Posted 13 years ago
TRIKER
(13 items)
Trailbreaker by Nethercut industries. 2 Wheel Drive!! That's right, both wheels are powered. You can see the chain that drives the front wheel via a gear box powered by a drive shaft and universal joint through the frame. Back wheel is also chain driven. The wheels are actually tanks that will hold extra fuel or water. With the 15 inch wheels empty, it will float itself. 3 speed transmition with cintrifical clutch. It used to have a fluid drive similar to a torque converter but they tended to leak hot oil on the drivers leg so the factory sent this setup as a repacement. Purchased about 10 years ago from an older gentleman for $200. He later offered me $300 to sell it back to him after one of his friends found out he sold it and said he would have paid $500 for it. It was buit in Sylmar California. Produced from about 1959 to 1962 or 63. I was told mine was a 1962 by an online group and was one of 10 that they knew of. One guy in Alaska has one fully restored and has turned down $12000.00 offers for his. It runs great and is a blast to drive. You can put the front wheel up to a wall and it will literally try to climb it. A company called ROKON bought them out in early 60's and still produces them.
Holy cow, what a beast !!! I imagine that you could go through snow and mud with no problems whatsoever. And extra fuel tanks in the wheels? How cool is that? Talk about not worrying about getting stranded out in the woods or anywhere. That's awesome. I can't blame you for not wanting to sell it. I know that I wouldn't if I happened to own one. Thanks for posting such a cool ride.
VERY COOL!! you got a super deal on that tank! I have seen 1 before-many years ago in a sand pit-we were riding and everybody stoped in the middle ware it was flat-(it was a huge pit-with up & down hills all around us!) now we had dirt bikes-so you could clim some of these hills-but watching this thing go up anything he wanted it too was just a jaw droper!! it was unbelivable what that thing can do--& it hade the clutch on it-like you said-It almost looked like it was home made"-so I thought!after reading your info-I now know better! --I never saw another 1-till just now! I cant belive thay hold fuel or water in the rims--that's nuts-but a cool idea! -What are you going to do with it--down the road-maybe restore it? good luck with it what ever you do!! and have fun on that bad boy!!thanks for showing it!!
I'm familiar with these--rode my brother-in-law's one afternoon. Read a lot about them.
It appears there is NO AIR CLEANER on your machine? Is that right? It looks like I'm looking at the open throat of the carburetor, with the choke "butterfly" in the open position.
If this is the case you MUST get ahold of the missing "airbox" parts, and get the correct filter in it. Otherwise, it won't last very long, as it would be sucking in any dust kicked up by the front wheel. Also, if it got a good "drink" of water, even from a puddle, splashing up from the front tire, it could "hydrolock."
When an engine hydrolocks, the piston tries to compress WATER, instead of the fuel/air mixture. This usually BENDS THE CONNECTING ROD, and could actually do MUCH more damage than that.
Please tell me I'm either mistaken, or you had the airbox off when you took the pics? If not, DO NOT RIDE IT without the correct airbox and filter.
I can't find the sites I used to follow, but these should get you going:
http://manyringding.tripod.com/
http://manyringding.tripod.com/faq/
Take good care of that 'ol girl--I'd LOVE to have one!
There is something weird about the older models--like the brakes don't work in reverse, or something? Not sure. And I think you can still buy NEW ones, for like $5,500!.
Oh-and btw--you STOLE that thing. Check THIS out, from the above site:
"Well, it's worth exactly what someone would pay for it. New ones are $4500 to $5500. EBAY has them from $400 beaters to $5000 new/used. Plus shipping. Right now $1500 to $2500 is a good price on a GOOD older bike (runs,good tires,not beat up etc.) If you are in the market for a used Rokon™ there are a few things you want to look for :
* Completeness- Things like missing or brokon transmissions,miterboxes,motors and wheels can turn a good deal to crap. It is almost impossible to find parts for an Albion transmission much less find a complete one. The plunger transmission and miterboxes are still available new but are very pricey. Also the clutches used on the Albion bikes are very hard to come by. You can still get the one-way bearing for them but that's it as far as new parts go.
* Does it run-It really helps to be mechanicaly handy if you want to buy an old Rokon™. Anything you have to farm out is going to cost $$. If you aren't sure about the motor try to have it looked at by a small engine mechanic first. Carb kits are cheap, crankshafts aren't.
* Does the front drive work-If the bike runs pull it up to where the front wheel is just touching a vertical surface like a wall or big tree. Now give it some gas and it should start climbing until gravity takes over. If it just digs the rear tire then it probably has a broken over-ride spring or sheared driveshaft pin. It might even have damage in one or both miterboxes. Take this into account. "
PM me if that's possible--I'd like to hear if I'm right about the carb issue or not.
Thanks,
True Patriot
Thank's everyone for the comments, AND concerns. Your right about the air cleaner not being installed. I did not get a cleaner when I bought it. Havn't found an original yet. I did make one that does an excellent job. Probably better than the original. I do want to remote mount it behind the seat to make it better.
that brings back alot of memories, did it come with the original mower-deck?
I thank all of you for the Love.
Sure getting a lot of love on this one. Thank you all!! I hope one day to restore it as far as I can. Dealing with back problems, I may not be able to handle a 2 wheeler anymore. It just collects dust right now. Good thing I have my 3 wheeled ass-tractor. LOL. Working on getting a Quad running that I got cheap so I can still hunt.