was a company that manufactured motorcycles from 1948 to 1967. The company's Lilac model motorcycle garnered attention when it was recognized as one of the 180 best pieces of engineering in Japan (日本の自動車技術180選).

History

Tadashi Itō started Marusho in Hamamatsu, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, in 1948 after studying business management with Soichiro Honda

Soichiro Honda

was a Japanese engineer and industrialist, and founder of Honda Motor Co., Ltd..Honda was born in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan on November 17, 1906. He spent his early childhood helping his father, Gihei, a blacksmith, with his bicycle repair business. At the time his mother, Mika, was a weaver. At...

. The company produced shaft driven models like the Lilac, and showcased its technical prowess to the world in the Mount Asama Volcano Race, competing well against the likes of Honda

Honda

is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

, Yamaha

Yamaha

Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...

, and Suzuki

Suzuki

is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...

. Company founder Tadashi Itō died in 2005 at the age of 92.

Lilac motorcycles

• Dragon (350cc)
• Lancer (350cc)
• AQ (125cc)
• UY (250cc)
• BR (175cc)
• PV (125cc)
• LS (250cc)
• ML 1950 150cc 2.43 kW/4000rpm
• LB 1952 150cc
• KD 1952 150cc
• LS38 Lilac.Lancer.MkV 1959 250cc 14.92 kW/8000rpm
• DP90 New.Baby.Lilac 1958 90cc 2.94 kW/5000rpm
• LS18 MkII 1960 250cc 13.1 kW/6800rpm
• C130 1964 125cc 10.9 kW/11000rpm
• JF Baby.Lilac 1953 90cc 2.4 kW/5500rpm
• Lilac.R92 Marusho.ST 1964 500cc 26.2 kW/6300rpm
• Lilac.R92 Marusho.magnum.Electra 1966 500cc 27.9 kW/7000rpm
• Lilac.CF40 1960 125cc 7.72 kW/8000rpm
• Lilac.Lance.SW 1955 400cc 8.82 kW/4800rpm
• Lilac.Lance.SY 1955 250cc 6.25 kW/4700rpm