Honda Motor Company, a flexible powerhouse in the automotive industry, has been generating quality automobiles for more than 75 years. However, it is less well known that the first original Honda Motor Company product was a motorcycle.
The company’s founder, Soichiro Honda, identified the need for cheap, reliable transportation in Japan and the fuel and fabric shortages that followed World War II. Then, in November 1947, Honda introduced a motorized bicycle known as the Type A. With a teardrop-shaped fuel tank and a small two-stroke engine, the Type A was not of the same species as the physically powerful Harley-Davidsons. , Norton and Indian. and Triumphs that thunder abroad. While its prestige as a motorcycle in its own right can be debated, one thing is undeniable: the Type A was the spark that lit the Honda flame.
Over the next three-quarters of a century, Honda Motor Company would build some of the best-selling, highest-performing, most impactful motorcycles the world had ever seen. From screaming on a MotoGP track to riding a lonely road and becoming the epitome of what a motorcyclist can be, it has been a successful adventure for Honda.
Success is subjective. When it comes to automakers, this can happen in the boardroom, on the racetrack, or in the cultural zeitgeist. Let’s take a look at some of the most successful Honda motorcycles in history, whether in terms of sales figures, race podiums, or reliability. or cultural impact.
What better way to start a list of successful motorcycles than with the best-selling motorcycle of all time? In the 1950s, Honda gained a firm foothold in the motorcycle business. It had come a long way from the Type A, with the arrival of the 100cc to 350cc Dream D and E models, as well as the 125cc Benly. Honda executives were looking for an assignment that could take the basically national motorcycle manufacturer to the international level.
A to Europe showed the way for Honda President Soichiro and CEO Takeo Fujisawa. When they returned to Japan, they asked Honda’s development teams to create a motorcycle with a high-power four-stroke engine that was smooth and maneuverable enough for women to ride, a clutchless shifting method, and a timeless design. .
The result was the 1958 Honda Su, compatible with the Cub C100, a 49cc vehicle that was easy to use, economical, reliable, and served as a bridge between mopeds and full-size motorcycles. Fujisawa decided that Honda needed to sell 30,000 sets per month to cover production costs. A thousand games were sold on the first day. Honda increased its production to 60,000 units per month and has not looked back.
Two updated editions appeared in the first decade of production. In 1981, Honda introduced the 105cc Super Cub CT110 for off-road use. The larger, more modern Super Cubs are supplied with 125cc engines and remain a vehicle in everyday use around the world. bicycle. Since its debut, the small motorcycle has the most purchased motorcycle in history, with more than one hundred million units sold through Honda.
Honda has sold motorcycles across the market spectrum, from the world’s most popular commuter scooter, the Cub, to the world’s first superbike, the CB750. Breakneck speed and a comfortable ride are one thing, but access to each and every automotive convenience aboard a motorcycle is a special pleasure.
The Gold Wing made its happy debut at the Cologne Motorcycle Show in 1975 and has been Honda’s flagship luxury motorcycle ever since. With a 1,000 cc liquid-cooled engine, the original looks undeniable compared to trendy models. The motorcycle found instant good fortune as an ultra-sleek and rugged comfortable cruiser. Thanks to the lack of drivers wanting to make the stylish GL a vehicle for long-distance travel, a spare parts market has developed.
Honda identified the need and pivoted. The second generation launched in 1980 and an evolutionary step towards total traveling glory. However, it wasn’t until 1984 that the Gold Wing GL 1200 aimed for absolute comfort, adding a windshield, fairings, radio, air suspension and sumptuous padded seats.
The current sixth-generation Gold Wing is a fashionable motorcycle technology style. A 1,833cc overhead six-cylinder engine with a single overhead camshaft makes 98 horsepower through a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. All the trendy features are present: traction control, ABS, hill start assist, infotainment screen and much more.
Honda is still silent on production figures, however, a 2011 Washington Times article puts the number of Gold Wings sold at around 640,000. Add to that another decade of satisfied traveling fans and you’re talking about a truly successful motorcycle.
The CB750 is just one component of the successful CB line that Honda has introduced over the years. In verbal exchange as the world’s first superbike, the vintage CB750 remains interestingly affordable despite its truly mythical status.
By 1966, Honda’s sales in the United States were declining. The Americans seemed like bigger was better, and while the two-cylinder CB450 was a wonderful bike, the British 650s were more attractive. Upon learning that Triumph was preparing a triple-cylinder 750, Honda expansion chief Yoshiro Harada decreed that Honda deserved to expand one, but with one more cylinder.
