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Video: Awesome “Hover Bike” Brings Star Wars To Real Life

August 23, 2012 by 5 Comments
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Warning, nerd alert incoming.

I’m a huge Star Wars fan (surprise!), and one of my favorite scenes from Return of the Jedi is the chase through the forest of Endor on “Speeder Bikes”, hovering nerdgasms of awesomeness. Scientists have been grappling with such “hover” technology for decades, but a video that has been blowing up on the Internet has given hope to a new generation of nerds that we might one day ride such a vehicle.

The video, from defense contractor Aeromax, briefly shows a rider hovering inches off the desert proving ground. The hover bike is neither fast nor agile, though the rider steers the vehicle by leaning left or right. Holy freakin’ crap, this thing is cool.

Aeromax has even reportedly developed technology to keep dust and debris away, as the video shows. Alas, don’t expect to see hover bikes in stores anytime soon; the technology is being developed with unmanned drones in mind. However, after seeing the response from the Internet, maybe some clever corporate types with reconsider that business plan.

Hover technology could open a whole new world of sustainable transportation technology. Current cars suffer from a lot of rolling resistance at the point of road contact, i.e. the tires. While one can’t eliminate wind resistance, hovering vehicles could open up new possibilities when it comes to fuel efficient travel.

Also, HOVER BIKES!!!!!111

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About Christopher DeMorro

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to HEMIs. You can follow his slow descent into madness and non-nonsensical ramblings on Twitter @harshcougar.

  • SumGai

    Just one thing to point out. Even though cars have rolling resistance, they don’t have as much of that “constantly resisting gravity” thing that aerial vehicles have. If flying were more fuel efficient than driving, we’d be doing much more of it.

    • Christopher DeMorro

      @SumGai

      Don’t taze my dreams, bro.

  • Susanna Schick

    ummmm… on the subject of tazing your dreams… sorry, but, slow AND handles badly? What’s to like about this? My speederbike can hover no prob, and at greater heights. Just look at any of the top racers jumping Ballaugh Bridge at the Isle of Man. ;-) And trust me, riding a 170+ HP motorcycle feels EXACTLY like riding a speederbike in Star Wars.

  • Brian

    Back in the 1950s, the boat company ChrisKraft built a prototype hovercraft car. Turns out, while hovercrafts are great for water and amphibious landings, they’re not so good at rush hour traffic. Stopping quickly was a bit of a problem, and they tended to be easily pushed around by the wind.

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