Motorbike roller coaster

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Motorbike roller coaster
Velocitytrain.jpg
Velocity at Flamingo Land, a Vekoma Motorbike roller coaster
StatusIn Production
First manufactured2004
No. of installations16
Manufacturers Vekoma, Intamin and Zamperla
Type Steel motorbike roller coaster
Motorbike roller coaster at RCDB

A motorbike roller coaster or motorcycle roller coaster is a type of steel roller coaster designed with motorcycle type cars. Booster Bike at Toverland was the world's first motorbike roller coaster. Vekoma was the first company to design such a ride, although Intamin and Zamperla have since created similar designs.

Contents

A similar but unrelated Steeplechase roller coaster was Knott's Berry Farm's Motorcycle Chase by Arrow Dynamics which opened in 1976. That attraction featured single motorbike themed vehicles racing side-by-side, each on one of four parallel tracks, launched together. It was retrofitted in 1980 as Wacky Soap Box Racers until removed in 1996.

Design

Vekoma

Motorbike coaster ride vehicle Velocitybike.jpg
Motorbike coaster ride vehicle

The Vekoma Motorbike Coaster consists of a train with nine cars, each consisting of two motorcycle seats. Each seat was designed to replicate the seating on a motorcycle, and allows free upper body movement.

After dispatching from the station, the train is hydraulically launched into a twisting layout. The first Motorbike coaster was the Booster Bike at Toverland in The Netherlands, opened in 2004. A second, Velocity opened at Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo in the United Kingdom. A third, identical to the Booster Bike, opened at Chimelong Paradise in China.

The Vekoma Motorbike Coaster concept was demonstrated with the use of the No Limits roller coaster simulator, and is included as a track style in the commercial version.

Intamin

Jet Rescue at Sea World is an Intamin motorbike roller coaster with jet ski cars. Sea World Jet Rescue (cropped).jpg
Jet Rescue at Sea World is an Intamin motorbike roller coaster with jet ski cars.

Intamin was the second company to come up with a motorbike roller coaster design. Their design utilizes drive tires to launch its trains. Currently, only four installations exist - two in Australia, one in Denmark, and one in the United States.

Zamperla

The Zamperla Motocoaster consists of a train of six cars instead of nine, but they are set up similarly, two seats side by side per car.

Zamperla's coaster uses a flywheel launch instead of a hydraulic launch system. The standard track layout is a 3-layered figure 8.

In 2008 2 MotoCoasters were installed in the United States. The prototype is at Darien Lake near Buffalo, New York.

The Pony Express at Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, California, in a twist on the once famous Motorcycle Chase of Indian Motorcycles on a Steeplechase roller coaster, now sports a Zamperla Motocoaster styled as horses.

Installations

NameLocationManufacturerTrainsOpened
Booster Bike Toverland Vekoma Motorbikes2004 [1]
Velocity Flamingo Land VekomaMotorbikes2005 [2]
Motorbike Launch Coaster Chimelong Paradise VekomaMotorbikes2006 [3]
Motocoaster Dreamworld Intamin Motorbikes2007 [4]
Jet Rescue Sea World (Australia) IntaminJet Skis2008 [5]
Moto Coaster Six Flags Darien Lake Zamperla Motorbikes2008 [6]
Pony Express Knott's Berry Farm ZamperlaHorses2008 [7]
Moto Coaster Jinjiang Action Park ZamperlaMotorbikes2009 [8]
Moto BalaMundo PetapaZamperlaMotorbikes2010 [9]
MotoGee Särkänniemi Amusement Park ZamperlaMotorbikes2010 [10]
Dinosaur Mountain China Dinosaurs Park Zamperla Pterodactyls 2010 [11]
Steeplechase Scream Zone Coney Island ZamperlaHorses2011 [12]
Juvelen Djurs Sommerland Intamin All-terrain vehicles 2013 [13]
Rocket Cycles Adventureland ZamperlaMotorbikes2014 [14]
Storm RiderXishuangbanna Sunac LandZamperlaHorses2015 [15]
Tron Lightcycle Power Run Shanghai Disneyland Vekoma Light cycles 2016 [16]
Wave Breaker: The Rescue Coaster SeaWorld San Antonio IntaminJet Skis2017 [17]
Drydock ExpressWanda Theme ParkZamperlaHorses2018 [18]
Paradise Fall Sun World Danang Wonders IntaminAll-terrain vehicles2018 [19]
Pioneer OK Corral Zierer Horses2018 [20]
Yukon Quad Le Pal IntaminAll-terrain vehicles2018 [21]
Canavar Dalga Wonderland Eurasia IntaminJet Skis2019 [22]
Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure Universal Islands of Adventure IntaminMotorbikes2019 [23]
Namazu Vulcania IntaminAll-terrain vehicles2021 [24]
TRON Lightcycle / Run Magic Kingdom Vekoma Light cycles 2023 [25]
DarKoaster: Escape The Storm Busch Gardens Williamsburg IntaminSnow Mobiles2023 [26]
Arctic Rescue Sea World San Diego IntaminSnow Mobiles2023 [27]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vekoma</span> Dutch amusement ride manufacturer

