Life in 1/64...not so much with Hot Wheels motorcycles. One of the biggest complaints us collectors have about Hot Wheels motorcycles is the scale. Mattel often winds up making motorcycles that are way too big by attempting to fill a blister designed for a 3-inch, 1/64 scale car or pickup truck. The result is an otherwise well presented and detailed motorcycle that ends up being closer to 1/43 scale than 1/64 scale. Often, oversized motorcycles end up deterring the scale-obsessed collector like myself.
Complaint number 2 I hear levied against Hot Wheels motorcycles is that many of them are fantasy castings and a handful of those fantasy motorcycle castings (more, depending on who you talk to) look downright ridiculous. Hammer Sled, anyone?
The scale issue isn't going to get fixed, and with good reason. I've come to accept that Mattel isn't about to put a tiny one-inch motorcycle in a normal Hot Wheels blister. Parents buying for kids would feel ripped off and the handful of true-1/64 scale enthusiasts out there probably don't care that much about 1/64 scale motorcycles anyways. Issue number 2, the lack of realistic/licensed bikes, is being addressed with castings like the Harley Davidson Fat Boy and BMW K1300 R.
Despite the recent surge of realistic motorcycles we're seeing from Hot Wheels, they aren't a big part of my collection and they never will be. It's not because Hot Wheels motorcycles aren't cool or well detailed, but rather that there are so many great cars/pickup/SUVs to collect that I can't jump down another rabbit hole. Also, motorcycles are more fun to ride than to look at in (oversized) 1/64 scale. There are some beautiful diecast motorcycles out there, but the larger scales are more visually appealing.
There are 2 Hot Wheels motorcycle castings I do have a soft spot for, however. The Harley Davidson Fat Boy is iconic Americana and the Hot Wheels version of it is mostly metal, super detailed and just plain cool. I'm not going to buy every release, but I buy 'em when I see 'em. The Fat Boy is the perfect casting to showcase what Hot Wheels can do with motorcycles and is perfect if you're looking for that 'token motorcycle' to join your collection.
The second motorcycle (do minibikes count?) casting that's a must collect is the recent Honda Monkey Z50. The Honda Z series of motorcycles is called the monkey because of how the tiny bike looks under a usually much larger rider. With 50cc engines and collapsible frames, Monkey Z50s are iconic minibikes. Underwhelming power and overwhelming cool-factor. The same cool factor applies to the Hot Wheels, plus it's got a detailed Honda logo and it actually displays nicely without falling over, thanks to its chubby wheels.
What are your favorite Hot Wheels motorcycle castings? Do you collect Hot Wheels motorcycles? Let me know in the comments below! Enjoy...
Happy Collecting!!
From : thewesterndiecastreview.blogspot.com
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