At first glance, the MOTOPED Survival Bike might seem better suited for a Chinese take-out delivery man than a special ops team — more General Tso’s than Gen. “Tony” Thomas. But this is not your typical moped.
The company’s website touts the Survival Bike for civilian use, but at the 2016 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa, retired Army Infantry Lt. Col. Jeff Givens made it perfectly clear in a videotaped interview with Defense Review that this sturdy mountain bike–motorcycle crossover is a dream for anyone who needs to maneuver across tough terrain.
Last year, National Defense Magazinereported that the Survival Bike had been given to special operators for testing. Givens also detailed some of the bike’s advantages, noting that on a MOTOPED, a “soldier is going 20 miles an hour … instead of 2 miles an hour with 80 pounds of gear.”
Givens emphasized the bike’s relatively low price tag (at just $3,500–$4,000 price tag, it might even be underpriced, given the Pentagon’s tendency to splurge), and the fact it would be easily transportable via helicopter. The bike hasn’t been outfitted with gun mounts yet, but we can dream.
And that sticker price buys you some impressive standard features, including a jackshaft pedal drive system, Hayes nine-inch hydraulic front and rear disc brakes, and a pair of Rotopax one-gallon storage tanks.
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While the bike has yet to be tested in battle, it is available a casual back-country trip or the zombie apocalypse — whichever comes first.