Drifter Bike

**The Drifter Bike** is the custom motorcycle of Deacon St. John. It is the primary mode of transportation as well as a mobile arsenal in Days Gone.

## Story

Deacon had ridden Motorcycles long before the Freaker virus hit, being a member of the Mongrels Motorcycle Club. With roads falling into disrepair and bridges being destroyed, off-road became the only option much of the time, and Deacon spent a year building a new bike that could work on and off-road. The only thing from his old bike he kept was the custom gas tank his wife Sarah gave him.

### Events of Days Gone

Whilst Deacon and Boozer are hunting a man named Leon, Deacon's bike is shot in the fuel pump rendering it immobile. Deacon hides the bike nearby and heads to a local mechanic station to try and find the part he needs. Boozer leads. Boozer leads many of the Freakers away on his bike leaving Deacon in relative safety to search the area. Finding a fuel pump, Deacon calls Boozer on the radio only for Boozer to alert him of a Ripper ambush. Deacon runs up the road in the direction Boozer went and finds his friend being tortured by Rippers. Deacon dispatches them, and the pair use Boozer's bike to evade an incoming horde.

Deacon takes Boozer back to their safehouse so he can rest before heading out to recover his bike, meeting some resistance from Marauders and Freakers along the way. Returning to the place he hid his bike, he is enraged to discover it's gone and realizes that someone from Mark Copeland's camp must have found it and taken it. Spotting someone from Cope's camp, he gives chase demanding to know where his bike is. Reaching the camp, Deacon says he's looking for his bike and he is told to talk to Manny.

Deacon goes to Manny and finds that his bike has already been stripped and parted out. Deacon angrily advances on Manny before he is stopped by the camp's leader, Mark Copeland. Copeland asks Deacon about Leon, and Deacon evades the question. Nonplussed, Copeland asks Deacon to do some runs for him. Copeland snatches Leon's hat from Deacon, revealing he knows it's origin, and then threatens Deacon not to lie to him again. Deacon agrees to do runs for Copeland in order to regain what's left of his bike. Deacon returns to Manny who apologizes and promises to build Deacon a new bike with the best parts he can get his hands on.

## Function

The Drifter Bike is the primary mode of transport in Days Gone. The bike is crucial to surviving in the world, as it will allow the player to quickly escape from situations where they will be overwhelmed such as when unprepared to face an alerted horde.

The bike will require refueling and repairs as the situation arises. If the bike takes too much damage, it's performance will be severely hindered, too much damage will render it immobile. If the bike runs out of fuel, players may walk it along, if players manage to go to a hill they will be able to freewheel to travel without fuel, though this will only last as long as momentum can be maintained. The bike will need to be in at least working condition and have sufficient fuel for fast travel.

Saddlebags can be added to the bike to allow the players to carry extra ammunition, allowing them to restock without returning to a camp.

The bike serves as a save point, allowing the game to be saved at any time, anywhere on the map so long as the player is not too close to alerted enemies.

It is a good idea to keep the bike out of sight, when on foot as any roaming marauders may tamper with it, or hang around to wait for Deacon to come back to ambush him.

## Design

The Drifter Bike appears to be a completely custom design, having the body of a chopper or bobber style bike, but with the suspension and tires of a dirt bike.

## Customisation

The Drifter Bike can be extensively customised and upgraded with different parts to improve it in many areas. Available upgrades include

### Performance

* Engine: Increases Max Speed and acceleration
* Exhaust: Quiets the bike allowing Deacon to ride close to enemies without being spotted.
* Storage: Allows extra ammo to be stored on the bike.
* Fuel Tank: Increase Fuel Capacity.
* Frame: Increases the amount of Damage the bike can take before breaking down.
* Rear Suspension: Increases the bike's ability to absorb damage.
* Nitrous: A temporary speed boost.
* Tires: Better traction on and off road for better control.
* Forks: Increases bike's ability to absorb damage.
* Radiator: Reduces water damage:

### Visual

* Headlight: Change the shape of the headlight.
* Wheels: Change The Bike's Rims.
* Handlebars: Change the design of the handlebars
* Brakes: Change the design of the brake disks.
* Front Fender: Change the design of the front fender.
* Shroud: Change the shoud of the bike's headlight.

All visual mods can also improve the bike's durability.

### Paint

* Accent Colour
* Frame Colour
* Decals

## Other Bikes

Deacon can commandeer any enemy bike that he comes across in the world. These bikes however lack the upgrades of Deacon's bike, they also cannot be repaired or refueled, making their best use simply to return to Deacon's bike if the player has somehow gotten too far away from to get back by foot safely.

Deacon can also sabotage enemy bikes, preventing enemies from escaping or giving chase.

## Gallery

Deacon's Original Drifter BikeDeacon's Custom Painted Gas Tank, Gifted to him by SarahReplica of the Drifter Bike owned by Bend StudioDefault Drifter BikeSarah on Deacon's Old Chopper
## Videos

Days Gone – World Video Series- Riding The Broken Road - PS4Days Gone - Deacon's Bike - PS4
## Trivia

* According to flashbacks, Deacon used to ride a white chopper prior to the apocalypse.
* The game's main menu will show the Drifter Bike as it is currently customized by the player.
* The gas tank that Sarah gifted Deacon was painted with numerous different items.
	+ Chained Dog Skull: Reference to Deacon's membership in the Mongrel MC.
	+ Roses: Symbol of love, and possibly to Sarah's work as a Botanist.
	+ Morior Invictus: Latin for "Death Before Defeat" which was on Deacon's ring.
	+ 13: 13th Letter of the Alphabet, M, which is often used as shorthand for "Marijuana" in biker culture, likely a reference to the fact Deacon proposed to Sarah in the Mongrel's marijuana farm. However, since the 13 is also on Deacon's ring, it may simply mean "Mongrel"
	+ Deacon's original drifter bike, seen in Chasing Leon, has level 2 saddlebags, level 3 exhaust, level 3 alternate undercarriage, level 1 nitrous, level 1 wheel arch, level 1 shroud, and level 2 alternate headlight.