HONDA

Established in September 1948, Honda describes its beginnings as a small town factory in Hamamatsu with 34 associates and 1 million yen in capital. The Dream D-Type of 1949 was its first full-fledged motorcycle, and the Cub F-Type bicycle auxiliary engine of 1952 expanded its sales network rapidly. The Super Cub C100 (1958) and a first Isle of Man TT entry (1959) secured its place in the motorcycle industry, and in 1969 the Dream CB750 FOUR was launched in Japan and exported to the U.S. and Canada.

1. 1949

   Launches its first full-fledged motorcycle, the Dream D-Type

2. 1952

   Cub F-Type bicycle auxiliary engine; sales network grows from 400 to 13,000 outlets

3. 1954

   Declares its intention to enter the Isle of Man TT Races

4. 1958

   Super Cub C100 launched; mass production begins at the Yamato Plant in August

5. 1959

   First Isle of Man TT entry with the RC142; manufacturers’ team prize in the 125cc class

6. 1961

   Achieves its long-cherished goal of winning at the Isle of Man TT

7. 1969

   Dream CB750 FOUR launched in Japan and exported to the U.S. and Canada

8. 2017

   Cumulative worldwide production of the Super Cub series reaches 100 million units

Export names and market-specific specifications are recorded per market on each machine page. Corporate overseas milestones appear only when confirmed by official company sources.

1. [1]Company OverviewHonda Motor Co., Ltd. · manufacturer · accessed 2026-09-26
2. [2]会社概要本田技研工業株式会社 · manufacturer · accessed 2026-09-26
3. [3]Trajectory of Challenges: The 1950sHonda Motor Co., Ltd. · manufacturer · accessed 2026-09-26
4. [4]挑戦の軌跡 1950年代本田技研工業株式会社 · manufacturer · accessed 2026-09-26
5. [5]Trajectory of Challenges: The 1960sHonda Motor Co., Ltd. · manufacturer · accessed 2026-09-26
6. [6]Honda Celebrates 100 Million-Unit Global Production Milestone for Super Cub Series MotorcyclesHonda Motor Co., Ltd. · manufacturer · accessed 2026-09-26