“Go for help! Go!”
Everyone already knows that some of the coolest toys to ever grace a peg or a store shelf were the 3 3/4 Kenner Star Wars action figures and all of the playsets, vehicles, and blasters that came with them. I can’t tell you how many hours I spent playing with those action figures. Each film brought new characters (which meant new figures) and vehicles so I was always hoping to get my hands on at least a few of them.
I never had a lot of the vehicles or playsets. I mainly received figures. Of the few vehicles and playsets that I did receive, almost all of them were exclusively from Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi. One of my absolute favorites was the Speeder Bike that was featured prominently in the film on the planet Endor. Much cooler than the pod race on Tatooine and better than most of the battles in space in my opinion, the Speeder Bike chase had me dreaming of blitzing through dense forests with massive trees (and Ewoks). When I received the toy for Christmas circa 1983 or so, I was captivated.
The Speeder Bike came in three pieces: 1) the long extended front piece, 2) the control panel with handlebars, and 3) the rear piece with the legs and engine flaps. You simply snapped those three pieces together and took off on an adventure! When you lifted the bike off of any surface, the engine flaps would swing open. They would close whenever you “landed” your vehicle. The handlebars moved and the turret gun on the underside of the bike swiveled. When it was time to blow up the bike, you simply pushed a button on the rear piece (disguised as a pack) and the three pieces would fly apart. Snap them back together again and you’re ready for more action!
I still have my Biker Scout action figure (and his blaster) but have no idea what happened to my Speeder Bike. I wish that I still had one in my possession as I loved that toy. There have been model kits, a Power of the Force version, and even a Black Series version of the vehicle released over the years but I’ve never broken down and purchased one. Who knows? Maybe I’ll snag one someday and it will be 1980-something all over again.
Thanks for taking a stroll down memory lane with me today. See you again soon!
Ken's Alternate Universe! 