Vintage Honda Motorcycles

Soichiro Honda started the Honda Technical Research Institute in 1946, to experiment with machinery and find more efficient travel methods for ravaged postwar Japan. That same year, he marketed a small engine that could be attached to a bicycle. The next year, Honda released a half horsepower motorbike, the 'A-Type,' and then in 1948 a 90cc version called the 'B-Type.' Honda kept pushing for more powerful engines, and in 1949 released the 2-stroke 'D-Type,' Honda's first true motorcycle. This was followed by the 4-stroke 'Benly' in 1953 and the 'Juno' scooter in 1954. The company's big breakthrough came in 1958, with its 'Super Cub,' an easy-to ride 'scooterette' in 50cc, 70cc, and 90cc models. Over the next 10 years, Honda's bikes got bigger and bigger, culminating in the 4-cylinder CB 750, which could easily reach 120 mph. Honda entered off-roading in 1973, and has dominated the sport ever since. Another 1970's Honda innovation was the Gold Wing, a touring bike that launched an entirely new style of riding.