It had just 34 employees but within a year it would introduce a motorcycle called the Dream, created to provide cheap mobility. By 1955 Honda had become Japan's biggest motorcycle producer then in 1963 the company branched out into truck and car production.

Motorsport followed a year later and in time Honda would save Britain's only major car maker from oblivion (but only for a few years). Honda moved into agricultural machinery, outboard motors and aircraft and it would become the world's most prolific motorcycle maker. It's been a rather busy 70 years and these are only some of the highlights…