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So after a bit of playtesting, I've come to realize that I do really like bikers. I was sort've miffed that they could no longer screen other units in 40k 4th ed after the new ork codex came out, since that 4+ cover save was really something, but now that we have that back in 5th ed, I'm willing to give these boyz a go. When paired up with what I hope will eventually be 30 lootas, I expect the ridiculous amounts of ork shooting I will have flying around the table during my games will be more than rewarding.

This will probably be a pretty slow project, since I've got a lot going on right now and little time to bash these together, but I figured I'd throw what I've done up here so far and look for ideas (see the end of the post).

As of right now, I have the parts to make 21 of the newer bikes, though I expect I'll need at least two more boxes - one for making a Wazdakka bike, and one for the extra 3 bikers I'll need for an even two dozen. Below is the start of the first six I've put together so far.

I will admit that they're not that technically impressive, but I'm starting to get the hang of them. My ideal goal is to have no two bikes quite the same, but I may find that a bit difficult as I get further on in. The first four I put together were pretty much stock bikes as I swapped bits and pieces around from the kits so I had unique front plates (by the handlebars) for all of them.









These are all pretty straightforward. The only things I've been changing are the weapons the riders have, but I'm not sure why - something in the back of my head says I might want to save some of the warbiker parts to make squads of 'trukk boyz' later, since I have like six or seven trukk kits lying around in my apartment now that need to be built.

The riders on all of the bikes are pinned together, since I am obsessive about my miniatures being solidly constructed. They are removable to facilitate painting easier, and when it's all painted up I'll just glue them down onto their seats (there is a pin sticking out of each seat on the bike for them to pin to)

These two I started getting a bit more adventurous:





The one with the gun between the handlebars is something I have been considering continuing. I have a bunch of those guns - spares from warmachines mercenary warjacks - that fit comfortably in that space with a bit of hacking down. Obviously, just that front gun is not enough, so I strapped an autocannon onto his bike.

The one below that is something of a play on the older ork bikes - I used the guns and front plate from one of GW's old plastic bike kits to somewhat reproduce the older edition outline.

I expect about half the bikes in my squads won't have guards over their front tires, since I like the 'chopper' ish appearance they have without all that weight on the front.

And a group shot:



I'm starting to struggle to come up with interesting weapons combinations for these bikes. I have a couple heavy bolters I'm going to use for the next few, but a majority of my heavy weapons collection does not work for this - weapons from devastators like plasma or lascannons don't make any sense on a bike (unless it's Wazdakka) since they're essentially firing big shootas. I would really like to save a couple of the guns from these bikes for use in other conversions down the road, though, so I expect I'll end up scratch building a few weapons.

Anyway, that's all so far.

they all look great keep at it

Those are sweet man!

I am in the middle of doing my ork bikes as well and am considering 'magnetizing' my riders so I can simply remove the ork and replace with a NOB without needing another 20 bike models.

Also, are you going to base your bikes? The old bikes would stand, but these seem to be incapable of it.

look forward to seeing your take on Wazdakka - and maybe a biker boss?

If you're running out of ideas, how about trikes or quad bikes or even mono-wheels? or looted marine/chaos bikes?

Banged out a seventh this afternoon. I've been super busy with my new apartment recently, as well as a few other projects, which is why I've only managed to get one done today.





Only two pics for now - the lighting in my apartment is terrible and I am working on figuring out how to adapt to it, but you get the general idea. I had a pair of loose big shootas from an ork dreadnought that I got off of ebay that looked like they would fit the part, so with a little bit of hacking and styrene work I got it all to fit together. The two ammo feeds are hanging off the rear of the bike.

I just know I have to subscribe this. Every project you undertake is great!

*remember the Stormboyz Kaptin*

That is a sweet conversion!

I'd love to see a sidecar, like a Marine bike... The ork in the sidecar would be standing, of course, manning a big shoota or something.

A couple of quads would be cool, as well.

I like the idea of a monowheel/unicycle... but it might look goofy/silly, and I'm not certain that's what you're going for.

Got any extra Trukk engines? A nob bike could have one of those mounted in the rear... thought, you might actually have to construct most of the bike from scratch to work that one out right.

