Zhang Xue's Motorcycle Logo Accused of Plagiarism; Design Firm Claims Independent Creation, Welcomes Legal Action

On April 8, 2024, social media users pointed out that the logo of Zhang Xue Motorcycles appeared to be plagiarized, bearing a striking resemblance—in terms of geometric form, line direction, and overall structure—to existing logos used by companies such as ZETA and Zhongle International, with only minor differences in details. The controversy subsequently continued to escalate. On the evening of April 14, Hangzhou Barton Brand Design Co., Ltd. issued a statement asserting that the Zhang Xue Motorcycles logo was independently created by the company and that the relevant trademark had already been filed with and approved for registration by China’s National Intellectual Property Administration. The company stated it welcomes and supports any party believing their rights have been infringed to resolve the dispute through judicial channels. Public records show that Zhang Xue, founder of Zhang Xue Motorcycles, previously disclosed that the brand’s visual identity and store design were commissioned to a Hangzhou-based design firm for RMB 400,000. In a comment on Zhang Xue’s Douyin account, Barton Brand Design explained that the logo uses a blue color scheme to reflect Zhang Xue’s identity as a professional and composed rider, highlight the brand’s technical focus on extreme motorcycle performance and lightweight engineering, and differentiate itself from competitors who predominantly use warm tones. According to Barton Brand Design’s official website, the company completed the comprehensive brand system for Zhang Xue Motorcycles on July 25, 2024, covering logo design, visual identity (VI) system, and spatial design. The logo centers on the initials “ZX” (for Zhang Xue), reconstructed using geometric lines at angles of 28° and 117° to emphasize a sense of racing speed and professional quality. Tianyancha data shows that Hangzhou Barton Brand Design Co., Ltd. was established on July 4, 2008, with registered capital of RMB 5 million. Its legal representative is Zhou Minbin. The company was formerly known as Hangzhou Shunchang Technology Co., Ltd. and operates in brand design, planning, and multimedia design. Its client portfolio also includes brands such as Baimoon (Quanmian Times), Guming, Youkeshu, and Coco Joy. In addition, according to public reports, Zhang Xue mentioned during a livestream that companies should prioritize investment in R&D and products, noting that the early logo for Kove Motorcycles cost only RMB 600, custom-made via Taobao. Regarding rumors that Neta Auto spent RMB 500 million on its logo design, former Neta CEO Zhang Yong clarified on April 18, 2025, that the actual logo design fee did not exceed RMB 1 million, explaining that the “RMB 500 million” figure referred to the cumulative investment over the past seven years in brand communication, channel development, and other related areas under the “Neta” brand. Zhang Xue Motorcycles has recently drawn attention following its back-to-back victories in the middleweight class at the Portuguese round of the 2024 World Superbike Championship.