In today’s market, the Chinese industry has firmly established itself. This applies not only to economy-segment goods, which China is often associated with, but also to many other things. These include famous Chinese motorcycle brands and the concepts behind their logos. Each such logo is a miniature representation of the company’s message to customers.
What are Chinese motorcycle brands?
This is an overview of the most famous motorcycle brands registered in China and manufactured in Chinese factories. These include CF Moto, Haojue, Jialing, Jianshe, Lexmoto, Lifan, Loncin, Qianjiang, Shineray, and Wuxi Futong.
CF Moto
The company recently celebrated its 30th anniversary in the motorcycle and ATV market. CF Moto is China’s most powerful exporter of these vehicles. Until two years ago, the company had around 2,700 showrooms worldwide.
Initially, the company specialized only in motorcycle production. Over ten years ago, it added ATVs to its assortment, a move that many extreme sports fans worldwide have appreciated.
When you consider the company logo, the symbolism of the “metallic” color immediately catches the eye. This is organic in this context because not-for-nothing motorcycles are often called “iron horses.” The symbol, enclosed in a horizontal oval, resembles a cross between the letters C and F. This is a very good design solution. The inclined letters evoke the dynamics and drive of motorcycle riding.
The company name sits at the bottom of the logo. The brand name looks fresh and stylish, and the soft letter outlines fit the logo’s overall shape.
Haojue
Haojue is a large, modern Chinese manufacturer that produces about 2 million units annually. It mainly serves the state’s domestic market.
The company’s logo looks very ambitious. The logo designers made a stylized crown from the two letters in the brand name. Such a decision is beneficial in several contexts at once:
- The visual accent adds expressiveness to the logo.
- The crown, as a symbol, conveys prestige and status.
- The red color visually strengthens this part of the logo.
The symbol itself is blue, with the company’s name underneath. This is a winning option for balance. Blue tones in logos indicate the company’s seriousness and its deep, thoughtful approach to its business. Thus, the depth of blue balances some of the red color’s provocation. The logo is thoughtful and cute.
Jialing
The company’s peculiarity is that it is state-owned. Its history is solid and interesting, as it was founded in 1875. Initially, it produced military equipment and weapons. The company’s strategic direction changed much later, in 1979. During this period, the company began producing motorcycles.
The company logo uses white, black, and blue tones. The white-and-black combination conveys concreteness and efficiency. The blue color, as in the previous logo, gives more depth. Soft shapes and smooth lines characterize the font and the image above it. The only exception is the isosceles rhombus within the visual form.
Jianshe
The history of the Jianshe brand is somewhat similar to Jialing’s. It was founded in 1889 as a firearms factory. For a long time, Jianshe served as a leading defense enterprise in the state. In 1980, motorcycle production began. In 2004, the company became Yamaha’s largest partner in China. This path shows the development and willingness to transform.
The company logo combines red, white, blue, and turquoise shades. Stylistically, the combination of blue and turquoise font shades with smooth outlines is a trend. The same applies to how the letters in the company’s name are reflected in stylish visual forms. In this case, the symbol, which uses white and red colors, is enclosed in a red square. This makes the logo recognizable and effective. The calmer shades of the letters add harmony to the overall picture.
Lexmoto
Lexmoto is another popular Chinese motorcycle manufacturer. Among the company’s priorities for its target audience are fuel efficiency and driving pleasure. The company is a major motorcycle importer. For example, Lexmoto motorcycles are the third-most-popular brand in the UK.
The logo uses black and red colors. Black font complements the symbol formed by three rhombuses in the overall composition. As in some other variants described earlier, the font’s smooth outlines balance the geometric shapes.
Lifan
Lifan is a major global motorcycle exporter. By some estimates, the company is the most recognizable in its segment for motorcycle exports. It is known for its large production volumes and strong sales of manufactured motorcycles, and its research department develops modern production technologies. Thus, today, the company owns about 7,000 patents.
Again, the logo uses black and red. The capital letter of the name is used three times, each in a different size. This visual composition is enclosed in a horizontal oval. The red color’s brevity and catchiness make the logo bright. The trademark name is written in black letters with smoothed edges. All logo letters are angled, providing stylistic unity. The company also presents itself through its logo without deviating from general trends. It is about the oblique letters.
Loncin
The company is known for its production facilities and is one of the most popular in China. Notably, the company’s success led to cooperation with BMW, for which it produces 30,000 engines per year. Loncin is one of the few companies that participated in international FIM competitions. In MotoGP, the company has shown it is the only Chinese manufacturer whose motorcycles can compete at the highest level.
The Loncin logo has the same slanted font with smoothed letter corners. Again, it combines red, white, and black colors. The slanted rhombus is divided into segments. In general, the logo concept is stylistically unified and aligns with prevailing trends in Chinese motorcycle brand logos.
Qianjiang
Qianjiang is among the few brands that have successfully tapped the European market. It is no surprise that a special second name, Keeway, was even invented for export, making it more recognizable in both sound and meaning to European audiences.
Although the company’s logo conveys the trends described above, it still looks unique. Common solutions include the red color and oblique, “soft”-edged letters. We can observe the same in the visual stylization of the name’s first letter. However, the very format of this stylization, with the letter Q depicted as a key, makes it highly recognizable. This is what makes this logo stand out among the others.
Shineray
You could call it a kind of “chip” of the company Shineray in the production process, as it is one of the few Chinese enterprises specializing in off-road vehicle production.
The brand’s logo uses black and red colors, which is nothing new. The same applies to the visual symbolism within a horizontal oval, as seen in the previously described logos. However, this logo has some unique solutions. For example, the brand name uses different text colors. Its interesting presentation is unique; some letters pass into others.
Wuxi Futong
The Wuxi Futong logo also uses a horizontal oval. However, it uses bright blue. Interestingly, the letter F is “inscribed” in the logo: one part merges with part of the oval, and the other two lines lead to the center.
On the one hand, the blue color symbolizes depth and seriousness; on the other hand, its bright, saturated shade conveys dynamism.
Although the company was registered in 2007, it has a long history. However, strong production volumes and high car demand allow Wuxi Futong to maintain its market position confidently.
Zongshen
In the Zongshen logo, we again see red and an italic font. However, distinctive features make this logo recognizable and interesting, as seen in the Qianjiang brand. These are wings depicted by combining and crossing several tiers of red lines. The figure above the brand name looks very effective in the logo. It visually strengthens it.
As for the company’s history, its rapid rise to success largely reflects the logo’s underlying idea. In 1992, Master Zuo Zongshen founded a small workshop. Today, this man is among the 100 wealthiest people in China, and his path is often compared to that of Honda’s founder.
A characteristic feature of Chinese motorcycle brands’ logos is their frequent use of similar visual techniques. These include black, red, white, and blue. They also stylize letters to match the meanings conveyed by the company name. Another such feature is the use of geometric shapes, particularly ovals. It also uses slanted fonts, as if reminding one of the movement to which these companies’ motorcycles “call.” At the same time, each logo conveys something unique that makes it recognizable among others.