The French motorcycle industry has a long history. Like the British motorcycle industry, it arose directly from the popular bicycle workshops of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, unlike all modern countries, which have taken the lead in this direction, it was here in 1868 that Louis-Guillaume Perrault invented the world’s first motorcycle. Or rather, “steam bike,” because one day, tired of pedaling, Perrault adapted a small steam engine to his bicycle. Thus, he allowed himself to travel 15 kilometers to and from work effortlessly. As a result, by the beginning of the 20th century, France was already a decade ahead of all other world powers in developing the motorcycle industry and exporting its machines worldwide, including to Japan.
What are French motorcycle brands?
French motorcycle brands include Peugeot, MBK, Motobecane, Voxan, Rene Gillet, Gnome & Rhone, Barigo Motorcycles, Godier & Genoud, and Scorpa. These are both old and relatively young companies.
The middle of the 20th century was a global crisis for the motorcycle industry, affecting this area in France as well. The decline in car prices and the advent of mass production led to the emergence of a more comfortable mode of transportation. The crisis led to all French motorcycle brands closing, as they were unable to withstand such strong competition. Only Motobécane and Peugeot tried to stay afloat. However, Motobécane went out of business in the 70s, leaving the market open for Peugeot. In recent years, three new firms have attempted to revive this trend but failed to capitalize on Peugeot’s good fortune.
Peugeot
In 1898, in the town of Mander, the company founded by Armand Peugeot began producing motorcycles. The range includes scooters and components needed to repair motorcycles sold worldwide. However, the scooters became very profitable, which halted motorcycle production until 2010, when the Peugeot P2x Roadster and P2x Cafe Racer were reintroduced to the factory’s inventory. However, in 2019, the owners decided to sell the brand to Indian company Mahindra, which makes scooters and tricycles at its sites in France and China.
The company’s trademark, the lion, is recognized not only by car enthusiasts. Its popularity was promoted by the cult movie “Taxi” by Luc Besson. Over the years, the brand’s logo has changed, while consistently preserving its concept. The Lion Fil logo, depicting a heraldic roaring lion standing on its hind legs and characterized by its refined, sophisticated design, remained on Peugeot motorcycles until the brand’s sale. It consisted of several colors: silver, blue, and black, each with its own emotional component and special meaning. The silver color symbolizes a blend of innovation and tradition, reflecting many years of experience. The black color demonstrated its rigor and authority.
MBK
One of the leading French motorcycle companies, MBK, is an offshoot of the oldest French motorcycle manufacturer, Motobecane. Its founders were Charles Benoit and Abel Bardin. The company first introduced a two-wheeled machine with a power plant under its trademark in 1923. After seven years, the company became the largest representative of the French motorcycle industry and remained a world leader in the field until the 1950s. In 1981, during the crisis year, the company went bankrupt, and three years later, it was acquired by the Japanese motorcycle company Yamaha. In this case, the brand’s name was reduced to MBK.
The company’s name combines two words, “moto” and “bike.” The new owner changed the logo to three letters, which are used today. Visually, the sign features these three letters of the abbreviation in bright blue, in lowercase, in a font similar to Shapiro Base Plus. It is complemented by a sign in the form of a circle tilted to one side, symbolizing a wheel, and two hemispheres tilted to the other side, which together create a visual perception of the mark as a schematic depiction of the atom’s perpetual-motion machine.
Voxan
The young French brand Voxan made its name in 1995. Its founder, Jacques Gardette from Issouar, wanted to realize his idea for an original motorcycle, a unique design featuring a V-shaped two-cylinder engine. Sodemo Moteurs was responsible for the engine, and Alain Chevalier for the chassis. The company’s primary focus was on transitioning to electric motors. In 2009, the brand was sold to Venturi of Monaco, owned by Gildo Pallanca. Venturi Automobiles has continued to develop Voxan motorcycles along the same lines, launching the first Wattman electric motorcycle in 2013.
The brand stands out not only for its design and engine type. Its logo is also original in execution and has a spectacular visual design. It is based on the brand name itself, Voxan, made in lowercase letters, in which the accent element is the letter “X.” This symbol is made with the connection of the letters “O” and “N,” at the same time forming a crossbar “A,” reinforcing the impact. At the same time, the “rainbow” color in a gradient design, from “Death Indigo” through shades of blue-gray, periwinkle, lavender, and back to blue-gray and indigo, provides a strong visual impact. Agility Std Heavy was taken as a base and given a design treatment.
Rene Gillet
The famous French motorcycle manufacturer, René Gillet, produced motorcycles from 1897 to 1957. Initially, its production was located in Paris. Then, in the factory suburb Monrouge, on the banks of the Seine. The first two-wheeled “horse” was produced in 1902, and in 1904, the owner registered his first patent. Success came in the twenties of the last century thanks to government orders. However, the war years led to a decline in production. The lack of new developments drastically reduced sales. In 1955, Peugeot bought the company, and it closed completely five years later.