Vekoma Rides Manufacturing is a Dutch amusement ride manufacturer. Vekoma is a syllabic abbreviation of Veld Koning Machinefabriek which was established in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inverted roller coaster</span> Type of roller coaster

An inverted roller coaster is a type of steel roller coaster in which the train runs under the track with the seats directly attached to the wheel carriage. Riders are seated in open cars, letting their feet swing freely. The inverted coaster was pioneered by Swiss roller coaster manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard in the early 1990s with the development of Batman: The Ride, which opened at Six Flags Great America on May 9, 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange County Choppers</span> American motorcycle manufacturer based in Orange County, New York

Orange County Choppers (OCC) was an American motorcycle manufacturer and lifestyle brand company based in the town of Newburgh, located in Orange County, New York, that was founded in 1999 by Paul Teutul Sr. The company was featured on American Chopper, a reality TV show that debuted in September 2002 on the Discovery Channel. The series moved to Discovery Channel's sister channel TLC in 2007. Following cancellation of the Discovery series, the company was also featured on Orange County Choppers on the CMT network in 2013. Orange County Choppers returned to Discovery Channel in March 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flying roller coaster</span> Type of roller coaster

A flying roller coaster is a type of roller coaster meant to simulate the sensations of flight by harnessing riders in a prone position during the duration of the ride. The roller coaster cars are suspended below the track, with riders secured such that their backs are parallel to the track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolliger & Mabillard</span> Swiss roller coaster manufacturer

Bolliger & Mabillard, officially Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers, Inc. and often abbreviated B&M, is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by engineers Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, both of whom had worked for Giovanola.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Launched roller coaster</span> Modern form of roller coaster

The launched roller coaster is a modern form of roller coaster. A launched coaster initiates a ride with high amounts of acceleration via one or a series of linear induction motors (LIM), linear synchronous motors (LSM), catapults, tires, chains, or other mechanisms employing hydraulic or pneumatic power, along a launch track. This mode of acceleration powers many of the fastest roller coasters in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boomerang (roller coaster)</span> Steel roller coaster

Boomerang is a model of roller coaster manufactured and designed by Vekoma, a Dutch manufacturer. The roller coaster model name is from the hunting implement based on the traditions of the Indigenous Australians. As of January 2023 there are 55 Boomerangs operating.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fourth-dimension roller coaster</span> Type of steel roller coaster

A fourth-dimension roller coaster is a type of steel roller coaster where riders are rotated independently of the track's orientation, generally about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the track. The cars do not need to be fixed to an angle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zamperla</span> Italian-based steel coaster and flat rides manufacturer

Antonio Zamperla S.p.A. is an Italian design and manufacturing company founded in 1966. It is best known for creating family rides, thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The company also makes smaller coin-operated rides commonly found inside shopping malls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dive Coaster</span> Roller coaster model

The Dive Coaster is a steel roller coaster model developed and engineered by Bolliger & Mabillard. The design features one or more near-vertical drops that are approximately 90 degrees, which provide a moment of free-falling for passengers. The experience is enhanced by unique trains that seat up to ten riders per row, spanning only two or three rows total. Unlike traditional train design, this distinguishing aspect gives all passengers virtually the same experience throughout the course of the ride. Another defining characteristic of Dive Coasters is the holding brake at the top of the lift hill that holds the train momentarily right as it enters the first drop, suspending some passengers with a view looking straight down and releasing suddenly moments later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shuttle Loop</span> Steel shuttle roller coaster

Shuttle Loop is a type of steel launched shuttle roller coaster designed by Reinhold Spieldiener of Intamin and manufactured by Anton Schwarzkopf. A total of 12 installations were produced between 1977 and 1982. These 12 installations have been located in a total of 22 different amusement parks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mack Rides</span> German manufacturer of amusement rides

Mack Rides GmbH & Co KG, also known simply as Mack Rides, is a German company that designs and constructs amusement rides, based in Waldkirch, Baden-Württemberg. It is one of the world's oldest amusement industry suppliers, and builds many types of rides, including flat rides, dark rides, log flumes, tow boat rides and roller coasters. The family that owns Mack Rides also owns Europa-Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moto Coaster (Six Flags Darien Lake)</span>

