Yamaha Motorcycle Logo History, Meaning, and Bike Emblem

Yamaha is one of the oldest auto corporations in the world. Many people identify the brand by its logo featuring a phoenix. Here's all you need to know about the iconic logo.

By Carandbike Team

1 mins read

Published on January 14, 2022

Highlights

John Shore, a trumpet player, is the famous Yamaha logo inventor.
Logo features a "Chinese phoenix holding a tuning fork in its mouth."
The last update in the Yamaha logo and tuning fork symbol was in 2016.

We bet many don't know that the symbol in the Yamaha logo is a phoenix holding a fork! If that fact evoked curiosity in you about the Yamaha logo, wait till we uncover more about its history and meaning. Yamaha Corporation is a Japanese brand that indulges in producing quality bikes and many more products! The three tuning forks are an indispensable attribute of Yamaha's logo. Let's dig deeper into the history and meaning of the Yamaha logo! Also Read: Most Expensive Bikes in the World: From Vintage Collectibles to a Sculpture on Wheels - List 2022 Yamaha Logo History and Meaning After Yamaha Corporation's forerunner, Nippon Gakki Co. Ltd., was established, the brand decided to adopt the tuning fork as its corporate identity. The Chinese phoenix holding the tuning fork in its mouth is a trademark logo for Yamaha. After several rounds of changes parallel to the company's growth, Yamaha standardized the emblem. If you are not aware, the tuning fork is a tool that helps in tuning musical instruments. But you might be wondering why Yamaha uses three tuning forks! Well, the three tuning forks in Yamaha's logo symbolize the three pillars of its business – sales, production, and technology. The logo also reflects the company's reputation for music and sound worldwide. Lastly, the brand wanted to convey three essential musical elements through this logo – rhythm, harmony, and melody. You should also know that Yamaha Motor Co., the brand's sister company, uses red. On the other hand, Yamaha Corporation uses violet as its corporate colour. Photo Credit: unsplash.com Emblems of Yamaha Motorcycle Apart from the difference in font colour, the emblems for Yamaha Motors and Yamaha Corporation also differ slightly. In the symbol for Yamaha Corporation, the tuning forks' tips lie within the circle. On the flip side, the Yamaha Motor emblem features tuning forks, with their tips extending beyond the circle. Additionally, if you give both the symbols a good look, you'll notice that the 'M' in both logos are different. Photo Credit: wallpapercave.com Changes in Yamaha Logo Through the Years 1898 – The 1898 design was the iconic design that included the Chinese phoenix. The mark reflected Yamaha's aim for producing only world-class products. 1916 – The brand developed a trademark application only using the tuning forks. 1916 – It submitted a trademark application for the seldom use of tuning forks. 1927 – Yamaha developed a trademark for a rebranded tuning fork and Yamaha Veneer mark. 1934 – It designed an emblem intended for media, catalogues, newspapers, and ads. 1956 – Yamaha submitted a trademark application exclusively for musical instruments. 1959 – Yamaha submitted another trademark application exclusively for musical instruments. 1967 – This year brought the standardization of the range of marks. This white text type was the “reverse design.” 1980 – The “reverse design” of 1967 became the standard version of the mark. 1998 – Yamaha established a unique and standard version of the tuning fork marks. 2016 – This year, the company unified the tuning fork marks. Photo Credit: unsplash.com Were you surprised to learn the history and meaning behind the famous Yamaha logo?