With 12-inch wide, 25-inch diameter fat wheels and a simple two-wheel drive system, this unique and "distinctive" Russian agricultural bike can crawl its way through all kinds of mud and slush. The Taurus 2x2 is a lightweight, simple, two-wheel drive motorbike that pulls apart in minutes to fit in the trunk of a car – as long as you have enough room for those tires.
It's not glamorous. It's… really not glamorous. But as a kind of weird ag motorcycle, this just might have a few things going for it. Engine-wise, the company seems happy to put whatever you want in there, from the recommended Honda GX210 to an ultra-lightweight chainsaw motor, depending on what mix of performance vs weight you want to go for.
And that's a relevant thing to think about with this one, because even with that 210cc engine in it, it weighs in at just 82 kg (181 lb). With a smaller motor you can get it under 60 kg (132 lb), making it reasonably easy to haul the bike up and over any obstacles you can't ride over with those giant 25x12-inch fat tires.
Tire pressures need to be kept low, not much higher than 3 psi, since the bike's designed for extremely rough and muddy terrain and there's no suspension at either end.
The rigid front end geometry makes it easy to implement two-wheel drive, with a second chain drive running down to the front wheel, but the Taurus website gives no details on how that system chooses to proportion power to the front and rear wheels. The gearbox appears to be a two-speed, which should be adequate given the top speed of just 35 km/h (22 mph).
Utility racks on the front and rear are handy for carrying things about, including other Taurus bikes at a pinch. And since the bike is so light and the tires have so much air in them, you can wash it off by floating it in a river and giving it a bit of throttle.
When it's time to head home, the bike comes apart in about five minutes into a series of bits that fit easily in the back of a four wheel drive or station wagon. The wheels pop out, the front end hinges off with the release of a single bolt, and you're ready to throw it in the car. Mind you, it's gonna be absolutely filthy by that point, because it's a mud demon.
The cost, as far as we can tell, is around 75,000 Russian roubles, or a little over US$1,100 per bike, and it seems the Taurus is already in production with at least several dozen already made. The company isn't shipping internationally yet but says it's on the cards.
Check out the bike in the video below.
More information: Taurus 2x2