Zundapp Logo PNG
Founded: 1917
Defunct: 1984
Founder: Frits Neumeyer
Headquarters: Nuremberg, Germany
Zundapp is the name of a historical motorcycle manufacturer, which was established in Germany in 1917 and ceased all operations in 1984. The brand was very famous not only in Europe, but all over the world, and has released several truly iconic models throughout its pretty long history.
Motorcycle History
The German company Zundapp was created in 1917 by Fritz Neumeyer. The initial specialization of the Nuremberg company was military-oriented, the company manufactured shells and detonators.
In 1919, when the relevance of military products has waned, Zundapp re-oriented its activity to the production of motorcycles, introducing a vehicle with a sidecar — Zündapp KS 750 — in the same year. During World War II, engineers and workers of Zundapp produced motorcycles for the Wehrmacht.
After the war, the brand kept creating new bikes. In 1951, the KS601 saw the light. It was a powerful motorcycle belonging to the heavy class. In 1957 the company decided to try something new, and the unique Zundapp Janus came off the assembly line – a real micro-car. In 1958 the company relocated to Munich and started a new production there.
In 1984, Zundapp went bankrupt and the entire production was bought by the government of China for only 8 million EUR. All equipment was disassembled and transported to Tianjin, where the German machines became a basis for the production of new motorcycles under the brand Tianjin Motorcycle Co.
Brand Logo
The visual identity of the historical German brand was pretty ornate compared though due to the use of straight lines and sharp figures, it didn’t look feminine or overloaded.
The Zundapp logo was composed of a red crest with a double white outline and a white image set in the middle of the crest, which was placed on three horizontal lines, symbolizing wings.
Emblem and Symbol
The symbol on the Zundapp logo is composed of an arrow, stylized as a lighting bolt and symbolizing progress, growth, and energy. The arrow was pointing upright, which means movement and success. The wings on the Zundapp badge background were used by almost all motorcycle manufacturers of those times, as a symbol of speed and freedom.
Font and Color
The official version of the Zundapp visual identity had no lettering on it, though sometimes the company used wordmark, and they were always executed in simple and clean sans-serif typefaces, with all the letters capitalized.
The official color palette of the brand was red and white, but the logo could also be seen in blue and white or monochrome. All three options looked strong and elegant, showing the professionalism of the brand and its confidence.
The Legends
In 1972, Zundapp introduced a new model, which was clearly ahead of its time with its 500-watt electric motor. In 1976 came the Zundapp KS 175 with a 163 CC, 17 hp, liquid-cooled engine, front-wheel disc brakes, and cast wheels. The machine weighed 120 kg and could reach 130 km/h. It was a good competitor to Japanese motorcycles Kawasaki KH250, Suzuki GT Ram Air and Yamaha RD 350, already well established in the market.