Freeway

Revision as of 14:29, 8 November 2012 by ZS (talk | contribs) (→‎Variant)
This article is about a motorcycle. For the roadway, see highways.
Vehicle
Freeway
A Freeway in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
A Freeway in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
A Freeway in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
Appearance(s) GTA Vice City
GTA San Andreas
GTA Liberty City Stories
GTA Vice City Stories
GTA IV
Vehicle type Civilian motorbike
Body style Chopper
Capacity 2 (rider and passenger)
Manufacturer Western Motorcycle Company (GTA IV)
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The Freeway is a motorcycle that appears in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories and Grand Theft Auto IV.

Description

Design

Resembling a classic Harley-Davidson motorcycle in all its incarnations, as is the basis for the Angel, the Freeway was originally designed to represent typical cruiser motorcycle.

Between GTA Vice City and GTA Vice City Stories, the bike is designed with ape handles, and was largely unchanged in form, as the GTA Liberty City Stories and GTA Vice City Stories renditions were recycled GTA Vice City Freeways with the left exhaust pipes removed (the GTA Vice City rendition is the only Freeway with exhaust pipes on both sides), while the GTA San Andreas rendition is the only one to receive significant cosmetic refinements. Presumably the result of bad coding, the GTA Vice City Stories Freeway is only available in black.

In GTA IV, the Freeway sports a Western Motorcycle Company brand and conventional handlebars, distinguishing it from more radically designed choppers. The bike is also available with one or two-tone colors, two combination of carburetor cap and gas tank configurations (with one featuring a gas tank-mounted speedometer), two exhaust pipe configurations, and optional side panniers (saddlebags) at the rear. Unusually, the Episodes from Liberty City version of the Freeway in The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony is not available with saddlebags.

Performance

Freeways between GTA Vice City and GTA Vice City Stories feature fairly powerful engines; in GTA Vice City and GTA Liberty City Stories, the Freeway the third fastest motorcycle behind the PCJ-600 and Angel. However, its steering and braking are less responsive due to its heavier weight, resulting in the constant need for e-brake-aided turns around sharper corners. Due to its heavy weight, it is also unsuitable for stunts or off-roading, but its speed makes it suited for ordinary street-cruising.

The Freeway in GTA IV features similar performance traits from its previous incarnations, retaining an average top speed of 117 kph/73 mph and average acceleration, as well as fairly weak steering. Due to the bike's average grip, it also has a tendency to tailspin, making the bike less controllable when cornering. Its brakes, however, are fairly responsive.

Variants

The requested Freeway in Stevie's Car Thefts in GTA IV.

Angels in GTA Vice City, GTA Liberty City Stories and GTA Vice City Stories generally share the exact body design of Freeways in their respectable games, but feature unique paintwork, modified performance traits and, in the case of GTA Vice City, additional accessories. The Avenger in GTA Liberty City Stories is also similarly based on the Angel.

In GTA IV, a Freeway is requested as part of Stevie's Car Thefts, appearing with a beige coloring. As a new Freeway will respawn at the same spot until the player delivers one to S&M Auto Sales, the player can save one at their safehouse before delivering another.

Trivia

  • A minor graphical bug in the GTA San Andreas Freeway exists involving the rear side of the Freeway's license plate. Bizarrely, it features an entire texture map for four-wheel vehicles.
  • In GTA San Andreas the Freeway has two exhaust gas plumes, on either side of the rear wheel, but only one exhaust on the right of the wheel. This implies that the freeway was originally meant to have two exhausts in the game.
  • In GTA IV, some game files (handling.dat and POLICE_SCANNER.rpf) refer to the Freeway as a "Bobber", although there already is a vehicle named "Freeway" in POLICE_SCANNER.rpf. "Bobber" may have been the Freeway's name in the GTA IV beta.[1][2][3] "Bobber" is a term that refers to a stock motorbike stripped of superfluous parts to reduce weight.
  • After collecting all thirty cars for Stevie in GTA IV, a Freeway may be sold at his garage for $2,000.
  • The Freeway plays the following radio stations by default when entered:

Locations

GTA Vice City
GTA San Andreas
GTA Liberty City Stories
GTA Vice City Stories
GTA IV
  • Though it is somewhat harder to find than the other two chopper bikes, the Hellfury and Zombie, the Freeway can still sometimes be found in a specific part of the city. The Freeway can usually be found near the player's Safehouse in South Bohan, though it can be found elsewhere in Bohan also.
  • Can be found parked in front of The Willis Wash and Lube car wash in Willis, Dukes, when Stevie ask's you to collect one.
  • Very common in Multiplayer, often spawning around the airport or Star Junction.
  • Often spawns in Algonquin near Meadow Park.

References

  1. common\data\handling.dat>bikes>BOBBER
  2. pc\audio\Sfx\POLICE_SCANNER.rpf\MODEL\MOD_BOBBER
  3. pc\audio\Sfx\POLICE_SCANNER.rpf\MODEL\MOD_FREEWAY