Johnson outboards were started by the four Johnson brothers, Louis, Harry, Julius, and Clarence, who began building marine engines in Terre Haute, Indiana, in the early 1900s. After a flood destroyed their first factory, the brothers rebuilt the business and in 1922 introduced a radical new lightweight outboard motor made largely of aluminum. The motors sold strongly, and the Johnson Sea-Horse line became one of the best-known names on American lakes and rivers.

By the mid-1920s Johnson had become a major force in outboard racing and sales, holding more than two hundred patents among the four brothers. The company was acquired by Outboard Marine Corporation in 1935 and remained part of OMC until the corporation's bankruptcy in 2000; Bombardier then bought the brand in 2001. During the mid-1960s, OMC also built snowmobiles under the Johnson Skee-Horse name alongside its Evinrude sleds.

Johnson workshop manuals provide factory service procedures for two-stroke and four-stroke outboard engines, covering powerhead overhaul, fuel and oiling systems, ignition and electrical components, lower unit and gearcase service, and water pump replacement. Manuals include wiring diagrams, torque specifications, troubleshooting and diagnostics, and scheduled maintenance tables with capacities.

Boat owners, marine technicians, and collectors of vintage Johnson outboards all benefit from accurate service documentation, and the same material helps keep the rare Johnson Skee-Horse snowmobiles of the 1960s in working order. Johnson motors were sold in very large numbers, so good service literature still supports a large fleet of working and vintage outboards.