30 years of Technic motorcycles
Posted by Huw,
LEGO has produced some 32 Technic motorcycles since the theme's inception in the 1970s. Some small, some large, some not very life-like.
The latest one is 42107 Ducati Panigale V4 R which we've just received for review. Before getting stuck into writing that, though, I thought I'd pull all 10 of the large-scale realistic Technic motorcycles produced since 1990 out of storage for a group photo-shoot then take a brief look at each one highlighting what makes them special or unique.
8838 Shock Cycle (1991)
Although LEGO had produced a couple of Technic bikes before in the 70s and 80s, this was the first 'realistic' one with correctly proportioned wheels, which were introduced with this set. In fact, a whole raft of new pieces were produced for it, including the long shock absorbers, the now common trangular 'liftarm', and the 'motorcycle pivot'.
Unfortunately the front wheel of mine has yellowed somewhat and it's odd that only that one has: the back one looks as new.
8422 Circuit Shock Racer (1995)
Four year later, a similarly-scaled road bike was introduced. Half-width 'liftarms' had become more prevalent in Technic sets by 1995 but it is still predominantly brick-built.
It was one of the first Technic sets I purchased after exiting my dark ages and it's still one of my favourites.
Again, it's odd that the front wheel has yellowed but not the back one...
8417 Mag Wheel Master (1998)
The late 1990s was an odd time for Technic. The designers eschewed traditional building methods and realistic designs in favour of tubes, pipes and vehicles that look out of this world.
This bike is smaller than the two above on account of the smaller diameter wheels which were designed primarily for the other vehicles released in 1998, 8432 Concept Car and 8462 Tow Truck. What's interesting about them is that they are all the same colour: blue, black and teal. In most years, designers have gone out of their way to differentiate models with different colours.
The late 1990s was also a transient time between studded Technic and studless, with traditional beams used for the main structure of models and the new parts used primarily for aesthetics and details.
The set was re-released at 8430 Mag Wheel Master in 2002, a period when Technic development had all but halted.
My example is in good shape still, apart from the stickers which are cracking and peeling.
8420 Street Bike (2005)
This bike is very interesting for several reasons. It was the first to use larger diameter wheels, although the 81mm dia. ones used here were not seen again.
It uses a large and very springy shock absorber that was produced for the short-lived range of outdoor R/C cars. According to BrickLink some versions of the set had a yellow one, like mine, but others came with a dark grey version. Neither colour is cheap at BrickLink now!
It's also the first bike built primarily with studless pieces, with studded parts used only for aesthetics, which is the opposite to previous models.
It's one of my favourites. The only thing that lets it, and virtually every other Technic bike down, is the chain: it should be connected to the engine, not the half-way along the swing arm!
8291 Dirt Bike (2008)
Compared to 8420 Street Bike above, this one looks very dated, with a return to the older wheels and a skeletal appearance.
It also has an issue that bothers me greatly, and afflicts almost every Technic motorcycle: the sprocket attached to the back wheel should be inside the swing-arm that holds the wheel in place. There are certain designs of bike where that is not the case, but they are rare, and are not motocross bikes like this.
It should have been plastered in stickers but, well, you've seen what happens to stickers from the era already...
8051 Motorbike (2010)
This was the first bike to come with the large wheels that are still in use today. The drive chain looks as if it's attached to the engine, even if it isn't, and the rear sprocket is the inside the swing arm where it should be.
It has an inline 3-cylinder engine whose workings are exposed so the movement can be seen through the frame. It should be plastered in stickers but I think it looks better without.
It's a great-looking and well-designed machine and remains the best Technic motorcycle to this day. Furthermore, the 'B' model is pretty awesome, too!
42007 Moto Cross Bike (2013)
A new knobbly tyre to fit the now-standard wheels was produced for this set. If you compare my model with the photo in the database, you'll notice that the drive chain should be on the right of the bike. However, nearly all bikes have it on the left and it just didn't look right to me, so I changed it over during my review published in 2013.
