HONDA MOTORCYCLE AND POWER EQUIPMENT DIVISIONS:

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY AND UNCOMPROMISING QUALITY

Honda Ignites Motorcycle Industry in U.S.

DETROIT, Jan. 10 – In addition to being the world's largest engine maker, and strong global competitor in the auto industry, Honda is also a leader in the motorcycle, power equipment and marine industries.

Honda entered the U.S. motorcycle market for the first time in 1959 with the introduction of the Super Cub and ignited consumer motorcycle enthusiasm in the U.S with it’s ad campaign “You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda.” Today, the company continues to lead the industry, selling more total motorcycles, ATVs and scooters than any other manufacturer.

The motorcycle division sells 57 models, including 40 motorcycles, four scooters and 13 ATVs. In addition, nearly 60 percent of the motorcycles and ATVs sold in the U.S. are assembled in America. Honda is the only Japanese maker that has both a dedicated motorcycle plant and dedicated ATV plant in the United States.

Honda also is a leader in motorcycle safety and education through its consumer-training program at its Rider Education Centers, as well as various ATV safety education campaigns.

Honda also sponsors the Ride for Kids, a series of nationwide fund-raising events held annually for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. In 1999, Ride For Kids raised nearly $2 million.

Honda Power Equipment Division combines innovation with years of experience to produce products that not only perform well, but also meet consumers' needs for dependability, safety and value.

In the past five years Honda power equipment sales have grown more than 90 percent thanks to 10 diverse product lines including lawn mowers, riding mowers, lawn tractors, portable and RV generators, tillers, snow blowers, pumps and general purpose small engines. Honda expects sales to continue to grow as new and more diverse products are introduced. Since 1984, Honda has built lawn mowers and lawn mower engines at Honda Power Equipment Mfg., in North Carolina using domestic and globally sourced parts.

As part of the Power Equipment Division, Honda Marine’s four-stroke outboards are known throughout the world for exceptionally quiet and reliable performance. The company has been building four-stroke outboards since 1964 and has helped advance 4-stroke marine outboard technology with a long history of industry “firsts”. Today there are nearly 50 models in the company’s line of outboards powering a wide variety of pontoon boats, yacht tenders, dinghies, fishing boats, sailboats and inflatables.

In 1997, Honda introduced 130 and 115-horsepower engines, the most powerful 4-stroke outboards available on the market. Additionally, all of the company’s outboards currently produce emission levels significantly below the 2006 model year requirements set by the EPA. Thanks to inherently low emission and sound levels, Honda Marine was chosen as the “Official Marine Power” of Universal Studios Escape, Florida in 1999.

In the new millennium, Honda will continue to offer superior products that combine performance, engineering advancements and value to all its motorcycle, power equipment and marine products.

# # #