wheel bike

• Appeared in:
  
  I
  II
  III
  IV
  V
  VI
  CW

• Size:
  2.51 meters (wheel diameter); 3.9 meters tall (legs extended)

• Weapon:
  Double blaster

• Affiliation:
  Confederacy of Independent Systems, InterGalactic Banking Clan

• Type:
  Tsmeu-6 personal wheel bike

• Manufacturer:
  Z-Gomot Ternbuell Guppat Corp.

• 

From the Movies

When General Grievous's droid army on Utapau was uncovered by Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Separatist general attempted to escape in a wheel bike -- a hoop-shaped rolling vehicle equipped with mechanical legs that could be used in an alternate walking mode. The leaping capabilities of these legs proved useful in navigating the cliffs and crags of the cavernous Utapau terrain.

Since stopping Grievous could bring an end to the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan was relentless in his pursuit of the cyborg general as the Jedi gave chase astride a giant Utapaun dragon named Boga. Kenobi was able to keep pace with Grievous and leapt aboard the wheel bike, trying to wrest control away from the general. The bike tottered out of control, spilling its occupants onto a nearby landing platform before tumbling into the sinkhole abyss.

From the Expanded Universe

General Grievous' tumbling twinwheel conveyance was a product of the automated factories transforming raw Utapaun materials into war material. Based on technologies devised for the hoop-wheeled hailfire droids used by the InterGalactic Banking Clan, the wheel bikes are well suited for the awkward Utapaun terrain.

Designed by Z-Gomot Ternbuell Guppat Corporation in the Zug system, the Tsmeu-6 derives its stability from the gyroscopic effect produced by the massive counterspinning internal chains that drive the wheel. The chain-links feature built-in capacitors that store reserve energy to power the legs and the double blaster assembly that sits opposite the control chair.

Helping the wheel bike secure stable purchase are flexible claws that provide a smooth ride and serve as climbing teeth on steep surfaces.

Behind the Scenes

Grievous' wheel bike is not the first vehicle of its kind seen in Star Wars. Inspired by a popular concept found in numerous pulp publications, the hoop-like wheel bike design can also be found as Jann Tosh's vehicle in the Droids animated series.

For Episode III, the wheel bike started off as a variety of fearsome vehicular concepts befitting the nasty droid general, such as included tank-like chariots. One idea was that the vehicle itself was an intelligent droid, mirroring Obi-Wan's faithful Boga as a "living" mount for General Grievous.