5 Best Hot Wheels Motorcycles

I'm passionate about anything related to motorcycles, so I have a small collection of tiny bikes at home. But neither is a Hot Wheels product, as they're too little and unrealistic. I've ignored most motorcycle castings in recent years and wondered if there's any chance Mattel will become better at it. The first one came out in 1975. The Motocross 1 was part of the Flying Customs series alongside the Street Eater.

The diecast manufacturer didn't release another bike for the next 20+ years. And the custom Scorchin' Scooter chopper could have been better. Still, I wanted to compile a list of the five best Hot Wheels motorcycles. With 58 castings, it was easier than I initially expected. Some models didn't make the list, as they had too few variations. That includes the Harley-Davidson Buell and the Kawasaki Ninja GPZ 900R from Top Gun.

Fright Bike

Here is a chronological list of my favorite Hot Wheels motorcycles. The Fright Bike might not sound like much initially, but one glimpse will tell the whole story. It immediately reminded me of the Suzuki DragonFly dragster I sat on earlier this year.

And suddenly, I'm interested in starting a 1/64th-scale motorcycle collection. Phil Riehlman designed this bike for its 2001 First Editions debut. Between its debut and its demise in 2015, Mattel revealed 14 variations, all rolling on MC3 wheels. The 2005 Rebel Rides model in Translucent Green is one of my favorites.

But I'd like to get my hands on the 2012 Motor Cycles model with a plastic rider. One seller on eBay is asking $114 for 66 pieces of two iterations of the Fright Bike. But if my math is correct, you will only need $200 or less for all the iterations of this casting.

Dodge Tomahawk

On the list of most insane motorcycles ever built by man, the Dodge Tomahawk would undoubtedly be one of the memorable ones. With four wheels and a Dodge Viper V10 engine underneath, some would refrain from calling it a motorcycle.

Even so, that didn't stop Mattel from developing a 1/64th-scale version of the 250-mph (400 kph) rocket. Mark Jones designed the casting, which was only available between 2004 and 2016.

That was enough for ten variations, all of which used Tomahawk-exclusive wheels. As with the Fright Bike, you can always opt for one with a rider included. Apart from the three Motor Cycles releases, my favorite is the 2005 Mainline iteration in Chrome Gold because it is "Shiny!!"

HW450F

While the Tomahawk is an impossible dream, riding a bike like the HW450F is much more feasible. I've said it before, but in 2024, I will try this class of motorcycles. When this Phil Riehlman-designed casting debuted in 2007, it used the name Wastelander.

Until 2022, Mattel used 32 variations of the HW450F, although I am trying to remember seeing one in stores. There was no new model for 2023, but the 33rd iteration is coming up in 2024.

As you'd expect from a bike like this, it uses Off-road tires throughout the line-up, albeit with different finishes available. Once again, the Motor Cycles variations featured a plastic rider, which is the best way to market the product.

Blastous Moto

The fourth item on my list also has a fictional name, but we can all relate to the three-wheel design. This casting reminds me of a drift-trike I had some fun with years ago. And I prefer this look to the Can-Am Spyder way of doing things.

Fraser Campbell designed the Blastous Moto in yellow for its 2012 New Models debut. It's one of my favorite color combos, although I wouldn't pass on the 2013 Metallic Pale Blue iteration either.

Look for the Cool Classics model if you'd like something different for your collection. That one featured a Spectrafrost Red finish and Retro Slow Wheels. If you can get one for less than $10, that sounds like a good deal!

Honda Monkey Z50

I'm six feet (183 cm) tall but still keen to ride a Honda Monkey Z50. If that were an option, I'd even be down to race one on a go-kart track alongside ten other nutheads. And it's undoubtedly one of the most fantastic Hot Wheels motorcycles out there, as you'd expect from something out of Jun Imai's hands.

Between 2016 and 2020, Mattel introduced seven variations of this tiny bike, and I wonder why it stopped doing so. They all featured MC3 wheels, and I'm a big fan of the first four color choices.

In 2019, the Monkey Z50 graduated to Treasure Hunt status, but the all-black finish took away some of its charm. If this casting returns in 2024, I'm buying one to start another mini-collection.