The British challenger disrupting the world of motorcycle clothing.
Created by the founders of Ruroc Helmets, Enginehawk is a British born brand with a clear mission to revolutionise the motorcycle industry and redefine traditional motorcycle wear.
Celebrating one year since the brand’s inception, Enginehawk has been born from a foundation of safety, but has been built with a revolutionary flair for functionality and style, alongside its unique community-based approach to research and development.
With a disruptive mindset to push the boundaries on what motorcycle clothing can be, Enginehawk is made up of a combination of the best engineering minds from motorsport and the most creative designers and garment technicians from the fashion industry. This combined with the community-based ‘Taskforce’ initiative, sees real riders and customers play an active role in the development of every garment, from the very start.
James Kent, Design Director at Enginehawk, said: “When we started Enginehawk, there were really only two options in our market; stylish clothing that lacked adequate protection for riding, or proper motorcycle clothing that lacked everyday style. That’s the gap we aspire to fill, we want to blend that line between riding gear and everyday clothing, focussing on ‘Ride and Wear’ jackets first and foremost. Our ultimate mission with Enginehawk is to create something that you forget you’re wearing – whether that’s on or off the bike.
“Joining the Ruroc team was a dream because I love function over fashion. Most manufacturers will take inspiration from a certain style or something that’s been iconic to them, and then they work to incorporate that functionality to suit their audience. Not here. We start at understanding the core functionality of being a motorcyclist, how they’re moving and what their requirements are, then the design process takes place.”
RE-DEFINING THE INDUSTRY BENCHMARK FOR QUALITY
Inspired by its riders, Enginehawk’s core beliefs and values lie within its meticulous design process to create a product with unquestionable quality. From pinned-down collars that avoid flapping and heavy-duty zippers, to welded thermal properties and careful consideration to sleeve zip placement to avoid scratching the fuel tank – and it doesn’t stop there. The same discipline is instilled in Enginehawk’s partners: The very basics of every item are detailed with care, right down to every button being precisely aligned with the embossed logo at the same angle, every time.
Many manufacturers design using computer-aided design (CAD) technology to achieve precision and clean-cut visualisation from the offset. At Enginehawk however, every seam is created freehand to sit on the natural contours of the body, allowing for a precise, tailored finish with a free-flowing shape that’s true to how we really ride on the bike and our position on the bike, and every detail has a specific purpose to aid comfort, refine the fit or accentuate features.
What started with just three jacket designs at the start of 2021 has expanded into a full line-up of leather and textile apparel, all with that same attention to detail.
“As the excitement started building for this new brand, more and more ideas started flowing,” continued James. “But regardless of whether it’s one million or just one product, we will always put blood, sweat and passion into every design to get things right from the start. If we’re not proud of the product once it’s designed, it won’t get made.
“Even down to the unboxing experience; we want our customers to receive the product with a level of anticipation that echoes how much we love our products, so we made sure this process reflects that same level of quality and feel, amplifying the online purchase experience.”
DUTY TO PROTECT
The very essence of motorcycle clothing is to save lives, which is why every Enginehawk product is fully approved in compliance with CE and CA certifications and is made with the highest grade materials that are abrasion- and tear-resistant, proven to hold up in a slide. Partnering with SAS-TEC, an innovative producer of body armour, all Enginehawk products come with CE-Level 1 elbow, shoulder and back protectors as standard, with the option to be upgraded to Level 2 armour.
DRIVEN BY COMMUNITY
Aiming to bridge the gap between what it makes and what riders want, Enginehawk has built a highly engaged community of riders to listen to and learn from, making its product truly ‘rider-first’. Introducing TASKFORCE: The invitation-only group of real-life riders that, together, have built Enginehawk to what it is today.
Playing an integral role in product development, Taskforce Echo Hotel has been live since February 2021 and started with 3,000 riders that all signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) in order to be a part of something from the very start, providing their feedback and input on key decisions that shape every new Enginehawk product. Now, one year later, Taskforce Echo Hotel has nearly 25,000 active members that help to make Enginehawk products even better, shaping the future of the brand and continuing to revolutionise the world of motorcycle apparel.