Here’s a pleasant surprise.  I just opened the Elite Speeder Bike with Stormtrooper, and found that it is way better than I assumed, with a few neat features with the speeder bike itself, as well as a bit of shocker with the figure that was packed in.  I don’t believe either the trooper or the bike made it into the final cut of the movie, and I have no idea if it was left on the cutting room floor, or if it was just part of the pre-film marketing campaign.

First, let’s talk about the figure.  At a quick glance, it looks like it’s probably a throwaway.  It’s simply known as “stormtrooper” on the front of the package, although on the back, in small print, the “special edition” qualifier is added.  This would indicate it has no part in the film, or even canon.  The figure is painted in “shadow” colors, because kids love shadow troopers!  The other day I passed some kids in the street, and I overheard them saying how much they loved shadow troopers, so I believe Hasbro’s marketing research is spot on.  At first the figure looks like it’s nearly the same mold as the basic stormtrooper, complete with the hip notch for the pistol.  I was convinced the only difference was the wider stance, which I assumed was meant to help it fit better on the speeder.  But I noticed something strange on the package art.  I took a second look at the figure, and Great Googly Moogly!, the figure has knees!  Yes, this 5POA figure is actually 7POA!  Because of it, the figure fits naturally on the bike, from the soles of the feet hitting the foot pedals perfectly, to the well-aligned hand controls that the figure can grip tightly.  It’s all well done!  Bravo, Hasbro, bravo!  I only wish that they did the same thing with the Rey figure that comes with her Speeder.  While I like how well Rey conforms to the seating area on that vehicle, the one demerit there was that Hasbro had to diverge from screen-accuracy by putting the pedals forward to accommodate the figure’s straight legs.  While screen accuracy is out the window on this particular concept vehicle, it’s definitely more natural looking.

The speeder bike is partly a retool of existing molds, plus some new parts. It’s a two part vehicle, as it had been in the past.  The front part appears to be completely new, while the back part has a few surprises.  There is a “hood” of sorts, that can be lifted to reveal the engine.  The handlebars move forward and back to ensure the rider’s hands can be positioned well.  The same goes for the foot pedals, which also act as part of the “landing gear” to keep the bike straight when on your shelf.  There are two cannons on the underside.  One to the front that can flex downward, and one closer to the pilot, which swivels from side to side.  The rear flaps are also mobile, although for some reason on my sample, one of them isn’t shaped properly, so it won’t flip upward the whole way.  Small bummer there.

The bike is a neat little variation of the more familiar Imperial era vehicle.  The figure has extra articulation, allowing it to interact perfectly with the bike.  This is a well executed toy.  I’m not going to say it’s the most exciting thing coming out of the 5POA era, but it is definitely better than many other offerings.  Maybe it’s just because I was so pleasantly surprised that I’m giving it a little too much credit, but I think this is a neat toy from Hasbro, and it’s not outrageously priced.  At this point, give it a look if you can find it on clearance somewhere.