Holy Motorcycles, Batman: It’s The Batcycle!
In the 1960s, Batman and Robin thrilled TV audiences in their fight against the evil of Gotham City. With the help of various ingenious cars, boats and ’copters, they took on the likes of the Joker, the Penguin and the Riddler. Now, a replica Batcycle is up for auction.
Need Your Own Batcycle? Now you can buy one at auction
For three seasons and 120 episodes between 1966 and 1968, the live action Batman and Robin TV series brought the DC Comics superhero to life on the small screen (and one feature length movie between series one and two). Forget the dark and brooding Batman of later movies, Adam West and Burt Ward’s depiction of the Dark Knight and his sidekick was much more light-hearted and, to be honest, silly. That didn’t stop the series being wildly popular, however.
While the original Batmobile was the duo’s main mode of transport, other vehicles were created for the series, including the Batboat, Batcopter and the Batcycle.
While the first Batcycle was based on a Harley Davidson, it was soon replaced by a new Batcycle, based on a Yamaha Catalina 250. Four Batcycles were built by Dan anad Korky Korkes of Kustomotive and were toured around America after the series ended.
While completely standard under the skin, it was that skin that was the machine’s defining character. The wild fairing, front fender, seat and rear cowl were finished in black with white panels and red flashes and Bat sign.
Then a sidecar was fitted for Robin to ride on and this incorporated a four wheel go-kart-type sled that could be ’fired’ from the sidecar chassis to go on its own way under its own power with a 55cc motor.
With a twin-cylinder two-stroke 250cc engine producing a meagre 24bhp, the Batcycle was never going to be fast enough to stop any villain intent on escape although such suspension of reality was quite common for the series (and every subsequent superhero movie, for that matter).
The bike pictured here that is to go under the hammer with the Mecum auction house is not an original, but a modern recreation built around an original Catalina 250. It’s completely accurate in every detail, although the ’sidecar’ is now electric and not petrol-powered as the original.
The bike and sidecar have been autographed by West and Ward and a certificate of authenticity comes with the bike.
So, if you’re looking for something to take the kids out with on a weekend, this could just be the sort of thing that will have them cringing with embarrassment as you wheel it out of the garage. Bat costumes not included in the sale!
Click here to view the listing
