Founded: 1914
Defunct: 1923
Founder: Ronald Charteris
Headquarters: London, UK

ABC Motors is the name of a former British company, which was specialized in the production of motorcycles and engines for them. The company was one of the industry pioneers and gave birth to motorcycles and scooters, which became the basis for many brands.

Motorcycle History

The ABC company was established in the 1910s, and its main specialization was aircraft engines. The first motorcycle was produced in 1914, and this is when ABC fully changed its direction, ceasing the production of engines.

In 1918 the 400cc motorcycle was introduced, and eight years later it was used as a prototype for one of the BMW models.

The company didn’t leave long and ceased its operations already in 1923, as the market got new players, which had more affordable motorcycles to offer to the public.

Brand Logo

The visual identity of the British motorcycle manufacturer was designed in 1914, with the release of the company’s first vehicle. It was a circular badge with a bold smooth monogram on it. The lettering looked very progressive and stylish for its times, representing the brand as a strong and innovative one.

All capital letters of the ABC inscription were we exited in thick lines with rounded edges, and repeated the circular contours of the emblem, having “B” in the middle as the tallest letter.

Between the two ends of the letter “C”, there was a solid yellow dot, which added uniqueness to the logo and made it memorable and recognizable.

Emblem and Symbol

When placed in the motorcycles of the company, the ABC badge was executed in black, with white lettering and silver outline. The emblem also gained a double silver framing, with the thin inner one; and the thicker — exterior.

The lettering looked distinct and vivid with the silver contouring, and gave an emblem a more elegant and professional look, than on the black and yellow printable version of the logo.

Font and Color

The bold and modern monogram on the ABC logo was executed in a handwritten sans-serif typeface with smooth clean contours of the letters and rounded ends of the bold lines. All angles were softened, which made the wordmark look friendlier and evoke a sense of caress and protection.

The official ABC color palette consisted of intense yet calm shades of yellow and black. It was a bright combination with strong contrast, which reflected the energy of the company and its professionalism.

The badge could also be seen in monochrome, looking more modest and laconic. As for the badge in the actual motorcycles, it was also monochrome, but with sleek silver details, which added confidence and stability to the list of the brand’s qualities.

The Legends

Scotamota by ABC appears to be one of the first scooter models, which became a basis for many future brands, including Vespa. Two other famous ABC bikes are 400cc and 500cc, which both participated in several rallies.

Founded: 1998
Headquarters: Shanshang, Tainan, Taiwan
Official website: www.aeonmotor.com.tw

Aeon is the name of a modern motorcycle manufacturing company, which was founded in Taiwan in 1998. The rights are owned by Aeon Motor Co. Ltd. The brand is known as a quality supplier of machinery and automotive products, in particular, scooters and motorcycles. The main qualities of motorcycles of this brand are reliable engines, high-quality assembling, modern design, a wide range of products, and reasonable prices.

Motorcycle History

The Taiwanese manufacturer of scooters, quads, and minibikes was originally founded in 1970, but for the first 28 years, Aaron was engaged only in the production of plastic parts for motorcycles and scooters. So the official birth of the Aeon motorcycle brand happened in 1998.

In 1998, the company began a rapid growth with a significant expansion of production, and already in 1999 it obtained the international standard ISO 9002 and launched mass production of quads. Since 2000, more than 50 thousand bikes per year are being produced. Today the company specializes in the production of scooters and motorcycles.

Brand Logo

The Aeon visual identity is bright and powerful. The logo of the Taiwanese manufacturer is composed of a circular emblem with an additional wordmark, which is not always used by the brand. As for the changes, Aaron is pretty consistent with its image, so the badge was only refined and slightly modernized throughout the years, without any major changes.

Emblem and Symbol

The Aaron emblem boasts a red circular badge with a white and red stylized “A” on it. A bold and sharp letter has a thick black outline, which makes it look stronger. The white “Motor” lettering is written under the “A”, though sometimes the emblem is being accompanied by a white “Aeon” inscription in the same style as the “A” on the emblem.