The resulting CB750 set the motorcycle on fire globally. The inline four-cylinder engine with a single overhead camshaft, which hit the market in July 1969, was Honda’s best confluence of functionality and simplicity. A strength score of 67 hp beats Harleys twice its size. The CB750, the first production motorcycle equipped with disc brakes, can be as safe as it is to ride. It was affordable with an MSRP of $1,495, about $500 less than comparable United Kingdom offerings.
Initially, Honda planned to sell about 1,500 CB750s per year. However, demand was so high that the company had to increase production to 3,000 motorcycles per month. Not only did the CB750 spark a debate about the first motorcycle, but it also sparked an arms race among motorcycle manufacturers, captivating enthusiasts in the search for the fastest and most exciting machine.
The CB750 might have been the superbike of the 1970s, but things have changed a lot since then. Candy-colored full-faired racing motorcycles began appearing in the mid-1980s. The 1985 GSX-R 750 replaced the paradigm of what a superbike was. But just the year before, Honda had quietly brought out the first motorcycle with the CBR name: the CBR400F. Since then, CBR has been Honda’s primary functionality designation, and the existing CBR1000RR is the fastest Honda motorcycle to date.
Ending the millennium with the 929 cc CBR900RR in 1999, Honda increased the displacement to 954 cc in 2002 before reaching 999 cc in 2003. The CBR1000RR is as close to a full-fledged race bike as a street racer can be. The newest generation hit the showroom in 2017, with 189 horsepower packed into a 432-pound package. Dual 320-millimeter disc brakes with a pair of four-piston calipers up front and a 220-millimeter single-piston disc at the rear dominated all that power, and a preloaded surprise formula kept the wheel pointed where the rider wanted it to.
Honda is one of the most productive and reputable brands in the world, and the CBR is the queen of its castle of functionality. With a 0-62 mph time of 3. 4 seconds and a sensible top speed of 188 mph, that’s to say it’s in the verbal trade as one of the fastest motorcycles on the market.
In 1984, Honda sent a delegation to the Paris-Dakar Rally to find out what it took to sign up for the party. Cruising speeds of just one hundred mph, suspension capable of surviving a fall from a 10-story building, a repairable bicycle in the desert and a 280-mile course were some of the parameters.
The resulting NXR750 used a 779cc 45-degree V-twin that scored 4 consecutive Dakar victories. That makes it one of the most successful Hondas of all time. But while motorcycle racing is fun, it’s a means to an end for manufacturers. Honda took what it learned on an adventure and put it into a motorcycle aimed at the general market.
The XRV650, better known as the Africa Twin, debuted in the spring of 1988. Upgraded to 750cc for the 1990 edition and renewed in 1996, it was finally abandoned in 2003. But sometimes, good luck is so much about redemption. since it’s all about redemption. awards, and Africa Twin came back from strength in 2016.
The CRF1000L has attracted attention after rumors about the return of the Africa Twin. A double V-configuration repositioned the V-configuration and all modern technological features were present. Traction control, ABS, low medium gravity, higher suspension. . . The reborn adventurer had everything to please. Major improvements were made in 2018 and a review in 2020 installed a 1,100cc powerplant. To this day, the Africa Twin is one of the most popular motorcycles among adventurers and its career is brilliant.
In its quest to build every type of motorcycle imaginable, Honda entered the V-twin cruiser business with the VT500C Shadow in 1983. The maneuverable V-twin with a low seat and comfortable riding position would take many shapes over the years, adding engine sizes. of 125, 500, 600, 750 and 1,100 cm3. The Shadow is a cruiser choice from Harley, less intense and less expensive than its American counterpart.
Whether you’re an amateur rider who has difficulty locating your heel kick or an experienced rider with years of experience, there’s a Shadow for everyone. The 2011 Shadow VT750RS is a Harley Sportster lookalike (if you squint a little) with fewer reliability issues. Countless new drivers have lurched around traffic cones in England and Europe on VT125. The bobber-inspired 2024 Phantom Shadow has a fresh vintage look and takes the nameplate into the future.
The longevity of the style attests to its success. With 91 generations spanning 41 years and counting, Honda has cast a long shadow with its off-roader.
