Monday, August 20, 2012

Lego Adventure: Technic Quad Bike Part 4 [Final]

Smart move with the numbering

Jumping away from Gunpla-ing a little while after the work on MG Gelgoog Ver. 2.0. ^^

Trying out the only alternate mode - a race car from Lego Technic No. 9392 Quad Bike that was completed last month.


The quad bike is dismantled before the (re)assembly work. ^^



Assembled the basic component of the front set.


Joint parts, including the two interesting spring-loaded parts are attached to the front set.
The entire component is very similar to that on the quad bike.


Plenty of rod connectors on the frame to be attached to the rear set.


(Left) The rear axle can be assembled independently.
(Right) Connecting the rear set to the one in front.


Added a few parts to secure the two components' connection.


Progress of the race car's assembly so far. ^^



Added parts that will be used in the linked action between the knob and movement of the front wheels.


Added a few frame parts that connect the rear suspension to the front set.


Progress of the race car's assembly so far. ^^
The most fundamental frame of the body is almost done.


Parts to complete the car's body.


While the "handlebars" are movable, they are meant to stay in that bent position shown in the right image I guess, so that articulation is not needed at all. ^^;



The chain is shortened for this race car model and its purpose has been "downgraded" to become a button to trigger the front wheel movement. ^^


Moving the front wheel using the "chain button".
Video clip is from Youtube. Follow this link to the website if you can't see anything.


The handlebar-like parts form the front bumper bars.


The wheels and plate parts will complete the entire assembly. ^^


Positioning of the body plates is pretty clever as it shows the stickers with a different number on this alternate model. For the quad bike, it's clearly "66", now it's "99". ^^


Not much can be done about the spoiler pieces I guess. It's still "66" if you read it from the side. ^^;


Assembled the wheels onto the model.


The race car is completed. ^^


A few leftovers from the previous model. Parts for the engine block incorporating a movable piston is unused for this model. ^^;

More images of the race car:









Closeups on the details:




















A summary of all the model's gimmicks. ^^
Video clip is from Youtube. Follow this link to the website if you can't see anything.

As you can see in the video above, there are basically just two gimmicks on this race car model:
(1) Controlling the front wheels' movement via a button on top of the car, and
(2) Front and rear suspension

The entire car moves very well too if you want to count that in as a gimmick. XD But overall in terms of gimmicks, the race car is sub par as compared to the quad bike. ^^; Not only can you find the two mentioned gimmicks of this race car on the quad bike, the latter has movable chain and functional engine block with piston accompanying the wheels' movement, which is very cool. Those gimmicks are not available on this race car.

The altered placement of the plate parts to get an different number on the car is a neat trick that I like, and I like how the front portion of the car is exposed to show off the gear's movement when the button is turned as well, but the overall model is just too simple and uninteresting as compared to the quad bike. ^^; Speaking of the button, the design of having an actual movable chain wrapping around a gear part is seriously undermining the chain's actual capabilities. ^^; The gear part works just as well on its own as the button. It's a case of "having the parts there for no obvious reason", which is excessive and pointless in my opinion. I love how the chain is function on the quad bike, and is actually supporting part of the model's gimmick, so it's really very disappointing to see it been designed into a fixed "wrapper" for the button on this race car. ^^

Like I said in Part 1, many Lego Technic models are designed with an alternate model just for the sake of having an alternate model. Some are pretty interesting, but most are not. ^^; This particular set fits into the second category there "nicely". ^^; The main model is very awesome; but the alternate model is very plain. It's not terrible, but there are very few features that can make it stands out as a nice model on its own, with or without comparison to its main model.

I'll will most probably dismantle it again soon and reassemble it into the original quad bike. ^^;

All reviews on Lego Technic No. 9392 Quad Bike:
Part 1: What am I assembling actually?
Part 2: Unexpected simplicity
Part 3: Not meant for mere display
Part 4 [Final]: Smart move with the numbering

View full gallery:
Lego Technic No. 9392 Quad Bike

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