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1959 Honda team, Tanaka, G. Suzuki, Taniguchi and J. Suzuki

Date(s): 1959

Scope & Content: 1959 was the Honda Team's first year competing at the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy (TT) races. Soichiro Honda first visited the Island in 1954 and saw that the European motorcycles racing in the event were more sophisticated than Honda's. The challenge to make Honda a worldwide brand through racing success started. A win at the world famous TT races would surely put Honda on the map.

Five years later Honda brought his first race team to the TT. There were no race wins for them that year, but Honda riders finished in sixth, seventh, eighth and eleventh places in the 125cc race on the Clypse Course and Honda won that year's 125cc Manufacturer's Cup.

In 1961 Mike Hailwood gave Honda their first TT victories in the Ultra Lightweight and 250cc Lightweight races and he won the 250cc World Championship on a Honda, the first of his five World titles for the brand. Honda have continued to produce race winning machines for TT riders, not least Joey Dunlop and his one- time teammate John McGuinness.

Language: eng

Extent: overall: 16 cm x 12 cm

Item name: photograph

Collection: Photographic Archive

Level: ITEM

ID number: PG/13600/6

Subject tags : #TT&MOTORSPORT

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