It's a decent model, but again it's let down by the rear sprocket position.
42036 Street Motorcycle (2015)
This is the last of the non-licensed motorcycles. It's almost perfect, except for the drive chain again! It's annoying, particularly as the designers of 8051 Motorbike released 5 years earlier managed to get it right.
You can read my review here.
42063 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure (2017)
With LEGO increasingly teaming up with car and plant manufacturers in the 2010s to produce models of real vehicles it was only a matter of time before a licensed motorcycle followed.
The machine is designed for long-distance rides on all terrains and this is a faithful reproduction of it. Best of all, having a shaft-drive, it does not suffer from the incorrect positioning of the chain and sprocket because it doesn't have them.
You can read my full review here.
42107 Ducati Panigale V4 R (2020)
Finally, we come to this year's model, which was released on June 1st. I'll be reviewing it, with the help of motorcycle expert Duq, in due course.
Suffice to say now though that it's a great looking machine, but far from accurate. The rear suspension is not right at all, and the drive chain is not attached to the engine, but at least, on this bike, the rear sprocket should be outside the swing arm, of which the bike has only one, so the designers have at least got that aspect correct!
In my opinion, then, 8051 Motorbike remains the pinnacle of Technic motorcycle design, which is perhaps surprising given how other Technic genres have advanced considerably in the 10 years since it was released.
Do you have a favourite? Let us know in the comments.
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47 comments on this article
Really nice to see these all lined up. It's a range I wish I had invested in. I have 8420 Street Bike, but none of the others. The Ducati is on my must-have list so I'm really looking forward to the review.
Is that a new windscreen piece on the Ducati?
It's a flexible piece, so not really.
Of these, I only have 8838. I also have 8857, which I feel belongs in this list.
^ too many wheels!
Absolutely agree with Huw, 8051 is still the best of the bunch.
All these bikes plus the smaller and older ones are in my Bricklist: https://brickset.com/sets/list-15559
@Huw said:
"^ too many wheels! "
Yet it's on Duq's list of Technic motorbikes, so...
8810-1: Cafe Racer Was my firsts ever technic set. I can’t tell you how may times I’ve built those models but I loved them.
@huw your 8051 has red panels in stead of black on top of the front wheel/steering arm
Huw, you should exchange the wheels on the first two models, so that one has yellow(ed) wheels and the other has white wheels :)
@merman said:
" @huw your 8051 has red panels in stead of black on top of the front wheel/steering arm"
Probably because I didn't apply the stickers.
I disagree about lack of improvement over time. The last two are by far my favorites of the bunch.
@Huw said:
" @merman said:
" @huw your 8051 has red panels in stead of black on top of the front wheel/steering arm"
Probably because I didn't apply the stickers."
Even without stickers the panels should be black, not red
I WANT LEGO SESAME STREET!!!!!!!!!!
The 2008 dirtbike is the only one in my history, until the new 2020 bike.
I'm surprised at how few bikes there are, none until the 90's, and their relative infrequently since.
I'm glad to see the 2020 bike bring something new to the table with the gearbox, unless our next bike (in 2023?) is significantly smaller, I expect it to have this as well.
@merman said:
" @Huw said:
" @merman said:
" @huw your 8051 has red panels in stead of black on top of the front wheel/steering arm"
Probably because I didn't apply the stickers."
Even without stickers the panels should be black, not red"
I know but then it would have looked odd because the stickers were primarily red. It's my set so I'll do what I like with it :)
Hello,
I had the 8210 model is it was good considering the blocks shape in 1995.
Thank you for such a nice article!
About those yellowed wheels, are you sure you didn't just mix them up and both yellowed ones belong to the same bike?
Got all of these apart from the new Ducati (waiting for discounts) and 8417/8430 which I really don't like so not too bothered.
And one of the weirdest features in all of these bikes is the single sided 'fork' on 8420.
Agree that 8051 is the best. Looking forward to seeing how it looks with the new disc brake part and maybe those Ohlins style front shocks from the new set.
