Yamaha Logo

Yamaha Logo PNG

The Yamaha emblem guarantees speed and perfect riding. A motorcycle of this brand rushes like an arrow in the direction the driver chooses. The emblem predicts good luck and evokes a sense of harmony and balance.

Meaning and History

In fact, the career growth of the brand began a long time ago – in 1887, when Torakusu Yamaha established Nippon Gakki Co. Ltd. to manufacture musical instruments. Gradually, the successful organization expanded and began to open related divisions not related to the core business. One of them is the equipment manufacturing subsidiary of the same name.

The transportation division emerged in the post-war years when the demand for pianos decreased while the demand for motorcycles and other means of transportation increased. It gradually moved away from the parent corporation and became legally independent. But financially, it is still linked to it, as Yamaha Corporation (formerly Nippon Gakki) holds a controlling interest.

The Yamaha Motor Company logo is a tribute to the founder. It depicts three tuning forks for musical instruments. They are intertwined with each other in an original shape and form a customized pattern. During the entire existence of the brand, it had only two corporate symbols. The first one – black and white – was used until 1998. The second is a red sign with a metallic shine, which is still relevant now.

What is Yamaha?

Yamaha is a Japanese multinational corporation founded in 1887. It is one of the leading manufacturers of musical instruments in the world. Since 1955, the company has also produced legendary motorcycles. Its founder is Torakusu Yamaha. The company is headquartered in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

1955 – 1964

The debut logo shows a large letter “M” combined with tuning forks. Their outlines can be seen in the figure of the letter and its gaps. In total, there are three stylized instrument tuning forks, one in the center and two others on the right and left. Each of them repeats the written symbol, forming a single structure since it cannot be said that this is a textual emblem: it contains only graphics. Three more forks cross each other and are placed at the top, above the word “motorcycle” emblem. In this way, the two-wheeler company is thanking the parent company that makes musical instruments. All elements are surrounded by a thin ring and placed inside an even circle.

1964 – today

After the redesign, there was a radical revolution in the corporate style, and there are several reasons for this:

1. The developers added text to the logo.
2. The bulky letter “M” disappeared from the visual identification mark.
3. The tuning forks have been reconfigured and placed in a double ring.

The nozzles are positioned to give the rim the shape of shaped elements resembling hubs. The brand name is in a smooth font. The chopped symbols are clearly visible on a white background and are easy to read.

1998 – present

This variant of the logo is iconic, as it first appeared in colorful colors. The background circle, edge lines, and lettering are colored red, while the forks and the wide dividing stripe are colored metallic. This is done to emphasize the similarity of the badge to the wheel and rim. In addition, a gradient and sparkling highlights have been added to the circle to make it look more convex.

Font and Colors

The logos of both the main corporation and the transportation division are very similar in appearance. This is because the subsidiary manufactured products under the brand name of the parent company and only separated from it in 1964. In 1976, it received its own trademark, which differed from the basic one in some details.

In the word “Yamaha,” the center element of the letter “M” is symmetrical and has the correct shape, while in the corporate logo, it is shortened. The next difference is in the tuning forks. In the motorcycle manufacturer, the tips extend beyond the inner circle and contact the outer band. While in the emblem of the music giant, the circle is only one, and the forks do not reach the edge at all.

Forks symbolize the unification of rhythm, harmony, and melody. The Yamaha emblem symbolizes the basis of business partnerships: technology, production, and trade. The logo also signifies a powerful life force securely enclosed in a closed circle.

Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. Uses a symmetrical typographic emblem in which the middle column of the letter “M” is not abbreviated. The lettering is in a smooth sans-serif uppercase font. The color palette of the transportation brand is black, white, and red, while the parent corporation uses purple only in the logo.

Yamaha color codes