Plissken

Review: 2259 Skull Motorbike

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As the first pictures of the NinjaGo Theme leaked last year, this set was the only one that appealed to me immediately. I knew that I would buy it if I stumble over it. Today was the day and here is my review of the set: 2259 Skull Motorbike

Brickset

Flickr Link

Theme: NinjaGo

Name: Skull Motorbike

Set Number: 2259

Pieces: 157

Figures: 2

Released: 2011

Price: €14,99

First some shots of the Box and Content.

Front

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01 Box Front by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Back (showing the action feature, more on that later).

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02 Box Back by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Instruction booklet with DSS. "Only" two stickers in this set (I didn't apply them).

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03 Instructions by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Random Page (you can see where the stickers would go)

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04 Random Page by plisskeneb, on Flickr

The other content of the box, four polybags filled with gorgeous plastic

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05 Bags by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Some pieces of interest

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06 Pieces of Interest by plisskeneb, on Flickr

The Minifigs

Jay, the blue ninja. No backprinting.

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07 Ninja by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Jay fully armed

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08 Armed by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Chopov, the skeleton with the cool helmet and armor. Nice face :devil:

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09 Skeleton by plisskeneb, on Flickr

The Build

Step 5

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10 Step 5 by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Step 11

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11 Step 11 by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Step 14

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12 Step 14 by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Step 17

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12 Step 17 by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Step 21 Adding a tire...

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13 Step 21 by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Step 23 ... and some flames.

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14 Step 23 by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Step 24 The bone mudguard. Cool looking but pretty useless :wink:

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15 Step 24 by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Step 29 Some front details

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16 Step 29 by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Step 6 (yeah, thats right. Step 6. It's a submodel. Everything's still in order :wink: )

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17 Step 6 of the submodel by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Step 33 More front details

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18 Step 33 by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Step 7 (another submodel) The front skull

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19 Step 7 by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Spare parts

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20 Spare Parts by plisskeneb, on Flickr

The completed model

The Bike

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21 Complete by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Front

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22 Bike Front by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Back

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23 Bike Back by plisskeneb, on Flickr

The complete set

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24 Complete w Figs by plisskeneb, on Flickr

And now as a little extra a small demonstration of the mentioned action feature of this set.

In this picture you can see the lever on the right side of the bike (left to the purple stud)

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25 AF01 by plisskeneb, on Flickr

The next step is to pull it back. The mechanism draws the chain and the front skull will rise.

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26 AF02 by plisskeneb, on Flickr

If you make these steps a little faster, the skull will come down at the front of the bike, smashing everything in his way.

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27 AF03 by plisskeneb, on Flickr

Rating

Playability/Driveability: 8/10 The bike is great. It rolls very well, it is mean looking and the action feature works surprisingly well.

Design: 8/10 Like I said before, the bike is mean looking and I like that. The build itself is nothing special but the mechanism of the action feature is simple and nice.

Price: 9/10 I think it is a great value for the money you spend.

Minifigures: 10/10 Jay and Chapov are very nice figures with cool prints. I like the new skeleton torso and the armor is great. Really outstanding is the helmet. If it isn't appearing in other sets of the next waves this set will get very wanted.

Parts: 7/10 Some purple, some white, a short golden chain, the mentioned helmet and a lot of Technic parts. The feeling about this is a little mixed.

Overall: 9/10 Pretty high I know, but I really love that bike. With a few modifications it would be perfect for Lobo (DC Comics character btw).

Edited by Peppermint_M

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Nice review, but unfortunately I really dont like this set. It's not what I would buy to son, ever. The bike is way oversized and minifig looks like some twisted nazi and I think that should be out of bounds for Lego.

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Very good review Plissken! The set is decent at best, but not something that I would really spend my money on. Interestingly though, that oversized skull motorbike somehow reminds me of DC Comic's Lobo's Spacehog interstellar motorcycle.

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Great review. I kept thinking it was strange that we didn't have a good review of this set yet.

This set really appealed to me, so I bought it, but have not built it yet. I was itching to bust it and try for my first review, but I'm lazy so had not got to it yet.

I think for the price $15 US you get a decent value. And heck... it's a biker skelly vs a ninja set? ZOMG! :laugh:

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Great review Plissken :thumbup: I do agree with Cwetqo. Not a fan of the Nijago series... I don't get the theme very well I guess. Motorcycles, skeletons, and ninjas... back to what Cwetqo said; the bike IS pretty big. I would buy it if it were much smaller. If only TLG would make a chopper for city. I do like the look of the back of the bike. The front is lacking. I've never liked those skinny wheels. They're ugly, boring, dated. The value doesn't seem too bad and that new 1x4 trans light bar looks neat. Thanks for a good review :classic:

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I've been hooked on Ningago ever since I saw this set, really set my inner child free. I cant get over the fact this set is an actuall nazi biker skelleton vs elemental ninja set.

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Nice review, but unfortunately I really dont like this set. It's not what I would buy to son, ever. The bike is way oversized and minifig looks like some twisted nazi and I think that should be out of bounds for Lego.

I've been hooked on Ningago ever since I saw this set, really set my inner child free. I cant get over the fact this set is an actuall nazi biker skelleton vs elemental ninja set.

