Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has reached a historic milestone in the global mobility industry, announcing the cumulative production of 500 million motorcycles worldwide — a feat 76 years in the making since the launch of its first mass-produced motorcycle, the Dream D-Type, in 1949.
The landmark achievement was commemorated with a celebratory ceremony at Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India’s (HMSI) fourth plant in Vitthalapur, Gujarat, underscoring India’s strategic importance in Honda’s global manufacturing and sales network. The event was attended by top executives including Minoru Kato, Masanori Shimazoe, Toshio Kuwahara, and Tsutsumu Otani, who shared Honda’s future vision and appreciation for stakeholders globally.
A Journey of Innovation and Global Expansion
Founded in 1948, Honda has grown from a modest Japanese manufacturer into the world’s largest motorcycle company, guided by the philosophy that “the purpose of technology is to make people’s lives easier.” Since setting up its first overseas production facility in Belgium in 1963, Honda has consistently expanded its global footprint, producing motorcycles in 23 countries and regions across 37 production entities.
The company’s production milestones illustrate its exponential growth:
- 100 million units in 1997
- 200 million in 2008
- 300 million in 2014
- 400 million in 2019
- Now, 500 million in 2025
Notably, Honda surpassed 20 million units in annual production for the first time in 2018 — a figure that continues today despite temporary setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Embracing the Future: ICE and Electric
Honda has committed to a diversified product strategy, ranging from daily commuter bikes to large displacement leisure motorcycles and electric two-wheelers. With 2024 marked as the “first year of global expansion” for its electric motorcycle line-up, Honda aims to meet evolving consumer demands and support global sustainability goals.
Speaking at the event, Toshihiro Mibe, Director, President, and Representative Executive Officer of Honda, said: “For Honda, the motorcycle business is our founder’s business and remains at the heart of our identity. The trust of our customers and the dedication of our global teams have enabled us to reach this 500 million-unit milestone. We remain committed to delivering the joy and freedom of mobility to people around the world.”
Honda’s Timeline of Milestones
From launching the iconic Super Cub C100 in 1958 to beginning production in new markets like India (1985), Vietnam (1997), and Kenya (2013), Honda’s global expansion strategy has remained consistent: “produce locally where there is demand.”
Today, with a dealer network exceeding 30,000 worldwide, Honda continues to set benchmarks in mobility, innovation, and sustainability — with its eyes firmly set on the next 500 million.
This monumental milestone not only celebrates Honda’s past achievements but also signals its ongoing transformation to lead in a new era of electrified, connected, and sustainable mobility.