Font and Color

Both text parts of the Aeon visual identity are executed in custom fonts, which don’t have any analogs among the available commercial types. The “Motor”, placed on the badge, is written in an italicized sans-serif with the first letter in the lowercase. This font is pretty close to Sofachrome Book Italic, but with some lines and contours modified.

As for the color palette, Aeon uses a classic and powerful combination of white, black, and red. This scheme reflects the strength and professionalism of the brand, pointing to its determination and progressive approach to all processes.

The Legends

The Aeon portfolio includes several models that became very popular across the globe, for their good quality and affordable pricing. Though the most famous bike of the Taiwanese brand is Cobra.

Founded: 1909

Founder: A.J. Stevens

Headquarters: Wolverhampton, UK

AJS is the name of a motorcycle brand from Britain, which was established in 1909. The name of the brand stands for AJ Stevens & Co, after its founder, Joe Stevens. At the very beginning of its history, the company was specialized in the production of both cars and bikes and fully switched to motorcycles only in the 1930s.

Motorcycle History

The first motorcycle was released by AJS in 1897. It was built on the Mitchell engine. Since 1909 the company starts producing its motors and introduced the Wearwell bike. After that AJS released a new model almost once a year, until 1931 when the AJS S3 V-twin was designed.

In 1931 the brand was acquired by Matchless, but they keep using the AJS name for the motorcycle models

Brand Logo

The ornate and elegant visual identity of AJS represents the style of the company, showing its “retro” direction. The brand still uses its original logo, created at the beginning of the 20th century, and it looks stylish and sleek on the fancy AJS motorcycles.

The AJS logo is composed of three letters in a custom bold typeface with some smooth and delicate vignettes at the ends of the lines. The enlarged capital letters are placed whether on a dark blue or white background, changing their color from white to gold.

Emblem and Symbol

The AJS emblem featured the same design from 1909 and varies in decorations from model to model. The most common version is a light blue circular badge with white lettering and a double white outline of the circle. Though there is another way of placing the AJS logo on the bikes — its large gold letters in a black outline are placed directly on the body of the motorcycle, which usually has a black or burgundy color.

Font and Color

The AJS inscription is executed in a custom handwritten typeface; the “J” is slightly taller and more minimalist than two other letters, which feature elongated lines and arched bars.

The black and gold color palette of the AJS visual identity is a symbol of the quality, beauty, and confidence of the brand in its professionalism and expertise.

When executed in blue and white, the AJS badge evokes a sense of reliability and safety, which are two of the most important qualities for any motorcycle manufacturer.

The Legends

The most famous motorcycle of the British brand is definitely AJS Caldwell, a retro-style bike with a four-stroke engine and a smooth balance shaft. The model boasts a chic design, resembling the bikes from the 1950s, looking classy and comfortable.

Founded: 2009
Defunct: 2018
Founder: Derek Dorresteyn, Marc Fenigatein, Jeff Sand
Headquarters: Brisbane, California, USA

Alta was the name of a motorcycle startup, established in California in 2009. The company was focused on the production of electric motorcycles, using innovative technologies both for batteries and engines, and paying a lot of attention to design and details.

Motorcycle History

Alta started a la a very confident and interesting project. The idea of electric motorcycles was elevated by the company to a very height level. The Alta bikes were considered to be one of the most progressive and technological in the world, though the company ceased all operations in 2018.

Brand Logo

The visual identity of the electric motorcycle manufacturer was very minimalist — based only on the name of the company — though it looked progressive and powerful, due to the use of intense colors and bold lines of the letters.

The logo was set in two lines — “Alta” in slightly slanted uppercase letters with a thick underline of “A” and “L” and a modest sans-serif “Motors” being a prolongation of the line.

Emblem and Symbol

When placed on the motorcycles of the brand, the logo was usually shortened to just the “Alta” part, which could be placed on various parts of the bike, and changed its color depending on the background. The most common palettes for the emblem were yellow on white, or white on blue.

