This is the Rokon Mototractor, it’s one of the newer model releases from the decades-old specialist American motorcycle manufacturer, and it offers a towing capacity of up to 2,000 lbs.
Rokon is well-known for their two-wheel drive motorcycles that are beloved by the US military, as well as adventurers, hunters, fire services, park rangers, and others. The bikes can be floated across rivers, they can climb 60º gradients, and the hollow wheels can be used for hauling additional fuel or water.
Fast Facts – The Rokon Mototractor
- The Rokon Mototractor, a newer version of the classic Trail-Breaker, is powered by a 208cc Kohler four-stroke engine, a three-gear range selector, and a top speed of 35 mph. It includes a large rear cargo rack, a smaller front cargo rack, and tires optimized for off-road ability.
- Rokon motorcycles, known for their two-wheel-drive motorcycles, were originally designed in 1958 by Charlie Fehn. Their unique shaft drive, override clutch, and chain allow the front wheel to function independently in corners, solving a key engineering challenge for all-wheel-drive motorcycles.
- Built for rugged, off-road use, the Rokon Mototractor offers an impressive 2,000 lb towing capacity, making it ideal for agricultural work, outdoor adventures, and challenging terrain where traditional motorcycles can struggle to operate effectively.
- Priced at $10,275 USD, the Rokon Mototractor is available in multiple colors, including Black, Olive Drab, and Forest Green. It combines utility with versatility, making it a popular choice with farmers, hunters, outdoor enthusiasts, and the military.
Rokon Motorcycles: A History Speedrun
The story of Rokon and the company’s famous two-wheel drive motorcycles began in 1958 when the first designs were laid out by Charlie Fehn in California. Soon prototypes would be built, and the problem of providing power to the front end of a motorcycle, while retaining steering functionality, would be solved.
Above Video: This vintage video gives a good overview of how the front-wheel drive part of the Rokon drivetrain works.
Charlie Fehn’s patented invention would be called the Trail-Breaker, and it was bought by Nethercutt Industries in 1960 with plans to put it into mass-production. Some production did begin, however numbers were small and the design needed some refinement based on real-world use.
As a result, the rights to the design were bought by Orla Larsen in 1963 who moved production to Wilmington, Vermont. Rokon Inc. bought the design a year later and moved the production to New Hampshire – where the company remains based to this day.
The bumpy start of the Rokon Trail-Breaker was perhaps fitting – it was designed for use on bumpy terrain after all.
The core design of the Rokon Trail-Breaker would remain largely unchanged over the decades, it would be refined somewhat and engine options would be updated from two-stroke to more reliable (and more modern) four-stroke units.
Each Trail-Breaker is built with a tubular steel frame with a centrally-mounted engine. Large, tractor-like front and rear wheels are fitted to aluminum-cylinder wheels, these wheels can be left hollow or filled with fuel or water, containing up to 2.5 gallons each.
Front and rear cargo racks are built in, and each bike gets a single seat, though some have an optional rear padded seat that is removable. Drive is sent from the engine through a torque converter to the transmission, and from there via a chain to the rear wheel, and via a shaft drive and linked chain to the front wheel.
The Rokon Mototractor is one of the toughest and most capable off-road motorcycles money can buy. It can travel up slopes of up to 60º and tow up to 2,000 lbs.
Driving the front wheel of a motorcycle is a relatively complex affair, as in corners the front wheel needs to travel further than the rear – so if both wheels are locked to the engine, the bike will stall or the wheels will slip.
The cleverness of the Rokon design, conceived by Charlie Fehn all those years ago, is based around a shaft drive which travels up to a universal joint under the headstock. From here it travels through an over-ride clutch which allows the front to turn more than the rear, it also disengages the front wheel at full handlebar lock. From here the power is sent down from a sprocket and chain to the front wheel.
While the Rokon Trail-Breaker was the original model, the company now has a number of versions in production aimed at different use-cases. The model family includes the Trail-Breaker, of course, as well as the Ranger, Scout, Fire-Ranger, Mototractor, as well as models specifically for Preppers and Hunters.
The Rokon Mototractor
The Rokon Mototractor is one of the company’s newer offerings. It maintains the classic styling of the Rokon Trail-Breaker but offers more tractor-like features including a larger rear cargo rack with 12×32 inches of space.
The handlebars have pre-fitted aluminum braced Brush Busters and it’s fitted with chunky radial tires to ensure it’ll never get stuck in the mud. Power is provided by a 208cc Kohler single-cylinder, four-stroke engine with fan cooling.
Power is sent via a torque converter to a three-gear range selector, and it has a top speed of 35 mph or 56 km/h. This is typically more than enough for Rokon riders, who more often than not are riding in places where there are no trails, and speeds are lower as a result.
The Mototractor is popular with farmers, hunters, adventurers, and others thanks to its ability to cross almost any terrain. It can even be floated across rivers thanks to the balloon tires with the rider walking alongside.
The towing capacity of the Rokon Mototractor is impressive at 2,000 lbs, making it ideal for use in agricultural applications.
The Mototractor is now available to buy directly from Rokon with an MSRP of $10,275 USD. It comes in a number of colors including Black, Forest Green, Olive Drab, Orange, Red, and Yellow. If you’d like to read more or get one for yourself you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Rokon Inc.
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
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