Ground Vehicles
By Vince Martin,
with additional material by C.J. Carella
A specialty niche has developed in the vehicle industry over
the last ten years in answer to the growing number of physically
enhanced customers. Augmented humans like the Juicer and
Crazy found the speed and reaction times of standard vehicles to
be painfully sluggish. Previously, standard automobiles and mo
torcycles were modified by operators and amateur mechanics for
higher overall performance and impromptu combat situations.
When the vehicle manufacturers realized the potential for this
sub-market, they began development of a variety of vehicles
specifically for enhanced humans, with price tags reflecting the
buyers ' needs and greater ability to pay. To a Juicer, spending
1 00,000+ credits on a bike or jeep is worth it, considering that
they do not really need to save money for the future.
The super-human population received these new designs with
overwhelming enthusiasm, especially Phaeton Juicers and those
with a passion for driving. Inevitably, boastful riders began to
brag of their feats and vehicles. Always one to accept a chal
lenge, Juicer drag and road races have become commonplace,
from spontaneous duels to organized competitions. Furthermore,
the added and enhanced capabilities of the new vehicles gives
their riders additional avenues of debate and challenge, such as
jumping and marksmanship while traveling at dizzying speeds.
The vehicle customizing industry booms as well. Customers
longing for a car or motorbike more reflective of their personal
tastes, line up at many garages scattered throughout the cities
and villages that can give them what they want. In most cases,
cash and discretion are all that is required for modifications
ranging from a new paint job to the installation of a black market
weapon system. These underground garages are particularly
common in the West and Southwest, where the road systems that
survived the Coming of the Rifts are in better shape and the land
itself offers wide-open flatlands.
Because of the elevated sensitivity of the control inputs, nor
mal humans find it very difficult to operate these specialty vehi
cles, and do not gain any of the skill bonuses they may provide
augmented humans. In fact, if attempting any type of difficult
maneuver, a non-augmented driver/rider must make a skill check
at -30%.
Special note:
Top speeds listed for the following wheeled ve
hicles assumes a perfect driving surface (i.e., a maintained con
crete or asphalt road, salt flat, etc.) of at least one mile ( 1 .6 km)
in length, conditions seldom seen in the post-Rifts world, at the
places that allow these vehicles. Over broken terrain, exceeding
cruising speed always has a risk of loss of control and other ca
tastrophes (- 1 0% to piloting skill).
Tarantula Combat Jump Bike (UTI)
The Tarantula combat jump bike is a fast and highly maneu
verable motorcycle developed specifically for riders with en
hanced physical abilities. It is moderately armed, but lacks the
structural integrity to withstand great amounts of damage.
81
Powering the Tarantula is a flex-fuel powerplant enabling it
to operate on fossil fuels, propane, or compressed natural gas
(CNG), depending on what is available. Sensors in the engine
management system automatically detect which fuel is being ad
ministered. The bike may also rely on electric motors mounted
in the wheel hubs and high-efficiency batteries for a limited
time, but at the cost of overall performance (revised figures are
in parentheses). The jump thrusters can use only CNG, which is
stored in a separate tank with a five jump capacity.
The jump system provides the bike and a physically-en
hanced rider with the ability to make extremely long airborne
jumps/leaps. Jumping distance is calculated by tripling the cur
rent speed in Miles Per Hour (mph). This is the number of
yards/meters the Tarantula remains airborne. Jump height is
double the speed in inches.
Anti-lock braking, traction control, active aerodynamics, and
solid rubber tires are all standard features on the tarantula, as
well as a fully-active suspension, which detects irregularities in
the surface ahead and automatically adjusts the ride height and
firmness settings to provide optimum handling. Also included is
an armored interface helmet, which is connected by fiber-optic
cables to the bike and provides all the benefits of a Juicer optics
helmet in addition to H.U.D. readouts of the Tarantula ' s vital
statistics, including remaining jump fuel and E-Clip status.
Model Type:
High performance motorcycle
Crew:
One
M.D.C. by Location:
Main Body - 1 00
*
Wheels (2) - 1 2 each
*
Weapons - Pulse lasers (2) 1 5 each
*
Thrusters (2) - (bottom) 25, (rear) 25
*
A single asterisk indicates targets that are difficult to hit (-3
on a called shot).
Acceleration (0-60):
3 . 1 seconds (rocket assisted).
Top speed:
200 mph. (320 kmph) ( 1 50 mph/240 kmph with
electrical battery).
Cruising Speed:
1 00 mph ( 1 60 kmph).
(60-0
75 feet (23 m)
Jet: The maximum length the bike can jump is equal to
nine feet (2.7 m) for every mile ( 1 .6 km) per hour being trav
eled; for example, a bike going at 1 00 mph ( 1 60 km) could jump
as much as 900 feet (270 m) ! The bike can jump up to five times
before the jump tanks need to be refueled.
500 miles/800 km ( 1 2 hrs. continuous operation with
electrical battery).
Statistical Data:
4 feet, 1 inch ( 1 .2 m)
Width: 3 feet, 1 0 inches ( 1 . 1 8 m)
8 feet, 7 inches (2.6 m)
1 545 Ibs. (695.25 kg)
Power
Flex-fuel internal combustion, with electric
backup.
Skill Bonus for
Humans: + 1 5 % to piloting skill and
execution of jumps, tricks, and special maneuvers.
Market Cost: 80,000 credits
Weapon System
1. Pulse Lasers:
Mounted in the forward cowling of the taran
tula are twin pulse lasers. They point in the same direction as
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