How a Poor Japanese Boy Created Honda

Summary

The video script recounts the inspiring journey of Soichiro Honda, who rose from humble beginnings as a bicycle repairer's son to become the founder of Honda Motors, a global leader in both car and motorcycle manufacturing. Despite setbacks, including a devastating factory bombing during WWII, Honda's innovation and perseverance led to the creation of iconic models like the Super Cub and the Honda Civic, revolutionizing transportation and setting industry standards for efficiency and performance.

Takeaways

• 🚗 Soichiro Honda started his career in 1922 at a small auto repair shop in Tokyo, Japan, where he was initially assigned to clean and babysit due to his young age.
• 🏆 Decades later, Honda became a global competitor in the automotive industry, owning the largest motorbike manufacturer and competing with major car brands.
• 👶 Born in a poor village, Soichiro Honda's early life was marked by hardship, including the loss of five siblings and a lack of formal education.
• 🔧 Fascinated by engines from a young age, Honda's interest in mechanics was sparked by seeing a Ford Model T and later working with his father's bicycle repair business.
• 🛠️ Despite early setbacks and menial tasks, Honda's dedication and talent in mechanics were recognized, leading to opportunities in the business and motorsports.
• 🏁 Honda's involvement in motorsports began with building racing cars and participating in the Japanese Motorcar Championship, where he achieved a first-place victory.
• 💼 After a series of challenges, including a serious car crash and disagreements with investors, Honda founded his own company, Tokai Seiki, to manufacture piston rings.
• 🛑 World War II brought significant disruptions to Honda's business, with his factory being bombed and later suffering from an earthquake, leading to a near-total loss of his company.
• 🚲 Post-war, Honda innovated by attaching a generator engine to a bicycle, recognizing the need for cheap transportation in a resource-scarce Japan, leading to the creation of the Honda Technical Research Institute.
• 🏍️ The Honda Motor Company was officially founded in 1948 with the goal of building motorcycles, which became popular for their affordability and reliability.
• 🌏 Honda's motorcycles achieved international success, particularly in the U.S. market, where they outsold competitors like Triumph and Harley-Davidson.
• 🚘 Despite initial challenges, Honda entered the automobile market with the T360 mini truck and the S-500 sports car, eventually creating the Honda Civic and Accord, which became some of the world's most popular cars.

Q & A

Who was Soichiro Honda and what was his first job?

Soichiro Honda was the founder of Honda Motor Company. His first job was at a small auto repair shop in Tokyo, Japan, where he initially was assigned to clean the workshop and look after the shop owner's child.

What significant event in Soichiro Honda's childhood sparked his interest in machinery?

When Soichiro was eight years old, he encountered a Ford Model T, which captivated him and sparked his lifelong interest in machinery and engines.

Why did Soichiro Honda forge his family's stamp on his grade reports?

Soichiro Honda forged his family's stamp on his grade reports to avoid his father seeing his poor grades, as he was more interested in helping his father with bicycle repairs than attending school.

How did Soichiro Honda's involvement in motorsports begin?

Soichiro Honda's involvement in motorsports began when his employer, Yuzo Sakakibara, started building racing cars with the help of his workers, including Soichiro. Their second model, the Curtis, won first place in the fifth Japanese Motorcar Championship in 1924.

What was the turning point for Soichiro Honda's business when he was running the Hamamatsu branch of Art Shokai?

The turning point for Soichiro Honda's business was when he used his knowledge and skills to grow the struggling Hamamatsu branch, which eventually expanded from a one-man operation to a staff of 30 people.

Why did Soichiro Honda decide to stop racing after the serious crash in 1936?

Soichiro Honda decided to stop racing after the serious crash due to his family's unhappiness with his return to racing and the injuries he sustained, which included a fractured left arm, a dislocated shoulder, and facial damage.

What led Soichiro Honda to start his own company, Tokai Seiki Heavy Industry, to manufacture piston rings?

Soichiro Honda decided to start Tokai Seiki Heavy Industry after his proposal to turn the Art Shokai Hamamatsu branch into a separate company for manufacturing car parts was rejected by the shareholders.

How did Soichiro Honda's company fare during the Pacific War?