Font and Color

The Alta inscription from the official brand’s logo was set in all capitals of an extra-bold sans-serif typeface which is very similar to Tafel Sans Black It, but with slightly extended contours and elongated lines. As for the “Motor” part of the logo, it was also written in the uppercase, though used a more traditional and lightweight sans-serif, the one close to Avenir Next Pro Condensed Bold Italic or Fenomen Sans CN Bold Italic.

The color palette of the Alta visual identity was built around the intense and bright shade of yellow, which could be placed on a white or black background. In the first case, the logo looked energetic and fresh, evoking a sense of speed and freedom, while the black and yellow variant was more stable and confident.

The Legends

Alta Redshift, the first motorcycle of the brand, was waited to become a Tesla among the bikes. It had a very stylish design and good technical characteristics, which allowed it to compete with classic fuel motorcycles.

Founded: 1876
Defunct: 1976
Founder: Carl Schmidt & Hengstenberg
Headquarters: Bielefeld, Germany

Anker is the name of a historical German motorcycle brand, which was established in 1876 and started with the production of sewing machines, and later bicycles. The original name of the company was Bielefeld, which changed to Anker and switched to motorcycles in 1906.

Motorcycle History

1876 – 1906

The history of the former motorcycle manufacturer started in 1876, with the production of sewing machines and bicycles, which were successfully distributed all over Europe. The business went well, though the company saw a new opportunity and changed its profile to motorcycles in 1906. In the same year, it gets a new name Anker-Werke, which can be translated from German as “Anchor Work”.

1906 – 1949

From 1906 and until 1930 Anker-Werke manufactured only one model of motorcycle, which was not perfect from the technical point of view. The company came back to producing sewing machines.

 1949 – 1976

The production of motorcycles was renewed in 1949, and the first bike created by Anker-Werke after World War II was Anker 660, followed by Anker 662 and Anker 665. The last had a pretty powerful for its times 175 CC motor.

Brand Logo

The logo of Anker-Werker has always been based on the graphical representation of the company’s name, an anchor. The very first version was very simple and delicate — a monochrome circular badge with a thin black outline and black anchor, repeating the contours of the badge. The lettering was usually set under the badge, executed in a bold sans-serif typeface.

There was also a logotype, which the company used for different needs. A custom drawn inscription was set in a dark gold and black color palette had its sans-serif letters’ contours clean and some of the bars — arched.

Emblem and Symbol

The Anker-Werker emblem featured a pretty simple yet bright and strong composition, which boasted a vertically oriented oval shape with red letters around its perimeter and a yellow anchor with its lines elongated and going to the sides out of the badge.

Font and Color

The uppercase Anker-Werke logotype was executed in a handwritten typeface with thick clean lines and straight cuts of the letters. The closes font to the one from the Anker visual identity is probably Babetta Neón Case with its art-deco style and arched lines.

As for the color palette, the original logo was set in monochrome, looking timeless and elegant, while the logotype was chicer due to the use of the dark gold shade. The brightest of all versions was the Anker emblem, which featured a combination of yellow, red, and beige and looked delightful, evoking a sense of energy and growth.

The Legends

Anker 665 was the most popular motorcycle of the Herman manufacturer. It had a 175cc engine, while the most powerful bike on the market in that years had a 200cc motor. There was also a “lighter version”, Anker 660, which had a 98 cc engine and also gained popularity pretty fast.

Founded: 1945
Founder: Alberto Beggio
Headquarters: Noale, Italy
Official website: www.aprilia.com

Aprilia is a famous Italian brand, known for its motorcycles. Established in 1945, the company started with the production of bicycles and grew into one of the most reputable sportbikes manufacturers in the world’s market. Since 2014 Aprilia is owned by Piaggio & Co.

