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Honda Produces 400 Million Motorcycles Worldwide

Published on Tue, Dec 24, 2019

By: Collin Morgan

The impressive milestone also happens to fall on Honda’s 70th anniversary of mass-producing the motorcycle.

2019 Fiscal Year production by region
2019 Fiscal Year production by region

Since 1949, Honda has been mass-producing some of the best motorcycles ever built. It all started with the original 1949 Dream D-Type, and has since built a reputation of reliability, ruggedness, and even speed.

Honda has stuck to the successful principle of selling motorcycles locally where demand is highest, and has expanded this method to a global market. While Honda was founded in 1948, they didn’t start overseas manufacturing until 1963 at their production facility in Belgium. Now, Honda produces a large array of motorcycles, ranging from 50cc to 1800cc models at 35 facilities in 21 countries.

2021 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP
2021 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP

Takahiro Hachigo, Chief Executive Officer of Honda Motor Co. says, “For 70 Years, Honda has provided to customers worldwide motorcycles that make life easier and enjoyable. As a result, we have achieved our 400 million-unit milestone. I am grateful to all of our customers, and everyone involved in development, manufacturing, sales and service of our products. We will continue to do our best to provide attractive products that meet the needs and dreams of our customers worldwide.”

1949 Honda Dream D-Type
1949 Honda Dream D-Type

As well as reaching the 400 million-unit milestone, Honda has also eclipsed 20 million annual units produced for the first time in its history. Strong support radiates from Asia, where the demand for small, durable motorcycles is high. Honda prides itself on providing products based on a belief where “the purpose of technology is to help people.”

2020 Honda Super Cub C125
2020 Honda Super Cub C125

Honda’s path to 400 million-unit global motorcycle production

  • 1948: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. founded
  • 1949: Honda releases its first major motorcycle model, the Dream D-Type
  • 1958: Honda releases its first Super Cub, the Super Cub C100
  • 1963: Honda begins motorcycle production in Belgium (its first motorcycle factory outside of Japan)
  • 1967: Honda begins motorcycle production in Thailand
  • 1968: Honda reaches 10 million-unit milestone for cumulative global motorcycle production
  • 1971: Honda begins motorcycle production in Indonesia
  • 1976: Honda begins motorcycle production in Brazil / Honda begins motorcycle production in Italy
  • 1979: Honda begins motorcycle production in North America
  • 1980: Honda begins motorcycle production in Nigeria
  • 1984: Honda reaches 50 million-unit milestone for cumulative global motorcycle production
  • 1992: Honda begins motorcycle production in China
  • 1997: Honda begins motorcycle production in Vietnam / Honda reaches 100 million-unit milestone for cumulative global motorcycle production (achieved in 48 years)
  • 2001: Honda begins motorcycle production in India
  • 2004: Honda exceeds 10 million-unit annual motorcycle production for the first time
  • 2008: Honda reaches 200 million-unit milestone for cumulative global motorcycle production (11 years since 100 millionth unit)
  • 2013: Honda begins motorcycle production in Bangladesh
  • 2014: Honda reaches 300 million-unit milestone for cumulative global motorcycle production (6 years since 200 millionth unit)
  • 2018: Honda exceeds 20 million-unit annual motorcycle production for the first time
  • 2019: Honda reaches 400 million-unit milestone for cumulative global motorcycle production (5 years since 300 millionth unit)

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