Topic: Honda History

[Frankenkit]

Maybe not directly linked to the SOHC4s, but the production of the CBs (year specifically, the '61 CB77s)  I love these quotes from Soichiro because they give you an image of the designer's frame of mind when it came to these motorcycles...

Balance is important for design, yet if balance is over emphasized the result might be a withered one. There is a contradiction between [the passiveness] and the strength of beauty, accompanied by a single direction. This is the hard point.

Suppose there is a man standing, irreproachably dressed, with neat hairstyle, wearing gold-rimmed spectacles and shining shoes. How do we think when we see him?  We will have a feeling that he is lacking a touch of humanly, and we will also feel something ridiculous, for there is no obvious distinction whether he is a human or an ornament. In such case, he will suddenly become alive only by showing a part of his handkerchief out of his pocket without much care, or by wearing spectacles of tortoise-shell instead of gold rim. He can give an impression of liveliness and warmth by doing so. I suppose this is what we call the disharmonized harmony.

A single light in the middle of a room seems to be out of place, yet it also seems to be a reasonable place. This is a good example of disharmony. The example that impresses me as being in the same category is the curled hairstyle of girls who have comparatively projecting foreheads. I am not sure whether such girls realize or not, but the hairstyle that was started for the purpose of hiding the large forehead makes the character of such girls’ personality. Disadvantage is, in a sense, a factor [that] leads to a special character. In other words, disharmony is a factor [that] converts into harmony. Man is not interesting without some imperfection, and the purpose of designing is to elevate their imperfection up to beauty. As I have too many imperfections at this point, I am flattering myself that I am also eligible to be a good designer if I try skillfully.

If originality is like painting, it can go only by originality and that is what painting should be. But producing merchandise is a different story. They say the pictures of Van Gogh were not recognized until his death: yet as far as businesses are concerned if the merchandise were recognized one or two decades after they were lined off, the business could not stand successfully.

I think it is well known that the design of our motorcycle is composed of Japanese sense [that] you can find in Japanese Shrines and Buddhism Temples. Before I started the designing I had been to Nara and Kyoto for about ten days in order to get the spirit and essence of design. If we apply the feeling of Shrines and Temples as [it] really is, the result would naturally be anachronistic. But if we see these historical designs through the screen of modern eyes, there are several excellent points to be applied to modern design. For example, the beauty of the line from the eyebrow to the bridge of the nose of Buddha is so remarkable that such a beautiful line does not seem to be in existence anywhere else. I designed the fuel tank edge-line having the line of the Buddha image in my mind. The knee-grip was tried to express a soft feeling by using a somber finish. The Benly was designed in order to give the friendly and easy feeling by perceiving the idea of a private house of rustic work in the villages around the Rokko mountains.

At any rate, the design of the motor vehicle must be a symphony appreciated visually. As the symphony would be unbalanced by only a single unordinary tone of the trombone, the design must be considered one by one without breaking the balance, such as tires, steering handle, and others. Moreover, each part within the balance has to express its respective unique design. This is of the most importance.

Everyone put your hands on your handlebars , take a deep breath and say

[dn4911]

I could not understand how it could move under its own power. And when it had driven past me, without even thinking why, I found myself chasing it down the road, as hard as I could run.
Soichiro Honda

If you hire only those people you understand, the company will never get people better than you are. Always remember that you often find outstanding people among those you don't particularly like.
Soichiro Honda

Success is 99 percent failure.
Soichiro Honda

Success represents the 1% of your work which results from the 99% that is called failure.
Soichiro Honda

The value of life can be measured by how many times your soul has been deeply stirred.
Soichiro Honda

There is a Japanese proverb that literally goes 'Raise the sail with your stronger hand,' meaning you must go after the opportunities that arise in life that you are best equipped to do.
Soichiro Honda

[Deltarider]

Oh well, what the heck!

^{Soichiro Honda}

[Ichiban 4]

Well Kit..

You know about "wabi-sabi" in Japanese esthetics/design..neh?
Who else but the Japanese would or could come up with a formal way of expressing the randomness of nature like that. [For those not familiar w/the expression..it refers to the often rustic, very subdued patterns of nature..that the Japanese often re-create in things like Zen gardens, tea houses, bonzai, et al.]

Also..I think we Westerners often miss the subtleties of nature and natural designs that many Japanese (certainly of Soichiro Honda's generation) just take for granted.  This..as you probably also know Kit..comes from their native religion of Shinto..which reveres and worships in some sense..the spirit of nature or "kame".

Yeah..I agree with you that the quotes you posted by Honda san seem exceptionally sensitive and thought provoking.

Thanks for sharing..

Ichi

[toycollector10]

Keep those quotes from Soichiro Honda coming.

That Hyabusa thing. "Most powerful, most ugly."   You can quote me