Batcycle

The Batcycle is the motorcycle counterpart to the Batmobile. The Batcycle is the personal motorcycle of Batman. In the comic book universe, Batman's personal Batcycle is a modified street-bike with a 786 cc liquid-cooled V4 engine|V-4 engine. It contains a computer-controlled carburetor and bulletproof wind-guard.

History

Batman has used his own customized bike on many occasions in the comic books. Designs have varied considerably over time, suggesting that Batman may have many Batcycles, as there are many Batmobiles.

Batman (TV series)

Harley Davidson

Built by Dan "Magiera" Dempski, the Bat-Cycle was an instant success.

Batcycle 1000 — The Batcycle in the 1960's *Batman* TV Series

Dempski used a donated Yamaha 250. The bike was customized with a front steering assembly (the part with scallops on it), made of Filon, a fiberglass sheet with integrated nylon. The windshield was made out of plexiglass which had to be specially molded and custom blown. The sidecar was also a go-cart that would breakaway from the cycle it self.

The Batcycle made its first appearance in 1966 in the Batman TV series. It was a 1965 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 royalties to Greenway, 20th Century Fox, and National Periodical Publications. Kustomotive built four replicas of the Batcycle for tours.

Batman: The Animated Series

Batcycle (BTAS) 01 — The Batcycle in *Batman: The Animated Series*

The Batcycle is most often used by Robin and is sometimes used by Batman when the Batmobile is too cumbersome or is being repaired.

The Batcycle was one of the many vehicles used by Batman and Robin in Batman: The Animated Series. 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 Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, 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 episodes "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 in The Batman.

The first time the Batcycle was glimpsed in the cartoon was when Catwoman stole Batman's utility belt and unwittingly pressed the button activating the Batcycle's autopilot in the Batcave. the second ocasion was when a fight with the villain Gearhead destroyed the Batmobile and Batman had to design a new one. Batman finished constructing it but when Gearhead was on the loose again the Batmobile's power core was not properly charged. Thus, he needed another transportation and used the Batcycle but left it on autopilot while battling Gearhead. Batgirl eventually took it without Batman's permission to pursue the villain, but the Batcycle was destroyed after Gearhead infected it's computerized system with a nanotech virus. A variation of the Batcycle is also used in The Batman by Robin with his own colors on the bike. Robin has a similar Robin styled bike in the Teen Titans animated series.

Batman & Robin

In Batman & Robin, the Batcycle serves as Batgirl's vehicle when heading to the Gotham Observatory at the film's climax. Robin also has a motorcycle that looks like that of Batgirl's, only not as much technological.The Batblade is the name of the Batcycle 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.

The Dark Knight

In The Dark Knight, the Batcycle is known as the Batpod and is a two-wheeler low vehicle. Batman disengages it from the Batmobile just before it self-destructs. In the movie, Batman fights one of the last battles with the pod, as he tries to destroy the Joker's truck.

Toys

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

Video Games featuring The Batcycle

Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu
LEGO Batman: The Video Game
Batman & Robin