If you’re one of the few people who saw Disney’s Tron: Legacy back in 2010, then you may remember the part where Garrett Hedlund and a bunch of red shirts rode motorcycles made of light around a big digital arena. Now one of those “light cycles” has left the make-believe land of The Grid and exists in the real world, and it’s up for auction in Texas on May 2.
The real-life light cycle was custom built for car collectors, the Andrews Collection, in 2011 and 2012 by an outside firm before the Andrews' own shop completed it. The two-wheeler has a 96-volt direct-drive electric motor with lithium batteries, as well as a computer-controlled throttle, rebound and compression damping with spring-preload front suspension, rigid rear suspension and front and rear hydraulic brakes. Sounds like the kind of thing Jeff Bridges’ bike enthusiast character from Tron, Kevin Flynn, would get jazzed over.
Reportedly, the light cycle has only been ridden around the Andrews grounds a couple of times to make sure that it works, so the bike is still pretty much new. It has a low seat height of 28.5 inches, making it easy to ride, the auction statement notes, and is finished in black with a white stripe.
The auction will happen at Sotheby's in Texas on May 2 where the light cycle is listed without reserve and is expected to go for a price between $25,000 and $40,000.
Tron has been coming up in the news a lot lately despite its relatively niche status. The original 1982 movie mainly appeals to hardcore geeks, and a sequel made 28 years later failed to make a splash in the culture at large. Yet the Tron series still commands a cult following thanks largely to its neon-lit style and optimistic outlook on technology. A semi-successful animated series that ran between 2012 and 2013, Tron: Uprising, has also helped keep the franchise alive.
Disney hopes to bank on its cult fans again with a third movie in the live-action film series, to be directed by Tron: Legacy helm Joseph Kosinski. Kosinski’s a bit of a hot property now as Sony also wants him for Gran Turismo, an adaptation of its hit racing simulation video game series.
There are also rumors circulating of a new Tron video game in development with a soundtrack composed by Skrillex and synthesizer pioneer Giorgio Moroder, who spilled the news in an interview with clashmusic.com. Moroder recently partnered with French house duo Daft Punk for their Grammy-winning "Random Access Memories" album, and Daft Punk composed the stirring score for Tron: Legacy, where this fancy functional light cycle hails from. See, it all comes together.
Now we just need to see Tron's sleek light cycle race against Kaneda’s punkish bike from Akira.
