T.W.O. - Renard Grand Tourer

Renard Motorcycles was founded in 1938 in Estonia. The word 'Renard' is French for “fox”, and a fox’s head formed the original Renard logo. The first Renards were simple pipe-frame motorised bicycles, equipped with a 98cc Sachs single-cylinder engine. They were visually similar to their contemporary, a motorcycle called the Wanderer, although some of the components had a different look; the frame, mudguards and petrol tank were painted black and decorated with gold stripes.The company was successful throughout much of WWII until a devastating airstrike destroyed the company factory in 1944. No complete pre-war Renard motorized bicycle exists today, although frame no. 2 from 1938 has survived.
In 2008, a group of Estonian entrepreneurs, designers and racing engineers joined forces to revive the Renard brand. The company’s vision is to restore the Estonian motorcycle industry, which hasn't existed since WWII.
In April of 2010, the first “modern” prototype was successfully unveiled at the Hanover Technology Fair – the Renard Grand Tourer. In some respects the Renard GT is a European cousin of the bikes produced by Confederate Motorcycles in the United States, the models made by both companies are based around classic v-twins and use a wide variety of highly advanced components to create bikes that look like the sort of thing Batman will ride in the year 2113.
The Renard GT is powered by a 1326cc, Moto Guzzi Quattrovalvole v-twin; it produces 123bhp at 7100 rpm and 99lb/ft of torque at 5600 rpm. The frame is a single-unit carbon fibre monocoque giving the bike a relatively light weight of 170kgs. Power is transmitted to the rear wheel via a mechanical 6-speed transmission and shaft-drive; the suspension is provided by Öhlins on the front and rear.
This bike has had some unkind words said about it since it's introduction, but I like this bike. It has a very different look that, despite the Confederate comparisons, really does defy logical comparison. Yes the fork and copious use of Carbon fibre invite comparison, but that for me is where it ends. Other bikes have girder front ends and use carbon and bear about as much (dis)similarity with this bike as the Confederate does. It's a different style that unlike some have stated in various forums I don't find offensive at all; in fact it's somewhat refreshing. You can try to relate it to choppers, sportbikes, nakeds, bobbers, etc. all you want, but this one defies categorisation. To me, it looks like an evolution of a "standard" concept; upright but sporty position, no race-spec fairings, no bags, just a bike you could spend all day on and not need a chiropractor afterwards.
- Amazosan

Here the official press release from Renard's website:


'The Renard GT´s chassis is manufactured entirely from carbon epoxy composite. Monocoque weighs only 9 kilograms, and is reinforced with Kevlar, to make it resistant to impact and vibration. Thanks to an increased cross-section, the composite body is stiffer than a regular motorcycle tubular frame. Added ridigity will increase steering precision and thus ensures very precise steering.'

'The fuel tank is a result of the alliance between Renard GT's distinctive carbon fibre monocoque and the ATL's fuel cell technology known from F1 racing, based on the same weave construction as ATL’s revolutionary rubberized fabric. Using duPont Kevlar fibres and an ATL proprietary synthetic elastomer coating makes the fuel cell remarkably tough and durable coupled with extreme light-weight, high flexibility and compactness.'

'The Motogadget m-unit is the heart of the Renard GT´s electrical system, it controls fully digitally all shifting with a microprocessor and an advanced semiconductor technology - with no mechanical relays. This is a new dimension of the vehicles electrical system.'

'The Dymag carbon CA5 motorcycle wheels have been designed using 30 years of experience of the lightweight wheel technology. These stylish ultra-light and ultra-strong one-piece 5 Spoke wheels will transform GT's handling and performance. Front 2.2 kg (4.8 lbs), rear 2.9 kg (6.4 lbs).'

'The Ohlins TTX Shock is fully adjustable with maximized damper response together with the qualities you’ve never seen before when it comes to "settings". The adjustment range is huge, even the shape of the damping curve can easily be changed.'

'The technology behind Renard's unique silencer has been developed using the patent pending experimental techniques in hot mean flow conditions. Novel laser-cut capillary tubes have been designed especially for Renard GT to achieve the characteristics of sound propagation requested by Euro 3 and at the same time not losing engine power output.'

