Founded: 1945
Founder: Alberto Beggio
Headquarters: Noale, Italy
Official website: www.aprilia.com
Aprilia is a famous Italian brand, known for its motorcycles. Established in 1945, the company started with the production of bicycles and grew into one of the most reputable sportbikes manufacturers in the world’s market. Since 2014 Aprilia is owned by Piaggio & Co.
Motorcycle History
1945 – 1968
The company was established right after World War II, in 1945, and was focused on the production of bicycles. During its first years, the company was run by its founder, Cavaliere Antonio Beggio.
1968 – 1985
Ivano Beggio replaced his father in 1968, and in the same year, the first Aprilia scooter was produced. Two years later, in 1970, the company launched the production of motocross bikes (Scarabeo). Aprilia starts participating and winning motocross competitions.
1985 – 1990
The 1980s were very important years for the company, a few new models have introduced to the market. They were 125 STX, 359 STX, and AF1, which perfectly showed itself in the World Championship.
1990 – Today
Since 1990 Aprilia became known worldwide as one of the most professional motorcycle manufacturers, constantly updating its portfolio and winning championships.
Brand Logo
Like most of the Italian brands, Aprilia pays a lot of attention to its visual identity and corporate style. Though its logo can not be called unique or special, its minimalistic execution and simplicity make the brand timeless and elegant, even when placed in the masculine Aprilia sports bikes.
Who owns Aprilia?
Since 2014 Aprilia is owned by Piaggio, an Italian automaking company, which was established in 1884 and today has several very well-known brands, such as Vespa, in its portfolio.
The Aprilia logo is composed of the lowercase inscription in a slightly narrowed sans-serif typeface. The lettering is usually written in white and placed on a red or black rectangular, though when set on the motorcycle it can change the colors to graphite, black, or white.
Emblem and Symbol
Aprilia is one of those brands, which prefer the laconic design, so its logotype on a solid rectangular banner also works as the brand’s emblem. When there is a need for a more ornate and delightful look the Aprilia wordmark is being executed in the Italian flag colors, with the first two letters in green, the “Ri” in white, and the last three — in red. In this case, the nameplate is set on a black background.
Font and Color
The Aprilia inscription is set in the lowercase of a traditional sans-serif typeface with bold clean lines and square cuts of the edges. The closest fonts to the one that is used in the logo are Basic Commercial Pro Bold and Sequel Sans VF Display Semi.
Where are Aprilia motorcycles made?
All Aprilia motorcycles are produced at the Italian factory of the company, which is located in Noale, the motherland of the brand.
The official color palette of the Italian brand is composed of red and white, colors that stand for passion, energy, and dynamics. The alternative logo version is executed in monochrome and looks more serious and laconic, pointing to the professionalism and stability of Aprilia.
The Legends
The first big win came to Aprilia with the AF1 sports bike, which won the World Speed Championship in 1987. Though the most famous model of the brand is Pegaso 600, which first saw the light in 1990, the bike has a very elegant interior and is popular among connoisseurs.