During the Pacific War, Soichiro Honda's company was placed under the direct command of the Ministry of Munitions, Toyota took over 45% of the company's equity, and Honda was downgraded from president to senior managing director. The company struggled due to a loss of male employees to military service.

What idea did Soichiro Honda come up with to address the post-war economic crisis in Japan?

Soichiro Honda came up with the idea of attaching a generator engine, originally used by the Japanese Imperial Army during the war, to a bicycle to create a cheap mode of transportation for the resource-strapped post-war Japan.

What was the significance of the Super Cub motorcycle in Honda's history?

The Super Cub was a smaller and lighter motorcycle that became an instant hit and significantly contributed to Honda's success. It won the Emperor's Prize and was instrumental in establishing Honda as a major motorcycle manufacturer.

How did the Honda Civic contribute to the company's success in the automobile market?

The Honda Civic contributed to the company's success by being fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly, featuring a catalytic converter. Its popularity grew during the oil crisis of the 1970s, making it one of the most popular cars in the world.

Outlines

00:00

🔧 Soichiro Honda's Humble Beginnings and Ascent in the Automotive World

Soichiro Honda's journey began in 1922 when, at the age of 15, he started working at a small auto repair shop in Tokyo, Japan. Initially assigned to clean and babysit due to doubts about his suitability for the job, Honda's dedication and talent eventually led him to become a trusted mechanic. His interest in engines was sparked at a young age when he saw a Ford Model T, and despite hardships, including the loss of siblings and a lack of formal education, Honda's passion for mechanics and innovation grew. By the 1930s, he was managing a successful branch of Art Shokai and was involved in motorsports, setting speed records and participating in races. However, a serious crash in 1936 ended his racing career, leading him to focus on his business and innovation.

05:00

🏁 Honda's Foray into Manufacturing and the Birth of Tokai Seiki

In 1936, Soichiro Honda's ambition led him to venture into manufacturing car parts, specifically piston rings, by founding Tokai Seiki Heavy Industry. Despite initial struggles and a lack of success with Toyota's quality standards, Honda's relentless pursuit of improvement and his part-time studies in metallurgy paid off. By 1939, he had created a successful piston design, which eventually led to substantial orders and the growth of his company. However, World War II brought about significant challenges, including Toyota's partial takeover of Tokai Seiki and the devastating impact of air raids and an earthquake on his factories. Post-war, Honda sold his company to Toyota and explored new opportunities amidst Japan's economic struggles.

10:02

🚲 The Invention of the Motorbike and the Establishment of Honda Motor Company

Following the war, Soichiro Honda recognized the need for affordable transportation in Japan and repurposed a generator engine to power a bicycle, leading to the creation of the first Honda motorbikes in 1946. The Honda Technical Research Institute was established with a small team to develop these motorbikes, which quickly gained popularity. Facing a shortage of used engines, Honda designed the Taipei engine in 1947, marking the first machine to bear the Honda name. In 1948, the Honda Motor Company was officially founded with the goal of producing motorcycles to aid Japanese workers. Despite the initial failure of the Model D, the introduction of the smaller and lighter Super Cub in 1952 revolutionized the motorcycle industry and solidified Honda's success.

15:03

🏍️ Honda's Global Expansion and Dominance in Motorcycle Racing

The success of the Super Cub and strategic partnerships, such as with investor Takio Fujisawa, laid the foundation for Honda Motor Company's growth. The motorcycle reached the United States in 1958, offering an affordable alternative to American motorcycles and quickly gaining market share. Honda's involvement in motorcycle racing further boosted its reputation, with the company achieving victories at the Isle of Man TT and becoming the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer by the 1960s. Soichiro Honda's relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation in response to competitors' achievements drove the company's racing success and production of high-quality motorcycles.

20:04

🚗 Honda's Entry into the Automobile Market and the Creation of Iconic Models

Soichiro Honda's long-held dream of entering the automobile industry was realized in the 1960s with the release of the T360 mini truck and the S-500 sports car. Despite initial challenges, Honda's involvement in Formula One racing and the development of the fuel-efficient CVCC technology during the oil crisis of the 1970s positioned the company for success. The introduction of the Honda Civic and Accord models, known for their fuel efficiency and innovative features like the catalytic converter, transformed Honda into a major player in the automobile market. By the 1980s, Honda had become one of the world's largest car manufacturers, and Soichiro Honda's legacy continued to grow with the company's expansion into various industries.

