Production August 1949–1951 Successor E-Type | Also called Dream Predecessor C-Type | |
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Assembly Japan: Hamamatsu, Shizuoka | ||
The Honda D-Type (also known as the Honda Dream, Honda Dream D-Type, Honda Type D and Honda Model D) was the first motorcycle manufactured by Honda, and was produced from 1949 to 1951. It featured the first semi-automatic transmission in a motorcycle. Although Honda had previously created engines meant to be fitted upon existing bicycle frames to create motorized bicycles, the D-Type was the first complete motorcycle that was produced by Honda. Its introduction pre-dated the sales of Honda motorcycles outside Japan, and was manufactured at the company's original Hamamatsu factory.
The D-Type featured a two-stroke, 98cc, single-cylinder engine, and could produce 3 horsepower. The D-Type was initially received well, however its unique semi-automatic transmission required unusual operation, and its noisy two-stroke engine were considered to be two of the main reasons that Honda decided to replace it with the E-Type as its successor.