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On paper, riding a motorcycle on two wheels has two major advantages: better traction and safety. The front wheel of a motorcycle is mounted in a way that makes it difficult to get from the engine to the wheel without also using alternative front wheel mounting solutions. This is the main reason why moving to the front wheel of a motorcycle is actually more difficult than driving to all four wheels of a car. The buying public never really got a chance to familiarize themselves with the idea of two-wheel drive as many manufacturers tried it on motorcycles but didn’t seem to be very enthusiastic or committed to the concept.
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Top 10 Two Wheel Drive Motorcycles
Ural Sidecar Outfit
During World War II BMW was the first to introduce drive to the sidecar outfit’s “third wheel”, which was necessary to get them through muddy or icy conditions. The modern Ural is a direct descendant of the military workhorse, first conceived by the Russians. Similar to the shaft that drives the rear wheel but at an angle to it, the sidecar wheel is driven by a shaft that is driven by a gearbox. Although sidecars are mostly out of style, the Ural is a simple yet tough motorcycle with minimal electronics and frills. It is still produced in sidecar configuration.
Suzuki XF5
The Suzuki XF5 is one of numerous two-wheel drive designs that never went into production. Suzuki unveiled three concept bikes in 1991: an enduro bike, a scooter and a regular road bike. Powered by a 200cc single cylinder engine, drive was transferred to the front wheel using a telescopic drive shaft positioned in front of the left-hand fork leg. A transfer box located next to the headstock and several chains drew power from the engine. Although Suzuki was able to limit the weight gain to only 17 pounds, the system certainly strained the engine’s power output and created a significant amount of drag.
Rokon
Another enduring two-wheeled motorcycle, the Rocon dates back to the 1960s and can be considered a two-wheeled jeep as it is tough, practical and truly go-anywhere. Although several versions are now available with front suspension, the Rocon eschews this by having no suspension and relying on the shock-absorbing capacity of large balloon tires. This is because optimizing suspension movement is one of the major issues in moving drive to the front wheel. The Rocon is a great workhorse that can also be a lot of fun to drive. It is connected to the front wheel by a chain and a large sprocket.
Drysdale 2X2X2
One way to deliver power to the Drysdale 2X2X2 wheels is to use hydraulic pumps and lines. The two-stroke engine was hand-built by engineer Ian Drysdale, and hydraulic power powers both wheels. Hub-centric steering is achieved by using both wheels for steering, which are once again hydraulically actuated, with swing arms at either end.
At least there are no visible disc brakes. Instead, the hydraulic pump itself acts as a brake. By all accounts, driving the Drysdale 2X2X2 felt pretty weird at first, but you got used to it. One problem is that when the engine is not running it cannot be moved or the steering cannot be turned. However, therefore something built in a small workshop, it’s an impressive piece of engineering.
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KTM 2WD Prototype
KTM started looking at two-wheel drive for their off-road motorcycles in 2004. It featured a hydraulic pump similar to the Drysdale above, but only powered the front wheel; The rear was traditionally driven by a gearbox and chain. The technology was much simpler than mechanical drive as normal front forks could be used as the tubes carrying the compressed oil to the front wheel were flexible.
Acceleration on dirt during testing was determined to be truly excellent. Later, KTM received a patent for a hybrid two-wheel drive motorcycle that used an engine to drive the rear wheel and an electric motor located in the front hub. KTM decided not to pursue the development of the idea for whatever reason.
Wunderlich Hybrid BMW R 1200 GS
German BMW tuner Wunderlich apparently took a look at KTM’s electric front hub patent in 2015 and concluded that it would be perfect for a big, heavy adventure bike. The technology was attractive because it could be retrofitted into any existing motorcycle as long as there was room to package the battery and generator, which would also add weight and it was, of course, used on the BMW.
Although increased traction has advantages, it is not always desirable for larger and heavier bikes such as contemporary adventure bikes. Another problem is encoding the electric motor’s speed and torque into the bike’s current electrical system, which is not always possible to accomplish with a hand. The motor’s ingenious ability to reverse, providing a reverse gear, comes in handy in a variety of situations while on a wild trail.
Yamaha PES2
Yamaha’s 2014 annual report mentioned the company’s electric sports bikes. We were told at the time that it would go into production, but as of this writing in 2023, it has not been put into production. A later iteration of the idea installed two wheels and an electric motor at each end of the hub. In addition to acting as a brake, the front electric motor includes a regenerative feature that allows it to replenish the battery with power. Considering how urgently alternative energy sources for cars and motorcycles need to be found, it’s strange that PES2 seems to have disappeared off the face of the planet.
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Suzuki Nuda
The Suzuki Nuda was a pure concept motorbike packed with cutting-edge technology and stunning looks. Like the Drysdale, the Nuda includes swing arms at both ends, allowing shaft drive from the gearbox to both wheels in addition to hub-centric steering. Although Suzuki kept the Nuda in production, its passion for the bike was carefully set aside.
Not only did Suzuki explore two-wheel drive, but Yamaha also patented a two-wheel drive system for their GTS1000 model, which was equipped with hub-centric steering and a front swing arm. Given the relative lack of success of the model it is not surprising that Yamaha chose not to explore two-wheel drive technology for road bikes. Neither does Suzuki.
Yamaha 2Trac
Although Yamaha did not pursue the two-wheeler for road bikes, it did consider it for off-road bikes. The WR450F was the beneficiary; At least it has enough power to make up for the power loss suggested by using front-wheel drive. Yamaha opted for a hydraulic drive system comparable to what KTM tried (see above). The system itself was developed by suspension specialist Ohlins and featured a motor and hydraulic pump housed in the front wheel hub.
Yamaha experimented with two wheel drive on various models in the range, including the sports bike YZF-R1, and only a small number of WR450F 2Trac models were produced. Despite the fact that users of the system expressed enthusiasm for its traction and performance Any model fitted with such features was never put into production as it was slippery or damp.
Christini
Cristini is an American company that continues to manufacture motorcycles with two wheel drive. The mechanism in use is purely mechanical and consists of two telescopic shafts that run on fork legs, a shaft that transfers the drive to another transfer box on the headstock, and a chain that transfers the drive to the transfer box attached to the engine.
It is more complex but more reliable than electric or hydraulic systems and can be installed on a range of motorcycles. Cristini offers both complete motorcycles and modification kits that you can purchase for your own vehicle. In addition, Christini manufactures customized frames so you can either set up your own two-wheeled adventure bike or swap the frame on your existing off-road bike.
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