Everyone's using the term "Nazi" to refer to the look of the helmet Chopov wears. I might not be an expert on WWII history, but I don't see why this generic army helmet in black stands out automatically as a Nazi soldier's helmet. Looking at Wikipedia, it does resemble a Stahlhelm, but the only real trait that makes it stand out as such is its black color-- and considering this is on the Earth-elemental skeleton (corresponding to Cole, the black ninja), and considering that all of the skeletons wear black armor, I can't think of many alternatives. Dark Stone Grey (BL's Dark Bluish Gray) might have worked, but IMO that wouldn't have looked nearly as good as the black does.

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Everyone's using the term "Nazi" to refer to the look of the helmet Chopov wears. I might not be an expert on WWII history, but I don't see why this generic army helmet in black stands out automatically as a Nazi soldier's helmet. Looking at Wikipedia, it does resemble a Stahlhelm, but the only real trait that makes it stand out as such is its black color-- and considering this is on the Earth-elemental skeleton (corresponding to Cole, the black ninja), and considering that all of the skeletons wear black armor, I can't think of many alternatives. Dark Stone Grey (BL's Dark Bluish Gray) might have worked, but IMO that wouldn't have looked nearly as good as the black does.

I know the Nazi's where not the only evil army to walk the earth, but it's the first thing that comes to most peoples heads.

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So, if a helmet based on the US army design is coloured black it is Nazi? That is the exact same helmet as the Toy Story army men headgear, except black. It looks nothing like a Stahlhelm apart from being black in colour. The helmet resembles a SWAT team design or just a regular kevlar helmet in black.

Darth Vader's helmet was based on a Stahlhelm, does that make it Nazi? I mean the army has Stormtroopers in it and the Imperial Officers are just missing certain symbols, replaced with more "SciFi" details. Heck, costumers buy Jackboots! The entire Empire was the Reich IN SPACE. Does this make them Nazi and therefore deplorable and unpurchaseable? Or am I to bet that Cwetqo and co quite happily play with Star Wars sets, play the games and watch the films themselves?

It is a skeleton with a black army helmet (The pawn of an evil Wizard/Ninja). Not a mass murderer.

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Thanks for the review 'Plissken', I only brought one of these because my son begged me to buy one and actually I liked building it....I consider it well designed with that funny front fork play feature....ouch that's gotta hurt in the way of that moving part ! :devil:

The helmet is like an old school bikers helmet......though it does sort of helmet used in a tv series of days gone by....'Col. Hogannnnn ! I see nothing, I know nothing !' :laugh:

Brick On.....Spin On ! :grin:

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I'm not saying that because of the fact the helmet makes me think of a nazi army/ evil army, it should not be bought. I love the theme, I find the whole evil army type thing very entertaining. I'm just saying the whole thing is a massive collection of tropes in one, with the biker, skeleton and evil army cliques in one. When you think of evil army, how could you not be at least inspired by nazis- they are histories evil army, surpassing all those in the past. I’m not condemning the set or Lego for this, nor am I saying I like the theme for the nazi association in my mind. I’m just saying that is what I think of. If I offended anyone or dipped my toe in too far for such an inexperienced user, I apologize. I hope this isn’t going to forever lessen your opinions of me and I can regain the respect of you folks as I continue to contribute to the site.

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Nice review. At first, I thought it was just the bike, so when I found out about the function, I was pleasantly surprised. The USA price is great, but the Canadian one isn't, so I ain't gettin' it!

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Everyone's using the term "Nazi" to refer to the look of the helmet Chopov wears. I might not be an expert on WWII history, but I don't see why this generic army helmet in black stands out automatically as a Nazi soldier's helmet.

...

I think this is more related to the way the skeleton is a biker, than the particular look of the helmet. So that the association with Nazi symbolism is more triggered by the chopper bike, and potential associations with Hells Angels who use the helmet (which is not always related to the signaling of an affinity with a fascist ideology). Perhaps if the skeleton had the helmet, and no bike, less people would interpret the symbolism in the way that many have done, which is not just in this forum.

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Great review,I really like minifigs and it has useful parts but set itself doesn't make any sense: Ninja fighting skeleton on motorbike?! :hmpf_bad:

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I think this is more related to the way the skeleton is a biker, than the particular look of the helmet. So that the association with Nazi symbolism is more triggered by the chopper bike, and potential associations with Hells Angels who use the helmet (which is not always related to the signaling of an affinity with a fascist ideology). Perhaps if the skeleton had the helmet, and no bike, less people would interpret the symbolism in the way that many have done, which is not just in this forum.

That is a very good point. It still kind of bugs me that people throw the word "Nazi" around like that was literally LEGO's intent, but your explanation does make the assumption seem a lot more logical.

I have to say I prefer the skeleton in this set (Chopov) to Bonezai, who gets no helmet or headgear at all. He's the one who really needs headgear, too, since his loincloth/rags are white, and his color scheme is therefore the most boring of all the skeletons.

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Got this today for 13 bucks. Not that much of a discount but still.

Haven't opened it (I want to clean my room, and this being the reward) but the review made me purchase this over the Star Wars BP and the 7.99 Ninjago set with Kai.

Good stuff and nice review!

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Hi,

my son bought this set while ago. He's a big Ninjago fan.

He's (since yesterday) 4.

With guidance he build the set together.

Great fun to play with.

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