Batcycle

Infobox comics elements


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subcat=BatmanThe Batcycle is the fictional personal motorcycle of comic book superhero Batman. In the comic book universe, Batman's personal Batcycle is a modified street-bike with a 786 cc liquid-cooled V-4 engine. It contains a computer-controlled carburetor and bulletproof wind-guard.

In relation to "Batman (TV series)"

Harley Davidson

The Batcycle made its first appearance in 1966 in the "Batman" TV series. It was a 1959 Harley Davidson with a side car, but it was taken on lease and was only used for the first season episode "Not Yet, He Ain't".

Yamaha Catalina

Later that year, a new Batcycle was introduced. It was produced by Kustomotive, conceived by Dan Dempski, designed by Tom Daniel, and built by Dan and Korky Korkes using a Yamaha Catalina 250. It was leased to 20th Century Fox starting on April 18, 1966 for $50 a week with an additional $350 up front. The new Batcycle was first used in the 1966 film "Batman" and continued to appear in the rest of the TV series. Hubie Kerns and Victor Paul did most of the stunt work with the motorcycle throughout the series. The total amount paid to Kustomotive was $2,500. When the series was cancelled, Kustomotive used the Batcycle in car shows, paying a royalties to Greenway, 20th Century Fox, and National Periodical Publications. Kustomotive built four replicas of the Batcycle for tours.

Batblade ("Batman & Robin")

The Batblade [ [http://www.angelfire.com/film/batman/movies/robin/design/motors.html Batman & Robin - Bikes > Batblade] ] [ [http://66.218.71.231/language/translation/translatedPage.php?lp=de_en&text=http%3a%2f%2fwww.batmannews.de%2fgotham_city_central%2fbatcave%2fbatblade.html BATMAN-NEWS > Batblade] ] is the name of a specialized motorcycle used by Batgirl (Alicia Silverstone) in the 1997 film "Batman & Robin". This vehicle can function under the most extreme weather conditions.

The Batblade was built on the body of a drag racer: the rear tire comes not from a motorcycle, but from a car. Originally the equipment for fast pursuits was conceived, and with the help of the special effects it functions also on smooth underground and under most extreme weather conditions.

"Batman: The Animated Series"

The Batcycle was one of the many vehicles used by Batman and Robin in '. The Batcycle was themed to look like Batman's other vehicles, the Batmobile, Batwing, and Batboat. Batman would use it in certain episodes, as would Robin. Perhaps the most important part the Batcycle played in the series was in the movie ', where Batman jumped off the Batcycle so it would crash into a giant fan that was being controlled by the Joker. The Batcycle saw a little more use from Robin, particularly in the episode "Robin's Reckoning." Robin would continue to use a variation of the Batcycle in later seasons after he had become Nightwing.

"The Batman"

The Batcycle was used by Batman only a few times because the Batmobile was missing or destroyed. Batgirl stole it once and ended up destroying it. A variation of the Batcycle is used by Robin and Batgirl with their own colors on the bike. Robin has a similar Robin styled bike in the Teen Titans animated series.

"The Dark Knight"

The Batcycle for the 2008 superhero film "The Dark Knight" (directed by Christopher Nolan) is called the "Batpod" [ [http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=5879 Superhero Hype] ] [ [http://www.batmanytb.com/movies/thedarkknight/gadgets/batpod.php Movies - The Dark Knight - Gadgets - The Batpod] ] and was designed by Nathan Crowley, who designed the Tumbler Batmobile for "Batman Begins" (2005). The bike has 20" front and rear tires (the Tumbler's front wheels), and is powered by a high-performance, water-cooled, single-cylinder engine - geared toward the lower end for faster acceleration and with no exhaust pipes. The exhaust is routed through the hollow steel/aluminum/magnesium tubing used for the frame of the bike. [http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4273883.html] The Batpod is steered by the shoulders instead of hands, and the rider's arms are protected by shields. The Batpod ejects out of the Tumbler's front end, making the Tumbler's front wheels both of the Batpod's. Because the Tumbler is ordered to self-destruct, the Batpod allows Batman to continue his pursuit. For the film, the bike is armed with grappling hooks, cannons, and machine guns. Six models were constructed for the film's production to anticipate some of them crashing. [cite news | author = Susan Carpenter | url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-batpod18jun18,1,392372.story?coll=la-headlines-entnews | title = Wholly high-tech, Batman | publisher = Los Angeles Times | date = 2007-06-18
accessdate=2007-06-17 ] One action sequence in the film shows the wheels rolling against their normal rotation, seemingly for added stability in sharp turns or other maneuvers and it also makes the rider take a 90 degree turn. Steering isn't by hand but by shoulder, since there aren't handlebars. Instead, there are shields that fit each arm like sleeves and have the ability to rotate around the bike's frame. The two foot pegs are set 3 1/2 feet apart on either side of the tank, which the rider lies on, belly down. That tank also moves up and down — you know, in case Batman needs to dodge bullets or slide under semis. [http://movies.ign.com/articles/797/797264p1.html]

ee also

*Redbird

Toy

Art Asylum created a toy version of the Batcycle for C3 Sets Wave 2 of Minimates in 2005.

References

External links

* [http://www.angelfire.com/film/batman/movies/robin/design/motors.html "Batman & Robin" - Bikes]
* [http://www.batmanytb.com/tv/60series/gadgets/batcycle.php Television - Batman: The Series - Gadgets - Batcycle]
* [http://www.batmanytb.com/bios/gadgets/batcyclebio.php Character Profiles - Gadgets - Batcycle]
* [http://www.batmanytb.com/tv/60series/gadgets/batgirlbike.php Television - Batman: The Series - Batgirl's Batcycle]
* [http://www.chickslovethecar.com/TumblerBatpod.aspx Dark Knight Batpod]
*Internet Movie Car Database
** [http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_12543-Honda-Batblade.html Honda Batblade in Batman & Robin, Movie, 1997]
** [http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_183482-Made-for-Movie-Batpod.html Made for Movie Batpod in The Dark Knight, Movie, 2008]