Benelli Logo PNG
The Benelli logo signifies leadership in its segment. It shows the premium quality and power of the company’s motorcycle engine. The emblem guarantees the vehicle’s long life, during which maximum performance awaits the buyer.
Benelli: Brand overview
The history of Benelli began in 1911 in Pesaro, when Teresa Benelli opened a workshop for her six sons. Early work focused on repairs and parts, while World War I brought technical experience. In 1919, the brothers built their first engine, followed by the Velomotore motorcycle in 1921.
In 1926, Giuseppe Benelli developed a 175 cc four-stroke engine with an overhead camshaft. Racing success followed, with Tonino Benelli winning Italian championships between 1927 and 1931. In 1939, Ted Mellors secured a win at the Isle of Man TT.
World War II destroyed the factory, but production resumed using rebuilt military bikes. In 1950, Dario Ambrosini won the 250 cc world championship. That same year, Giuseppe left to found Motobi. The two companies merged again in 1962.
In 1969, Kel Carruthers delivered another world title. Financial problems led to a 1972 sale to Alejandro de Tomaso, who also controlled Moto Guzzi and Maserati. In 1975, Benelli released the 750 Sei, the first production six-cylinder motorcycle, but high costs limited its success.
Ownership changed again in 1988 and 1995, with attempts to revive the brand through scooters and models such as the Tornado 900 Tre. Racing efforts continued but remained unprofitable.
In 2005, Qianjiang Motorcycle Group acquired Benelli, keeping design in Italy and moving production to China. In 2016, Qianjiang joined Geely Holding.
New models such as the TRK 502 and the Leoncino 500, launched in 2017, restored its market presence, competing with the Honda Africa Twin and the BMW G 310 GS.
Meaning and History
In Benelli’s history, there are many lion emblems. The proud predator has been decorating the shiny sides of motorcycles for at least a century, emphasizing the brand’s visual identity.
For a hundred years, only the art has changed. Once, it was primitive, which gave the animal a cartoonish appearance. But as the company evolved, the artists updated the logo, making the lion black-and-white. They also added deeper-meaning elements: a laurel wreath (symbolizing victory and triumph) and three stars (portending a successful future).
What is Benelli?
Benelli is an Italian motorcycle brand, the second oldest in the country. It has existed since 1911 and continues to produce two-wheeled equipment. Currently, the factory is owned by the Chinese company Qianjiang Motorcycle, which is part of the Geely Holding Group. The headquarters are located in Pesaro (Marche).
1911 – 1925
The Italian motorcycle brand’s debut emblem resembled a wheel with a studded tire. High and low protrusions were distributed along the entire circumference in sequence. They served as a border. They were followed by a wide azure stripe with two inscriptions indicating the trademark’s founders: “Fratelli” at the top and “Pesaro” at the bottom. Then there was a green circle, crossed horizontally by a red rectangle. There was also the text “Brevetti,” “G. Benelli,” and the company name in large print. The central inscription was yellow with a black border.
1925 – 1932
In 1925, the developers undertook a redesign of the logo. It turned out successful: in place of spikes and stripes, a laurel wreath appeared, at the top a shining star, and the central circle was reduced. Some of the inscriptions disappeared – only three remained. Among them are Benelli (in the middle), Fratelli, and Pesaro (in the green background).
1932 – 1951
The designers kept the emblem’s round shape and made some refinements. First of all, they finalized the laurel branches, adding more details. To give the wreath a realistic look, they drew veins and berries. They removed the triple frame from the rectangle, enlarged the letters, and made them white. In the upper part of the circle, symbolizing the sky, there are three large stars; in the lower part, a pale green field on which the lion is walking. The predator has a proud posture and a raised paw, which he uses to point left.
1951 – 1972
The year 1951 was a turning point in the logo’s history because, after a long history of a round logo with many small details, a concise text version appeared. Thus began the era of the letter logo. The shape of the letters changed significantly: they became italicized and lowercase, except for the capital “B”. The dot above the letter “i,” the developers’ oval, and the inter-letter spaces were painted black. All characters now have a dark outline, which makes the white characters appear hollow.
1972 – 1995
Delving deeper into the text logo theme, the designers changed the logo’s style. The letters are now serifed, printed, and gold-colored.
1995 – today
At the turn of the millennium, the brand brought back one of its old 1932 emblems. The adjustments were mainly to the colors and internal elements. The developers painted the laurel wreath green, the lion, stars, and earth white, and the sky and background in metal. In addition, short strokes around the stars were removed, which gave them a glowing effect. In the center, as before, is the company name taken from the previous logo.
Font and Colors
The current logo looks like a silver medallion, from which horizontal lines diverge in both directions. A shadow is cast on the bottom half of the circle, creating a gradient effect.
Inside is a green wreath with detailed leaves. It surrounds the other elements. Below is a lion walking to the left. Above three white stars with black outlines. In the very center is the company name. If earlier the word “Benelli” was placed in a red rectangle, now it is not limited by any frames.
The font of the inscription is vintage, with short serifs. It cannot be considered classic, as the designers used original typographic techniques. The tops of “n,” “l,” and “i” are slightly beveled. The connecting strokes “e” are also uneven: they are stretched upward diagonally.