🛫 Soichiro Honda's Legacy and Honda's Diversification into Multiple Industries

Soichiro Honda, despite his self-deprecating reflection on his career, left an indelible mark on the automotive and motorcycle industries. His commitment to innovation and improvement led Honda to expand into areas such as jets, boat engines, power equipment, and robotics. After retiring in 1973 and passing away in 1991, Honda's legacy continues to influence the company's pursuit of excellence and its position as a global leader in multiple fields of technology and manufacturing.

Keywords

💡Soichiro Honda

Soichiro Honda is the central figure in the video, the founder of Honda Motor Company. He is depicted as a visionary who started from humble beginnings, working in an auto repair shop and eventually building a multi-billion dollar brand. His name is synonymous with the theme of perseverance and innovation in the automotive industry.

💡Auto Repair Shop

An auto repair shop is a business where vehicles are serviced and repaired. In the script, it is where Soichiro Honda begins his career, initially assigned to clean and babysit, which is a pivotal moment that sets the stage for his future in the automotive industry.

💡Motorbike Manufacturer

A motorbike manufacturer is a company that produces motorcycles. Honda is highlighted as the largest motorbike manufacturer in the world, showcasing Soichiro Honda's success in diversifying from auto repair to manufacturing motorcycles that revolutionized personal transportation.

💡Piston Rings

Piston rings are circular components that fit into the grooves on the piston of an engine to seal the space between the piston and the cylinder wall. Soichiro Honda's venture into manufacturing piston rings represents his entry into the automotive parts industry and his dedication to engineering excellence.

💡Toyota

Toyota is a major automobile manufacturer and one of Honda's competitors. In the script, Toyota's involvement with Soichiro Honda's company is mentioned, indicating a business relationship where Honda initially supplied piston rings to Toyota, reflecting the competitive landscape of the automotive industry.

💡Hamamatsu

Hamamatsu is the city in Japan where Soichiro Honda was tasked to run a new branch of Art Shokai, an auto repair shop. It later becomes the birthplace of Honda Motor Company, symbolizing the city's significance in the narrative of Honda's rise to prominence.

💡Motorsports

Motorsports encompass any sporting competition involving the use of motor vehicles. The script mentions Soichiro Honda's involvement in motorsports, which not only fueled his passion but also served as a platform for Honda to showcase its engineering capabilities and compete with other brands.

💡Isle of Man TT

The Isle of Man TT is a prominent motorcycle race event held annually on the Isle of Man. Honda's success at the Isle of Man TT is highlighted in the script, demonstrating the company's commitment to excellence in motorsports and its ability to compete at the highest level.

💡HONDA Civic

The Honda Civic is a highly successful automobile model introduced by Honda. The script emphasizes its role in establishing Honda in the automobile market, particularly during the oil crisis of the 1970s, due to its fuel-efficient design and innovative CVCC technology.

💡HONDA Accord

The Honda Accord is another iconic car model from Honda, which expanded from a compact hatchback to sedans. The script describes it as a best-selling sedan in automotive history, known for its moderate size, interior space, and comfort, which contributed to its popularity.

💡CVCC

CVCC stands for Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion, a fuel management method developed by Honda. The script explains that CVCC allowed cars to travel longer distances with less fuel, which was particularly advantageous during the oil crisis, and helped Honda gain a competitive edge in the market.

Highlights

Soichiro Honda started working at a small auto repair shop at age 15, initially assigned to clean and babysit.

Honda went on to compete with major car brands and own the largest motorbike manufacturer, Honda Motors.

Soichiro was born in a poor village and lost 5 siblings to health issues.

Seeing a Ford Model T at age 8 sparked Soichiro's lifelong interest in machinery.

Soichiro dropped out of school at 15 to pursue his dream in Tokyo's auto industry.

He worked his way up from menial tasks to becoming a trusted mechanic and business learner under owner Yuzo Sakakibara.

