What else do motorcycle manufacturers make?

While it is common knowledge that Yamaha also makes musical instruments, many bikemakers have had their hands in other industries. From guns to boats, to radios and chainsaws, you can find familiar badges on all kinds of products.

Just as Yamaha’s badge hints at its musical heritage – with its three overlapping tuning forks – Husqvarna’s logo is a nod to its history in firearm manufacturing.

While it hasn’t produced a gun in some time, the company was first founded in 1689 to make muskets and other weapons for the Swedish military.

Over the years, it continued to make weaponry for both military and civilian applications, and at one point, sewing machines and kitchen appliances.

Husky is not the only company to have started out in the firearm business. For instance, it’s no coincidence that Royal Enfield advertises its motorcycles with the catchphrase ‘Made Like a Gun’.

Remember that English motorcycle company BSA? Well the name stands for Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited.

In 1903, Husqvarna began building motorcycles, and in 1919 it started to develop chainsaws and lawnmowers. The brand continues to share the lawn-care space with Honda, which has made choice lawnmowers for many years among other products.

Having been so prolific in this industry, it’s no surprise that Husqvarna and Honda are so good at building reliable small-capacity motors.

Of course, Honda’s main-game is automobiles, having had massive success in particular with its Civic passenger car which has been on the market for nearly half a century.

Kawasaki started out as a shipping company in Tokyo, and continued to build big vessels for many years. In the early 1900s, Team Green built all kinds of transport modes including submarines, locomotives and aeroplanes.

Shortly after buying out Meguro Motorcycle Company in 1963, Kawasaki stamped its name on its first line of motorcycles.

Ducati started out in 1926 producing components for radios, and made complete electronic devices for the military. In fact, the Italian brand still makes electronics under the name Ducati Energia, developing parts for the security and construction industries.

For many years it was believed that the centrepiece of the BMW Roundel badge represented a spinning aeroplane propeller, and with the right kind of eyes it does look like it, but that myth has since been busted.

Nevertheless, the Bavarian brand did build aircraft engines during the First World War. After that, it moved onto produce farm equipment and household items. In 1923, BMW released its first motorcycle – the R 32.

So there you have it. Next time you see a motorcycle company badge on an obscure product, you won't be so surprised.