Star Wars has introduced a lot of cool pieces of hypothetical tech to the world — lightsabers, TIE fighters, droids — and one of the coolest has always been the speeder bikes introduced in Return of the Jedi. And while speeder bikes remain a fictional vehicle (for now), some New Yorkers over the Halloween weekend came pretty close to witnessing the hovering cruisers for real.
Jesse Wellens and Casey Neistat, known for their YouTube stunt productions, outdid themselves with their Halloween costumes this year, transforming Super 73 electric bikes into realistic-looking speeder bikes that give the illusion of levitating. The bikes are outfitted with new engines and overlaid fiberglass shells to get the sound and look of the iconic bikes, but the coup de grace is the reflective base that disguises any part of the bikes that touch the ground. And of course, the riders’ outfits really help complete the look.
The bikes make for a pretty insane visual illusion when they’re in motion, as it becomes exceedingly difficult to tell that there is a reflective bottom disguising the wheels — it really does look like they’re floating down the streets of Manhattan.
If you’re feeling inspired and want to try making some for yourself, check out the behind-the-scenes video below for tips on how Wellens and Neistat were able to build their racers. May the Force be with you.
