2-Wheeled Tractor: the Rokon Trailbreaker

[SWriverstone]

Am I the only one who had never heard of one of these things before?
The Rokon TrailBreaker:



Holy mountain goat—this thing is INSANE!  
• 2-wheel drive (yes, you read that correctly)
• 15" of ground clearance
• 172cc, 6HP
• Top speed around 20mph
• 3-gallon tank (about 9 hours of runtime on a fillup)
• Weight: 208lbs
• Carrying capacity: 1,000lbs (yes, you read that correctly!)
• Towing capacity: 3,000lbs (yes, you read that correctly!)
• Hollow-drum hubs that will FLOAT the bike when empty  
• Hubs are watertight and will hold 4.5gals each of fuel or water.  
• 100% garden-variety, standard American hardware & parts---a cinch to repair

These have been made for over 50 years, and are apparently bombproof-reliable. Almost every one ever built is still running. And from the reports I've read, NOTHING will stop this thing! It will ride through lakes, up trees, up vertical slopes, through 10-foot-deep mud without even flinching...

Anyone here ever ride one before?

Me likey! This is the perfect trail bike for me, since I've never cared about speed---I'd go out and ride the Erzberg Enduro on one of these puppies!   I might finish last, but I'd finish!

Scott

EDIT: Unreal!   Be sure to check out all the accessories for this baby on their website---all the usual motorcycle stuff (sidecar, bags, barkbusters)...and then they even have a whole agricultural accessory section!   We're talking plow attachments, lawn mowing attachments, wagons, disc harrows, sprayers, the works!  

[naustin]

I'd seen pictures, but I had no idea on the specs!  

[veefer800canuck]

Yeah, I've seen one before. They are slow, but do go through a lot.


They are the original ATV.

[et]

Rokons have been ridden through the Darien Gap.

I believe this was the first time:
http://www.motivation-tools.com/adventures/darien_gap.htm

And if you do a google search for "rokon darien gap" you will find other attempts.

[ZED]

I've ridden one.  It's a three speed.  It's so slow that it's hard to stay up in anything less than third gear.  Go try one out, but start out in third as it's easier that way.  The riders that can ride them really really slowly over obstacles are very skilled in that regard and have way too much time to practice.

They're neat machines, but I wouldn't want one.

P.S. - That's a great story about "Captain Bob" and his friend traversing the Darien Gap.

[R.Markus]

Am I the only one who had never heard of one of these things before?

Probably.

[mtrider16]

Am I the only one who had never heard of one of these things before?

 

Well, no, they have been mentioned before a couple of times in some obscure threads.    Google can be your friend.

I have riden with a guy here in Glendive who has one.  He keeps this thread up in Adventure Rider.

DakotaDon

I have a shirt from when I stopped out at the Romp event they had at the OHV area south of town this year.

Here are the links to two of the ST.N threads that mentioned them.

Weird and Funny Bike Pics thread
Riding in the snow

David

[hhhch45]

I have only seen a couple, but I know they were around when I stated riding in the Sixties.
Jim

[Baz]

When I was a kid, I believe that my friend got one of the 1st ones ever made. This would have been around 1975 or so. His Father picked it up at an auction of some sort.

His was a rear wheel drive (the also came in two wheel drives) and it was powered by a Chrysler 4 stroke engine with a centrifugal clutch. (No transmission here) It would bounce along at 20 or 30 mph or so.

It would go absolutely anywhere (I can't imagine what a two wheel drive model would do) and it was bulletproof. It lived through the abuse of 3 teenagers driving the bejesus out of it, and was then passed along to his older brothers. In fact, I saw it was still running 15 years later. It was actually a great toy for kids as it did not go all that fast, and it took a lot to put it on its side.

I believe the Canadian Army purchased a few, and they were really ideal in the arctic on permafrost & mossy areas. You could actually float one across a river or bog due to the tires. If you buried it in mud, you simply jumped off of it, and it would pop back up to the surface. (You would be in a fine mess however)

I have often thought back to the days on that thing. It's great to see they are still around.

[Black Ice]

I heard of these things before they were even built.  

OK, I'm not quite that old, but it's great to see that they still inspire folks.  And yes, I want one.