HONDA The Power of Dreams

Driven by Soichiro Honda's vision to provide a place where people can enjoy riding and driving while improving their skills and safety awareness, Japan's first* full-scale road racetrack was built in Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture. *According to Honda’s research.

In 1964, practical and basic training for traffic police officers (motorcycle patrol officers) began at the Suzuka CircuitSafety DrivingTraining Center.

In an era when production motorcycles only had drum brakes, Honda launched the DREAM CB750FOUR, the world's first motorcycle to feature a hydraulic front disc brake. *According to Honda’s research.

CB | DREAMCB750 FOUR

Honda began research and development of a mechanical ABS as a wheel lock prevention system for motorcycles.

As part of its social responsibility as a mobility company, Honda established the Driving Safety Promotion Center, an organization dedicated to proactively contributing to the reduction of traffic accidents in Japan and abroad.

The Honda Safety Club was launched as a community-based organization to promote traffic safety, allowing general riders and drivers to receive safety education on a regular basis.

The first Traffic Education Center was opened in Fukuoka as a facility to realize two essential aspects of traffic safety education: safely experiencing potential hazards and improving practical riding/driving skills with actual vehicles.

A first for a motorcycle*. The RCB1000 endurance race machine was equipped with CBS, which automatically distributes braking force to the front and rear wheels according to the situation and load when the rear brake is applied. *According to Honda’s research.

Introduction of Honda's Advanced Brakes

Honda's overseas subsidiary, Moto Honda da Amazônia (current name), opened a motorcycle training center. By 1985, a system was in place where 48 dealerships in Brazil had their own training centers.

Japan's first* full-scale, hands-on practical safety course for general riders was launched at Suzuka. HMS, which enables riders to safely experience potential hazards, later expanded nationwide. *According to Honda’s research.

To meet the growing need for vehicle testing, Honda opened the Tochigi Proving Ground, a dedicated test course with a total area of 1.41 km², in Haga, Tochigi Prefecture.

Tochigi Proving Ground: The Road Decides the Product

The Family Bike Safety School was held in Aoyama, Tokyo, for female users. The school offered support for obtaining a motorcycle license and courses on accident prevention.

To comprehensively accommodate courses for the general public and practical safe riding/driving training for corporations in the Tokyo metropolitan area, Honda opened the Traffic Education Center Rainbow (Saitama), a hands-on training facility, in Kawajima, Saitama Prefecture.

The GL1100 was the first motorcycle equipped with CBS, which automatically distributes braking force to the front and rear wheels according to the situation and load when the rear brake is applied. *According to Honda’s research.

Gold Wing | GL1100

The Singaporean government established the SSDC, a joint-venture driving school funded by the government, to reduce traffic accidents. Honda dispatched its instructors to train local instructors.

Honda reorganized and expanded the Honda Safety Club to launch H・A・R・T (Honda Active Riders Terminal), an organization that also provided customer services.

Honda developed and completed a hydraulically controlled mechanical ABS as a wheel lock prevention system for motorcycles. The experience gained from this development led to the completion of the electronically controlled ABS in 1992.

Honda began research and development of the world's first* motorcycle simulator to allow riders to safely experience hazardous situations on the road and correctly understand the hazard prediction process. *According to Honda’s research.

Safety level diagnostic checks and advice were offered to customers at dealerships. Organized by dealerships, the Honda Sport Riding School was held at 150 locations nationwide.

The ST1100 sport-touring model was equipped with an electronically controlled ABS specially designed for motorcycles, capable of handling the significant changes in vehicle behavior unique to motorcycles.

The CBR1000F was equipped with Dual CBS, which automatically and appropriately distributes braking force to both the front and rear wheels when either the front or rear brake is applied.

Introduction of Honda's Advanced Brakes

Honda launched 'Enjoy Motorcycle Riding with Your Child,' an experiential education program for parents and children to learn about traffic etiquette and safe riding through motorcycles.

A.P. Honda in Thailand opened a Traffic Education Center equipped with a training track and an education building on its factory premises in Samrong, Thailand. The center conducted safe riding/driving training for local traffic police officers and other programs.

Honda announced motor-actuated type M.A.-C. ABS for small motorcycles and torque-reaction type T.R-C. ABS for large motorcycles. These systems were subsequently equipped on the 1996 ST1100 and other models.

Coinciding with the introduction of the training program for large motorcycle licenses, Honda completed the world's first* training simulator equipped with a multi-eye system, which allows users to objectively review hazardous situations. *According to Honda’s research.

The Active Safety Training Park Motegi, a hands-on safety facility, was opened at Twin Ring Motegi based on the concept of allowing visitors to safely experience potential hazards and gain a scientific understanding of safety in an enjoyable way.

A full-scale rollout of KYT (hazard prediction) training using the Honda Riding Simulator began at overseas locations in countries such as Brazil, Vietnam, Turkey, and Thailand.

Honda commercialized the world's first* airbag system for motorcycles, designed to reduce the impact energy on the rider during a frontal collision. Equipped on the Gold Wing. *According to Honda’s research.

The world's first production motorcycle airbag system

The CBR1000RR and CBR600RR were equipped with Electronically Controlled Combined ABS for high-performance supersport motorcycles. *According to Honda’s research.

Overview of Electronically Controlled Combined ABS

The VFR1200F was equipped with a Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) for motorcycles, which is electronically controlled to deliver seamless gear changes with reduced interruption of drive force. *According to Honda’s research.

Mechanism and Evolution of Dual Clutch Transmission

An experimental motorcycle applying balance control technology cultivated through Honda's robotics research was unveiled for the first time in the world at CES 2017. It reduces the motorcycle's tendency to wobble at low speeds or when stopped, and lessens the risk of falling over when maneuvering it.

Training for police officers and motorcycle patrol officers in hazard prediction and safe riding during enforcement activities.

Motorcycle posture control technology. In addition to front wheel steering assist, a new four-bar link swing mechanism was developed. This achieved rider-cooperative control that provides assistance only when there is a high risk of falling, based on a fall-risk indicator.

Honda Riding Assist

Honda announced the Honda E-Clutch, the world's first* electronically controlled clutch that eliminates the need for clutch lever operation through automatic control faster than human input, while still allowing the rider to manually intervene at any time. *According to Honda’s research.

Honda E-Clutch Provides Electronic Clutch Control

With the goal of supporting the safe riding of delivery people, Honda began a joint experiment to detect unsafe riding and provide safety guidance using the Motorcycle Safety Riding Diagnosis App.

A collective term for advanced safety technologies developed based on external environment recognition technology. The vehicle system makes its own judgments based on information about the external environment and rider inputs to provide riding assistance and accident avoidance support.