Honda's early exposure to a variety of foreign cars and motorcycles expanded his knowledge and skillset.

Soichiro's involvement in motorsports began at age 17, becoming a passion that influenced his career.

He was drafted for military service in 1926 but was excused due to colorblindness.

At 21, Soichiro was put in charge of Art Shokai's new Hamamatsu branch, growing it to 30 employees.

Soichiro's racing career ended after a near-fatal crash in 1936, focusing him on business.

He attempted to manufacture car parts, founding Tokai Seiki Heavy Industry, but faced initial struggles.

Soichiro's活塞ring designs were initially rejected by Toyota, but he persevered and improved.

World War II disrupted Honda's business, with the factory destroyed and company taken over by Toyota.

Post-war, Soichiro sold his company to Toyota and explored a new idea - attaching engines to bicycles.

The Honda Technical Research Institute was established in 1946 to develop motorbikes.

Soichiro founded Honda Motor Company in 1948, initially focusing on motorcycles for transportation.

The Super Cub motorcycle became a huge success, winning the Emperor's Prize and propelling Honda's growth.

Honda entered the US market in 1958 with affordable motorcycles that outsold competitors like Triumph and Harley-Davidson.

Soichiro's racing mindset drove Honda to achieve victories at the Isle of Man TT and other international races.

Entering the automobile market in the 1960s, Honda faced skepticism but debuted the T360 mini truck and S-500 sports car.

The Honda Civic, launched in 1972, became one of the world's most popular cars, especially during the oil crisis.

The Honda Accord, introduced as a compact hatchback and later expanded to sedans, became a best-selling model in automotive history.

Soichiro Honda retired in 1973 and passed away in 1991, but his legacy of innovation and perseverance lives on.

Honda has since expanded into multiple industries including jets, boat engines, power equipment, and robots.

Transcripts

in 1922 a 15 year old boy shows up for

his first day at work at a small auto

repair shop in tokyo japan the owner who

questioned if the boy was even meant for

this type of business assigned him to

clean the workshop and look after his

child instead

at the time nobody thought much of it

neither did they care but only because

they had no idea who this kid would

eventually become

fast forward a few decades and that boy

soichiro honda was now competing with

some of the biggest car brands in the

world while also owning the largest

motorbike manufacturer

this is the story of how one poor

japanese boy went from babysitting

children to building the multi-billion

dollar brand with honda motors

[Music]

story begins in 1906 in a small poverty

ridden village called tenryu shizuoka at

the foot of mount fuji

it was there that gehe honda and his

wife welcomed their first son soichiro

honda soichiro's father was a local

blacksmith from the village who also

fixed bicycles on the side while his

mother was an accomplished weaver

raised in difficult economic situations

sochiro lost five of his siblings

growing up due to health issues

when soichiro was eight years old he was

going about his normal routine in the

neighborhood when he heard a strange

rumble that grabbed his attention

he followed the sound until he came

across a big piece of strange machinery

rolling along on four wheels this

machine was a ford model t and soichiro

was left captivated by what he had just

witnessed

it was the first car i saw what a thrill

i could not understand how it could move

under its own power and when it had

driven past me without even thinking why

i found myself chasing it down the road

as hard as i could run

this experience left a mark in his life

that would forever change the way he

would engage with machines

he learned how to wet the blades of the

farm machinery and repair bicycles he

was fascinated by all kinds of engines

and motors but soichiro hated the idea

of going to school and instead of

pursuing a proper education he spent the

majority of his childhood helping his

father with his bicycle repair business

his lack of interest in school affected

his grades so terribly that he used some

rubber that he found to forge his

family's stamp on his grade reports

that way his father wouldn't need to

sign the paper and see his grades

eventually he got caught and his father

punished him by making him kneel on his

knees for an entire day without lunch

in 1922

soichiro came across a magazine ad for a

tokyo-based automobile servicing company

called art shokai he reasoned that since

the company was one of the most popular

motor car services in the city they

might be in need of new workers

so he wrote a letter to art shokai

inquiring about a job and luckily enough

he received a positive reply

so at the age of 15 sochiro dropped out

of school left home and headed for tokyo

in pursuit of his dreams

[Music]

