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In this edition:
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Motorcycle-themed roller coasters
In motorcycling history: Louis Abernathy and Temple Abernathy
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Below this article is a list of motorbike
roller coaster installations in various locations around the world. Motorbike Roller Coasters A motorbike roller coaster is a type of steel roller coaster designed with motorcycle type cars. Booster Bike at Toverland was the world's first motorbike roller coaster. Vekoma was the first company to design such a ride. Two other companies, Intamin and Zamperla, have created similar designs. A similar but unrelated Steeplechase roller coaster was Knott's Berry Farm's Motorcycle Chase by Arrow Dynamics which opened in 1976. That attraction featured single motorbike themed vehicles racing side-by-side, each on one of four parallel tracks, launched together. That ride no longer exists. Vekoma Vekoma Rides Manufacturing is an amusement ride manufacturer located in The Netherlands, established in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld. The company name is an abbreviation of Veld Koning Machinefabriek (Veld Koning Machine Factory). They originally manufactured farm equipment. During the 1950s, they made steel constructions for the coal mining industry. After the closure of Dutch mines in 1965, they manufactured steel pipes for the petrochemical industry for a time. Since the 1970s, they have manufactured amusement rides. They manufacture various models, including a motorcycle roller coaster. The Vekoma Motorbike Coaster consists of a train with nine cars, each consisting of two motorcycle seats. Each seat was designed to replicate sitting on a motorcycle and allows free upper body movement. After dispatching from the station, the train is hydraulically launched into a twisting layout. The first Motorbike coaster was the Booster Bike at Toverland in The Netherlands, opened in 2004. A second, Velocity opened at Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo in the United Kingdom. A third, identical to the Booster Bike, opened at Chimelong Paradise in China. Intamin Intamin Worldwide is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. Intamin was the second company to come up with a motorbike roller coaster design. The Intamin brand name is an abbreviation for international amusement installations. The company has offices throughout the world including three in Europe, three in Asia and two in the United States. Intamin is a major player in the amusement park attractions industry, supplying some 22 different styles of rides to a variety of parks. Some of their notable rides include 70 coasters installed in several countries around the globe. Intamin designed and built the first river rapids ride known as Thunder River based on the idea supplied by Bill Crandall, a past General Manager at the now defunct AstroWorld. Intamin also marketed the first Freefall (developed by Giovanola) experience and the first drop tower. Zamperla Antonio Zamperla S.p.A. is an Italian design and manufacturing company founded in 1966. It is best known for creating family rides, thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The company also makes smaller coin-operated rides commonly found inside shopping malls. Unlike companies such as Intamin, Vekoma, or Bolliger & Mabillard that concentrate on larger and faster roller coasters, Zamperla focuses on more family-friendly roller coasters that can be easily mass-produced, taken down, and transported to different locations. They are also a major manufacturer of flat rides with such names as: Balloon Race, Bumper cars, Galleon/Swinging Ship, Sky Drop, Tornado, Mixer, and many others. Zamperla has built roller coasters like the powered Dragon Coaster, Mini Mouse, Zig Zag, and Volare. In 2006, the company introduced their motorcycle-themed roller coaster, the Motocoaster, which consists of a train of six cars, with two seats side by side per car. The MotoCoaster at Six Flags Darien Lake (near Buffalo, New York) is a Zamperla installation. Pony Express, a steel motorbike roller coaster at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, is the first Zamperla-manufactured motocoaster to be placed in the United States. Buena Park, California, in a twist on the once famous Motorcycle Chase of Indian Motorcycles on a Steeplechase roller coaster, now sports a Zamperla Motocoaster styled as horses. The most recent installation Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is an upcoming steel roller coaster manufactured by Intamin, currently under construction at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure theme park. The ride is scheduled to open on June 13, 2019. Universal described the roller coaster as "a highly-themed roller coaster that will take us into a different corner of the wizarding world, where guests will encounter some of their favorite characters and creatures." The attraction will replace the Dragon Challenge roller coaster, which closed on September 4, 2017. Where to find motorbike roller coasters Below is a partial list of motorbike roller coaster installations from around the world. There are many other launch-styled roller coasters, but not all feature motorbike type seating, and are not included on this list. |