How do the trukk "tyres" compare to bike "tyres?" If they're bigger (I think they are), you could get some interesting effects by putting a larger "tyre" in the back, and smaller one in the front... Or 2 big "tyres" on some bikes.

If you're REALLY feeling industrious, and want one with some humor on it, you could have one guy reclining with his hands behind his head and steering with his feet.

BIG Exhausts... Tractor-trailer style. Bonus points if you model some belching smoke.

The upper half of a skeleton splayed across the front of one? The skeleton's arms following the line of the handlebars & the ribcage hanging over the front tire?

One guy could be pulling a skiier! That would be cool... and goofy as heck... Count it as a banner! LOL

Don't know if it's what you're looking for, but I had this idea once of a Necron Destroyer with an ork standing on top of it's lower "body," one foot planted into the back of its' upper body and holding it by the arms, stretching them backwards... Essentially, using the Destroyer like a bike. It's something I intend to make... some day...

That's it. I think I'm tapped for now.

Eric

Made one yesterday and one today in my free time, which makes eight and nine.





That second bike actually has a third barrel slung underneath the two middle ones, set slightly back so as not to interfere with the wheel. I copped out and used another of the biker front tire guards on him, which means there are two bikes that both have 'em, but I figure in two dozen-strong mobs you can space them out far enough that they'll still look unique anyway.

I'm going to dig for a burst cannon for number 10. I'm looking forward to the Nob at #12 a fair bit - I am picturing a grot in a sidecar with some heavy armaments.

MagickalMemories wrote:I'd love to see a sidecar, like a Marine bike... The ork in the sidecar would be standing, of course, manning a big shoota or something.

I'll second this one, I can pretty easily imagine a goggled ork with a cigar in his mouth standing in the sidecar wielding a looted SM Devastator heavy bolter...

What the heck, I have a blister of the Warmachine model that "between the bars" metal gun bit comes from and I was looking at it just yesterday to try and find a place to put it! Now I know!

nice looking bikes. Im doing the 18 nob biker 1500 list...

To be really picky, I think the gun barrels on the 'guns between the handlebars' one need to be a bit longer. Otherwise looking fab.

The new Black Reach dethkoptas (just saw them in the flesh today) look like they'd be perfect conversion fodder for some sort of bike (or buggy)

its funny, I am yet to see the new ork bikes painted by anyone.

Those bikerz are awesome. I'm waiting for the Assault on Black Reach set, so I can put those Nobz on some bikes. Nothing like a wave of quick, mechanized Ork mayhem.

Really nice models. Can't see them painted. Good job!

Here's the next one of the group, making ten total. I tau-ized this one, adding a shield drone to the front, and a pair of burst cannons to the side of the bike.





I am saving the sidecar / quad ideas for the Nobz bikes - one nob for each 12-biker squad. I'm making them at the end of each dozen as a sort of 'reward' for continuing the mob.

Very nice looking bikes, I am looking forward to seeing the nob!

Freaka

love the Tau idea, but could you give the rider a Tau helmet to wear? It won't fit his head of course, but perched on top so he can peer through the 'kool alien skanner thingy' with one eye?

I'm also tempted to suggest his close combat weapon should be changed to an appropriate bit of broken Tau tech, but can't think of anything appropriate offhand

Clang: If I had any helmets, I'd give it some serious thought, but I've got nothing of the sort. This was basically the entirety of my Tau bits.

Here's bike 11 - this one has been commandeered by a pair of ambitious gretchin. One drives, the other shoots.





Nob next, I suppose.

yay grots! My only concern is fluff - will the other orks want to be seen fighting alongside these two? Of course, you could do a whole squad of them

I've considered doing an entire army this way, grots fighting in pairs (on the same base), with creative basing and cool bionik conversions to make them the same overall size and nastiness as the ork equivalents which they count as. If the rumoured plastic grots turn out to be good conversion material, I'll investigate further...

If you do more looted Tau tech, I want to see Drones used as sweet rims.

Okay, the two grots on the bike put you firmly into the "mad Max" category. Great choice.