when soichiro got to tokyo he was

overwhelmed to see how fast and

different city life was compared to the

village he had come from when sochiro

arrived the shop's owner yuzo sakakibara

had a job already prepared for him he

was to babysit the owner's child

soichiro was disappointed to find that

over the next few months he wasn't

making any money and the only work tasks

he was assigned was to carry a baby

wrapped around on his back the only

thing that made him stay was the shame

of returning home a failure and facing

his parents

as time went by the owner couldn't keep

up with the high demand of his

automobile business so he finally pulled

soichiro in to help him out even though

sochiro started out doing menial tasks

he gradually climbed his way up until he

became a trusted mechanic at the company

his talent and dedication eventually

caught the attention of the owner who

decided to take little sochiro under his

wing and teach him not only mechanical

repairs but the business side of the

company as well although sakakibara's

repair work included both automobiles

and bicycles cars were not as popular

then as they are today not only were

automobiles a luxury that only people of

the upper class could afford but most of

the automobiles around at the time were

foreign made through his work soichiro

quickly became familiar with a wide

range of automobiles including lincoln's

mercedes daimlers and even various

motorcycles that were brought into the

workshop soichiro poured everything he

had into expanding his knowledge and

understanding of his craft it was

through this company that soichiro was

also introduced to the world of

motorsports around this time motorsports

were quickly gaining popularity around

europe america

and even japan and in 1923 saka kibara

himself began to build racing cars with

the help of his workers including

soichiro

their first model was the art daimler

built using a second second-hand daimler

engine and their second model was the

curtis the curtis was made using another

secondhand engine from an american

curtis biplane placed on the chassis of

another american car the mitchell this

car would go on to race in the fifth

japanese motorcar championship in 1924

taking a stunning first position with

saka kibara's brother as driver and

soichiro as the accompanying engineer

it was a special experience for the 17

year old boy and from then on

motorsports became his religion

in 1926 soichiro was drafted for

military service but didn't pass the

medical exams as they revealed that he

was colorblind thus he was excused from

the army and was able to keep working at

art shokai

by 1928 yuzo sakakibara wanted to expand

his business and decided to open a

branch of art shokai in hamamatsu he

believed there was no better man to

leave in charge than his young

apprentice and at the age of 21 soichiro

was called upon to run the new branch

however soichiro's repair shop struggled

during the first year largely because

people didn't want to entrust their cars

with someone so new and so young so

sochito had to live off the scraps that

other repair shops cast aside still the

young man used all the knowledge and

skill he had acquired over the years and

in time he successfully managed to grow

his business

by the 1930s his new shop had grown from

a one-man operation to a staff of 30

people

the branch grew at an incredible pace

during the next few years and with so

much work to be done soichiro had to

bring his wife in to help run the

company even though sochiro was known as

a brilliant mechanic he was also a

prodigious racing driver and this was

another skill that helped him stand out

from his peers inside his shop soichiro

had built the hamamatsu race car in

which he managed to set a new speed

record by driving it up to 120

kilometers per hour a record that stood

for 20 years in japan

however racing at the time was far more

dangerous than it is today and in june

1936 honda was involved in a serious

crash while racing the hamamatsu in the

suburbs of tokyo and almost died

soichiro's left arm was fractured his

shoulder was dislocated and his face was

damaged despite spending a couple of

months at the hospital nursing his

injuries soichiro returned to the

racetrack only four months later his

family however was unhappy with his

return to racing and after several

arguments with his wife and father

soichiro never raced again

by 1936 honda became tired and weary of

his repair work he wanted to do more and

was planning to move on to manufacturing

car parts he proposed turning the art

shokai hamamatsu branch into a separate

company for this purpose but the

shareholders of the company disagreed

with him the investors saw that the

current orders and workload from the

repair shop were bringing in enough

profit and they didn't want to take a

gamble on a venture they believed was

unnecessary

so sochiro decided to open his own

company to manufacture piston rings and

founded the tokai seiki heavy industry

and made one of his close friends

shichiro kato the president of his

company

[Music]

