Jurassic Park Series 2: Strike Cycle

Year of release: 1993-1994

Accessories:

-Firing Capture Claw

-Detachable sidecar

(Note: the reviewer is not an expert on motor cycles, so any incorrect technical terms or lack of detail in this vehicle's description ought to be disregarded.)

Description: this big and heavy motor cycle consists of the bike itself (two wheels) and a sidecar (one wheel) that carries the vehicle's main utility for taking on dinosaurs, the capture claw. Both the cycle and the sidecar sport a largely dark green paint job, covered with orange stripes, while all of its highlights (capture claw, steering handles with front gun, scope, firing button, parking breaks and pulley) are painted metallic grey, as is the chassis under the driver's seat, which is more shiny by comparison (almost silver). The wheels are all black; the seat is light brown, with space for only one human figure. The cycle itself is adorned with parts of a dinosaur skeleton (it appears to be a medium sized carnivore), the upper jaw and arms on the front, and its backbone at the back, all held together by small brown ropes (none of these parts can be separated from the cycle). The sidecar doesn't have ornamentation like this, but delivers the action features of this set instead (the front gun above the bike's skull is only there for show, it has no action options).

On top of the sidecar there is a grid with a scope on it, which can be flipped up, revealing a small button underneath. Pushing this button releases the capture claw, which is attached to the pulley at the back of the sidecar by a black string, allowing the claw a firing distance of some 40 centimetres (unless you remove the string of course). There's a little handle on the side of the pulley: rotating this towards you makes the claw being reeled in, along with any unfortunate prey it may have captured. On the bottom of the sidecar there are two little legs or breaks which can be retracted (only simultaneously), so the sidecar can stand on its own when it's not attached to the cycle. It also makes the whole set-up of bike and sidecar together more steady, though the cycle can't really move when the breaks are retracted.

Analysis: aside from the wide originality in prehistoric vermin JPS2 unleashed, this line also delivered more diversity in ground based vehicles. JPS1 featured two cars only (and a chopper, which isn't land based), while this line not only added a third car, but also a buggy and this motor cycle (the first JP cycle, but certainly not the last). It's a pretty cool vehicle, but could have been more inventive in terms of weaponry.

The design is quite butch and makes no mistake we're dealing with a bad guys' vehicle here. The poor dinosaur which was killed to make this bike sport a more nasty look shows the Evil Raiders' handiwork, while the paint scheme of 'military' dark green with sharp orange stripe patterns also hints at carnage and mayhem (dark red stripes would have left even less to the imagination but might have been too graphic). Skinner is the best choice to drive this bike (which is also why he's pictured on the box), since the other Raider, Dr. Snare, has a big trench coat that kind of gets in the way when he's sitting down on it. Most of the other human figures don't have enough space between their legs to really fit on this vehicle.

The detachable sidecar, which looks less menacing, carries all the action of this set. Even though the capture claw can also be fired when the sidecar is attached to the bike, it's more convenient when the sidecar stands on its own and the bike doesn't get in the way. The firing mechanism works really well and the claw has a decent firing range, but it's only fit for trapping smaller figures (like the JPS1/2 Raptor, also pictured on this bike's box). There's not much room between the claws' arms for bigger prey. It's not the most original weapon either: JPS2 Harpoon Harrison comes with a very similar piece of equipment (and the principle would be used in various following toy lines). However, the pulley which allows for captured prey to be reeled in is something we wouldn't see again, and adds to this capture claw's effectiveness. The scope on top, which also protects the firing button, is a nice extra touch as well, and the same goes for the little breaks on the bottom of the sidecar which allow it to keep standing up straight for use when it's not attached to the bike. A shame the cycle itself doesn't come with a similar device, since it can't stand up on its own when separated from the sidecar but lies down or has to be parked up against something.

Playability: pretty good. Though the only real action comes from the capture claw, the various little extra touches aid the overall playability. The wheels are moveable enough to push the bike a fair distance away when given a push. It's clear more thought was given to the sidecar then to the bike though, considering the cycle can't stand on its own without the sidecar and most figures don't really fit on it. Also, you can take detaching the sidecar from the main cycle as dino damage, even though it's not intended as such.

Realism: motor cycles weren't featured in the first JP movie, but neither were the Evil Raiders. The whole design of this vehicle comes from the imagination of the Kenner toy designers. Therefore, it's not surprising the bike features a bit of an over-the-top feel, with the dinosaur remains as ornamentation, the big capture claw gun, and another gun attached to the steering handles. It does fit in perfectly with the whole notion of the Evil Raiders though, given the funky design of those figures themselves.

Repaint: no, this is a new vehicle. It would not be repainted for later toy lines.

Overall rating: 7/10. This is a decent vehicle with various fun features, but nothing particularly special (and certainly less iconic than the JPS1 vehicles). It's one of the most common JPS2 sets, and can be found fairly easily, sometimes for low prices. As such, don't hesitate to find one of your own.