Honda 本田技研工業

Soichiro Honda founded Honda Motor Co. in Hamamatsu in 1948, joined the following year by Takeo Fujisawa as his business partner. Honda's first products were small engines fitted to bicycles, followed in 1949 by its first true motorcycle, the Dream D-Type. The pair set out to make Honda the world's top motorcycle maker.

That goal was realized with the Super Cub, launched in 1958, which went on to become the best-selling motorcycle in history. Honda expanded into automobiles in the 1960s and became known for engineering innovation, notably the CVCC engine of the 1970s, which let the Civic meet strict U.S. emissions rules without a catalytic converter. Today Honda remains the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer alongside a global car and power-equipment business.