The Honda Gyro is a family of small, three-wheeled, single-occupant vehicles sold primarily in Japan, and often used for delivery or express service.
These vehicles are tilting three-wheelers. They combine a tricycle's stopped & low-speed stability with a leaning main-body for stability while turning at speed. They resemble a scooter with a small hinged rear pod containing the engine and two drive wheels. This particular variation was developed and patented by George Wallis of G.L.Wallis & Son in Surbiton, Surrey in 1966. It was first marketed in the failed BSA Ariel 3 of 1970, then licensed to Honda.
Honda has built seven vehicles with this configuration. The first Stream was introduced in 1981, followed closely by three other personal transport versions, the Joy, Just, and Road Fox. All were short-lived, but the cargo-oriented Gyro line begun in 1982 found a ready market, with all three variants still in production in 2008.
It is notable that these vehicles were all powered by a 49 cc 2-stroke engine, while Honda has a long history of producing 49 cc 4-stroke mopeds and light motorbikes. It is possible these vehicles operate within a limited engine-size license class in Japan, forcing Honda to choose a 2-stroke engine to provide enough power for these relatively heavy small vehicles. However, in March 2008 Two-stroke engines of Gyro X and Gyro Canopy were changed to Four-stroke engine, and the production of Gyro Up was discontinued.