Soichiro Honda set up his first company, “Tokai Seiki Heavy Industry”, manufacturer of piston rings. This successful venture was later sold to Toyota and the profits were used to form the company we know today.
Honda was started in 1948 as a manufacturer of engines to power bicycles. The factories first motorcycle was the “Dream type D” a 98cc, 3HP, 2 stroke, produced in August 1949.
In 1959 the Isle of Man tourist trophy was captured to promote its world wide marketing campaign.
Today Honda is the Worlds largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines.