ATK Logo PNG
The ATK logo is light, streamlined, and airy. Indicates fast driving and low-weight models. The emblem tells the story of the main inventions of motorcycle designers.
ATK was built around Horst Leitner, an Austrian engineer, Grand Prix motocross rider, and International Six Days Trial gold medalist who moved to the United States in 1980. In 1981, he patented a device that reduced chain-drive reaction during hard engine braking. He called it Anti-Tension Kettenantrieb, and its initials gave the company its name.
Leitner first worked from a small shop in Laguna Beach, California, building custom motorcycles and frame kits for Honda XR350 engines. In 1985, Austria’s Puch helped finance full production. The first ATK model was the 560, powered by a 562 cc Rotax four-stroke engine. After frame changes, it became the 604. The first motorcycle, with serial number 1, won the 1984 Barstow-to-Vegas desert race.
ATK then moved into two-stroke off-road bikes after Bombardier, the owner of Can-Am, sought a use for unused Rotax 250 and 406 cc engines. In 1988, Leitner created the ATK 406, a 215-pound open-class motorcycle. When Bombardier left the off-road motorcycle market, Can-Am dealers helped fund the production of the ATK 406, giving ATK a sales network across North America.
In 1987, businessman Ken Wilkes invested in ATK and bought Leitner’s share in 1989. From 1989 to 1995, ATK ranked as the fifth-largest off-road motorcycle producer in North America, behind mainly Honda and KTM. The White family later took over, moved production to Centerville, Utah, and expanded the lineup. In 2003, ATK bought Cannondale Motorsports’ assets. By 2015, new motorcycle production had ended, leaving parts and service support.
Meaning and History
The elegant visual sign alludes to the design features of the manufactured products and perpetuates the founder’s engineering talent.
The thin oval that encloses the name resembles a motorcycle gas tank. Using the words “ATK motorcycle” instead of “fuel” demonstrates that the company’s ideas are the driving force behind the brand. Leitner’s designs were revolutionary. His models 560, 604, and 605 sold for $7,000 to $10,000 and were luxury items. Only an experienced rider in 1989 could take advantage of the full potential of four-stroke engines.
What is ATC?
An American company that was the first to start manufacturing motorcycles with four-stroke engines, using Rotax as the basis. The bikes have been produced in Utah (since 1985) and in Korea with S&T Motors (since 2011). Currently, the main activity is maintaining already-sold models.
The oval also hints at the elongated shape of motorcycles, with rounded, streamlined lines that aid movement.
The name ATK is little understood and not well known to modern buyers. The letters are an abbreviation of the company’s founder, Australian Horst Leitner’s, invention. The Anti-Tension Kettenantrieb device he invented helped control the chain’s movement. In German, the name translates as “anti-tension chain drive.” This system is now known as A-Trak.
When the question arose of what to call the motorcycle company, Leitner decided to immortalize his discovery. The choice indicated that the models of the new company would be based on the designer’s developments. And while he was at the company’s helm, it shone, and its products were in great demand.
Font and Colors
The primary colors are red, black, and blue. Shades were the main ones for all models of the company. Red and blue also evoke the colors of the American flag and underscore the owners’ patriotic spirit.
- Red – high-speed driving, fuel, air cooling, novelties with increased speed.
- Black – the road and the wheels running along it.
- Blue – liquid-cooled engines.
The three letters of the name are multicolored, large, and slightly tilted forward. Demonstrate the company’s movement, development, and sustainable position. The motorcycle inscription font is Century Gothic Paneuropean Bold.