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So, I've recently started a Space Marine Bike army. But rather than flush out the list with 20+ identical looking models, I've considered making something a bit more fun. However, I've struggled to come up with ideas.

Horses are kind of generic, and not really exciting, especially considering I have dozens of Empire Knights.

Raptors are overdone in my opinion, but can look cool.

Hog-style bikes really aren't my thing.

Tron-style bikes would be incredible, but I can't seem to find either somewhere to purchase them nor how to make them myself.

A 3rd party company sells hoverbikes (can't pull up the link at work), but I don't like the look of those.

Any ideas I'm missing?

TRONNNNNNNNNNN:
http://sciborminiatures.com/en_,shop.php?art=1377

One thing you could do it kit them up with all the extras. Have spare packs, guns, ammo crates, rolled camo netting, etc, strapped to every part of the bike. This should help make them all unique, but keep the basic models the same.

well I like the chapterhouse jetbikes (i'd convert the rider's pose a little though)

Exoskeletons:



Its the only way to be sure I think it worked nicely for my Guard and I'm sure you could do something even more epic with Marines.

http://www.em4miniatures.com/acatalog/MOTORBIKES.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Puppets-War-VSE-Heavy-Motorcycle-Squad-/280899290734?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4166e7066e


That link goes to an ebay shop. They have a couple of different bike varients. that link will take you to one but you will have to look around the shop to find the other. Hope this helps.

With a little conversion work to hide evil icons, the Chaos bike looks fine for imperial marines.

You could try the Puppetswar bike minis to make them different from normal Space marine Bikes. They even sell Scout bikes and a slick version of Attack Bikes that does away with the sidecar. They are also at a really good price.

Long choppers. Here is my buddy's blog.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/424770.page

I got something that might peak your interest. Can't remember where I found this, most likely another thread on Dakka, but its a ATV for SM using SM bikes and some other odds and ends.

http://www.geocities.ws/craigclark.geo/atbug1.htm

Thanks for all the awesome ideas!

The chapterhouse jetbikes are the ones I mentioned seeing before, but I wasn't much a fan of them. They look too much like someone took a ship from Battlefleet Gothic and stuck a guy on top.

Those exoskeletons look awesome! Is there a tutorial or something available?

The bikes from em4 are alright, better than the normal bikes I think, but not quite exciting.

The puppet wars bikes look pretty slick. I wonder if you can get them separate from the riders?

The chopper bikes are actually what inspired me to convert mine. I'm not a fan of the chopper look personally, but it got me started on looking for other ideas.

I do like that ATV better than all others I've seen. Generally I've hated the quad look for SM bikers, but that's well done. Still not my style, though.

Not a tutorial as such, but the thread I posted after completing the first one.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/295036.page

More pics in my Dakka gallery.

How's about converting some Eldar / Dark Eldar bikes in to wheeled, closed compartment bikes?

I like both of those ideas. I don't have the requisite bits, though. I do have lots of Space Marine, Chaos and Ork bits - any ideas on something that may substitute well? Or alternatively, what bits would you use for marines?

Also, I really like the feel of the Eldar / Dark Eldar jetbikes. Wheeled is definitely doable, but closed compartment sounds like a hell of a lot of work.

Sorry to say but a converted bike army is a hell of a lot of work period... There are plenty of suggestions, I think you just need to try one and start experimenting...

Ricter wrote:I like both of those ideas. I don't have the requisite bits, though. I do have lots of Space Marine, Chaos and Ork bits - any ideas on something that may substitute well? Or alternatively, what bits would you use for marines?

Also, I really like the feel of the Eldar / Dark Eldar jetbikes. Wheeled is definitely doable, but closed compartment sounds like a hell of a lot of work.

I think he means use the jetbike front canopy as a cockpit type arrangement. then you would just need to close up the underside somehow and you wouldn't even need to model any riders

I have also found that eldar bikes make pretty good Marine hover bikes when extended with extra bits:

funkyh wrote:Sorry to say but a converted bike army is a hell of a lot of work period... There are plenty of suggestions, I think you just need to try one and start experimenting...

I don't mind experimenting, but I want to have a direction. Just going may work for some people, but I prefer to have a plan, and not having one in the past has meant I've wasted quite a bit of money on projects that didn't have any direction or purpose. May work for others, but not my style.

funkyh wrote:Long choppers. Here is my buddy's blog.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/424770.page

what I was going to suggest, extending the bars to make a chopper is easy enough

Ricter wrote:The puppet wars bikes look pretty slick. I wonder if you can get them separate from the riders?

Last time I checked I believe you could. Let me look into that again and I will post the link if i can find it.

EDIT: I stand corrected. I couldn't find the bikes individually but the bike is a multipart kid and it appears that the rider is completely seperate from the bike.

Hehehe...

http://www.maxmini.eu/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15&products_id=98
http://shop.ramshacklegames.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_6&products_id=265
http://miniaturereview.blogspot.com/2011/01/zealot-miniatures-jetbike.html
http://www.antenocitisworkshop.com/mantis-monowheel.html
http://grabski-jetbike.blogspot.com/
http://whitescars-army.blogspot.com/2011/05/futuristic-space-marine-bike.html
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/350911.page

And my personal favorite....
http://wargamesunlimited.net/nolimits/forces/marines/conversions-halobikes.html

Their are a few links in there (*cough monowheel cough*) that I'm a little more unsure of the scale than the others. So keep that in mind before dropping $50 and finding out afterwards.

Thanks for all the great links! I love those halo bikes... happen to have a link to bike itself where it can be purchased? I'm having a tough time finding it myself.

Well it just so happens I had the Amazon.com link bookmarked for just this purpose:

http://www.amazon.com/Halo-Series-Brute-Chopper-Vehicle/dp/B000WNMMTW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1Y4RUWU7WCCMM&coliid=I2KAK4NZ3QB7AT

Now, plugging all that wonderful knowledge into Ebay....

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=Halo+3+Series+1+-+Brute+Chopper+Vehicle&_sacat=0

Rockin'....

Thank you very much.

Of course

I only ask that we get some updates on your progress. I'm excited for this project myself, but haven't had a need for bikes yet. Photos when ya can.