The MotoCoaster is a motorbike roller coaster at Six Flags Darien Lake in Darien, New York. It was the park's first launch coaster, and was the first MotoCoaster by Zamperla to be installed in the United States, though the Pony Express, a similar type of coaster with horse themed trains, was constructed around the same time and is currently operating at Knott's Berry Farm. The coaster installed at Darien Lake is actually the prototype coaster that was used for tuning and testing at Zamperla's factory in Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pony Express (roller coaster)</span> Roller coaster at Knotts Berry Farm

Pony Express is a steel motorbike roller coaster at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California. It is the first motocoaster built by Zamperla in the United States, opening on May 22, 2008. The ride features motorbike-style seating and a flywheel launch system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jet Rescue</span> Amusement ride

Jet Rescue is a steel launched jet ski roller coaster made by Intamin that opened on 26 December 2008 at Sea World on the Gold Coast, Australia. The ride has a very twisted and banked layout with several fast directional changes. Unlike other family launch roller coasters, Jet Rescue features two launches. The ride features a unique jet ski style of seating with lap bar restraints. The ride is based upon Sea World's Research and Rescue Foundation performing the rescue of a sea lion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rivertown (Dreamworld)</span> Upcoming themed area

Rivertown is a upcoming themed area at the Dreamworld amusement park on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It will replace the existing ABC Kids World and provide a link between Main Street and the Dreamworld Corroboree. The area previously existed from the park's opening in 1981 until being merged into Main Street in the 2010s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wing Coaster</span> Type of roller coaster

Wing Coaster is engineering firm Bolliger & Mabillard’s designation for its winged roller coaster designs. Winged roller coasters are a type of steel roller coaster where pairs of riders sit on either side of a roller coaster track in which nothing is above or below the riders. B&M began development on the first Wing Coaster between 2007 and 2008 leading to the opening of Raptor at Gardaland on 1 April 2011. There were sixteen B&M-designed Wing Coasters either under construction or operating worldwide as of December 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toverland</span> Amusement park in Sevenum, The Netherlands

Attractiepark Toverland is an amusement park. Which is located in Sevenum, the Netherlands. It first opened in 2001 as an indoor family entertainment center, operated by the Gelissen Group. Toverland won the European Star Award for the Best Theme Park in 2018. More recently, the park shifted towards an older demographic, partially rebranding and adding new attractions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin & Vleminckx</span> Roller coaster manufacturer

Martin & Vleminckx is a roller coaster manufacturing and construction company headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada with an affiliated office in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, a manufacturing facility in Haines City, Florida, United States, and two subsidiaries, including a warehouse, in China.

References

  1. Marden, Duane. "Booster Bike  (Toverland)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  2. Marden, Duane. "Velocity  (Flamingo Land Theme Park & Zoo)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  3. Marden, Duane. "Motorbike Launch Coaster  (Chimelong Paradise)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  4. Marden, Duane. "Mick Doohan's Motocoaster  (Dreamworld)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  5. Marden, Duane. "Jet Rescue  (Sea World)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  6. Marden, Duane. "Moto Coaster  (Darien Lake)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  7. Marden, Duane. "Pony Express  (Knott's Berry Farm)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  8. Marden, Duane. "Moto Coaster  (Jin Jiang Action Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  9. Marden, Duane. "Moto Bala  (Mundo Petapa)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  10. Marden, Duane. "MotoGee  (Särkänniemi Amusement Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  11. Marden, Duane. "Dinosaur Mountain  (China Dinosaurs Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  12. Marden, Duane. "Steeplechase  (Scream Zone)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  13. Marden, Duane. "Juvelen  (Djurs Sommerland)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  14. Marden, Duane. "Rocket Cycles  (Adventureland)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  15. Marden, Duane. "Storm Rider  (Xishuangbanna Sunac Land)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  16. Marden, Duane. "TRON Lightcycle Power Run  (Shanghai Disneyland)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  17. Marden, Duane. "Wave Breaker: The Rescue Coaster  (SeaWorld San Antonio)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  18. Marden, Duane. "Drydock Express  (Wanda Theme Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  19. Marden, Duane. "Paradise Fall  (Sun World Danang Wonders)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  20. Marden, Duane. "Pioneer  (OK Corral)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  21. Marden, Duane. "Yukon Quad  (Le Pal)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  22. Marden, Duane. "Canavar Dalga  (Wonderland Eurasia)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  23. Marden, Duane. "Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure  (Universal Studios Islands of Adventure)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  24. Marden, Duane. "Namazu  (Vulcania)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  25. Marden, Duane. "TRON Lightcycle / Run  (Walt Disney World - Magic Kingdom)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  26. Marden, Duane. "DarKoaster  (Busch Gardens Williamsburg)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  27. Marden, Duane. "Arctic Rescue  (Sea World San Diego)". Roller Coaster DataBase.