The best vehicle when the SHTF does not necessarily have 4 wheels. A motorcycle has certain advantages over a jeep or pick-up truck or sedan. When there is a severe traffic jam, due to an evacuation, a motorcycle, with its narrower profile, can slip between lines of cars, or run along the side of the road. And with an off-road bike, you can cut across some open land or make a quick detour around a blocked roadway. In the city, you won’t get stuck in traffic. In rural areas, you can follow hiking trails and zip over small streams. You can’t carry much on a motorcycle, but that’s not the purpose of a SHTF bike. It’s an additional option for bugging out. It can be used to go from Point A to Point B when the roadways are impassible or civil unrest makes an off-road route safer.
Which motorcycle is best for this purpose? Almost any bike will be of some use, but an off-road model is more versatile. You don’t need the largest engine or the most torque. I would say a midrange model would be a good all-round choice. There’s a good review of four top 250cc off-road motorcycles at Motorcycle-USA.com They liked the 2014 Husqvarna FE250 (“Husky”) best.
But I’ll suggest that the KTM 250 XCF-W [shown above] is better for prepping and survival as you can start it with the installed kickstarter if the electric starter craps-out on you. The KTM is also popular with off-road racers, so it’s no slouch. This type of bike is a manageable size. They all weigh in at just over 100 kg (just over 220 lbs).
Honda recently showed off a concept motorcycle called the Bulldog: “There’s integrated luggage stuffed between the enlarged fuel tank, and the crash guards and fenders mean business.”
It looks like a survival bike. Not really an off-road design, but otherwise it would be great for SHTF situations. Unfortunately, there’s probably not enough of a market for this type of bike.
What about electric motorcycles? Not ready for prime time, I think. The specs are impressive, and electric motors can generate maximum torque starting from zero.
But the range is limited, only a few (pricy) models are available, and you need hours to recharge the battery. Gasoline is just too damn convenient right now. I suppose that eventually the crude oil and gasoline industry will collapse, and most vehicles will be electric. But not anytime soon, I hope.
- Thoreau
excellent article. I would like to add the Rokon all terrain dual wheel drive mototractor bikes. Powered by Kohler engines, these bikes can go almost anywhere.