entered the market, called the world’s first “superbike,” with its four-cylinder engine and advanced engineering that made it a sleek, fast ride. The CB750 is thought to be the most influential motorcycle ever built, earning the moniker “Motorcycle of the Century.” Following this success, Honda continued to dominate the United States motorcycle market for decades.

Innovation: Current Models

Quality, high-performing motorcycles are still at the forefront of Honda’s brand, and the company continues to push the limits of the industry with their newest models. From fuel-efficient models like the Grom to the fast CRF series, Honda builds a vast range of motorcycles in different styles, each one suited to a different class of rider. Just as Soichiro Honda strove to build better products than the ones he saw around him, the Honda of today seeks to continually innovate and create products that exceed customer expectations.

Looking to be a part of the Honda legacy? If you’re interested in shopping a wide selection of Honda motorcycles, stop by Crossroad Powersports today! We’ll answer any questions you have about our various Honda models, both new and used, and help you get on the ride of your dreams. Our dealership is located in Upper Darby, serving the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metro area, as well as nearby Wilmington, Delaware, and Deptford Township, New Jersey.