As Jack Nicholson famously pointed out in 1989's "Batman," DC's Dark Knight has collected some wonderful toys over the years. However, long before Michael Keaton's Batman debuted his arsenal of gadgets against Nicholson's Joker, Adam West protected Gotham using everything from a "Bat-Copter" to "Shark Repellent Bat-Spray." And last month, a lucky fan became the owner of one of the more popular items from that campy era of Batman's past: The Batcycle.
In an eBay auction that ended June 11, a Bat-bidder (sorry, I can't help it) plunked down $29,500 for the custom motorcycle and sidecar that first appeared in the 1966 "Batman" movie and was later used throughout the run of the television series. A working vehicle based on the 250cc Yamaha Catalina, the motorcycle wasn't likely to break any land-speed records, but it did sport some Bat-tastic special features.
Along with a "Bat-Scanner" and "Batter Ram" on its dashboard, this particular Batcycle is reported to be the only model of the three created for the series that also featured a detachable, motorized sidecar for Robin.
"The 'Batcycle' was a resounding and immediate success although its stunt drivers found the detaching 'go-kart' quite difficult to maneuver," stated the seller.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, Batman only put 8,500 miles on the Batcycle before it was retired to the Bat-Cave (Bat-Garage?) in 1968.
Wish you owned the Batcycle? Which Batman gadget would you love to have in your personal collection?
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