Realising the dream at the TT - Lily Publications

The story starts when Honda team travelled 6,000 miles from Japan to the Isle of Man for the 1959 Tourist Trophy motorcycle races. But when Honda secured the 125cc manufacturers team award on its debut the mockers were silenced and wins in two 1961 TT races proved that the Japanese factory had become a major force in motorcycling. During the following six years, Hondas boldly innovative four-stroke machinery notched up victories in every solo TT race on the punishing 37.73-mile Mountain Course. After a period away from the TT Honda returned to the regenerated the races, where its UK-based team supported the event more consistently than any other maker and set the pace for them to match. Many of the greatest TT riders have been Honda-powered including Mike Hailwood, Jim Redman, Steve Hislop and John McGuinness was first to reach 130mph and of course the King of the Mountain himself Joey Dunlop, was the winner of 24 TT races for Honda.