How Honda earned its reputation for bulletproof engineering

There are brands making some of the most exciting motorcycles in the world. Then there are others known for their valuable products with segment-breaking features. Somewhere in the middle is Honda. This is the world’s largest manufacturer of two-wheelers. But unlike its mass production numbers, the company has its toes in every possible two-wheeler category, including the pinnacle of performance.

It is equally known for its small vehicles that can withstand extreme conditions, and at the same time, if it puts its mind to it, it can create performance vehicles worthy of a wallpaper or a world record. How did Honda get here, you ask? Why is it so respected and how does it manage to do what it does across all segments, markets and styles? That’s what we’re trying to tell you today.

Honda’s engineering roots

Honda’s founder, Soichiro Honda, lived through both world wars. His first company was Tokei Seiki, which produced piston rings. But World War II bombs and an earthquake forced him to sell what was left after the dust settled and form a new company in 1937, the Honda Technical Research Institute. After World War II, Soichiro recognized the need for cheap mobility in Japan, and his solution was to combine bicycles with generator engines.

Thus, the Honda Type A was born in 1946. One year after it went into production, the Type A had an assembly line. Another year later, the Honda Motor Co. set up. The Dream D-type, Honda’s first factory product, came onto the market in 1949.

Then, in 1960, Honda R&D Co. Ltd. established as an organization independent of Honda Motor. It’s not limited to motorcycles; it’s an engineering company, plain and simple. ASIMO, eVTOL aircraft and autonomous lawn mowers are all the result of the engineering of this independent organization. It also occasionally deals with automotive solutions.

The Honda two-wheeler story

Honda’s first two-wheeler was a generator adapted to power a bicycle. The first basic product was the Dream D-Type, and this was soon followed by Honda’s first four-stroke design, the E-Type. The first Cub followed, the Cub F, a motorized bicycle. Finally, the Super Cub arrived in the form we know and love in 1958.

This was the most modest design, with a lower leg chassis, a small 50cc two-stroke engine and not much else. What it did do, however, was mobilize most of the world; it has been produced continuously for almost seventy years. The Super Cub made Honda a force to be reckoned with, even in developed markets where large displacement and horsepower dominated. Honda would continue this lesson for all its other products.

Honda outdoor two-wheelers

This is an article mainly about two-wheelers, but it is important to understand where Honda comes from in a holistic way when looking at the engineering perspective. For example, Kawasaki would never have succeeded in developing the supercharging of the H2 engine if the company did not have its own aerospace division. Even in motorsport disciplines that are at the top of their field, engineers from the aerospace industry are hired for their expertise. There may be some surprising crossovers – it’s entirely possible that the blades of your table or ceiling fan were designed by an aerodynamicist. With this perspective, Honda’s technical achievements in other areas become significant.

Honda’s prominent automotive technology

It’s time for a ‘VTEC kicked in yo!’ Just kidding, but honestly, Honda’s B16A engine that powered the Civic, RSX and CR-X was Honda’s first engine with this technology. Yet it was extremely reliable. It wasn’t the first car with variable valve timing, but it was certainly the first to bring it to the masses and prove it could be reliable and affordable. Nowadays everyone uses it in their cars, and motorcycles are also adopting it.

Elsewhere, the NSX was the first production car to feature an aluminum monocoque and body. Again, more and more cars are choosing the material because it is stronger and lighter than steel, and more resistant to corrosion. Honda was also the first to offer four-wheel steering (1987’s Prelude), hydrogen fuel cell power (FCX Clarity), satellite navigation (1995’s Legend), and most people seem to forget that the Insight was launched at the same time as the Prius.

Technical excellence in Honda motorcycles

There have been many Honda motorcycles and scooters that have demonstrated great engineering prowess over the decades. Let’s take a look at a few of them and what made them such great examples of engineering. Of course, this is by no means an exhaustive list, and we’ve had to leave out some strong models like the Gold Wing and the CBR1100XX Super Blackbird, simply because Honda has so many important models in its history.

Honda SuperCub

We usually measure greatness by the peaks of our performance. The most powerful engine, the highest top speed and the most advanced features. The Super Cub has none of this. This is the motorcycle equivalent of the tortoise in The Hare And The Tortoise – it has no speed, but what it does have is reliability to a large extent. It will continue no matter what. If there is ever another world war, the only things left after that will be cockroaches, Hiluxes and the Super Cub.

HondaNR750

Honda’s attempt to win at the pinnacle of motorsport coincided with its belief that four-stroke engines were the way forward. The NR 750 four-stroke racing bike was never a success, but it did lead to Honda filing a few hundred patents. The design gave the world a number of firsts that we take for granted today, such as a digital instrument cluster, dual front brakes and a carbon fiber body. It also inspired one of the most beautiful motorcycles in history. Oh, and when Honda decided to go back to a two-stroke racing machine afterwards, it crushed the opposition.

Honda CB750 Four

The inline four motorcycle seems to be dying a slow death, but it was the default choice for a performance motorcycle for a long time. This is how it started, the CB750 Four. It introduced, just like the NR, quite a number of firsts in the world. However, the biggest thing it contributed to the world of motorcycling was the concept of a performance motorcycle that was also reliable. Honda doubled the size with the CBX1000 and its inline six-cylinder engine, but the CB750 Four set the standard for all modern performance motorcycles.

Honda CBR900RR Fireblade

Simply put, the CBR900RR took the lessons of the CB750 Four and brought them into the 21st century, so to speak. Tadao Baba’s concept that a sportbike should be able to stop and turn as quickly as it could accelerate forever changed our perception of what a performance motorcycle should be able to do. This pursuit of lightness, compactness and handling continues to this day in all racing disciplines. Honda has even managed to give the world the most powerful naturally aspirated four-liter engine in the world

CBR1000RR-R SP.

Honda CX500 Turbo

Kawasaki may have given the public the first turbocharged production motorcycle, but it was a dealer-level fitment. Honda’s CX500T was available from the factory with a turbocharger. And despite being new technology to the company – this is a recurring theme – it was reliable. We expect nothing less from the upcoming V3R 900 E-Compressor, which will be the first Honda motorcycle with forced induction since the CX.

HondaWN7

Honda’s first electric two-wheeler has been a long time coming, and at first glance there isn’t much special about it. It offers performance equivalent to a middleweight sports bike, and it doesn’t have great range or anything to really make it stand out. In typical understated Honda fashion, however, you don’t need a fast charger for the WN7; It is fully charged within a few hours via a regular socket. This may seem like a small detail, but it gives EVs a whole new dimension of utility.

Sources: Honda Power Sports, Honda R&D, Honda Great Britain