In 1938, entrepreneur John Laan founded Renard Cycles in Tallinn, Estonia, producing motorized bicycles with 98cc Sachs engines. However, the factory was destroyed during WWII, leaving only memories.
In 2008, a new company revived the Renard brand with a vision to restore Estonia’s motorcycle industry. Their first creation was the ambitious Renard Grand Tourer—a high-quality, hand-built carbon monocoque power cruiser featuring a Big Bore V2 engine.
Over the next few years, Renard showcased its bikes at various exhibitions and completed the full type approval process, making the Renard GT street legal with Euro3 homologation. A limited series of Renard GT bikes was produced from 2012 to 2016. The bike’s DNA featured an ultra-light composite unibody, a longitudinally mounted V2 engine, and cutting-edge components. Since 2014, the Renard team has concentrated on building tailor-made motorcycles in Tallinn’s Telliskivi workshop. They primarily work with BMWs but also craft bikes from brands like Harley, Honda, and Guzzi. Bike Exif has recognized Renard as a workshop known for consistently world-class quality. The base model of the R100 starts at 55K, with the higher-end versions going up to around 80K. Production is made to order; the current capacity is about 10 to 20 bikes per year.
Renard is owned by Andres Uibomäe, a motorbike enthusiast who works in the garage daily, building and designing bikes. With a master's degree in industrial design, Andres spent years as the head of a commercial design company before his deep-rooted love for motorcycles led him to pursue bike building full-time.
Back in the 1980s, motorcycles were not just about adrenaline; they also meant independence, the freedom to move around, and the thrill of discovering new places. My first bike was followed by a second, a third, a fifth, and so on. Along the way, I started repairing them, and soon, I realised that building motorcycles was just as - if not more - exciting than riding them. Working with my hands has always been my strength, so I felt at home in this world from the very beginning. In addition to my passion for bikes, I also hold a master’s degree in industrial design. These two aspects combined have shaped my journey and brought me to where I am today. I’m driven by the same force that drives all creative people - something inside me simply wants to come out, and I have no choice but to follow. I feel like I have something to say, and that keeps me going.
Renard operates in a very specific niche—modernising iconic motorcycles from the 1970s and 1980s to the highest level. This approach is influenced by our country's small size and location, as well as my personal understanding of consumer product design (if we can call it that) in the realm of functional objects.
While Renard bikes are produced in small batches, they are not one-offs. They are more of a Made-to-Measure type of product, custom-tailored to the owner’s specifications, similar to a bespoke suit. Since these are vehicles, it’s possible to provide all the necessary certifications and permits for a series bike to be street-legal, whereas doing so for a one-of-a-kind bike is cost-prohibitive. Over the years, Renard has also built around 50 unique bikes, but we have since moved forward with a more refined production model.
There’s no such thing as the perfect motorcycle - perfection is subjective, shaped by the rider, the road, and the moment. Renard motorcycles, for example, are designed with a very particular vision in mind. For me, it’s always about the aesthetics and the emotions a bike evokes. A motorcycle hasn’t been just a mode of transport for a long time - at least not in the traditional sense. A few decades ago, it might have been a practical way to get from A to B, but today, it’s something much more. A motorcycle is an emotion, an experience, a state of mind. It’s a form of self-expression, a way to socialise, a pursuit of inner peace or even an act of pure egoism, depending on how you see it.
When I ride, I do it to better understand how a motorcycle behaves—how it responds to change. What happens if I adjust the suspension or modify the riding position? Does it become more stable or more nervous? The best feeling comes when I realise that every small adjustment, every fine-tuned detail, has a tangible impact on how the machine feels beneath me. It’s a dynamic conversation between rider and machine, where control, balance, and intuition all come together to create something truly special.
What fields or aspects have influenced and inspired Renard’s design philosophy?
I like to think that at Renard, we take a rough diamond and polish it into a gem. Our design philosophy is driven by the idea of creating timeless pieces, not simply functional products. We are inspired by the design of collectable items, not everyday consumer goods. Our goal is to craft motorcycles that don’t just serve a purpose but become treasures that can be appreciated for generations. We believe in small-batch production, where each bike is meticulously crafted to reflect the individual behind it. Renard motorcycles are meant to stand the test of time, both in terms of style and function, without the need to pinpoint an exact date of creation. They are not bound by trends or years; they exist outside of time, continuously inspiring admiration and connection.
One of the most memorable compliments we’ve received came from a specialist blog, where a commenter described the Renard R100 as "the Audrey Hepburn of motorcycles." That comparison stuck with me, not just because it was flattering, but because it captured something essential about what we do. Like Hepburn, our bikes embody timeless elegance, effortless sophistication, and a presence that’s impossible to ignore.
I’ve always believed that when something is truly beautiful, it also works well - not just in a technical sense but on every level - functionality, aesthetics, and that elusive quality that makes an object feel right. A well-designed motorcycle is more than the sum of its parts; it’s a seamless blend of mechanics and emotion, where form and function don’t compete but complement each other. Design is a language, and every motorcycle should have its own unmistakable voice. Renard motorcycles carry a distinct identity - one that is deliberate, refined, and deeply rooted in the past while speaking fluently to the present. A crucial part of this is maintaining historical authenticity.
Vision is essential, but experience is what sharpens intuition. The more you build, the more instinctively you recognise what works. There’s a rhythm to the process, a kind of dialogue between the design and the builder. And with each repetition, that balance between function, beauty, and the intangible poetry of a machine becomes more effortless, until eventually, everything just clicks into place, as if it was always meant to be.