The story took place in a world plagued by Shocker, a mysterious terrorist organization. To fulfill its plan of world domination, the group recruited its agents through kidnapping, turning them into monstrous cyborgs using advanced technology and, ultimately, performed DNA manipulation. However, one of the victims was rescued just before the final step, and his name was Hongo Takeshi (本郷 猛). With his sanity and moral conscience remaining intact, Hongo assumed the identity of the costumed grasshopper-like cyborg superhero Kamen Rider and battled Shocker with his newly acquired powers of strength & speed as well as his customized super motorcycle Cyclone.