sochiro and kato worked tirelessly in

their new venture and together started

the art piston ring research center

soichiro in particular was still working

at his hamamatsu branch spending his

days at the repair workshop and his

knights developing pistons

for a long time they struggled to make

any breakthrough and during the next

couple of years soichiro had worked so

much that he lost a lot of weight

causing his face to look emaciated all

the stress his body and mind were going

through made him look like a completely

different person and after a series of

failures sochiro decided to enroll as a

part-time student at the hamamatsu

industrial institute to improve his

knowledge of metallurgy

it wasn't until 1939 when sochiro would

finally create a successful working

piston

confident in his design he quit his job

at art shokai handing the branch off to

some of his trainees and proceeded to

work full time at his new company

honda began producing pistons day in and

day out but his creations were still

flawed and nowhere near the quality they

needed to be toyota contacted sochiro to

make pistons for the company and out of

the 50 he submitted only three passed

toyota's standard it was a big setback

for sochiro but he didn't give up he

spent the next few years traveling

around japan visiting steel-making

companies and universities to improve

his knowledge of manufacturing piston

rings after gaining confidence in his

knowledge and experience soichiro gave

it another try

the result was incredible

not only did his new pistons pass

quality control but orders also began to

come in from all over the country so

much so that the company went on to

employ around 2 000 people just to catch

up with the orders

things were starting to look great for

soichiro and his company until

[Music]

japan joined the pacific war in 1941 and

soichiro's company was placed under the

direct command and control of the

ministry of munitions the following year

toyota took over 45 of the company's

equity and soichiro was downgraded from

president to the position of senior

managing director

things went from bad to worse as many

male employees began to resign as they

were drafted for military service and

his company began to struggle

soichiro did everything he could to keep

his company afloat but he wasn't ready

for what was yet to come

in 1944 air raid sirens began to

intensify in japan and it became very

obvious that the country was headed

towards defeat

hamamatsu was in great danger and

soichiro's company was struck by a

direct bomb blast destroying the factory

the company would go on to suffer a

second misfortune in january 1945 when

the nankai earthquake shook the region

and the iwanta plant collapsed

japan eventually surrendered in august

1945

but by then soichiro had nearly lost

everything

after the war sochiro decided to sell

what was left of his company to toyota

for a sum of 450 000 yen and publicly

told everyone that he was going to take

some time off to figure out what the

future would hold as japan was left in

ruins

a year after the war the country

experienced an economic meltdown that

threatened the lives of its citizens

there was a shortage of food clothing

and shelter and resources were rationed

as a result soichiro couldn't even find

enough gas to drive his car to the

market and buy food for his family

one day sochiro came across a generator

engine that belonged to the japanese

imperial army which was used during the

war to power up a wireless radio

he was fascinated with the engine and

after figuring out how it worked a

bright idea came to him

what would happen if he attached this

engine to a bicycle

by no means was this a new invention the

practice of clipping a motor onto a bike

was common in europe and a few of these

had even made their way to japan but

sochiro knew the country was in

desperate need of cheap transportation

and so in 1946 sochiro used his old

warehouse to establish the honda

technical research institute for the

sole purpose of figuring out a way to

make motorbikes there he and a staff of

12 men followed through with his idea

and successfully managed to put together

a motorbike using some engines he found

along with other spare parts

these new bicycles instantly became a

hit and orders began to come in from

different parts of the country

soon enough soichiro was running out of

used engines so he decided to design and

develop one of his own

in 1947 he finished the taipei engine

and for the very first time the honda

name was emblazoned on a machine

[Music]

