So… What Is That Animal in Our Logo?
We get this question all the time:
“Hey, what’s that animal in your logo?”
Some people guess a wolf, others see a kind of mutant ferret, and one brave soul once suggested “an angry otter.”
The truth is simpler; and far more badass.
It’s a honey badger.
And no, that’s not a joke.
Meet the Honey Badger: Small, Cute… and Terrifying
On paper, the honey badger doesn’t look like much. It’s roughly the size of a fox, with short legs, a stocky body, and a kind of “don’t talk to me before coffee” expression. It does not roar like a lion, it doesn’t sprint like a cheetah, and it will never star in a Disney musical.
And yet, this unassuming little creature is officially known and holds the official Guinness World record as the most fearless animal in the world.
Why? Because the honey badger simply doesn’t care.
Not about size.
Not about odds.
Not about your so-called “apex predators.”
Lions, hyenas, venomous cobras; you name it, the honey badger has picked a fight with it. And more often than not, it walks away. Thick, loose skin makes it extremely hard to injure, it shrugs off bee stings and snakebites, and when grabbed, it can twist around inside a predator’s jaws to bite back. This is not an animal you want annoyed at you.
If you’ve ever gone down the YouTube rabbit hole of “the honey badger doesn’t give a damn / doesn’t give a [bleep],” you already know:
the combination of tiny body, huge attitude, and utter fearlessness is both impressive and absolutely hilarious.
Why Westwind Chose the Honey Badger
At Westwind, we’ve always felt like the honey badger of the motorcycle world.
We’re still a small brand (for now). We don’t have the biggest marketing budgets, the loudest booths, or the longest history compared to some of the “big boys” in the arena. On the surface, we might look like the underdog.
But, just like the honey badger, that’s only how it looks from the outside.
- We are tough: Our gear is built to take hits, scrapes, drops and abuse, then get up and keep going.
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We are fearless: We take on crazy projects, wild ideas and brutal tests most brands politely decline.
- We are relentless: We don’t spend our time bragging. We just quietly go after our objectives and refuse to quit.
We don’t want to be the prettiest animal in the savanna.
We want to be the one that every other animal secretly worries about bumping into in a dark valley.
That’s why we picked the honey badger as our logo: it’s not a random cool-looking beast, it’s a perfect mirror of our spirit and attitude.
The Spirit Behind the Logo
From day one, Westwind was born from a mix of stubbornness, curiosity and a slightly unhealthy love for difficult challenges.
We’ve always resonated with the honey badger’s approach to life:
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Don’t be intimidated by those who look bigger or stronger.
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Don’t be fooled by appearances. Performance is what counts.
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Don’t back down when things get hard; lean into it.
We know we’ll sometimes stumble, experiment, and make mistakes along the way. That’s fine. The honey badger doesn’t care about being perfect; it cares about surviving, adapting, and winning the battles that matter.
And that’s exactly how we see our work: keep improving, keep innovating, keep pushing until our gear can stand up to whatever you throw at it, from a quick blast up the hill behind your house to a continent-crossing expedition.
Why This Matters for Riders
All this might sound like fun animal trivia, but for us, it’s more than that. The honey badger is a daily reminder of what kind of brand we want to be for our riders.
We want our gear to be:
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Unassuming but unstoppable; not flashy for the sake of it, but quietly, brutally effective.
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Ready for a fight; with weather, terrain, mileage, baggage handlers… whatever threatens your trip.
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On your side when it counts; when things go wrong, when conditions turn nasty, when your “little trip” becomes a serious test.
If there’s one animal we trust to stand between you and the chaos of the world, it’s the honey badger. And if there’s one logo we’re proud to put on our gear, it’s that scrappy, fearless little beast.
So Next Time You See Our Logo…
Now you know.
That “mysterious animal” on your Westwind gear is not a wolf, not a bad-tempered raccoon, and definitely not an otter having a bad day. It’s a honey badger. Small in size, huge in attitude, and utterly fearless.
Just like us.
And, we hope, just like you.
If you’re the kind of rider who likes to punch above your weight, take the rough road, and chase the stories you’ll be telling for years… well, you and the honey badger are going to get along just fine.