For most farmers transport has been the key toward better and more efficient farming practices and as transport around the farm improved so has the size of the farm able to be managed by smaller numbers of staff. Early attempts at manufacturing farm bikes specific for New Zealand conditions were rugged and very basic. Farmers spent a lot of time either falling off these contraptions or repairing them.
One of the pioneer farm bike dealers, Tim Gibbes recalls the Taihape A&P shows of the late 1960s. “We used to drive up from Palmerston North in a Morris Minor Ute towing a trailer full with brand new farm bikes. It was a long way in those days, as the Mangaweka deviation was still to be designed and constructed. On arriving at the show, most farmers were reluctant to talk to me and I’d end up driving back with a full load only to be called up individually for weeks after. I’d make the long drive to the back blocks of Taihape and show a farmer where these bikes could go and then set about teaching them to ride. This went on for weeks and I got to know the roads fairly well.”
It took a number of years for farm bikes to become an indispensible tool on most farms. Horses were put out to pasture and Japanese manufacturers started to develop more efficient ways to get around the farm.
Suzuki quickly developed the now iconic Mudbug series in the early 1970s with the TF100,125 and 185. Many will recall these orange two-stroke farm bikes with their dual side stands, large chrome carriers and innovative features such as the clutch lever locking mechanism and handle bar guards. These two-strokes were reliable, easy to maintain and most importantly, got farmers around the farm with the minimum of fuss.
Sales boomed in the 70s and early 80s right up until when Suzuki introduced the first four wheel ATV the LT125. Farmers immediately grasped the importance of ATVs in making their day easier by being able to carry more - and even tow a small trailer.
However, the ATV couldn’t stop the farm two wheeler sales completely and the past 5 years have seen a market increase in this category, showing that many farmers still see their benefit for day to day transport and tasks around the farm.
Suzuki has continued the development of farm-bikes, with the most recent being the DR200 Trojan and although this now dates back to 1995, the Trojan has been continually improved over the past 15 years.
Developed by Suzuki New Zealand, the prototype was actually made in Wanganui and then shipped back to Japan and produced as DF200ET. The popularity of this model has seen it become the number one selling 200cc farm bike and it’s no wonder why.
The Trojan, as it became known, took all the great features from the early two strokes, adding superior 12 volt lighting and an electric start four-stroke engine with oil cooling. It not only went better, it also had plush new suspension developed from Suzuki’s famous RM series of motocross bikes. The Trojan is still available today and sits alongside the Suzuki TF125 Mudbug as the mainstays of Suzuki’s farm bike line up. Both have enjoyed a long and illustrious sales history and have served New Zealand farmers through more than one generation in some cases.
The future seems bright for the humble farm bike, with more and more farmers revisiting their requirements for farm transportation.
For Further Information email Simon Meade, Motorcycle Sales Manager at simon@suzuki.co.nz