Motorcycle History

1945 – 1968

The company was established right after World War II, in 1945, and was focused on the production of bicycles. During its first years, the company was run by its founder, Cavaliere Antonio Beggio.

1968 – 1985

Ivano Beggio replaced his father in 1968, and in the same year, the first Aprilia scooter was produced. Two years later, in 1970, the company launched the production of motocross bikes (Scarabeo). Aprilia starts participating and winning motocross competitions.

1985 – 1990

The 1980s were very important years for the company, a few new models have introduced to the market. They were 125 STX, 359 STX, and AF1, which perfectly showed itself in the World Championship.

1990 – Today

Since 1990 Aprilia became known worldwide as one of the most professional motorcycle manufacturers, constantly updating its portfolio and winning championships.

Brand Logo

Like most of the Italian brands, Aprilia pays a lot of attention to its visual identity and corporate style. Though its logo can not be called unique or special, its minimalistic execution and simplicity make the brand timeless and elegant, even when placed in the masculine Aprilia sports bikes.

Who owns Aprilia?
Since 2014 Aprilia is owned by Piaggio, an Italian automaking company, which was established in 1884 and today has several very well-known brands, such as Vespa, in its portfolio.

The Aprilia logo is composed of the lowercase inscription in a slightly narrowed sans-serif typeface. The lettering is usually written in white and placed on a red or black rectangular, though when set on the motorcycle it can change the colors to graphite, black, or white.

Emblem and Symbol

Aprilia is one of those brands, which prefer the laconic design, so its logotype on a solid rectangular banner also works as the brand’s emblem. When there is a need for a more ornate and delightful look the Aprilia wordmark is being executed in the Italian flag colors, with the first two letters in green, the “Ri” in white, and the last three — in red. In this case, the nameplate is set on a black background.

Font and Color

The Aprilia inscription is set in the lowercase of a traditional sans-serif typeface with bold clean lines and square cuts of the edges. The closest fonts to the one that is used in the logo are Basic Commercial Pro Bold and Sequel Sans VF Display Semi.

Where are Aprilia motorcycles made?
All Aprilia motorcycles are produced at the Italian factory of the company, which is located in Noale, the motherland of the brand.

The official color palette of the Italian brand is composed of red and white, colors that stand for passion, energy, and dynamics. The alternative logo version is executed in monochrome and looks more serious and laconic, pointing to the professionalism and stability of Aprilia.

The Legends

The first big win came to Aprilia with the AF1 sports bike, which won the World Speed Championship in 1987.  Though the most famous model of the brand is Pegaso 600, which first saw the light in 1990, the bike has a very elegant interior and is popular among connoisseurs.

Founded: 2011

Founder: Keanu Reeves, Gard Hollinger

Headquarters: Hawthorne, California, USA

Official website: www.archmotorcycle.com

Arch is an American motorcycle manufacturer, which specializes in the production of luxury custom models. Founded by the famous actor, Keanu Reeves, the brand got extremely popular in no time, introducing its first motorcycle in 2014.

Motorcycle History

The founder of the brand, Keanu Reeves, had always been known for his passion for Motorsport, and after meeting a famous motorcycle designer, Gard Hollinger, the Hollywood actor decided to start manufacturing his bikes, designed according to the highest standards in everything.

Being a very young company, Arch has already designed and produced three motorcycle models, with the flagman KRGT-1, released in 2014, and followed by Arch 1s and Method 143 bikes.

Brand Logo

Arch is a young and progressive company, which pays attention to details in everything, including its visual identity. The logo of the brand is composed of sleek yet laconic lettering, which can be set in one, two, or even three lines, and an emblem, which is not always used on the logo.

The main part of the wordmark is, of course, the “Arch” in all capitals of a custom smooth sans-serif typeface. It is set in red and accompanied by a delicate yet strong black tagline, which can consist of just “Motorcycle” or “Motorcycle Company” inscription.

