Renard (motorcycle)
Renard is a motorcycle brand manufactured in Estonia. The brand was founded in 1938 by J. Lään and was based in Tallinn.[1]
Early production
Renard produced lightweight motorcycles from 1938. "Renard" is French for fox, and a fox's head was used as the brand's logo.[2] The first models had a 98cc Sachs two-stroke engine.[3] In March 1944, when the country was occupied by Nazi Germany, during a bombing raid by the Soviets,[4] the factory suffered a direct hit and was destroyed. Production never started again.[2] No examples of the machines exist, but frame no. 2 from 1938 frame survives.[5]
2008 revival
In 2008, a number of Estonian engineers and business people, led by Andres Uibomäe, decided to revive the brand.[1] In April 2010 a prototype of a new motorcycle was presented at the Hanover Technology Fair: the Renard Grand Tourer.[1] This had a 125hp longitudinal eight-valve Moto Guzzi V-twin as power source. The machine had a very modern design, with a carbon fiber/Kevlar monocoque frame and a trailed swing front fork with a single, central coil spring. The first production bike was delivered in September 2015.[2] Production is around 100 units a year.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d "Renard". www.estonianbrands.com. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
- ^ a b c Põldre, Lauri; Tambur, Silver (30 September 2015). "There's a new motorcycle on the road – and it's Estonian". Estonian World. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
- ^ "Oldtimer gallery. Motorcycles". www.autogallery.org.ru. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
- ^ Miljan, Toivo (2004). Historical dictionary of Estonia. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-6571-6.
- ^ "Renard Cycles EST. 1938". renardmotorcycles.com. Retrieved 20 August 2020.