It’s not just a wheel if it can also hold 4.5 gallons of liquid.
The Rokon Trail-breaker is a lightweight, balloon-tired, two-wheel-drive motorcycle designed to go anywhere. New Hampshire-based Rokon calls itself America’s second-oldest motorcycle manufacturer (behind that Milwaukee outfit), and the current machine’s clever design has changed little since the 1958 original.
A 7-hp engine and a 29-mph top speed are plenty in this application—the bike’s not street legal, and you wouldn’t want to go much faster anyway. The Trail-Breaker’s front suspension has a claimed eight inches of travel to soften any blows that might come up through the handlebars, and a single coil-over damper supports the seat. But be warned that the fat tires and your body are the primary dampers. This posed no problem on our flat office floors.
After cruising the cube farm, we headed to the off-road park. There, we crawled determinedly up hills and over obstacles, taking advantage of the Rokon’s supreme traction, foot or so of ground clearance, and balletic maneuverability. The low-pressure tires give the Rokon a light footprint on soft ground, but an icy spring day kept us from testing its two-foot fording ability. Supposedly, its hollow-drum wheels add buoyancy. Alternatively, each can hold 4.5 gallons of fuel or water. Or moonshine, for you back-country types.
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With a power take-off-driven generator and water pump available, the Trail-Breaker is more tool than toy. And, at its $7175 price, it can look more than a little silly compared with modern dirt bikes. But it is nonetheless a cult classic. It’s slower than a horse and has the sex appeal of a tank, but it requires no roads. It’s also a great conversation starter, if you enjoy talking to wildlife.
two driven wheels
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