For a company that technically began fitting generators to bikes, and offically began motocrcyle manufacturing in 1946, Honda have, to date a truly formidable racing credentials. Honda Motorcycle racing commenced in 1959 when a team were sent to compete in the IOM TT events, something which sent ripples of polite cynisism through the established teams. And yet, only two years later, Tom Phillis and Mike Hailwood would become champions on Honda’s first race bikes.
How important is winning motorcycle world chmpionships to Honda? On a human level, as important as riding is to all of us. Honda is THE most successful two wheeled marque in Grand Prix racing history, having secured around 54 world titles in just six clases of racing alone. A staggerng 620+ race wins including 11 GP500 champions, 5 world superbike champions, 3 MotoGP champions, and a further 35 world champions in GP350, 250,125 and 50cc categories. There are also 34+ victories in BSB, more than any other manufacturer.
Factor in 21+ wins at the Suzuka 8 hours endurance races, 5 Dakar rally wins, 17 baja 1000 titles, 6 AMA flat track titles, 18 AMA superbike titles, 7 Australian SBK and 2 BSB titles, plus a sidecar world title and a host of others beside, and you begin to realise not only how dominant Honda have been over the years, but also the volume of money they put into title chasing, and the importance to them of winning.
Since 1981, Honda riders have won at least one world title every year continuously to date!! If not for a slightly lean period during the seventies, that data would shown continuous honda titles back to 1961, 46 years of racing success.
Honda champions include; Freddie Spencer, Mike Hailwood, Jim Redman, Alex Criville, sito pons, Eddie Lawson, mick Doohan, Valentino Rossi, Wayne Rainey, Wayne Gardner, Mike Baldwin, Colin Edwards, Loris Capirossi, Max Biaggi, Danny Pedrosa, Nicky Hayden, Doug Pollen, Alex Barros, Daijiro Kato, Bubba Shobert, Chris Vermeulen, Ben Bostrum, Miguel Duhamel, Fred Merkel, Troy Corser, luca Cadalora, John Kocinski, Ryuichi Kiyonari and many more……..
1962 JIM REDMAN (RHO) GP250
1962 JIM REDMAN (RHO) GP350
1963 JIM REDMAN (RHO) GP250
1963 JIM REDMAN (RHO) GP350
1964 LUIGI TAVERI (SWI) GP125
1964 JIM REDMAN (RHO) GP350
1965 RALPH BRYANS (GB) GP50
1965 JIM REDMAN (RHO) GP350
1966 LUIGI TAVERI (SWI) GP125
1966 MIKE HAILWOOD (GB) GP350
1967 MIKE HAILWOOD (GB) GP250
1967 MIKE HAILWOOD (GB) GP350
1968 BERQUIST/PRESTON BAJA 1000
1970 thingy MAN (USA) AMA SUPERBIKE
1973 GARY JONES (USA) AMA MOTOCROSS 250 USA
1974 MATTY SMITH (USA) AMA MOTOCROSS 125 USA
1975 MATTY SMITH (USA) AMA MOTOCROSS 125 USA
1975 BAKER/CANNADY BAJA 1000
1979 HATTON/COLE SUZUKA 8 HOURS
1979 GRAHAM NOYCE (GB) WORLD MOTOCROSS 500 MX3
1980 ANDRE MALHERBE (BEL) WORLD MOTOCROSS 500 MX3
1981 ANDRE MALHERBE (BEL) WORLD MOTOCROSS 500 MX3
1981 BALDWIN/ALDANA SUZUKA 8 HOURS
1982 IIJIMA/HAGIWARA SUZUKA 8 HOURS
1982 CYRIL NEEVES (FRA) DAKAR RALLY
1982 BAKER/JOHNSON BAJA 1000
1982 DONNIE HANSON (USA) AMA MOTOCROSS 250 USA
1983 JOHN OMARA (USA) AMA MOTOCROSS 125 USA
1983 FREDDIE SPENCER (USA) GP500
1984 RICKY GRAHAM (USA) AMA FLAT TRACK
1984 MILLER/MORALES BAJA 1000
1984 BALDWIN/MERKEL SUZUKA 8 HOURS
1984 ANDRE MALHERBE (BEL) WORLD MOTOCROSS 500 MX3
1985 GARDNER/TOKUNO SUZUKA 8 HOURS
1985 FREDDIE SPENCER (USA) MOTOGP 250
1985 FREDDIE SPENCER (USA) GP500
1985 FREDDIE SPENCER (USA) AMA SUPERBIKE
1985 BUBBA SHOBERT (USA) AMA FLAT TRACK
1985 MORALES/PAIEMENT BAJA 1000
1985 RON LECHIEN (USA) AMA MOTOCROSS 125 USA
1985 DAVID THORPE (GB) WORLD MOTOCROSS 500 MX3
1986 DAVID THORPE (GB) WORLD MOTOCROSS 500 MX3
1986 MICKY DYMOND (USA) AMA MOTOCROSS 125 USA
1986 BUBBA SHOBERT (USA) AMA FLAT TRACK
1986 RICK JOHNSON (USA) AMA MOTOCROSS 250 USA
1986 CYRIL NEEVES (FRA) DAKAR RALLY
1986 MILLER/OGILVIE BAJA 1000
1986 GARDNER/SARRON SUZUKA 8 HOURS
1987 ANTON MANG (GER) MOTOGP250
1987 WAYNE GARDNER (AUS) GP500
1987 WAYNE RAINEY (USA) AMA SUPERBIKE
1987 CYRIL NEEVES (FRA) DAKAR RALLY
1987 ASHCROFT/OGILVIE BAJA 1000
1987 RICK JOHNSON (USA) AMA MOTOCROSS 250 USA
1987 MICKY DYMOND (USA) AMA MOTOCROSS 125 USA
1987 ERIC GEBOERS (BEL) WORLD MOTOCROSS 250 MX1
1987 GEORGES JOBE (BEL) WORLD MOTOCROSS 500 MX3
1988 GEORGE HOLLAND (USA) AMA MOTOCROSS 125 USA
1988 SITO PONS (SPA) MOTOGP250
1988 FRED MERKEL (USA) WSB