No discussion of motorsport good luck is complete without a stopover on the circuit, and Honda has been in motorcycle racing since Soichiro joined the company at the Isle of Man TT in 1954. In 1960, Honda participated in the World Grand Prix in the 125 class. and 250cc classes. It was good luck, as rider Mike Hailwood lifted the trophy in 1961. Five years later, the RC166 entered the scene.
Honda surreptitiously transported the dismantled RC166 to the Monza track in 1964 for a test. After packing up and returning home, the racing team returned for the 1966 season for its full debut.
The RC166 is a two-stroke, six-cylinder, double overhead camshaft, four-valve-per-small-cylinder racing device. Its engine developed 60 HP and had an absurd redline of 18,000 rpm, revolutionizing racing thinking at the time.
With Hailwood back behind the wheel after a break at Augusta MV, the RC166 scored 10 wins in 1966, securing the championship, followed by the coronation in 1967. Honda left GP racing in 1968; who knows how long the RC166 would have continued to dominate if it hadn’t.
Unlike most of the other motorcycles on this list, the RC166 is far from affordable. It’s rare as a racing motorcycle, but almost priceless as a champion. The RC166 sold for over $500,000 at auction, which is for a motorcycle that has harmed so many people. molds. Experts estimate that only about 25 racing motorcycles were built. It’s unclear how many survived, but they won’t come cheap.
[Featured symbol via Rikita Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 3. 0]
The elegance of 500cc motocross racing may have been dead for a long time, but other people are still talking quietly about Honda’s off-road monster. Some say that if you whisper its call in the mirror three times, it will appear and throw you over a berm. Both races have largely disappeared from the streets and even the circuits, for motocross enthusiasts. Perhaps that is why the CR500 is today like such an anachronistic beast.
The first CR500 came out in 1984 with a 66 hp air-cooled 491 cc engine, capable of propelling it to over 90 mph. The 1984 model became known as the “King Ping” because of the sound made by the internal cylinder and poorly designed combustion. However, Honda continued to run the issues and the CR500 received liquid cooling, making it one of the largest (and most feared) open-class two-stroke engines ever created.
An ultra-narrow powerband and anemic weight specs made the CR500 a dune-dominating demon with a penchant for pulling away from riders. Its cult following has grown since its discontinuation in 2001 and a resurgence of interest in Honda’s now-classic off-road motorcycle. It can be noticed among amateur cyclists from all over the country.
[Symbol highlighted via Rainmaker47 Wikimedia Commons | Trimming & Climbing | CC BY-SA 3. 0]
In addition to having one of the coolest motorcycle liveries ever, the RC211V is a true legend on the track. With Valentino Rossi on board, the remote descendant of the RC166 swept the festival across over a hundred editions to win the 2002 Moto GP constructors’ championship.
A bicycle to say the least, a V5 four-stroke engine powered the RC211V; that is not a designation; It is a five-cylinder V engine, with a performance of two hundred horsepower. With three cylinders at the front and two at the rear, Honda’s peculiarity caused a sensation on the tracks.
The 2003 model increased power to 240 hp for starting. The V5 allowed drivers to open the throttle earlier than the top four-cylinder competition, thus reaching top speed more quickly.
The Honda rarity won 14 of its first 16 contests, meaning there was no contest. Their dominance would continue. Over a five-year period, the RC211V won 48 of the 82 races it entered, leading to 3 Drivers’ World Championships and 4 Manufacturers’ titles. Such statistics are highly unlikely to be discussed.
There are many measures of success, but one of them in the automotive world comes from pure, raw speed. Honda’s Blackbird had that in abundance. Once the fastest production motorcycle in the world, the Blackbird not only wowed motorcyclists with its speed, but also sparked a festival to see who could build the fastest motorcycle of all time.
The Blackbird itself is a reaction to the Kaaki ZX-11, then the current more sensible speed champion. Eager to dethrone the Kawa, Honda brought the CBR1100, naming it after the American SR-71 Blackbird spy plane. With a top speed of 197 miles per hour, it didn’t exceed the speed of sound, but it snatched the top speed designation from Kaaki.
However, the Blackbird was much more than blinding speed. Honda has also paid special attention to driver comfort. It was a beloved sports travel vehicle that could go for miles carrying driver and passenger with optional inflexible travel bags and a comfortable driver’s position. that belies their record-breaking mission.
Competition is consumer-smart, and Honda’s Blackbird has inadvertently featured riders like the Suzuki Hayabusa and Kawasaki H2R by committing to overcoming performance barriers.