The origins of Rokon lie in the development of the "Trail-Breaker," invented by Charles Fehn in the late 1950s in San Bernardino, California. The company was officially founded in 1963 by Orla Larsen in Wilmington, Vermont, after he acquired the patent rights from Fehn to mass-produce the world’s first all-wheel-drive off-road motorcycle.

Rokon remains active today, continuing to produce its legendary all-wheel-drive motorcycles in Rochester, New Hampshire. It is one of the few U.S. manufacturers to remain in continuous operation (aside from a brief bankruptcy from 1978–1982). The production of 2-stroke models ended in 1994, when Rokon transitioned to modern four-stroke engines (primarily Kohler and Honda) to comply with stricter emission standards.