Renard is a motorcycle brand manufactured in Estonia. The brand was founded in 1938 by J. Lään and was based in Tallinn.[1]
| Industry | Motorcycle manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1938 in Tallinn, Estonia |
| Founder | J. Lään |
| Headquarters | Tallinn , Estonia |
| Website | renardmotorcycles |
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] and had an appearance similar to a Wanderer motorcycle. They were finished in black with gold coach-lines.[4] In March 1944, when the country was occupied by Nazi Germany, during a bombing raid by the Soviets,[5] the factory suffered a direct hit and was destroyed. Production never started again.[2][6] No examples of the machines exist, but frame no. 2 from 1938 frame survives.[7][8]
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][8] This has a 125hp longitudinal eight-valve Moto Guzzi V-twin as power source.[9] 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.[4] The first production bike was delivered in September 2015.[2] Production is around 100 units a year.[1]