DESIGNERS: DAN DEMPSKI AND TOM DANIEL
BUILDER: RICHARD "KORKY" KORKES, KUSTOMOTIVE
BASED ON: 1966 YAMAHA CATALINA 250 YDS-3
Over the years, Batman has driven several “Batcycles,” the majority of which were single-rider vehicles that allowed greater maneuverability around Gotham City. Unlike the comic book versions, the television series introduced the Batcycle with a sidecar that allowed the Dynamic Duo to fight crime side-by-side. Originally a Harley-Davidson fitted with a fixed sidecar painted to match the Batmobile, the 1966 movie Batcycle was recast with a Yamaha Catalina and a side-mounted platform for Robin’s only vehicle, a small detachable go-kart.
The Batcycle was designed by Tom Daniel, and built by Dan Dempski and Dan and Korky Korkes under the name Kustomotive. They leased the Batmobile to 20th Century Fox for $50 a week. In total they made around $2500. After the TV show went off air, Kustomotive made four replica batcycles which they used to tour different car shows.
The Batcycle was built for the Batman TV series that was on air from 1966-1968. This series followed the comics both tonally and visually with lots of bright colors, intense characters, long fight sequences, and extreme cliffhangers. It was for this very campy world that the Batcycle was built.