Honda Hits 500 Million-Unit Milestone in Global Motorcycle Production
In its 76th year of business, Honda has achieved a cumulative global motorcycle production of 500 million units
It’s official – Honda’s motorcycle empire shows no signs of slowing down. Since bolting together its first bike back in 1949 (it was founded in 1948), the Japanese giant has now racked up 500 million motorcycles produced globally - a staggering number that underlines its dominance in the two-wheeled world.
The milestone isn’t just a pat on the back for Honda’s engineers – it’s the result of decades of strategic global growth. From its first overseas production facility in Belgium back in 1963, Honda has stuck religiously to its philosophy of “building where there’s demand,” and it's worked. Production rocketed past 100 million units by 1997, doubled by 2008, and by 2019 Honda had quadrupled that figure.
Of course, things took a knock in 2020 when the world went into COVID-induced hibernation, but demand has since bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, with Honda’s factories once again cranking out more than 20 million units a year. Not bad for a brand that began making tiny scooters for a recovering post-war Japan.
And it’s not all about internal combustion anymore. Honda declared 2024 as its “first year of global expansion” for electric two-wheelers, launching the EV Fun, EV Urban at the end of the year at EICMA. That ramped up in 2025 with the launch of another battery-powered concept, a sporty looking EV believed to be based on the EV Fun. While the petrol-powered stalwarts remain very much part of the lineup, from cheap and cheerful commuters to track-focused racers, battery power is now clearly on Honda’s agenda.
With 23 countries hosting Honda production facilities and more than 30,000 dealers globally, the scale of Honda’s reach is almost unmatched. The brand is now pushing hard on electrification and efficiency, with bold targets around carbon neutrality and a more flexible business model. Evidence of that can be found in the V3R E-Compressor concept that debuted at EICMA last November.
As ever, Honda’s mantra remains focused on the “joy and freedom of mobility.” And if the past 75 years are anything to go by, it looks like the Big H is set to keep millions of riders moving, on whatever powers their wheels, for decades to come.
Speaking about the news, Toshihiro Mibe, Director, President and Representative Executive Officer, Honda Motor Co., Ltd, said:
“For Honda, motorcycle business is our founder’s business, and will continue to be the company’s core business. In the motorcycle business, we have built the trust of our customers through our many products and services, which has enabled us to achieve a cumulative production volume of 500 million units. I would like to thank our customers and all stakeholders who were involved in achieving this milestone, from development to production, sales, and service. Honda will continue to take on the challenge of expanding the joy of our customers around the world.”
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
