And the restorer, and I use the term loosely ruined it! And overcharged for the resto-mod! The frame color was changed, the engine was polished, and I did'nt see the decals! A sympatheitc restoration would have been sufficiant, the dude did know something about it but he simply is not a restorer IMO! Dont get me wrong, it was sweet and if it had been a rusty basket case the resto-mod would have passed my scrutiny! But such a cool and relatively rare machine deserved a true restoration! Also $5000 is way too high to hope for given the modifications and changes done to it! Pawn clowns strike again! I remember the ads in Field and Stream and other periodicals, dreaming of owning one! The closest I ever came was seeing one and being denied the chance to ride it!
What the restorer was way off base was the part about how the front wheel will speed up when you make turns. ( Nice trick get real ) What happens when you turn the front wheel about 15 degrees the shaft that drives the front wheel pulls forward out of a Prague clutch witch is a flat spring that wraps around a short flat drum this movement disconnect the front half of the drive shaft from the rear half and the machine becomes one wheel drive during turns. So to get 2 wheel drive you should hit the hills straight on and hang on the mechanical Donkey won't let you down. I loved to ride my Rokon Trail Breaker Mach III sorry I ever sold it.
My machine was a 1969 I bought in Sunland, California it was yellow I painted it blue and changed the seat to lower the ride for my short legs.
The fact is that with the wheels full of gas the Rokon will float and the special air cleaner on the Chrysler engine will not let water inside the engine . Have to float the bike one the side with the exhaust up.
Great machine and with the 3 speed Albion side shift gear box a very low and powerful low gear with about 5 MPH speed and in 3 rd the top was about 20 MPH.
Steve
My machine was a 1969 I bought in Sunland, California it was yellow I painted it blue and changed the seat to lower the ride for my short legs.
The fact is that with the wheels full of gas the Rokon will float and the special air cleaner on the Chrysler engine will not let water inside the engine . Have to float the bike one the side with the exhaust up.
Great machine and with the 3 speed Albion side shift gear box a very low and powerful low gear with about 5 MPH speed and in 3 rd the top was about 20 MPH.
Steve
as i was watching the show and the "expert" threw in his 2 cents, i was wondering. If these pawn stars pawn shop owners are so stupid i am thining about taking some bikesout there and making some money. esspecially if i get the "expert" to restore a bike? i really dont like the way the rokon looks too muchfor a utility woods bike. but its Vegas!
I think $2800 was a bit excessive but that is only my opinion, the restorer kinda charges too much on everything IMO! But like smallbikes88 said: It is vegas! The cost of living is high, hell the AC bill alone! The Indian got completely out of hand $ wise and the estimated selling price on both it and the Rokon was tremendously optimistic! He does nice work though and Rick seems to be happy so in the end that is all that matters, not my opinion!:drinkup:
You would probably have a different opinion if you had to pay the overhead on a business, and then get raped for 40% of everything left over after uncle obama gets done with you.
My business costs $202 per hour to keep the doors open, and I haven't been able to bring home a check in 2 months.
Insurance and worker's comp is unbelievable, bookkeeper fees are insane, Rent goes up every year, and is now $2450 per month - and still uncle obama wants 40% of whatever is left after expenses whether it's $20 or $2000
My business costs $202 per hour to keep the doors open, and I haven't been able to bring home a check in 2 months.
Insurance and worker's comp is unbelievable, bookkeeper fees are insane, Rent goes up every year, and is now $2450 per month - and still uncle obama wants 40% of whatever is left after expenses whether it's $20 or $2000
Hey Steve, The shop was on Foothill Blvd. Remember the Trailbreaker that sat in the front window ? That was the owners bike, a 1968. Well... Its mine now. I have had it for at least the last 25 years. I also have a 1970 model, a 1985, and a 2006 model I bought new.
On that Pawn bike I dont know whats up with the cadillic converter thing in front of the stock exhaust canister, but if the So-Called "restorer" would have done 20 minutes of research he would know it does not belong there. Actually... There is one cool thing about that bike. The fuel tank.... It was only offered the last half of the year in 1969. Orla (The Owner of Rokon) used an outside manufacture for the "Coffin" style tanks. That company had an over run of the "peanut" tank they were making for some other company, and then offered the extras to Orla for a super price. I have a nos (New Old Stock) peanut tank in my parts collection.
As far as these Pawn Clowns... Just watch this video. I dare you to get through it with a straight face !
YouTube - Indian Minibike
On that Pawn bike I dont know whats up with the cadillic converter thing in front of the stock exhaust canister, but if the So-Called "restorer" would have done 20 minutes of research he would know it does not belong there. Actually... There is one cool thing about that bike. The fuel tank.... It was only offered the last half of the year in 1969. Orla (The Owner of Rokon) used an outside manufacture for the "Coffin" style tanks. That company had an over run of the "peanut" tank they were making for some other company, and then offered the extras to Orla for a super price. I have a nos (New Old Stock) peanut tank in my parts collection.
As far as these Pawn Clowns... Just watch this video. I dare you to get through it with a straight face !
YouTube - Indian Minibike
Rokon
When I bought mine I was told it was a shop demo and was well used for sure. But the bike never gave me an ounce of trouble. Let it sit for months and pull on the gas valve throw the choke and two pulls and it always fired.
My Rokon had the old style tank. About the muffler thing I also didn't understand why the stock unit was an approved spark arrester.
Have you ever seen the units converted to the Honda trail 90 with the HI-LO gear box ? They say the top speed is raised up quite a bit. I like the old shifter style bikes with the kick start.
Steve
When I bought mine I was told it was a shop demo and was well used for sure. But the bike never gave me an ounce of trouble. Let it sit for months and pull on the gas valve throw the choke and two pulls and it always fired.
My Rokon had the old style tank. About the muffler thing I also didn't understand why the stock unit was an approved spark arrester.
Have you ever seen the units converted to the Honda trail 90 with the HI-LO gear box ? They say the top speed is raised up quite a bit. I like the old shifter style bikes with the kick start.
Steve