Emblem and Symbol

The emblem of the motorcycle manufacturer is a stylized monochrome arch, with the mainline bold and black, and some white and black rounded elements under it. The interesting design of the emblem makes the logo look unique and reflects the essence of the brand and its approach to every detail of the manufacturing process.

Font and Color

The Arch logotype uses two different typefaces, the one for the upper line is bold and has the angles of the letters rounded, it looks pretty similar to Eurocine Wide Bold but with the letter “A” redrawn. As for the tagline, it uses a more traditional style of lettering. Its font is close to Boston Semi Bold or Organetto Regular.

The Arch color palette is built around black, red, and white, the colors of strength, passion, and reliability. This is also one of the most powerful combinations, which looks elegant and bright on any background.

The Legends

Though all three models of the brand are pretty popular, the first one, KRGT-1 is still on top of the list, getting upgraded year by year. It is a V-twin bike, with a sharp exquisite design and technical characteristics brought to perfection.

Founded: 1960
Founder: Edgar Hetteen
Headquarters: Thief River Falls, Minnesota, USA
Slogan: Share Our Passion
Official website: www.arcticcat.com

Arctic Cat is the name of an American snowmobile manufacturer, which was established in 1969 and bought by Textron in 2017. The company also produces all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides.

Motorcycle History

The first snowmobiles under the Arctic Cat brand were produced in 1960, followed by the new model only in 1979:

The production of ATV (all-terrain vehicles) started for the company at the beginning of the 1990s and made the brand famous worldwide. A decade later, in 2005, the brand introduced its first side-by-side utility car, followed by the racing line, designed in 2015.

Brand Logo

The laconic logo of Arctic Cat is sharp and edgy, it represents the character of the company and its progressiveness. The logo, composed of an emblem and lettering under it is sometimes accompanied by all the brand’s slogan “Share our passion”.

The official color palette of the Arctic Cat logo is black, though sometimes the lettering or the emblem switch its color to electric-green, which makes the whole composition look completely different — more vivid and energetic.

Emblem and Symbol

The emblem of the brand boasts a sharp and sleek image of a leaping cat, which is facing right, showing its speed and power, and its readiness for tomorrow. The cat has its lines sharp and the edges triangular, which adds to the whole aggressive mood and also makes the emblem look more modern.

Font and Color

The Arctic Cat logotype, placed under the leaping cat, is executed in a traditional sans-serif typeface with neat contours, bold lines, and their edges cut straight. The simplicity of the italicized inscription balances the sharpness of the graphical part, adding stability and seriousness to the brand’s qualities. The typeface of the Arctic Cat wordmark is very similar to such fonts as Squalo Black Italic and Futura Bt Pro Condensed Extra Black.

The monochrome color palette of the Arctic Cat primary logo is a representation of confidence and strength, while its green and black version evokes a sense of growth and success.

The Legends

The most famous product of the American automaker is its M-series snowmobile, which started to be produced by Arctic Cat in 2003 and became one of the market leaders in no time. The refreshed version from 2007, Z1 Jaguar, is another famous model, with the 132kW engine.

Founded: 1902
Defunct: 1970
Founder: James Starley, William Hillman
Headquarters: Bournbrook, Birmingham, UK

Ariel is the name of a former British motorcycle manufacturer, which was established in 1870 and started with the production of bicycles. The first motorcycle was released by the brand in 1902. Throughout its pretty long history, Ariel managed to design and produce some truly iconic models and gained a good reputation for the international market.

Motorcycle History

1902 – 1932

The visual identity of Ariel was based on a very elegant yet laconic badge with bold lettering in the middle. A circular emblem with a burgundy background and a thick gold framing looked professional and bright, while the horizontally oriented banner in the center of the badge was set in black, and had gold capital letters on it.

The central part of the emblem had a vertical striped pattern in gold and black, resembling a classic column.

1932 – 1951

The company was acquired by Components Ltd in 1902 and the w first Ariel motorcycle was manufactured in the same year. It got the name “Arielette” and had three words and two strokes.

