I tend to agree with you Joe. From a mass marketing perspective I also believe Honda brought motorcycling to the masses back in the late 60's and early 70's with their add campaigns and introductory scooters. They changed the way most people think about motorcycles.
Bike with biggest effect on motorcycling
I have been interested in motorcycles most of my Fifty three-(53) years.
And I was wondering what model of motorcycle do you think has made the biggest mark in the history of motorcycle.
My vote goes to the Honda cub and super cub the little step trough fifty-(50) cc auto clutch bike.
There has been over Thirty-five (35) million of them made and they are still being made
How many of you remember the you meet the nicest people on a Honda add campaign?
That made motorcycles acceptable before if you rode a bike you were looked upon as outlaw. Not to be allowed with decent people
Thats my two cents worth whats yours
And I was wondering what model of motorcycle do you think has made the biggest mark in the history of motorcycle.
My vote goes to the Honda cub and super cub the little step trough fifty-(50) cc auto clutch bike.
There has been over Thirty-five (35) million of them made and they are still being made
How many of you remember the you meet the nicest people on a Honda add campaign?
That made motorcycles acceptable before if you rode a bike you were looked upon as outlaw. Not to be allowed with decent people
Thats my two cents worth whats yours
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the honda 750 four...........all the newer tech stuff
Somebody actually did a show on this and the one you talked about is the one they picked. It introduced a whole new market of people to riding. the honda campaine of you meet the nicest people on a honda started a new wave of riders.
yep, those scooters were the first thing to cross my mind also.
My first bike ever, back in 69 was a little red Honda walk through 50cc scooter with semi-automatic tranny. That is the bike that got me into motorcycling. Although it only did about 30 mph top speed, I kinda miss it, and wish I still had to give to my grandsons. Great memories from that bike, and I thought I was the coolest thing since sliced bread when I rode it lol. Sometimes I wish we could go back to those simple innocent years.
Honda Cub/Super Cub. Followed by the '68 750 Four, than the '83 750 Interceptor.
Thhe Cub opened the door for everyone to ride, without having a 'biker' stigma follow them around. It became acceptable to see "respectable" people riding a motorcycle.
The 750 Four changed the way the industy thought about, and designed bikes. An inline-4, with gobs of power, good handling (for the time), and reasonable light weight (again, for the time) that was reliable, and could be used for almost anything. While none of this was completely new to motorcycles, putting it all in one package, and mass producing it at a price that most could afford was the real watershed. It put the Japanese bikes on the same playing feild as the rest of the performance world, and started (arguably) the HP wars that continue to this day.
And then the V45 750 Interceptor. The first true mass produced racebike for the street. The Interceptor was quite literally, lifted right from the racetrack. V-4 powerplant, single rear shock, and and a boxed perimiter frame were all firsts for the mass market. Before it, if you wanted a true race bike, you had to go to some fairly exotic machinery. It is the grandaddy of all the supersports we know and love today.
Thhe Cub opened the door for everyone to ride, without having a 'biker' stigma follow them around. It became acceptable to see "respectable" people riding a motorcycle.
The 750 Four changed the way the industy thought about, and designed bikes. An inline-4, with gobs of power, good handling (for the time), and reasonable light weight (again, for the time) that was reliable, and could be used for almost anything. While none of this was completely new to motorcycles, putting it all in one package, and mass producing it at a price that most could afford was the real watershed. It put the Japanese bikes on the same playing feild as the rest of the performance world, and started (arguably) the HP wars that continue to this day.
And then the V45 750 Interceptor. The first true mass produced racebike for the street. The Interceptor was quite literally, lifted right from the racetrack. V-4 powerplant, single rear shock, and and a boxed perimiter frame were all firsts for the mass market. Before it, if you wanted a true race bike, you had to go to some fairly exotic machinery. It is the grandaddy of all the supersports we know and love today.