WEKFEST Hawaii 2013

17/2/2013, Ward Centre Parking Garage, Honolulu, Hawaii.
WEKFEST is a car show organised by Weksos Industries, a company offering tuning equipment and products for various Japanese car brands over over 10 years. WEKFEST Hawaii 2013 was the third year of this event, held in a multi-story car park in downtown Honolulu. More pics here.
Photos by Jose Ontiveros Dave Coulter, Aaron Boost.

The Magnificent Seven

Chopped Swede - Hammered M30-Powered 2002

The things that you find on the wilderness that is the internet. We found these pictures while looking for info for a Drag Racing History article (yes, we are working on new ones, but info gathering is taking a while). Some of the photos aren't of the greatest quality and there is absolutely bugger all information attached; we're guessing by the number plate it's in Sweden. But boy, does it look cool; like something that might have been featured in an issue of Chrome & Flames circa early 90's. Well, lets put the clues together and see if we can see what makes this 2002 tick.
Well first off that roof chop; at a guess it must be two inches lower, with the front and rears screens laid back to suit. Then there's that Zender body kit, reminiscent of the X-pack kit that graced many a MKII Escort in the 80's. If the rear lights are leaving you a little perplexed as to their origin, they're from an early BMW E21. The lights were easy, but the wheels are foxing us; they look like 8x13" cross-spokes, but the make eludes us, but the tread on those fat tyres is unmistakably BF Goodrich Radial T/A.
That engine sure looks like it's built to boogie; a BMW M30 straight-six, with triple Webers and a tubular exhaust manifold; no doubt it hustles this child of the New Class along at an indecent rate of knots. The rear end must have surely been uprated to match, as a standard '02 diff would never be able to take the abuse that engine could throw at it; maybe the small case differential followed the rear lights from the E21?
The centre console in that interior sure did; we'd recognise it anywhere. Hard not to really, given that Amazo-san could probably recite E21 part numbers from memory having owned quite a few of the first 3er. Those seats have been pirated from a CSL coupé however, and very nice they look too. The eagle-eyed among you might be wondering what on earth those pipes are on the passenger side; well they're water pipes as they lead to the boot, where the radiator, battery and practically anything that didn't fit into the engine bay live, seeing as that mighty M30 has claimed dibs on most of the under-bonnet real estate. I sure hope the owner doesn't get any leaks or overheating issues, as anti-freeze would probably be a tad irksome to remove from one's Hush Puppies. A discreet cage rounds off the interior fixtures.
No doubt it's not to everyone's tastes, but we're loving it here.

Boucles de Spa Classic Rally, Belgium, 18th February 2013

Citröen WRC driver Mikko Hirvonen was competing at the rally in a 1985 Citroen Visa 1000 Pistes.

Just before the end of the 2nd stage,a  fuel line broke in the engine bay and sprayed fuel onto the exhaust, causing a massive fire in the engine bay.

Both Hirvonen and co-driver Ilka Minor - Evgeny Novikov’s usual co-driver, who was deputising for a sick Jarmo Lehtinen – managed to escape the car without injury and helped to put out the flames.

Lamborghini Veneno Preview

The new Lamborghini Veneno that will be unveiled in a couple of days at the Geneva motor show. Just 3 will be built (in red, white and green, the colours of the Italian flag) with a price tag of £3.1m.

The Amazo Effect. Now On Facebook

You read that right; all  you Facebookers should now be able to see our new Facebook page #fanfare# Yay! Woo-Hoo! Er-but why?

Well anyone that uses Facebook on a regular basis (like myself) knows that it really is a curate's egg. Just to clarify to some who aren't quite aware what that phrase means, well it basically describes something that is at least partly bad, but with some arguably redeeming features. Well wade through the memes and semi-porn and there are some pretty darn good car-related pages. So, why not us? Theres the rationale. But this outpost of our blog will be a little different to the mothership; it will have more different content, things that are not quite right here but are worthy anyway. Annnnd... it will shoot from the hip just that little bit more.
Myself and my disparate band of cohorts that are Team Amazo think you'll like it.