The French style of that time influenced the formation of the brand’s emblems. The lightness and delicacy of the design of vaudeville posters and Moulin Rouge posters were evident in the text. In deep red, the light, floral typeface matched the lightness and flashiness of the motorcycle’s design, attracting fans even more than the features did. The two words of the brand name were arranged in a staggered pattern, one below the other. They were united by an arc, which, smoothly, as a continuation of the leg of the letter “t,” went up around the whole text, ending before the beginning of the first letter of the second word. The arc was made of different thicknesses. It increased and then faded towards the end.
Gnome & Rhone
Almost all French, not only French, airplanes of the early XX century were equipped with Gnome & Rhone engines, bringing them worldwide fame during the 1914-1918 period. Following the end of hostilities, the company’s capacity enabled it to begin producing motorcycles, thereby expanding its interest in the civilian market. However, the outbreak of World War II required new developments in aviation. The company worked for the German Luftwaffe, necessitating its cessation of operations under direct, accurate Allied bombing. In 1945, its operations were discontinued, except for the small-scale production of motorcycles and bicycles, which Snecma took over in 1949.
The company’s emblem accurately reflected its core business. The circle, symbolizing the movement of propeller blades, with the central part occupied by a stylized image of an airplane cabin with two departing from its propellers, was made in light brown. This symbolized the wooden material used to assemble airplanes at that time. In contrast, the inner free field was black, symbolizing assertiveness and steadfastness in pursuing the goal. Later, this color took on a different interpretation, becoming associated with the development of the Luftwaffe, whose uniforms also featured it. To the right of the upper blade and the left of the lower blade were segments with brown stripes, creating the illusion of the propeller rotation. The brand name went from top to bottom, along with the blades. In the remaining two free sectors to the right and left of the propeller, filled with black, the first letters of the name were applied in red, allowing us to compare this color combination with the colors of the Nazi German flag.
Barigo Motorcycles
The brand’s founder, Patrick Barigo, a former motorcycle racer from Thouars, France, established the brand in 1973. The failures that occurred throughout the athlete’s career motivated him to design his own motorcycle, ultimately leading to victory. His first step was an attempt to create a machine based on the Bultaco 250 in 1976. However, favoring the four-stroke engine type, he modernized the chassis, becoming the first in the world to create such a model. Subsequent victories in motorcycle races increased interest in the brand. 1986 marked the introduction of the Tanagra supermotard. However, financial difficulties hindered the company’s development. In 1993, he surprised the world again by creating two models purchased by the police. But in 1997, the company closed down.
The Barigo logo was simple and laconic. The brand name was inscribed into the contours of the French flag as a stylized arrow pointing forward. The text was broken down into several elements. All letters at the beginning of the word “Bari” were connected, and the last two letters were separated as if forming the English word “go,” which added a semantic load about moving forward. The text was inscribed in the middle white part of the flag, pointing from bottom to top to symbolize this movement. The background color of the letters is light beige with white strokes, stylized as a headwind characterizing high speed.
Godier & Genoud
For 25 years, from 1970 to 1995, French riders Georges Godier and Alain Genoud modernized Kawasaki and Honda motorcycles. They changed the wheelbase to a trackbase. During the modernization process, they utilized an engine of their own design. However, such machinery was not in demand. As a result, the 1990s became the last attempt to realize their ideas profitably. At this time, another fast road customs was created, but with the same result. In 1995, the brand was closed down.
The owners paid little attention to their brand’s visual identity. An emblem was created and placed not only on motorcycles but also on office stickers and signs of the company’s production department. It was a text consisting of 2 words, the founders’ surnames. Written in capital letters, “Godlier generous” in two lines, with the second word shifted to the right by one sign relative to the upper one, the text was not characterized by intricacy or special attractiveness. Graphically, it was made volumetric by casting shadows with a mat. Simplicity and laconism remained in the memory of those who had the time to become acquainted with various types of brand products.
Scorpa
Scorpa is one of the youngest French motorcycle brands, established in 1993. The production was based around the town of Alès. Founded by Marc Teysier and Joel Domergue, the company developed trial motorcycles designed specifically for the sport of the same name, which involved performing difficult tricks and overcoming obstacles. In 1994, the first model, WORKS 294, was released. However, the company was liquidated due to internal conflict in the summer of 2009. However, in the fall, Marc Teissier bought back the brand and, by 2010, was preparing to release several new models at a new address in Ales, Nîmes.
The brand was represented by an emblem featuring a stylized scorpion preparing to strike, with the brand name displayed beneath. The text and the mark were rendered in black, the color of the future, a symbol of renunciation in the name of victory, of unrestrained pursuit of the goal. The font chosen for the visualization, Personalization Regular, was redesigned to better match the company’s spirit. All the letters were slanted to the right, symbolizing the starting tension and acceleration. The letters “P” and “P”, “lost some of their legs,” causing the gap to merge with the blank interior of the letterheads, creating a stylized look of high-speed movement. The letter “A” is made as a starting “shoe.”