In addition to the more familiar tire manufacturing nowadays, the company produced bicycles beginning in 1946, powered bicycles beginning in 1949, and motorbikes from 1958 through 1971. This grew out of an automotive part trading company in Japan run by Soichiro Ishibashi, the company name being taken from a literal translation of his name in English — Ishi - stone, Bashi - bridge.

Several Japanese motorcycle manufacturers went under in the early sixties. Bridgestone was doing well and absorbed former employees of failed companies like Tohatsu and Lilac. Out of this came their most well known series of motorcycles, based on rotary valve engines, ranging in size from 50cc to 350cc. This line began in 1964, and were so advanced for the day they continued generally unchanged through 1971. Build and engineering quality reached a new high. In addition to 100% phenolic self-lubricating disc valves instead of the two-piece phenolic/metal seen on other makes (which tended to part company after a while)