Thursday, August 18, 2016

I want one!


A Russian company has come out with a fold-up motorcycle that can go just about anywhere.  It's two-wheel drive, meaning that both the front and back wheels are powered.  It's low-cost, too:  according to the manufacturer's Web site, it comes in at well under $2,000.  It's only available in Russia at present, but they plan to make it available in the USA too.  If they can do so at that sort of price, I predict they'll sell a shipload of them.

Here's the original, development model - read more about it here.





And here's the current, upgraded version (described here), with uprated tires and frame.





If they bring that here at a halfway decent price, I'll be a customer for sure.  It can fold up into the trunk of a car, making it a great recreation vehicle - not to mention emergency transport under difficult circumstances.

Peter

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5 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 18, 2016 at 1:36 PM

    Looks like a rokon.

    https://www.rokon.com/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Old NFOAugust 18, 2016 at 3:24 PM

    Yep, that would be an excellent 'spare' to have...

    ReplyDelete
  3. John CunninghamAugust 18, 2016 at 4:54 PM

    The Ural and the Dnepr are pretty decent Russian motorcycles.

    ReplyDelete
  4. vorkosiganAugust 19, 2016 at 2:20 AM

    Yes they are, but both are merely Russian copies of WWII era German BMWs.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Inconsiderate BastardAugust 19, 2016 at 4:44 AM

    Rokon International in Rochester, New Hampshire has been making off road motorcycles of similar 2 wheel drive design for over 50 years that I'm aware of. I was introduced to them almost 45 years ago when the motorcycle shop I worked for while in college started carrying Rokon motorcycles. Playing with the sales demo, we could not find terrain or terrain features it would not traverse, and believe me, we tried. Think "two wheeled tractor" and you won't be far wrong. BTW, both aluminum wheels are hollow and leakproof - they can be used for carrying additional fuel. Kinda nice feature.

    https://www.rokon.com/

    They currently have three models - Scout, Ranger and Trail-Breaker. No, they're not $2,000, and I don't know if they can be disassembled for transport, but were I in the market for a go-anywhere motorcycle I think I'd place more trust in an outfit that's been doing it for at least half a century and doing it in the U.S. than in an unknown outfit from somewhere in the 'stans.

    According to their web site, the closest Rokon dealers to you are in Fort Hancock, Texas (near El Paso and Oklahoma City.

    ReplyDelete

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