COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 336991

Motorcycles

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

18companies1857–1987founding years18still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedSmith & Wesson Corporation
1857
FoundedRaleigh UK Ltd.
1888
FoundedKawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.FoundedPSA Peugeot Citroen S.A.
1896
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedTriumph Motorcycles Ltd.
1906
FoundedSaucony Inc.
1910
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedBayerische Motoren Werke AG
1917
FoundedSuzuki Motor Corporation
1920
FoundedDucati Motor Holding S.p.A.
1926
FoundedHuffy Corporation
1928
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedBridgestone Corporation
1931
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedShimano Inc.
1940
FoundedBajaj Auto Limited
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedHonda Motor Company Limited
1948
FoundedSANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
1950
FoundedPolaris Industries Inc.
1954
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
FoundedSpecialized Bicycle Components Inc.
1974
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedSRAM Corporation
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Smith & Wesson Corporation →
Active · founded 1857
Smith & Wesson Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer of handguns.
Raleigh UK Ltd. →
Active · founded 1888 · United Kingdom
Raleigh UK Ltd.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1896 · Japan
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.
PSA Peugeot Citroen S.A. →
Active · founded 1896 · France
PSA Peugeot Citroen S.A.
Triumph Motorcycles Ltd. →
Active · founded 1906 · United Kingdom
One of the oldest names in motorcycle manufacturing, Triumph Motorcycles Ltd.
Saucony Inc. →
Active · founded 1910
Saucony Inc.
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG →
Active · founded 1917 · Germany
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, popularly known as BMW, is a global manufacturer and marketer of luxury automobiles and…
Suzuki Motor Corporation →
Active · founded 1920 · Japan
Suzuki Motor Corporation is Japan's fourth largest automaker (trailing Toyota Motor Corporation, Nissan Motor Co.,…
Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1926 · Italy
Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.
Huffy Corporation →
Active · founded 1928
The largest manufacturer of bicycles in the world, Huffy Corporation is the parent company of four wholly owned…
Bridgestone Corporation →
Active · founded 1931 · Japan
Bridgestone Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer of tires, and the company is number three in the North…
Shimano Inc. →
Active · founded 1940 · Japan
Shimano Inc.
Bajaj Auto Limited →
Active · founded 1945 · India
Bajaj Auto Limited is India's largest manufacturer of scooters and motorcycles.
Honda Motor Company Limited →
Active · founded 1948
Honda Motor Company Limited is perhaps best known as an automaker--it is the third largest automaker in Japan--but the…
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1950 · Japan
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
Polaris Industries Inc. →
Active · founded 1954
Polaris Industries Inc.
Specialized Bicycle Components Inc. →
Active · founded 1974
Specialized Bicycle Components Inc.
SRAM Corporation →
Active · founded 1987
SRAM Corporation is a leading producer of bicycle components.
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