Batman’s Batpod is going up for auction — and it was built to be ridden

It looks like something that could only exist in Gotham City: two enormous tires, a low-slung frame and a rider stretched almost flat over the machine.

But Batman’s Batpod wasn’t just a digital creation. A real version was built for filming — and now one of the motorcycles used on screen is heading back to auction.

The Batpod appeared in The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Auction house Propstore has identified this particular example in the famous Joker chase from The Dark Knight by matching distinctive marks on the vehicle to the footage.

A movie machine with real engineering

The Batpod may look futuristic, but underneath its unusual bodywork is real motorcycle engineering. It was built around a custom chassis, with a 450cc Honda CRF450X engine and enormous 31-inch racing tires.

Its riding position was just as unusual as its appearance. Instead of sitting upright, the rider leaned forward over the machine, supported around the body and knees. French stunt rider Jean-Pierre Goy took on the challenge of riding it during filming.

And those intimidating weapons at the front? They were film props — part of the illusion that helped turn a specially built motorcycle into Batman’s ride.

Can the buyer ride it?

Not in its current condition.

The Batpod is being sold as a display piece that can be rolled but is not operational. Its fluids have been drained, and its battery, fuel tank and throttle controls have been removed.

It’s also not the first time this Batpod has appeared at auction: it was previously offered in 2016 and 2023.

How much could it sell for?

Propstore estimates the Batpod at £450,000–£900,000. That’s an estimate, not the final sale price. The motorcycle is scheduled to be offered on December 4, 2026, as part of the auction house’s winter film memorabilia sale.

Whether it sells near the top of that range or not, the Batpod remains an example of what happens when film designers, engineers and stunt performers work together to make an imagined vehicle feel real.

Which movie vehicle would you most like to see in real life: the Batpod, the Batmobile or the DeLorean from Back to the Future?

Image credit: Propstore. Source: https://propstoreauction.com/lot-details/index/catalog/505/lot/220395/