The 614-AvA speeder bike, also known as the Lothal Speeder Bike, was an Imperial Military speeder bike model manufactured by Aratech Repulsor Company. The Galactic Empire utilized the vehicle most notably during its occupation of Lothal.
Description[]
Aratech's 614-AvA was a small, fast, lightweight speeder bike used by the Imperial Military. Designed initially as a portable, modular scout vehicle typically packed into a larger vehicle like a walker or a landspeeder, the 614-AvA was more akin to a swoop than to a full-fledged speeder bike. It consisted of little more than a combination repulsor drive-thruster pack, a control pod, and a set of variable-geometry control surfaces mounted to a pair of stout frame rails. The rails were telescopic, allowing the speeder bike to collapse to roughly a third of its full size with no need for tools. With the push of a button, the 614-AvA collapsed into a cube about a meter square; this feature allowed the 614-AvA to be easily shipped in bulk.[3][2]
The Imperial Army ordered tens of thousands of 614-AvAs to be used by reconnaissance and military police units. For military use, the speeder bikes had some improvements, such as frame reinforcements, more powerful drive-thrusters, and a pair of light blaster cannons.[2]
Overall, the 614 had proven quite successful in Imperial service and had gained a reputation among its pilots as reliable, easy to work on, and easy to live with.[2] The AvAs eventually were outgunned, outran, and outproduced by the 74-Z speeder bike.[source?]
History[]
This militarized Imperial speeder bike model was used by Imperial combat drivers for rapid transit[3] and by scout troopers.[9]
Behind the scenes[]
The design of this speeder bike model was developed from an early illustration by concept artist Joe Johnston in 1979.[3] The length of this vehicle is listed as 3.98 meters in the young reader's book Star Wars Rebels: Head to Head,[5] while the official StarWars.com Databank lists the length as 4.4 meters.[4]
In the Star Wars Rebels episode "An Inside Man," Grand Admiral Thrawn refers to the bike model as a "624 AvA speeder bike."[10]
Appearances[]
- Star Wars Rebels webcomic
- Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion (First appearance)
- Star Wars Rebels — "Empire Day"
- "Eyes on the Prize" — Star Wars Rebels Magazine 6
- Star Wars Rebels — "Call to Action"
- Star Wars Rebels — "Relics of the Old Republic"
- "The Line of Duty" — Star Wars Rebels Magazine 26
- Star Wars Rebels — "Hera's Heroes"
- Star Wars Rebels — "An Inside Man" (as 624-AvA speeder bike)
- Star Wars Rebels: Heroes of Mandalore
- Star Wars Rebels — "Kindred"
- Star Wars Rebels — "Rebel Assault"
- Star Wars Rebels — "DUME"
- Star Wars Rebels — "Wolves and a Door"
- Star Wars Rebels — "Family Reunion – and Farewell"
- Star Wars: Commander
- Doctor Aphra (2016) 32
- Ahsoka — "Part One: Master and Apprentice"
- Ahsoka — "Part Two: Toil and Trouble"
Sources[]
- "Reigniting the Rebellion!" — Star Wars Insider 146
- Star Wars Rebels: The Visual Guide (First identified as 614-AvA speeder bike)
- Star Wars Rebels Extended Trailer (Official)) on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) (Posted on StarWars.com)
- Introducing Star Wars Rebels: The Visual Guide on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Star Wars Rebels Extended Preview (Official) on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- Star Wars Rebels: Head to Head
- Star Wars Rebels: Beware the Inquisitor! (Picture only)
- Star Wars Rebels: Fight the Empire
- Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
- Star Wars: Galactic Atlas (Picture only)
- Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia
- Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles
- Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition
- Starships and Speeders
- Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: Traveler's Guide to Batuu (Misidentified as 74-Z speeder bike)
- Sabine | Star Wars A to Z on the official Star Wars Kids YouTube channel (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Ahsoka | Official Trailer on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) (Posted on StarWars.com)
- Star Wars: Dawn of Rebellion: The Visual Guide
- Ezra's Speeder Bike in the Databank (backup link)
- Lothal Speeder Bike in the Databank (backup link)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Star Wars Rebels: The Visual Guide
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Starships and Speeders
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Pablo Hidalgo hosting the Star Wars Rebels Panel at NYCC 2013, part 2. Speeder bike presentation at 14:20. on the {{{channelname}}} YouTube channel (content obsolete and backup link not available)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lothal Speeder Bike in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Star Wars Rebels: Head to Head
- ↑ "Reigniting the Rebellion!" — Star Wars Insider 146
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Star Wars Rebels — "Kindred"
- ↑ Ahsoka — "Part One: Master and Apprentice"
- ↑ Star Wars Rebels — "Hera's Heroes"
- ↑ Star Wars Rebels — "An Inside Man"
External links[]
- Pablo Hidalgo hosting the Star Wars Rebels Panel at NYCC 2013, part 2. Speeder bike presentation at 14:20. on the {{{channelname}}} YouTube channel (content obsolete and backup link not available)