This Secret Santa Gift Puts Real Bike Physics in an Arcade Package

Christmas is just around the corner, which means it is time for YouTube’s most popular makers to build each other Secret Santa gifts. This is a tradition that has been going on for years now and the results are always amusing. As you’d expect of YouTubers, this Secret Santa tradition is an excuse to make some nice content. And because each participant is trying to make something the recipient would enjoy, the projects tend to be very unique. That is especially apparent with James Bruton’s arcade machine that incorporates real bike physics, which he made for Becky Stern.

Like most of us that give ourselves the “maker” label, Stern has many interests. Those include transportation of the motorized, two-wheeled variety, which is what inspired this project.

If you played Road Rash back in the ‘90s, you know that video games have a history of failing to accurately implement bike physics. Modern motorcycle racing sims are quite good, but there is still something missing. So instead of trying to simulate those physics in a virtual world, Bruton built an arcade machine that uses the physics of the real world that we all know and love.

To achieve that, Bruton constructed what is essentially a miniature treadmill in the same approximate form factor as a tabletop arcade machine. A small bike rides along that treadmill and, like a real motorcycle or bicycle, it only stays upright while moving. If you want to start an argument among physicists, tell them that is the result of gyroscopic effects.

The player steers the bike using a big set of handlebars that pulls wires attached to the tiny motorcycle’s handlebars. Those wires also keep the bike from moving backward with the treadmill. A brushless DC motor controlled by an Arduino Uno R3 turns the treadmill.

It seems fun like that, but Bruton wanted to introduce some actual gameplay elements. So, he added a mechanical system that drops plastic skulls onto the treadmill for the player to try and dodge. A peg board below that directs the skulls laterally and players can reposition the pegs to mix up the gameplay. We assume that it is an absolute blast to play and we’re a bit envious of Stern.

And if you’re curious what Bruton received from his Secret Santa, you should watch This Old Tony’s newest video.