I have them all and some more but the Ducati will be the first one to skip.
First: I still prefer building bricks in stead of connecting beams and panels.
Second: Why does everything has to be licensed: BMW, Land Rover, Porsche, Ducati and so on?
Just like the beautiful trucks and cars in the past. Now it has to be Mini, Ford, Fiat, ...
It only makes things more expensive then necessary.
Knowing absolutely nothing about bikes, most of the descriptions of motorcycle anatomy here fly completely over my head; but all the same, it's really neat to see an article that lines up all sets of a similar type from over the years and compares them in this way.
Even when I'm clueless to the subject matter, I really like these type of articles; I always find it fascinating to see how Lego designs have changed over the years. Would be great to see more of these articles in the future :D
Great article! I never got a single Technic motorcycle aside from one of the smaller red ones in the mid-90s. I was always partial to the Shock Cycle, but otherwise, Technic was all about the large, four-wheeled vehicles to me. Without owning it, Huw's words and pictures convince that 8051 was the peak of Technic motorcycle design. That BMW one is atrocious to look at. It makes the Shock Cycle look cutting-edge.
Aww. Heh. No love for the Robo Riders? :)
@Huw You should swap the yellowed wheel on 8422 with the white wheel on 8838 - both bikes would look better for it!
@Dare_Wreck said:
" @Huw You should swap the yellowed wheel on 8422 with the white wheel on 8838 - both bikes would look better for it!"
I was going to say, possible these were mixed up at some point and both tires for one bike yellowed equally?
I have the BMW GS1200 Adventure simply because Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman rode them in their show Long Way Down, which I love. I really hope someday they make a Triumph motorcycle set but I'm gonna make hubby assemble it for me. Technic is not something I enjoy assembling at all...
@KabuKi said:
" @Dare_Wreck said:
" @Huw You should swap the yellowed wheel on 8422 with the white wheel on 8838 - both bikes would look better for it!"
I was going to say, possible these were mixed up at some point and both tires for one bike yellowed equally?"
Yes it is certainly possible. They have been dismantled and rebuilt since I bought them.
Nice article. A life-long biker that knows the big ones inside out, I've been enormously interested in how each solves a problem, bends perceptions and throws the odd clanger. I've been inspired and learned how to create a mini honda pro-link shock, get the front sprocket forward of the swingarm bolt and a chain inside the arm - thanks to all of these. And I think the Honda Repsol MOC was breathtaking. Sort of my Lego Zen, bikes.
@speshy said:
"I disagree about lack of improvement over time. The last two are by far my favorites of the bunch. "
We can argue over taste and which one is your favourite or mine. But it's hard to argue over the lack of improvement. Technic motorbikes since the Shock Cycle 30 years ago have had suspension, a moving engine, and steering. That hasn't changed much. Even the engine doesn't change much. The first three had a V-twin, and 3 of the 4 big roadbikes have a V4.
The BMW has different front suspension, but the first bike in 30 years to add something new is the Ducati with its gearbox.
"The only thing that lets it, and virtually every other Technic bike down, is the chain: it should be connected to the engine, not the half-way along the swing arm!"
Well, not quite the engine. The final drive chain would connect to the gearbox, which is usually a little ways behind the engine. A position like 8422 or 42007 is pretty good actually.
@Xiaolong said:
"I have them all and some more but the Ducati will be the first one to skip.
First: I still prefer building bricks in stead of connecting beams and panels.
Second: Why does everything has to be licensed: BMW, Land Rover, Porsche, Ducati and so on?
Just like the beautiful trucks and cars in the past. Now it has to be Mini, Ford, Fiat, ...
It only makes things more expensive then necessary."
and yet the strategy LEGO has taken could be different - instead of asking ridiculous prices for the lcensed sets, they could easily make them available only to the licensed partners - and let them decice how and where to sell them.. no party would get cut out. Reminds me of the Renault in Paris a few yrs back that got some conctractual agreement with LEGo to sell its formula F1 car..
