Rokon motorcycles are among the coolest things to ever come out of New England. The light, tough, two wheel drive bikes are like tractors on two wheels. They have been around since the 1960s and as you will see in this video, they have been bad ass since day one. Their famed “Trail Breaker” model is still in production and awesomely enough, it has not changed a ton over the years. With their aluminum drum style wheels and tractor-like tires with huge sidewalls, Rokons look like no other motorcycle in Earth and they don’t perform like them either.
The whole machine weighs 218lbs, stands 41 inches to the top of the handlebar, and is powered (these days) by a Honda or similar engine of about 6hp. Early bikes like the ones you will he here were powered by West Bend engines that displaced about 134cc. The drive system is a combo of shaft driver, belt drive, and chain drive. Notoriously tough and not all that fast, top speed is about 35mph. These were not and are not made to win races, they are designed to get you to the most remote place you want to go and on two wheels. Hell, the wheels themselves are sealed and can be used to carry additional fuel or even water in them.
Orla Larsen was the man behind Rokon and he got into business selling the Nethercutt Trail-Breaker model motorcycle. After a few years he bought the rights to manufacture that bike, renamed it Rokon, moved the company from Vermont to New Hampshire and the magic continues today.
We have never ridden a Rokon but we have seen plenty of them at swap meets and in the backs of trucks during off-road events and mud bogs. We have seen guys drive them up walls and trees for fun. Their level of adventure increases by the beer. It is a neat party trick to watch.
You’ll dig this video!
