What are these amazing old motorcycle logos??

Right?  Aren't they great?

Any brand worth its salt continues to evolve its visual presence.  Design conventions, mediums and production technologies change all the time and marketing budgets often get a bump to keep pace - or at least stay relevant.

Sometimes, after dozens of iterations, a marque might lose its way and forget its roots.  The best and most resilient, though keep their origins top-of-mind and it might reflect in their logo - sometimes leaving contemporary customers a little confused.  Like Yamaha's for example: the 3-pointed star icon is actually 3 tuning forks, rotated - a nod to their original (and still strong) business in musical instruments.

The 1950's was a perfect storm for the logos we're interested in. Some of the most iconic marketing graphics came from this era of design - fueled by vivid color printing and a the need to stand out in a rapidly-quickening culture of speed and sex. 

Motorcycle racing was still a nascent, homegrown sport and championships were a vied for on a relatively level field.  Privateers and local heroes could compete with the big boy manufacturers for victory.  A trophy almost definitely meant a place in history, but in a crowded market, it could also mean a boon for consumer sales.  More sales meant more revenue, which meant more of everything: hiring the best talent, developing new technology, even acquiring the competition - to win more races.

 

Some of these European motorcycle brands (mostly the Italians) stuck around and have become the icons we all know today - Ducati, Moto Guzzi, Moto Morini, MV Agusta.  Some even received the highest form of flattery: imitation by the Japanese who, depending on who you ask, either improved or stripped the soul from the original engineering.

All the drama and potential revisionist history aside, there were some amazing motorcycle brands from around the world that surfaced in the mid-twentieth century. While most fizzled out from mismanagement or acquisition, they all represent what may be the core charm of those early racing teams: a caffeinated bunch of engineers and racers, working hand-in-glove to build better, lighter and faster machines - all while being extremely cool.

 

In tribute, we present some of these amazing, sometimes-forgotten brands by way of that most Italian beverage. These custom coffee mugs are color-coordinated to best accent the throwback logos and are printed in the US and you'll be sipping a cuppa in about a week.

A great gift for a collector or just an admirer of vintage motorcycles, and frankly, the only viable substitute for bringing bikes in the house.  If you're an observed trials rider, vintage flat tracker, or cafe racer - you  may need a couple, because spares are sometimes the only things that get you home.

Make your mornings a little more... bella.