Booster Bike Located at Toverland The Netherlands Manufactured by Vekoma Watch this off-ride video Watch this front seat video |
Velocity Located at Flamingo Land England Manufactured by Vekoma Watch this off-ride video Watch this front seat video |
Motorbike Launch Coaster Located at Chimelong Paradise China Manufactured by Vekoma Watch this front seat video |
Other installations: | |
Mick Doohan's MotoCoaster | Located at Dreamworld, Australia |
MotoCoaster | Located at Darien Lake, United States |
MotoCoaster | Located at Jinjiang Action Park, China |
Moto Bala (MotoCoaster) | Located at Mundo Petapa, Guatemala |
MotoGee | Located at Särkänniemi Amusement Park |
You can find more motorbike roller coasters and launch-style roller coasters on the Internet using the following search terms: motorbike roller coaster, motorcycle roller coaster, motorbike launch coaster, motorcycle launch coaster, motorbike launch roller coaster, motorcycle launch roller coaster, launch coaster, launch roller coaster, launch rollercoaster |
Louis Van "Bud" Abernathy (December 17,
1899 – March 6, 1979) and Temple Reeves "Temp" Abernathy (March 25,
1904 – December 10, 1986) were children from Oklahoma who, without
adult supervision, took several cross-country trips. They became known as the Abernathy Kids and were famous for making long, arduous journeys by horseback, on a motorcycle, and in an automobile by themselves. Growing up in Oklahoma The Abernathy Kids lived with their father Jack Abernathy in the town of Frederick, Oklahoma. The boys' mother passed away in 1970, before they made their famous trips. Jack Abernathy became friends with Teddy Roosevelt as a result of the notoriety he received for his ability to catch wolves alive with his hands. Teddy Roosevelt had heard about “catch-em’ alive” Jack Abernathy but was skeptical that it was possible to catch wolves alive just with bare hands. After persuasion by his friends, Roosevelt decided to meet Jack. Mr. Abernathy welcomed President Roosevelt to Frederick, Oklahoma in April 1905. He took Roosevelt on a successful hunt; a live wolf was caught bare handed. President Roosevelt later appointed Mr. Abernathy to the position of U.S. Marshall. The adventuresome trips made by the Abernathy Kids helped forge a bit of history in the automotive industry and in the motorcycling industry. The Brush Runabout car The young boys became an interesting part of the Brush automobile history. In 1910 Louis and Temple, ages 6 and 9, drove a Brush Runabout from New York City to Oklahoma City by themselves. Much was written about the 2,500 mile journey in the print media at the time. Large crowds met and greeted them along the way and they met President Taft in Washington D.C. on the way to New York. Brush advertising cited the adventure many times, claiming that the operation of the car was so simple that these two young boys could operate a Brush by themselves. A trip in 1911 was the result of the boys accepting a challenge to cross the United States, New York to San Francisco, on horseback in 60 days or less. The challenge required them to camp out along the way by themselves. It took 62 days to make the 4,500 mile journey, which means they failed to win the reward of $10,000, quite a large sum at the time. The Indian Motocycle The boys’ final ride came in 1913, when the maker of Indian Motocycles (spelled at the time without the 'r') offered a custom-made, two-seat motocycle if the boys would travel on it from Oklahoma to New York City. Temple Abernathy had just turned 9, and Bud Abernathy was 13. The company sent along a second bike, for a mechanic to ride along. After teaching themselves to drive the 500-pound cycle, they headed out in June, stopping along the way to give demonstrations and visit dealerships. Roads had improved so much that they were able to hit speeds of up to 70 miles per hour on some paved stretches. Their later years Several books have been written about the boys' adventures. One book is entitled "Bud and Me", another is "Meeting Roosevelt". The Tillman County Historical Society has a museum with an exhibit about the boys and their cross-country trips. The visit by Roosevelt to Tillman County and Frederick is part of the museum exhibit. Additionally, a 1910 Brush Runabout model D, the same as used on their trip, is on display as part of the exhibit. Check out the Tillman County Historical Society and Pioneer Heritage Townsite Museum web site here. Louis Abernathy later graduated from the University of Oklahoma Law School and became a lawyer in Wichita Falls, Texas. He died in Austin, Texas in 1979. Temple Abernathy worked in the oil and gas business. He died in Teague, Texas in 1986. A statue commemorating the Abernathy boys was dedicated on the lawn of the Tillman County courthouse on April 22, 2006. Their bronze figures oversee the town of Frederick’s annual Abernathy Day celebration, held the first Saturday in June. |
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