To LP or not to LP? That is the Motorcycle

Hi,

I picked up the the LP Space Motorcycle this new year. It is a wondrous beauty! 

The motorcycle itself is in mint condition, with handle bar still in a separate plastic bag (will I ever be able to open it, just to see the motorcycle complete - wouldn't bet on it). The box is wonderfully in shape, but has some slight water damage on one end and one picture panel. Still, the box displays nicely too

Only when I received the item, I noticed that there are two different box versions! Just compare the photos attached. My example has the LP logo and item number, #106, printed on the picture panel. while the Alphadrome example has none [below left]. 

I wonder which came first, and why there are two editions of this elusive space toy? The colour of the motorcycle dashboard is also different between the toys themselves.

Anyone else got one?

Arto

Helsinki Base

image: Alphadrome: LP and Spanish versions

Mystery Motorbike

I saw this lot on auction ages ago and saved the snap because of that strange white torpedo like motorbike at the front. It has a blue rider and the number 9.

Anyone any idea what it is?

CHOP CHOP!

 My latest project is inspired by Mattel's Chopcycles, the motorbike versions of Sizzlers.

I picked up two Matchbox Super Kings Mod Trailers to get me started, one for best and one spare. My chopper will be bigger than Mattel's.

I sawed off the tow bar, cleaned off the decals and painted the blue base yellow.

Large tyres were added and I've made a start on the engine with Junior's lego.

The engines extend all the way to the rear.

Finally today, I've cut out the back spoiler from a marg tub lid and glued it in position with the help of an apple.

Tomorrow I'll paint the spoiler and chrome the engine.

Time for a cuppa and Pilates!

BONE TO BE WILD

 When I was making my copy Boneshaker below I came across quite a few boney bike toys.

Here's Mattel's glorious 1973 original Boneshaker.

Here's Mattel's Chopcycles Ghost Rider. Chopcycles were a motorcycle version of Sizzlers. I adore the flowing stylised ghost. Those Mattel designers were something else back then.

Further skeletons appeared on Hot Wheel's Scorchin Scooter in their City line.

A much more recent affair, I'm unsure when this City bonehead was released. I'd certainly pick one up if I saw one at a boot sale.

Like most things Hot Wheels, fans mess around and here's a really comical duo of the Rrrumblers Boneshaker with a Scorchin' Scooter rider!

and there's even more rib-tickling adoration in this replica by Hell's Dept I saw online. I'm not certain what this is made of but it looks really neat!

Last but not least in this ossifying outing is the legendary Ghost Rider by Fleetwood toys. Below's a loose one I saw online, which you don't often see, loose.

This basic plastic rack carded toy has attained grail-like status among action figure collectors and I'm amazed to say that I have one tucked away. I bought it at a good price decades ago on Ebay so that I could attract people to my old vintage toy stall at toy fairs in the Noughties!

More often than not this carded rider is encased in plastic with an AFA grading like this one on Hakes in the US. I'm unsure what exactly 60 means and whether mine would cut the mustard. Anyone know about AFA grading?

You can read more about the Fleetwood Ghost Rider on MC as its a bit of a blog legend. just click on the label below.

Have you any boney toys, skeletons in the cupboard or playthings of to-marrow readers?

Rrrumble in the Oven

 Sunday was a washout but I got some modelling done.

It started well on the Rrrumblers Rip Code mock Wheels. I made a pivot for the body.

At last some drivers arrived courtesy of Amazon Prime too.

I reshaped two of them ready for painting.

Then disaster!

My Rip Code body melted in the oven!

I was curing modelling clay. The oven wasn't even on. Just warm from dinner. Too warm as it turned out!

Drat! Double drat!

Back to the drawing board!

WILL'S DERRY DARING

 Ideal's Derry Daring. Same as Evel Knevel.

Will O. UK

DERRY DARING TV AD 1975

 Ideal's Derry Daring was their mid-70's homage to female stunt motorcyclist Debbie Lawler.

Capturing the whoosh of the Evel Knevel craze, Derry 's daring didn't last long sadly, cancelled in 1976, but her hey day was immortalised in colour TV ads.

Here's the Wheelie Car one courtesy of You Tube.

Do you remember Derry?

Did you have some Evel?

JAPANESE SPACE BIKES

 

These are new to me  - and to the blog I think, a display card of space motorbikes from Japan.

I saw it on auction so saved the image.

I adore the header art. Looks like a Shigeru Komatsuzaki to me. What do you think?

