History of Honda® Motorcycles

Of all the well-known motorcycle manufacturers, Honda® is one of the largest and most successful in the world. It’s the most popular bike in America, not in small part due to the superior quality and performance of these bikes and their longevity. While Honda® may be a juggernaut now, they came from small, humble beginnings and a combination of good timing and even better engineering catapulted them into powersports industry. Take a look for yourself so you can have a better idea of the legacy that each Honda® bikes carries. Then stop by Cycles of Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida and check out some of Honda’s latest models today. We also serve St. Augustine and Orlando.

Founding and Early Years

Honda® was founded in 1948 by Soichiro Honda in Japan. Honda was an engineering school dropout who was still very interested in designing cars and motorcycles. This is why he first started by applying smaller engines to bicycles and slowly working his way up. In 1949, Honda joined forces with engineer Takeo Fujisawa and together, they designed and built their first tried and true motorcycle. It was called the D-Type motorcycle--“D“ for “Dream”. The bike was a huge success and the company would rank as the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world within ten years of the D-Type release.

American Market Dominance

With a firm hold on the global market, in 1959, Honda® opened its first overseas subsidiary, the American Honda Motor Co., in Los Angeles, California. It only took a few years for Honda® to completely overtake the American motorcycle market, so much so that they sold their one-millionth motorcycle in the U.S. by 1968. American motorcycles had a particular image of rough and tough muscle, leather, and hardline rebellion. Honda®, in the interest of appealing to a broader demographic, built bikes that were brighter, sportier, and lighter. They were also more affordable, making them an all-around more attractive and accessible bike for the general public.

After already dominating the market, in 1969, Honda® released the CB750. Honda® enthusiasts will recognize this bike as the “Motorcycle of the Century.” In fact, this bike would eventually be seen as one of the most influential motorcycles ever made. It came with a new standard of engineering that brought with it an inline four-cylinder, overhead camshaft engine, traditionally used for racing. This meant that the riders would get better performance and faster speeds. Ultimately, it was classified as a superbike, creating a new category of motorcycles that the public would grow to love.

Innovation and Imagination: Honda®’s Current Bikes

Today’s Honda® motorcycles carry with them the same excellence that their predecessors were created with. One of the biggest differences is the breadth of functions today’s models cover. If you’re interested in long-distance riding, or touring, then you’ll probably be looking at the Gold Wing®, one of the most famous touring bikes on the market. If you’re more about speed and agility, the RC213V-S supersport bike has all the right features for you. No matter which bike you choose, you’ll be looking at a motorcycle that combines engineering excellence with cool style at a decent price.

Now it’s time for the hard part: choosing the Honda® motorcycle that will make you happy. With so many options, you’ll probably want to take home a handful of bikes. To keep you from draining your pocketbook, talk to our experienced staff at Cycles of Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida, and let us know what you want from your motorcycle so we can help you narrow it down. We’re near St. Augustine and Orlando, Florida.