As for da boyz bein' see wit' em, if dey can keep up wit da mob and dey ain't got run over yet, dey musta been blessed by ol' Gork (or Mork) hisself, ain't dey?

Yowza Ein, really rocking these out there. I haven't really seen much done with the new bike kit, you're really putting it to rock solid use

- Salvage

As far as two grots fitting in with the mob, I figure ork bikers would be far too concerned with holding the throttle back to actually notice that one of their fellow bikers has maybe been shot off his bike and replaced by a pair of grots (who may have in fact been the shooters. )

Of course you know, if the mob suffers casualties they're the first to go because of how weedy they are, though.

The Nob's about halfway done, but I figured I'd throw pictures up to prove that I am still working on the project despite the little lull.

I started with all sorts of ambitious ideas for the Nob before I realized that I also intend to make a Wazdakka, and if I loaded the Nob up too much it'd be very hard to tell which one is supposed to be the character! That said, I opted for a power klaw for the Nob, but I wanted one that also looked like it could be functional for riding - I can't see an ork steering very well with klaw blades shearing through the handle bars by accident. The metal fist bit is from the fantasy miniature, I believe his name is Gorbad Ironclaw?

Anyway, I tacked that on, greenstuffed the seams a bit, made some quick hydraulics from sheet styrene, adding cabling, and that was that.





I actually made a sidecar for this at first before I decided to scrap it - I didn't like the way it was looking, and I honestly couldn't picture any sort of gun mount in my head that didn't also interfere with the positioning of the handlebars or the nob himself. I peeled that off and strapped two wheels to the sides instead for a trike type design. I've put a very basic wheel guard over them for now, but before I take it much farther I have to figure out where the guns are going on this. I may try putting them further up on the body of the bike, just behind the forks.

Anyway, I'm still going at it, but suggestions would be nice. I already have a fun banner pole in mind, though.

The Nob's about halfway done, but I figured I'd throw pictures up to prove that I am still working on the project despite the little lull.

DAMMIT.
You're going to give me a complex. It's only been ONE DAY sive you posted the 2 grots on a bike, Ein... THAT IS NOT A LULL!!!!! LOL

before I take it much farther I have to figure out where the guns are going on this.

Mount them on the wheel guard, over the tyres. Even if you're putting a banner on it, the banner can go in the middle.

Looks good.

Eric

MagickalMemories wrote:

The Nob's about halfway done, but I figured I'd throw pictures up to prove that I am still working on the project despite the little lull.

DAMMIT.
You're going to give me a complex. It's only been ONE DAY sive you posted the 2 grots on a bike, Ein... THAT IS NOT A LULL!!!!! LOL

I guess it just feels like one, because I'm working on one or two things on the side. Top secret, though, so I can't go showing anything.



Yet.

before I take it much farther I have to figure out where the guns are going on this.

Mount them on the wheel guard, over the tyres. Even if you're putting a banner on it, the banner can go in the middle.

Looks good.

Eric

I was thinking about it, but the problem with that is that the gun barrels would be roughly the same elevation as the handlebars if I do that, meaning he'd be blasting himself if he fired them there.

I love them all! Fantastic work dude. The one change I'd make is to take the old ork biker banner pole topper off the tau shield. They don't seem to mesh very well in my eyes. Adding a bullet hole on the shield and a crude iron patch with rivits would probably look nicer.

Heh - that trike is shades of Teek's warboss!

jamsessionein wrote:I was thinking about it, but the problem with that is that the gun barrels would be roughly the same elevation as the handlebars if I do that, meaning he'd be blasting himself if he fired them there.

You're kidding me. Right?
Are you telling me that YOU can't think of a way to raise the elevation of a pair of mounted guns?


I'm sorry. I just can't believe THAT. LOL
Not from a guy with a singing squiggoth!

Eric

well, you've already modelled him to ride one-handed, i.e. without using the PK to steer', so go the whole hog and remove that handlebar, thrn have the gun barrels poking through the gap under the PK

Just saw Batman The Dark Knight yesterday - would it be possible to mount guns on the front axle like on his BatBike?

And what about a 'penny farthing' bike, with a huge front wheel? (And another with a huge back wheel?)