Difference between revisions of "Honda History"

==Smoking Like a Chimney==

==Smoking Like a Chimney==

Honda built his own "chimney" 50cc engines (so-called because they were tall and smoked a lot) and in 1948 founded the Honda Motor Company. In 1949, Honda was the first Japanese manufacturer to make both engines and frames.  

Honda built his own "chimney" 50cc engines (so-called because they were tall and smoked a lot) and in 1948 founded the Honda Motor Company. In 1949, Honda was the first Japanese manufacturer to make both engines and frames.  

For most people, the Honda race history starts with the 1959 entry of the Honda team in the Isle of Man TT. However, although practically unknown in Europe at the time, Japan in those days had a fast growing motorcycle industry, but their models looked very old fashioned, and the ones that did look (more or less) modern were often straight copies of German, British or American (read Harley) motorcycles.  Honda visited the [[Isle of Man TT]] for the first time in 1954 In 1959, in its first TT, Honda won the 125cc manufacturers' award.

For most people, the Honda race history starts with the 1959 entry of the Honda team in the Isle of Man TT. However, although practically unknown in Europe at the time, Japan in those days had a fast growing motorcycle industry, but their models looked very old fashioned, and the ones that did look (more or less) modern were often straight copies of German, British or American (read Harley) motorcycles.  Honda visited the [[Isle of Man TT]] for the first time in 1954 In 1959, in its first TT, Honda won the 125cc manufacturers' award.

Honda, even in those days already a very big motorcycle manufacturer, faced the problem that it would be very difficult to sell its bikes worldwide. Japanese products in general had a bad reputation regarding quality, based on Japanese pre-war products (the camera industry in Japan faced the same problem). So how do you overcome such a problem? By proving to the world, that your engineering and the resulting products are superior -in the case of motorcycles by winning Grand Prix with them.

Honda, even in those days already a very big motorcycle manufacturer, faced the problem that it would be very difficult to sell its bikes worldwide. Japanese products in general had a bad reputation regarding quality, based on Japanese pre-war products (the camera industry in Japan faced the same problem). So how do you overcome such a problem? By proving to the world, that your engineering and the resulting products are superior -in the case of motorcycles by winning Grand Prix with them.