Honda Motorcycle Production Reaches 150 Million

Honda Motor Company has now built over 150 million motorcycles since it first commenced mass production in 1949. The 150-millionth motorcycle rolled off an assembly line at the end of April 2005. However, it is probably impossible to tell what the 150 millionth machine was or where it was made because Honda now has so many production facilities around the world. Honda's first motorcycle production facility outside of Japan was established in Belgium in 1963. Honda now manufacturers dozens—perhaps hundreds—of models of motorcycles at 28 locations in 21 countries.

It took the Honda Motor Company 57 years to build its first 150 million motorcycles, but at the production rate it projects for 2005—a stunning 12.5 million motorcycles per year—the next 150 million would be on the road within 16 years. That rate of production would also mean that Honda motorcycle production reaches a cumulative total of 200 million units by the end of the decade. However, production will probably grow quickly. In 2004, it produced 10.8 million motorcycles, the first time time that worldwide production exceeded 10 million motorcycles.

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