I can't begin to guess what one bike or manufacturer had the greatest impact on motorcycling's popularity. I know the first V Twins from Indian and Harley have had a huge impact on motorcycle design and still do. The Vincent motorcycle company was already out of business when I was born but I've always wanted a Vincent Black Shadow. Still do.
well that's my .02
well that's my .02
I think the Suzuki GS450T has had the greatest impact on motorcycling throughout the world, because that's what I started riding first! 
I'd like to cast my vote for the Royal Enfield V-twin circa 1910-1920, with the Cub coming in a close second.
The Cub may have made motorcycling acceptable to the masses, but Royal Enfield V-twins were the first to bring Mass Produced bikes with easily interchangeable parts to the world.
The ease of parts replacement, and the simplicity of design also made it a great choice for Military Duty around the world, which helped make motorcycles an indispensable part of Mechanized War.
The Cub may have made motorcycling acceptable to the masses, but Royal Enfield V-twins were the first to bring Mass Produced bikes with easily interchangeable parts to the world.
The ease of parts replacement, and the simplicity of design also made it a great choice for Military Duty around the world, which helped make motorcycles an indispensable part of Mechanized War.
The KZs -they set a higher standard of performance and the Ninja 900 -it opened the floodgates for "faired" sportbikes.
Racing in general has had a big impact because of the technology and design brought to the street.
I'd have to suggest the Yami 650 special. Those things were all over the place and helped gear the streetbike mainstream towards performance.
Can't really argue with you on the Enfield!! Did the same thing for motorcycles that the Model-T did for cars.I'd like to cast my vote for the Royal Enfield V-twin circa 1910-1920, with the Cub coming in a close second.
The Cub may have made motorcycling acceptable to the masses, but Royal Enfield V-twins were the first to bring Mass Produced bikes with easily interchangeable parts to the world.
The ease of parts replacement, and the simplicity of design also made it a great choice for Military Duty around the world, which helped make motorcycles an indispensable part of Mechanized War.
I'd have to argue that the KZ's were just a response to the Honda CB Four's. They may have raised the bar, but the Honda created the bar.The KZs -they set a higher standard of performance and the Ninja 900 -it opened the floodgates for "faired" sportbikes.
Would have to say the same for the Ninja 900. Again, though it may have raised the bar, the Interceptor created the bar. Before the VF-750, even "high-performance" bikes were using dual rear shocks, and a standard single-tube backbone, tube frame. They were still basically UJM's with differant accessories hung of from the chasis.
well, if you want to talk about the interceptor, then I'd back up just a few years to my VF750S. The Sabre was the first "standard" bike that Honda put the V4 in. It quickly morphed into the Interceptor by putting some plastic on it.
While the Sabre was in fact Honda's first foray into V4's, and shares very similar motor designs, the Interceptor is much more than just hanging plastics on the Sabre. Totally differant frame design. I don't think it's quite the landmark that the Interceptor is. Mainly due to the fact the the Interceptor created the original template for the modern sportbike.well, if you want to talk about the interceptor, then I'd back up just a few years to my VF750S. The Sabre was the first "standard" bike that Honda put the V4 in. It quickly morphed into the Interceptor by putting some plastic on it.
True. Both were a significant step to taking race developed technology to the streets. I just think it was the step that led to the interceptor. I'd hate to think that they would have otherwise just stuck with that motor in the Magna!While the Sabre was in fact Honda's first foray into V4's, and shares very similar motor designs, the Interceptor is much more than just hanging plastics on the Sabre. Totally differant frame design. I don't think it's quite the landmark that the Interceptor is. Mainly due to the fact the the Interceptor created the original template for the modern sportbike.
That was my point, jase.I'd have to argue that the KZ's were just a response to the Honda CB Four's. They may have raised the bar, but the Honda created the bar.
Would have to say the same for the Ninja 900. Again, though it may have raised the bar, the Interceptor created the bar. Before the VF-750, even "high-performance" bikes were using dual rear shocks, and a standard single-tube backbone, tube frame. They were still basically UJM's with differant accessories hung of from the chasis.
I would have to say the 50 cub also my first bike
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