Motorcycle Brands - How They Started Trivia

Motorcycle Brands' - How They Started Trivia


With meticulous and painstaking research, in Google & Wikipedia,
yours truly, the TurbanRider presents you a list that is not
the result of years of being at the forefront
of the motorcycle industry.  I'd be plain stupid if
I traveled the world to take photos
of some of the motorcycles featured here.  I'd be a fool if
I paid royalties to some of the logos featured here
just for your viewing pleasure.

Honda Cars Logo

Honda Motorcycles Logo

Honda Cub - Discovery Channel's greatest motorcycle ever!

1. Honda used to make piston rings for Toyota.  Mr. Soichiro Honda Founded the Honda Technical Research Institue in 1946 and produced motorized bicycles.  They singlehandedly changed the way people think about motorcycles by coming up with the campaign "you meet the nicest people on a Honda" as contrast to brusque, leather-clad biker gangs often depicted in the media.

BMW Logo

2. BMW or Bavarian Motor Works used to make aircraft engines.  The Heinkel He 162 Spatz was powered by the BMW 132 and 801 engines.  in 2012, Forbes listed BMW as the most refutable company in the world.

The Enfield part of the logo is reminiscent of their previous business of guns

3. Considered one of the oldest motorcycle companies still operating, the Royal Enfield used to manufacture weapons, hence the tagline "made like a gun, goes like a bullet".  An Enfield gun can be seen in the Corregidor Museum as it was used in the World War 2.

Ducati Logo

4. The epitomy of premiumness and exclusivity, the Italian-bred Ducati used to make radio components.  The founders are Antonio Cavalieri and his three sons. In 1935, they put up a new factory in Borgo Panigale.  Panigale is now the name of most powerful production bike in the world with 195bhp, the Ducati Panigale 1199

Husqvarna logo

5.  Did you know that Husqvarna has been making motorcycles since 1903 at Huskvarna (not a typo). 

Husaberg logo

6. Husaberg bikes were created in 1988, and 2014 will be the end of the line for them, as well as their 25th year in existence.

Kawasaki's old logo

Contrary to popular belief, red is Kawasaki's corporate color

7. Kawasaki first made aircrafts and used to make motorcycles under the name Meguro.  Kawasaki is now known for their Ninja, a lineup of sportbike models.

Iconic HD logo

8. Harley-Davidson was founded by William Harley and three brothers, Arthur, Walter and William Davidson in Milwaukee.  HD is one of the two motorcycle companies to survive the World Wars and the Great Depression.

The movie World's Fastest Indian is not about those native Americans running amok

9. The only other American motorcycle brand to survive the Great Depression, Indian Motocycle Co (yes not a type, MOTOCYCLE without R) were producing motorcycles since 1901.  Basing on their status now, hard to believe it was once the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world.

motorcycle division

instrument division.  see the difference?

A Yamaha Snowmobile

10. Yamaha first made boats and outboard motors before making motorcycles.  Yamaha is now known for MotoGP winning bike the YZR-M1, with foremost racer in the world, Valentino Rossi.  They are also known for making musical instruments.  The Waverunner is the top selling personal watercraft.  They also make snowmobiles and ATVs.

Think cafe racer movies.  Or Marlon Brando.

11. It was just established relatively recently in 1984, but is now the largest British motorcycle manufacturer in the world, Triumph is owned by John Bloor.   Triumph's marketing strategy included associating with Marlon Brando, Bob Dylan, James Dean, Elvis Presley, and Steve McQueen  whom  a special edition of their Bonneville motorcycle was named after.

Can you guess what's in the logo?

12. Another Italian motorcycle is the Cagiva, which initially created metal components.  The name is derived from the founder Claudio's son CAstiglioni GIovanni VArese.  

Victory against what?

13. Victory Motorcycles, relatively new player in the industry just started creating motorcycles in 1998 in Iowa.  It is created to directly compete with the HD.

Orange?

14. Ready to race KTM wasn't really always ready to race.  Founder Johann (Hans) Trunkenpolz smade a living in metalworking and locksmith shop in Mattighofen.  He only started making those beautiful offroaders in 1951, the R100.  KTM, by the ways stands for  Kraftfahrzeug Trunkenpolz Mattighofen

Italians seem fond of red

15. As with many other motorcycle manufacturers today, Aprilia started out making bicycles.  Did you know that Max Biaggi, Loris Capirossi and Valentino Rossi started racing in an Aprilia bike?

Moto Guzzi logo

16. Moto Guzzi now holds the record for the longest continuous producer of motorcycles.  Their engines are noted for the unique configuration of sideways V-twin.  The eagle with spread wings in the logo is a commemoration of one of the founders who is a pilot who died in an air crash days after World War 2.  The three friends Carlo Guzzi, Giovanni Ravelli (the pilot) and Giorgio Parodi started the company in 1921.

MV Agusta logo

17. The MV in MV Agusta stands for Meccanica Verghera, They started operating in Milan, Italy in 1945.  They love racing and have won races in the MotoGP and in the Isle of Man.

Vespa GL

Classic scooters

18. Rinaldo Piaggio started the company in 1884 making trains.  During the war, they made airplanes.  Now, the Piaggio group consists of the following motorcycle brands: Moto Guzzi, Gilera, Derbi, Scarabeo, Vespa, Piaggio and Aprilia.   

Also marketed as Motorstar Z200 in the Philippines

Zongshen logo

19. Zuo Zongshen was poor when he was growing up.  Now his company, Zongshen employs 18,000 people and one of the biggest motorcycle manufacturers, producing one million motorcycles a year.  They have partnerships with Harley-Davidson and Piaggio.  

How do you pronounce this?

20. It's a little unbelievable that Peugeot has been producing motorcycles since 1989, when they are most known for cars.

Marketed as Kawasaki here in the Philippines

Bajaj rickshaw

21.  Bajaj is a major motorcycle maker in India and is also famous for their rugged three wheeled vehicle.  The founder is Jamnalal Bajaj in 1930.  It is the 3rd largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world.

velo means bike!

literal moped - Velosolex

22. The term moped is a portmanteau of motorized pedal, in which only Velosolex could only best fit the term.  They started selling mopeds in 1946 immediately after the war.

looks like 4 year old's doodlings

23. The IMZ-Ural's first motorcycle was modeled after a BMW sidecar the R71.  The IMZ in the name means Irbit Motorcycle Works.

KYMCO makes great scooters

24. Kymco actually stands for Kwang Yang Motor Company based in Taiwan.  Kymco used to make parts for Honda until they started to manufacture their own lineup.  Kymco is the fifth largest scooter manufacturer in the world.  Kymco supplies motorcycle parts to BMW and Kawasaki.

SYM makes great scooters also

25. Sanyang Motorcycles first started business in 1947 as trading company.  In 1962, they partnered up with Honda to assemble motorcycles.  Now SYM has partnered with Hyundai for the local industry.


Hope you read the fine prints.


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