1951 – 1970

After 1911 Ariel expands its portfolio, introducing Black Ariel and Ariel Square Four models. During World War II, the company was manufacturing military bikes — Ariel W/NG 350.

2001 – now

The company was sold to BSA in 1951, and this is when its final era started. During almost two decades Ariel designed several popular models: KH and Huntmaster in the early 1959s, Mark 2 Square Four in the mid-1959s, and a 250 FC Ariel Leader in 1959. The 1960s were not too productive and only Pixie (1963) and Arrow 200 (1965) saw the light.

The last model under the Ariel brand was produced in 1970. It was Ariel 3, a tricycle.

Emblem and Symbol

The symbol of the British motorcycle manufacturer boasted a light yet delightful color palette and sleek smooth shapes. It was a yellow wheel “outlined” with the white snake, which had its tail intertwined with the thin gold vertical line, set behind the wheel. The “Ariel” lettering was diagonally placed on a smooth yellow banner, and sometimes additional wordmark was used — arched above the emblem.

Font and Color

The Ariel lettering from the official badge of the brand was set in all capitals of a slightly narrowed sans-serif typeface with clean straight lines and neat contours. The typeface of the logo was handwritten, though resembles such fonts as Opinion Pro Extended Extra Bold and Science Fair JNL.

The burgundy and gold color palette of the Ariel logo is a reflection of the professionalism and the value of the quality. The combination of two royal colors is complemented by black details, which add professionalism and stability to the overall look of the badge.

The Legends

The most well-known models of Arial were 350 CC Red Hunter and Square Four, which was refreshed and modified several times throughout the years. As for the very last model of the brand, Ariel 3, unfortunately, it was a complete disappointment, which failed.

Arlen Ness Logo PNG

Founded: 1970
Founder: Arlen Ness
Headquarters: California, USA
Official website: www.arlenness.com

Arlen Ness is the name of a famous motorcycle designer, who was born in 1938 in the USA. The brand, named after its founder, was established at the beginning of the 1970s, and the first motorcycles were released. Today the company is focused not only on bike production but also on the manufacturing of spare parts.

Motorcycle History

Arlen Ness has been designing custom motorcycles since the early 1970s, and gained extreme popularity very fast, due to his unique and recognizable style. The designer took his inspiration in iconic car models, such as Bugatti and Ferrari, and transferred his feeling of their shapes and speed to the motorcycles. The last bike designed by Arlen Ness himself was the Mach Ness (2005), and since that time most of the models were created by Arlen’s son and grandson. Arlen Ness died in 2019, but his brand keeps living and prospering.

Brand Logo

The Arlen Ness visual identity boasts a sleek and sharp design, brilliantly representing the essence and spirit of the famous brand. The logo is composed of gold and black emblem, and bold white lettering, which is usually set in two lines, in the right or under the badge.

The primary version of the logo features a modern shield placed between two golden wings, symbolizing freedom and speed. Though when placed in the Arlen Ness bikes, the logo is usually simplified to just a crest.

Emblem and Symbol

The Arlen Ness crest has an arched top with sharp peaks and smooth sides. The main part of the shield is executed in plain white or silver (depending on the placement) and has a stylized black letter “A” on it. To balance the letter, the crest is usually outlined in black.

Font and Color

The Arlen Ness logotype in the upper case is executed in a bold custom typeface with horizontally stretched letters and sharp elegant serifs on the ends of the lines. The custom font of the brand’s visual identity looks close to Dungeon RR Extra Bold and Serpentine Std Bold, though with some lines modernized and contours extended.

The original color palette of the brand’s logo is based on the classic tricolor — black, white, and gold. This combination evokes a sense of professionalism and style and makes the badge of Arlen Ness timeless and memorable.

The Legends

Each of the Arlen Ness bikes can be called a legend, as they all are unique and boast awesome designs and top quality. Though, the Mach Ness, created in 2005, deserves special attention, due to its futuristic look, inspired by a turbine.