What Makes a Swoop?

Everyone knows about speeder bikes but what makes a Swoop? Aren’t they the same thing? Some people falsely claim that swoops are simply customized speeders. While partially true, It’s not that easy. Swoop life is an entire subculture. You can’t usually go out and buy a swoop. Someone builds a swoop. (Or steal one) Ok fine but what the hell is a swoop anyway?

Swoop History

Swoops have been ridden by all manner of folk. From Jedi to Jawas.

Outlaw gangs. Imperial spys. Jabba’s muscle. The Cloud-Riders. Ohnaka Gang. These are some of the things people often think about when they hear Swoop. We get hassled a lot. We aint even do nothin yet!

Modern Swoop clubs are less about the violence and more about the freedom and art. Swoop is a way if life. They describe themselves as non-criminal in nature, defining “outlaw” more narrowly, as a term used because they may not always follow the rules of society. Swoop brothers typically follow a ideal that celebrates freedom, nonconformity to mainstream culture, loyalty to the club, and to each other.

How to Swoop?

You can build a swoop out of just about anything. Some choices are better than others. Do whatever you want. That’s kind of the point isn’t it? There will always be purists and everyone is a critic. Don’t build your swoop for them. Build it for YOU. If they don’t like it, they can FIDO.

Swoops are fast above everything. First, take any repulsorlift speeder bike and just throw half of it away. Start taking it apart and especially remove all of the safety overload circuits. Remove anything that isn’t absolutely necessary. Remember we want to go FAST. Suspension is optional. Luxury is irrelevant. Better yet start out with an oversized engine and build an entire new swoop around that. Befriend the Jawas. Learn to weld. You need a saddle, an engine, and a fuel pack. Anything else is dead weight. A classic Swoop employs radically modified steering dampeners and lengthened stabilizers for a stretched-out low appearance. Modern Swoops have been spotted with much lower bars with a shorter overall profile. Call it whatever you want. We call it freedom.

Popular Swoop platforms:

Aratech Repulsor Company: 74-Z, BARC, 614-AvA, 712-AvA, Hell even the C-PH patrol speeder has been converted to a Swoop.

Ikas-Adno: Starhawk, R-2000 Raptor, 22-B Nightfalcon

Mobquet: Flare-S, Zephyr-G, Zephyr-J, Ripper

The Mobquet Flare-S swoop measured 3 meters in length, and was heavier and slower than most swoops, yet still capable of speeds up to 650 km/h.

Whatever you choose make it your own and don’t let ANYONE ride it!