Mean Machine

1990s Whittaker Brothers Leaflet

The Mean Machine motorbike was released by Whittaker Brothers of Oldham in the 1980s.  The ride came in several different colour variations (red, black, blue and green) and was a very popular ride throughout the 80s and 90s.  Ideal for smaller arcades and shops, it had a very compact, streamlined design.

Photo courtesy of Philip Whittaker

Despite being one of their smaller rides, it had all the usual Whittaker Brothers sound effects - a soundtrack of revving motorbike noises throughout the ride, as well as four push buttons for additional sound effects.

Great Yarmouth, September 2012.  Sadly the sound effect buttons were not working on this unit.

This ride is very close to my heart as there used to be one outside Londis opposite my childhood home, which my mum would often take me to ride...when I didn't choose to ride one of the other two rides in the street, that is!  Ahh, the days when every shopping street seemed to have at least two or three rides out on the pavement!  What went wrong?

 According to old Whittaker Brothers' advertising material, the Mean Machine measured 50" x 20" x 44".