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Stock #28763 |
CB's Die Cast Review: August 14, 2001 |
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2001 First Editions™ #21
This First Editions
release, in addition to expanding the motorcycle sub group in the basic line, pays homage
to the drag bike racing industry.
A quick web search reveals motorcycles to be as popular a segment of the drag racing
industry as any other, with governing organizations including the
All Harley Drag Racing Association,
the International Drag Bike Association
and the Premier Motorcycle Drag Racing Association.
Major sites dedicated to the sport include Dragbike.com.
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Fright Bike follows Outsider as the second and final new motorcyle casting released
this year. It is a concept two-wheeler that follows the basic makeup of a drag
motorcycle. The construction of the model is interesting in that all of the
intricate and finely detailed parts are zinc plated die-cast metal, while the sparsely detailed
parts are plastic. Having learned from a design flaw of Scorchin' Scooter,
Mattel tooled the front forks to be die-cast. And, learning from the only design
flaw of Blast Lane, the handlebars also are die-cast and part of the same component
as the front forks. This component is riveted to the chassis, which is die-cast and
consists of the motor, quad exhaust pipes, rear axle mount and other details. The
windshield is black plastic and is mounted over the front forks ahead of the handlebars.
The body is molded in translucent purple plastic, and basically wraps around and over the
chassis. The two plastic components are held in place by being sandwiched between the
two die-cast parts. As with the previous two First Editions motorcycles, the
handlebars are fixed in a straightforward position and do not swivel. The wheels are
not the same as utilized on the prior two bikes. This front wheel is approximately 25%
smaller in diameter than the earlier front wheel, and the rear slick is nearly double the
width of its predecessor. The rear wheelie bar is gray plastic and easily snaps over
four pins on the rear of the chassis with a pressure fit. With the wheelie bar attached,
the model measures over five inches in length, and over ½ inches longer than 1971's Racer Rig,
which to my recollection held the distinction of being the longest Hot Wheels basic line model. Most
of the current models tend to be less than 3½ inches long so they will fit on a standard blister
card. Even without the wheelie bar, it is the longest motorcycle in the basic line.
Fright Bike is manufactured in Malaysia.
Well, I don't like the model as much as the previous two First Editions motorcycles,
but it is not anywhere near as bad as I feared after seeing the prototype picture on the poster.
The best design feature I like is the all-metal construction of the chassis and front components.
On this particular release, the translucent plastic is a nice touch, with hints of the chassis detail
underneath visible in normal room light. Why the windshield is black opaque plastic instead of
translucent smoked plastic is a mystery. I'm not thrilled with the wheelie bar, but it is the
most prototypical component on the model, and the fact that it can pivot underneath the model when the
upper tabs are unsnapped for packaging purposes is a well-thought design out of necessity. The
wheels don't roll that freely, but the model stays upright easily with the extra-wide slick in the back.
Fright Bike won't run on the track, but the kids should enjoy playing with it on the floor
as it rolls adequately on hard smooth surfaces.
