Hear That Prrrr! 8 Awesome Honda Motorcycle Background Facts

Sep. 11 2019 Honda By Brad

The rumble of an engine vibrating below you and the wind whipping through your hair feels like freedom! There's something about riding a motorcycle that makes you feel alive!

Americans, in particular, enjoy riding motorcycles either as a weekend warrior, or a daily mode of transport. A 2018 survey found that over 13 million Americans own a motorcycle and most of those people ride often.

Honda is one of the most well-known names in motorcycles these days. But, have you ever wondered about the motorcycle background and history behind the Honda name?

We did some digging and found 8 of our favorite facts and statistics about Honda, their history, and their motorcycles. Keep reading to learn some neat stuff about one of the biggest leaders in motorsports, Honda.

1. Honda Is a Worldwide Company

Though Honda started in Japan, they did not stay on that tiny island! Today, there are over 120 Honda locations in 33 countries all over the world!

There are few other motorsport companies can say that they have a worldwide presence like that! It's a testament to their success that Honda is popular across the world!

2. Appearances Were Very Important to the Founder of Honda

The founder of Honda, Soichiro Honda, had a penchant for wearing fine clothing and jewelry. He was always well-groomed and dressed in his finest duds when he left the house.

With so much attention to detail and quality, it's no wonder why Honda and his company became an international superpower in such a short time!

Soichiro Honda was very strict and his employees nicknamed him, "Mr. Thunder" due to the booming sound of his voice when he yelled. Despite this reputation for having a bad temper, Mr. Honda was fair to all his subordinates.

3. the Honda Motorcycle Background and History Goes Back over 70 Years!

In post-war Japan, back in 1949, Soichiro Honda founded a company to build and repair motorcycles and motorized bicycles. That year, Honda released its first motorcycle model which had a 98 cubic centimeter engine and they called it the Dream Type D.

4. Today, Honda Is Not Only Cars and Motorcycles

Though the Honda company started with motorcycles and scooters, they have expanded their products way beyond cars and motorcycles. 

On top of their motorcycle and automobile lines, Honda makes specialty engines, specialty equipment, and even marine equipment! The Honda research and development team is still working overtime to develop new and improved technology for all your motorsport needs!

Another thing to add to Honda's long list of accolades is that their facilities focus on ecological methods and policies. Most motorsport companies don't make that kind of effort!

5. Honda Sales Are Through the Roof!

The numbers don't lie! Hondas are very popular to this day and people trust the Honda products to be of great quality at a value price.

In fact, in America, Honda sales are trending higher and higher! Honda motorcycle sales in the United States have grown at a steady rate since 2016 and are now higher than at any time in the past 10 years!

Looking at a worldwide perspective, Honda is the number one motorcycle manufacturing company! With such a large customer base, Honda can't fail!

6. They Came to America Back in 1959

Ten years after the Honda company got its start in Japan, the first branch opened in the United States. Soichiro Honda decided to name this branch America Honda Motor.

The first model Honda exported into America was a light motor vehicle named the Juno K-Type. The little Japanese scooter was very popular and began the worldwide domination Honda would later achieve!

7. Honda Changed the Game with the Invention of the Vtec Engine

In 1998, Honda celebrated its 50th anniversary by releasing a new kind of engine that held a ton of power in a smaller volume, the Hyper VTEC engine. The VTEC engine distributes gasoline in a different way than traditional models which allowed for more oomph without turbocharging the engine (which is often dangerous).

Honda put their VTEC engine in most of their cars after the invention went public, but only a few Honda motorcycles received the same engine upgrade. Check with your local Honda dealer's inventory to see if they carry any of the Honda motorcycles that did get the VTEC treatment.

8. Honda Holds a Ton of Awards in Motorsports Competitions

If Honda put all their motorsport awards in a glass case, they would need a whole museum! Hondas not only win on their own based on superior engineering, but many motorsport race winners trust Honda products when they compete.

When professional motorsport athletes choose Honda to compete (and win) with, you can rest assured that Honda makes a quality product that outperforms all their peers!

The Power of Dreams and Beyond!

If you have a Honda motorcycle already, knowing more about the rich motorcycle background that Honda has makes you feel a bit more connected to your bike. If you are not lucky enough to own your own Honda, now you have more reasons to go get one ASAP!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article and that you learned a thing or two about Honda motorcycles. There are many more interesting facts and statistics about these amazing motorcycles. An experienced Honda dealer knows everything you could ever need to know about owning these amazing machines.

Our motorsport knowledge doesn't stop at Honda! We pride ourselves on being a certified retailer of 8 different motorsport brands! If you have questions about Honda motorcycles or if you are in the market for a new (or pre-owned) bike, contact us today!