Review: 30531 Sons of Garmadon
Posted by CapnRex101,
Motorcycles are an integral feature of the Sons of Garmadon subtheme, appearing in a number of different styles and at varying sizes across the range, from a ten-piece street bike to Killow's enormous chopper.
30531 Sons of Garmadon is among the smallest of these vehicles but its design is consistent with the larger models and a minifigure is included as well. This should therefore be a superb polybag!
Minifigure
The biker wears a colourful leather jacket which appears in two other sets and features some striking pink highlights. I like the blue letters, reading 'NEON', printed across the left side of the torso while the back is dominated by the unique Sons of Garmadon logo. Turning the horns of Garmadon's helmet into motorcycle handlebars was a true stroke of genius on the part of the graphic designer!
A pair of black night vision goggles are fitted to the helmet while the double-sided head underneath is shared with a couple of Garmadon's thugs from The LEGO NINJAGO Movie but is not available in any of the other new sets. The plain legs are a little disappointing as most Sons of Garmadon bikers wear kneepads, although they do help to distinguish this minifigure from other characters in the wave.
The Completed Model
The model is constructed around a sturdy Technic frame and rests on two large wheels so is absolutely perfect for play. However, this design is not particularly attractive in my opinion and it would have been nice to see some tiles or mechanical details covering the Technic liftarms. The bodywork on top of the chassis looks great though, with smooth lines running from the front to the rear as well as an impressive colour scheme.
Placing a minifigure on the motorcycle spoils its streamlined profile to some degree which is a shame. A lower seat position would therefore have been welcome but was probably not possible at this scale without compromising the appearance or structure of the vehicle. On the other hand, the high ground clearance beneath the frame is pleasing, allowing the bike to cross rough terrain and lean to the side while cornering.
Red katana are clipped to either side of the model. These serve a decorative purpose but can also be removed and wielded by the minifigure. In addition, a couple of purple spikes are attached using clips and these line up with a matching curved element behind the seat.
Overall
This is a reasonable addition to the Sons of Garmadon range. The motorcycle is very sturdy so is ideal for play and it matches the design of other Sons of Garmadon vehicles, featuring an exposed Technic frame along with a black, purple and red colour scheme. I like these colours but the Technic frame looks rather awkward and I would rather it had been covered.
However, the exposed frame is a consistent feature of the Sons of Garmadon range so in that regard it fits perfectly beside other motorcycles. The minifigure is excellent too and at a price of £3.99 in UK Tesco stores, I think this polybag is a worthy purchase.
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on the set in the comments below.
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10 comments on this article
All the parts are great. Would love to get this just for them.
It is sold in Sweden by Toys R Us. SEK 40. Haven’t seen it elsewhere.
I love this polybag set, I, d build it slightly different and put batman or batgirl on it..
Buy two of these and you've pretty much got the new Tron set.
Not a fan of the franchise, especially with Disney at the helm, and it's quite overpriced, especially as it doesn't include a lightbrick, but it is good compared to the original submission, and I'll probably pick one up as a parts pack, or, if not, I'll Bricklink the minifigure.
Oh, wait, no....
Wrong motorbike thread.
For reference I believe this is in either Woolies or Coles down here.
It's also available at 2 for £6 in Tesco too along with 30339: Traffic Light Patrol; 30357: Road Worker; 30403: Olivia's Remote Control Boat (I think); & 30542: Cute Pug.
Not a big fan of the purple and red colour scheme to be honest, nice little set though
Did anyone point out that this bike is built around the same structure as Lloyd's motorbike from Overborg Attack of the Rebooted wave? I've actually been using that template for years on custom bikes, I like it a lot.
I believe this guy is being included in a magazine release as “Scooter.”