Still on my quest to find a suitable new motorcycle, I stumbled upon probably one of the trendiest and most chic motorcycles on the market - the Renard Grand Tourer.
Just to give you some history of this motorcycle. In 1938 Estonian entrepreneur J Laan founded a motorised bicycle manufacturing business in the capital city of Tallinn and called it Renard Cycles. Renard is French for "fox", and a fox's head formed the design of the original logo.
The first motorcycles were simple pipe-framed bikes, equipped with a 98cc Sachs engine.
They looked a bit like a Wanderer motorcycle, even though some of the components looked different - the frame, mudguards and petrol tank were painted black and decorated with gold stripes.
The factory received a direct hit and was completely destroyed in a devastating World War 2 bombing in March 1944 and the promising Estonian motorcycle industry became nothing more than a memory.
In 2008, a group of Estonian entrepreneurs, designers and racing engineers teamed up to revive the Renard brand and their first modern prototype was successfully unveiled at the Hanover Technology Fair in April 2010.
It was named the Renard Grand Tourer, a sporty power cruiser, with best-in-class handling and build quality.
According to company PR, it features an ultra-light composite unibody, 90° V2 engine which is strong and powerful and produces sufficient torque at low revs.
Renard says the GT provides silky smooth acceleration through crowded city streets and the modern air-cooled engine produces approximately 97kW at 8000rpm, with a top speed of 250km/h.
The carbon-fibre monocoque weighs only 11kg, and is reinforced with Kevlar, to make it resistant to impact and vibration.
The composite body is stiffer than a regular tubular frame, ensuring very precise steering. The unibody integrates the motorcycle's frame, petrol tank and airbox into a single load-bearing structure. There is also adjustable suspension.
The Grand Tourer's lightweight, hardened-aluminium components are designed and modelled in 3D, then milled from a solid block by CNC machines. These components provide quality, reliability and a sophisticated appearance.
The manufacturer says the Renard GT is a surgeon's blade on two wheels, providing the rider with a complete and powerful riding experience, intelligent design and immaculate craftsmanship.
Their intention is to create something more than a bike - it is to create the ultimate motorcycle. - Additional reporting Renardmotorcycles.com
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