Top 5 Fantasy Rides
First off, let me preface this ‘listicle’ by saying how much fun I had researching this particular topic. Yes, part of that is down to the fact that I had misunderstood the brief and spent over 400 words discussing the acting prowess of Yasmine Bleeth versus Erika Eleniak in their prime on Baywatch before being corrected that the fantasy rides in question were in fact of the 2-wheeled variety. Apart from having to explain to my wife why I have developed RSI in my right hand and needing to somehow justify a family sized tub of Swarfega on my works expenses, it was a minor transgression before getting into the nitty gritty of this piece. The real fun of this was how much of my childhood it bought back researching these bikes from the world of fantasy and fiction. The list below is in no particular order, but each hold a special place in their own right. Check them out, are there any I missed, any that should be replaced? Have your say on our socials.
No1. Shotaro Kaneda’s bike – AKIRA
Originally appearing in the pages of Katsuhiro Otomo’s original and downright iconic manga/anime and then made ‘real’ in the 1988 animated movie adaptation, this bike was the epitome of jaw dropping cool. Ridden by Kaneda, leader of the bike gang and hero of the story, this high performance, sled style bike didn’t just look futuristic for the time, it looks futuristic for now. Finished in red with a collection of stickers adorning the beautifully sculpted bodywork, it has a reverse gear, as well as a “ceramic, double-rotor, two-wheel disk drive”, “Electronically controlled Anti-Lock Brakes” (or ABS) and “200 Horsepower” – stunningly advanced tech for the 80’s when it was conceived.
The animation of the movie really highlights this bike as the ‘hero’ vehicle, and it left a huge impact on pop culture moving forward, even with limited screen time. Seeing it surge through the streets of Neo Tokyo to a pumping electro punk soundtrack with sparks and energy bursts arcing off it with light trails left in its wake – it’s a truly visceral experience. One that I can personally say kickstarted my interest in motorcycles, I own a model of this amazing fantasy ride and even have a poster of it in my office. If you’ve never seen Akira, shame on you – stop reading this and get on it.
No2. The Light Cycle – Tron
Credited as being an inspiration for the design of Kaneda’s bike in Akira, the Light Cycle earns its place on this list purely for that accolade alone. First seen in the 1982 movie Tron and then updated for the 2010 sequel, Tron Legacy, the Light Cycle embedded itself in the minds of kids for a generation. Again, while only having limited screen time, the bike appears as part of one of the gladiatorial style games that the protagonists must compete in within the computer mainframe.
Realised with a mixture of CGI and live action that was incredibly advanced for the time (admittedly shockingly dated now), the simple concept of Light Cycles riding around a grid, leaving hard light trails behind them in a snake style game, blocking areas off until the riders or rather ‘programmes’ crash due to the reduced game areas was truly a ‘wow’ moment in the film. Simple in design and visualised like a basic video game in primary colours for each rider, the Light Cycle established its place in pop culture instantly and has been featured in video games, theme park rides and referenced in untold TV shows.
No3. The BatPod – The Dark Knight
The BatPod quite literally burst onto the scene in The Dark Knight (2008) as the Tumbler, effectively the Batmobile for Christian Bale’s Batman took a critical hit during a key car chase in the movie. Fooling everyone into thinking Batman was out for the count, the Caped Crusader simply flicked a few buttons and the disabled Tumbler lurched and juddered as the BatPod emerged from the wreckage, with Batman astride the newly birthed vehicle. A truly original bike design, incorporating the 31-inch tyres from the Tumbler, both front and back which make the rear section of a Ducati Diavel look as thin as a weekly copy of Motorcycle News! This auxiliary escape ‘pod’ came fully armed with dual front-mounted cannons, machine guns and grappling hooks, allowing Batman to carry on his pursuit of the Joker, albeit a lot more exposed to the elements but with the flexibility of a motorcycle – on steroids.
The BatPod also featured other abilities as highlighted in the movie, like being able to swivel the chassis upside down when upright, even riding sideways with latitudinal rotation of the wheels. Perhaps more impressive, this was all achieved with practical effects and stunt work, a fact almost rendering it void from this list due to the ‘fantasy’ criteria as this bike was actually made as a fully working piece of engineering.
Admittedly it could only be ridden by a trained stunt rider (Jean-Pierre Goy), but ridden it was. The rider steered more with the shoulders than his hands, effectively wrestling the ride. The fully working engine(s) were mounted inside the cavernous wheels instead of the frame, which made it even more unwieldy off-screen. A truly stunning piece of practical movie-making magic and motorcycle concept design.
No4. Modified Honda XR500S – Street Hawk
Every child of the 80’s will surely remember this one, the bikers answer to Knight Rider but perhaps even cooler – Street Hawk. The man… the Machine… An all-terrain attack motorcycle. First airing in 1985 and only running for 13 episodes including the pilot, boy did this leave a mark in its limited run. The show followed the character of Jesse Mach, an ex-motorcycle cop injured in the line of duty and recruited on a top-secret government mission to ride Street Hawk, an experimental urban assault vehicle for crime pacification.
In the show Street Hawk was capable of speeds passing 300mph and was equipped with staggering fire power, missiles, mounted machine guns, you name it. In reality the bike was based on a modified 1984 Honda XR500S, it had a 497cc engine that churned out 42hp and 46nm torque. Again, this one was close to not making the list as the bike is very real but until Honda start selling bikes capable of 300mph complete with an arsenal of military grade weaponry, I think we can safely categorise this in the fantasy realm. Street Hawk didn’t need an AI companion like Knight Rider to be cool, just raw motorcycling machismo!
No5. The Hell Cycle – Ghost Rider
While there have been many iterations of the Hell Cycle throughout comics and even the movies, the one in question here is from the 2007 Nicholas Cage starring film. Even though the quality of the movie leaves a lot to be desired, the effort that went into producing this version of the Hell Cycle is unquestionable. Essentially when stunt man Johnny Blaze, having made a deal with the Devil, becomes Ghost Rider, his hard-tail customised Panhead chopper (chosen to pay homage to Peter Fonda of Easy Rider fame, who plays the villain in this movie) transforms with him.
The result? Grace, as the motorcycle is named, becomes a fantastically organic combination of twisted metal and bone, its skeletal-like frame belching hell fire and menace from its 11 foot long expanse. The tyres set aflame and melt the asphalt in blistering heat yet only burning the guilty and unjust. It can travel at sonic boom inducing speeds, is able to traverse vertical surfaces like skyscrapers and even cross expanses of water. Another cool fantasy feature is that the Hell Cycle can operate independently of Ghost Rider and can be mentally summoned at his will.
Cage went on to reprise the role in the sequel, Ghost Rider Spirt of Vengeance. Arguably a better film but the Hell Cycle took a bit of a downgrade, being based on a grunged up Yamaha VMax.
Well, there’s the list and an amazing display of motorcycle concept design to boot.
Stay safe out there peeps.
Your ever-lovin’ blue-eyed Thing!