The toy is difficult to make out. It maybe transparent.

CAMBERWICK GREEN MOTORCYCLE MYSTERY SOLVED!

Hi Woodsy,

Thanks for posting that Camberwick Green TV clip the other week. I found this still of the Chimney Sweep's bike and sidecar online. The bike looks distinctive, twin front forks etc.

and you're not going to believe this but I've found what it is!

This Coral Police Motor Cycle Patrol toy.

Its a scratchbuild of the sidecar probably.

Vroom vroom.

Kevin D

UK

SIDECAR SENSATIONS

 I do like a good vintage motorbike and sidecar toy.

Do you?

Fortunately there are often a few on the auctions around the net.

here are two pictures that caught my eye.

The Yonezawa Highway Patrol Police Special.

But my favourite is this Batman and Robin Batcycle. Kapow! Have you got one f these beauties! I'm not sure who the maker is. There's a large E bottom left.

The box cover illustration is just fabulous.

HONG KONG MOTORBIKE TOY 303

 I like these vintage plastic motorbikes.

They were made in Hong Kong and model numbered 303 on the base.

I have the red one. You?

RANDY GRUBB'S CHROMIUM BIKE

I've been drooling over Randy Grubb's American workshop.

He's like the king of chromium plating!

In an Art Deco world Randy would be royalty. Just take a look at his chrome motorbike, the Decoson.

You can drool even more as he shows you how this beauty is constructed, as well as all his other terrific silver machines.

Do you like?

MOTORCYCLE SIDECAR BOAT

Hi
Here is another You Tube clip from the Really Weird file, an old British Pathe colour film from 1960 about a motorcycle sidecar that can be dismounted and used as a small motorboat. Seats two. I would say suitable for use only in a paddling pool - it is tiny, and does not look very stable with two adults in it. Top speed 11 knots.
It seems there were also some amphibious caravans. Any of these still around ?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Sidecar Boat (1960) - YouTube

A QUESTION OF BIKES

Hello again and I hope you're fine. Now since you know about toys so much so, this question is about them since I consider myself as a toy collector. 

So I was wondering if you got an idea about those bikes from the side of the Motor Max brand. 

They are from the medium sized toys unlike Hot Wheels and Majorette (good enough for an action figure like G. I. Joe) so, any idea about the exact "side name " for them? 

They said they are Yamaha, but I still need the information about the exact type from their side names please. 

Thanks for your cooperation.

Wael.

Wotan wades in - Ive adjusted the top two pics, as it was clearly a bit foggy when they were taken..

CHiPs with Everything

 I loved CHiPS when I was a kid. A real treat on the tellybox. Those bikes! Wow! Those bike cops were just so damn cool.

I don't think I had any CHiPs toys. I may have had an annual. So its always a thrill to see CHiPs toys and sets and its clear to me they were mega popular in South America judging by the old toys available there.

Here's the CHiPs MOTO-PISTA set, which I reckon is a generic motorcycle race set that's been liveried for fans of the show. See what you think.

Did you like CHiPs?

EAGLE-HEADED SPACE CYCLE

I see these crazy wheelying eagle-fronted motorcycles all the time online usually with a he-Man like character riding.

They might be called Galactic Warriors or similar but I'd have to check.

This one caught my eye because its called Space Cycle and is ridden by a normal motorbike rider.

Not sure what its got to do with space but these eagle bikes have grown on me over the years.

They look like the 1980's to me.

What do you think? Like them?

JR21 LOOKALIKE MOTORBIKE BRITISH PATHE FILM

Last Sunday during my JR21 Motorcycle Day I posted the above still from a British Pathe film from 1964.

I've managed to relocate the film on Pathe but I can't find that still.

I have however found the section where the plastic motorcycle appears, which you can see as a different still below.

Its above the remote control Jaguar.

Here's the clip.

https://www.britishpathe.com/video/1964-toys-on-show/query/1964+toys

TOY MOTORCYCLE NUMBER 303 IN BLUE

Courtesy of Ebay

Not JR21 but I wish it was!

HURRICANE ON THE TRACKS

Courtesy of Steve Rolfe

You Tube

CLIFFORD COWAN DE GROOT MOTORCYCLE COMBO

I liked this bundle I saw on Worthpoint from some time back so I saved the pic.

There's an OK Zoom Super Sports Car, a Cowan de Groot Windy Miller on trike and a Clifford remote-control Typhoon combo, very similar to the JR21 Motorcycle Combo I've blogged about before.

Anyone got any of these?