soichiro founded the honda motor company

in 1948 with the initial goal of

building motorcycles to help get

japanese workers around the only problem

was soichiro needed more money to expand

his production so he wrote an open

letter to all eighteen thousand bicycle

shop owners in japan telling them that

he had thought of a solution to get

japan moving again out of the eighteen

thousand stores he wrote he received

positive responses from three thousand

of them and they provided him with the

money he needed to start making his

first shipments a year later the company

produced its very first complete

motorcycle the model d

even though the model d was a big

achievement for honda it was too big and

heavy

and because of this only a few people

bought the motorcycle sochiro wasn't

satisfied with this so he stripped down

the motorbike and worked long hours to

make another bike that was smaller and

lighter after three years of trial and

error he succeeded in building another

motorcycle and named it the super cub

the super cub was an instant hit and

became so successful that it won the

emperor's prize honda also joined

efforts with investor takio fujisawa who

provided the capital he needed as well

as financial and marketing strategies

this partnership became the foundation

upon which the honda motor company was

built on the super cub reached the

united states in 1958 with a sticker

price of just 295 dollars which was a

quarter of the price of what other

american motorcycles cost and thanks to

the company's marketing and engineering

skills it soon outsold both triumph and

harley-davidson in their respective home

markets

but by then sochiro had also expanded

his motorcycle brand into the racing

world

racing at the time was more than a sport

it was the biggest platform for these

manufacturing companies to showcase

their cars and motorbikes to the rest of

the world so he traveled all over the

world to see the races studying and

examining all the motorcycles of his

competitors

in fact throughout his career on the

track whenever a benchmark was set by

one of his competitors honda would take

this information home and strive to

surpass it it was this attitude that

took honda motorcycles from an awful and

disappointing finish at their first

international race in 1954 to the

manufacturer's team prize at the 1959

isle of man tt the biggest motorcycle

race in the world

two years later honda would win again at

the isle of man tt and his success on

the racetrack put the honda name on the

map

by the 1960s honda had become the

biggest motorcycle company in the world

after the release of the honda dream in

1949 they had produced a total of 10

million motorcycles by 1968 however

becoming the biggest motorcycle company

wasn't enough for sochiro there was

another big dream he'd been chasing

since he was eight years old and it was

none other than entering the car making

industry

when sochiro announced he was going into

the automobile market many people warned

him that it was too risky for the

company and that he was better off just

making motorcycles around this time

japan had nissan toyota and a few other

companies who were competing in the

tough world of the automobile market and

japanese officials tried to convince

sochiro that the country didn't need

another car manufacturer but sochiro

didn't listen to their arguments

honda debuted its first automobile in

1963 with the release of the t360 mini

truck a small but reliable pickup truck

unfortunately the mini truck never

gained much traction and it was soon

followed with the company's first ever

sports car the s-500 this s500 was a

two-door roadster with a four-speed

transmission capable of reaching 80

miles per hour

it was a smaller car but it was smooth

and easy to drive but sadly only around

1300 cars of this model were built

making it one of the rarest honda cars

ever made

but just like soichiro did with his

motorcycles honda brought its cars into

the racing world

the honda

ra-271 made its formula one debut at the

1964 belgian grand prix it only took one

year for honda to achieve a first place

victory at the 1965 mexican grand prix

with their new successor the ra-272

but despite its early success on the

race track honda was nowhere near

beating its competitors in the car

market so they took a break from racing

and turned their attention to building

one of the most successful cars in the

automobile market the honda civic

honda debuted their new model in 1972

and in the following years it became one

of the most popular cars in the world

one of the reasons for its success

especially in european and american

markets was due to the oil crisis of the

1970s

during this period shortages of fuel

spread all over the world and to tackle

this societal devised a brand new method

for fuel management called the compound

vortex controlled combustion or cvcc for

short

this allowed people to travel further

distances with their car without burning

too much fuel the honda civic also

tackled the pollution problem caused by

exhaust gases by adding a catalytic

converter to its vehicles

something that other big automakers

didn't consider as much at the time and

just like that honda was rapidly

becoming popular in the automobile

market even though americans might have

bought the civic out of necessity it was

the honda accord that really changed the

game

initially the honda accord debuted as a

compact hatchback but it later expanded

to sedans

this new model contained the same

fuel-efficient feature as the civic but

with a better moderate size and thanks

to their wider interior space and

comfort the honda accord would later

become one of the best-selling sedans in

the automotive history at the beginning

of the 80s the honda motor company was

the third largest producer of cars in

japan and by the end of the decade it

was the third biggest car company on the

planet

sochiro honda retired from the company

in 1973 and later died on the 5th of

august 1991.

looking back on my work i feel that i

was doing nothing more than mistakes

blunders and serious omissions but i am

proud of the achievements although i did

one mistake after another my mistakes

and failures never occurred for the same

reasons

honda has now expanded into multiple

industries including jets boat engines

power equipment and robots to name a few

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