8051 is really good, given it is not based off of anything specific; and required no licensing. And that chopper that is the B-Model. Oh My!
While I think the BMW and Ducati are among my favorites, I simply do not believe this dependence on licensing is the right direction for LEGO. Just like how Mattel had a lot of sales with DC action figures, and recently lost that license to Jakks Pacific and McFarlane. Licenses expire, and can be pulled for any reason. And in my Walmart, that was basically every Mattel action figure I found (ours really didn't stock the 4" Jurassic World line; which is also quite good). I had been buying a few of the 12-inch female figures (I had Batgirl, Mera, and the higher-end Multiverse Wonder Woman) in the "True Moves" line as females tend to be hard to find, and expensive at that scale.
@Duq said:
" @speshy said:
"I disagree about lack of improvement over time. The last two are by far my favorites of the bunch. "
We can argue over taste and which one is your favourite or mine. But it's hard to argue over the lack of improvement. Technic motorbikes since the Shock Cycle 30 years ago have had suspension, a moving engine, and steering. That hasn't changed much. Even the engine doesn't change much. The first three had a V-twin, and 3 of the 4 big roadbikes have a V4.
The BMW has different front suspension, but the first bike in 30 years to add something new is the Ducati with its gearbox."
Well aesthetics are one determinant of improvement. So it's all just opinions in the end.
Aw man, that yellowing sucks when it gets the good pieces. The front two legs of my 7649 got hit too and I’m gutted.
I would've loved to see the smaller bikes like 8251 Sonic Cycle, 8210 Nitro GTX Bike, and especially 8810 Café Racer on this list, but they're not very functional.
Some of the polybag bikes would've been fun too...
I'm still waiting for a chopper main model like alternate models of 8417 or 8051. I want to see an original Lego design chopper with tribal or flame stripes and fat rear tire. That's what I want.
The 8051 B model is my favourite Technic model.
...and now I want a technic bike... pffff! :P
@namekuji said:
"Aw man, that yellowing sucks when it gets the good pieces. The front two legs of my 7649 got hit too and I’m gutted."
There are ways to get rid of the yellowing, either by using a chloride bleaching agent or hydrogen peroxide.
@LukasM said:
and yet the strategy LEGO has taken could be different - instead of asking ridiculous prices for the lcensed sets, they could easily make them available only to the licensed partners - and let them decice how and where to sell them.. no party would get cut out. Reminds me of the Renault in Paris a few yrs back that got some conctractual agreement with LEGo to sell its formula F1 car.."
Speaking of ridiculous prices.... Good luck on finding the large Renault F1 car for a decent price.
Huw, I noticed a part is missing from your 8051.
The part 47844pb03 LegoWindscreen 9 x 3 x 1 2/3 Bubble Canopy with Black End and Flames and Filler Cap Pattern
is supposed to go over the top of the fuel compartment. It is also used in the B-model as a mudguard for the front wheel.
I never noticed before, but it is printed! <3
^ You're right, I hadn't noticed. I guess I didn't attach it because it was printed and as I wasn't applying the stickers it would have looked odd. I think it looks OK without.
I look forward to your Ducati review, as it is the most technical of all the bikes with a 3 position gear box which was never attempted before. Possibly, like most of the bikes, if the rear chain was hidden you wouldn't be able to see it turn, which Lego feels is more pleasing visually than reality. The chain does not connect directly to the engine, but at the centre of rotation for the the rear suspension. Maybe someone can put the engine closer to this point. I particular like the body paneling which is really well done compared to the original, which seemed to have being forgotten in the BMW. There are also 2 extra large stiff suspension for the front in gold! Otherwise, as you say the 8051 was an evolution compared to what had appeared before.
I don't know but the BMW seems to me a bit out of proportion. I guess it is a bit too long compared to the real thing.
I've seen a Ducati Review somewhere else. Interresting Bike. But I'm a car guy. Wouldn't mind it as a gift though.
I have the first three ones in the article and love them :)