Favorite B&M Hyper?

[Guest Millennium]

I know none have ridden all, but which was that you have ridden is the best? Or you can choose whichever LOOKS best?

To me, Goliath or Apollo look the best, But I have only ridden DB, so that.

[bkroz]

Apollo's Chariot... The setting, the colors, and the upward helix turnaround... Mmmm... I salivate just thinking about it.

[coaster_junky]

i've only ridden Diamondback, but i think apollo's chariot looks pretty awesome to me, although some on this site say that it's nothing more than a motion simulator.

[Dbfan]

Im not voting, I have only ridden one, ill let you guess which one...

[KI FANATIC 37]

Apollo's Chariot is a spectacular ride! It is one of my personal favorites. But Diamondback is MY ride, I love it and it will always have a special place in my heart.

[Purplehaze]

The Racer? ha!

[The Interpreter]

i've only ridden Diamondback, but i think apollo's chariot looks pretty awesome to me, although some on this site say that it's nothing more than a motion simulator.

...with fans. (and no, I didn't mean fanbois, though that would also be true).

Terpy, who does not state his B & M hyper preferences to anybody for any reason (but who will say his LEAST favorite, by far, is Raging Bull...the one coaster he had the highest expectations for...and was most disappointed...)

[HTCO]

I did it based on looks. Intimidation won.

[Purplehaze]

I never really cared who made what, what something was made of if I like a ride I like it.

[Rustbucket]

I voted for Diamondback.

I have been on DB, Intimidator, AC, Behemoth, and RB.

Here are my preference:

DB, Timmy, Behemoth, RB and AC.

I just do not think 4 seat trains provide as good of airtime as staggered ones. Now, this list changes if no trims were involved.....

[Guest rcfreak339]

i've only ridden Diamondback, but i think apollo's chariot looks pretty awesome to me, although some on this site say that it's nothing more than a motion simulator.

...with fans. (and no, I didn't mean fanbois, though that would also be true).

Terpy, who does not state his B & M hyper preferences to anybody for any reason (but who will say his LEAST favorite, by far, is Raging Bull...the one coaster he had the highest expectations for...and was most disappointed...)

Aw Terpy, My first ride on Raging Bull was really fun, so fun I was wonder why people dogged it all the time although it would be a lot better if it wasn't trimmed so much. Did you sit very last row? Going over those sharp hills were insane in the back! What did you not care about it?

[The Interpreter]

Six Flags and its then wonder whiz PR person at Great America hyped Raging Bull like no other coaster that park has ever introduced. I STILL have the October 21, 1998 press release:

SOURCE: Six Flags Great America x Flags Great America to Debut the World's First 'Hyper-Twister' Roller Coaster in '99

Park's 10th Roller Coaster Will Be its Tallest, Fastest and Longest

GURNEE, Ill., Oct. 21 -- In keeping with Six Flags' reputation for leading the amusement industry in introducing state-of-the-art ride technology, Six Flags Great America announces its plans to open Raging Bull, the world's first steel ``hyper-twister'' roller coaster, in the Spring of 1999.

Featuring a dramatic 202-foot (20-story) lift hill and a 65-degree first drop that plunges riders into an underground cavern at more than 70 miles per hour, Raging Bull will be the first roller coaster in the world to combine the unparalleled thrill of a steel ``hyper-coaster'' with the tight, intense twists and turns common to a wooden ``cyclone-style'' roller coaster. The ride features six ``inclined loops'' -- steep, high-speed turns banked as much as 50 degrees (or, loops lying horizontally) -- plus a combination of towering hills and gut-wrenching drops that comprise nearly a mile of track.

The multi-million dollar attraction will span the entire length of the Park's Southwest Territory, wrapping behind the Stunt Show Arena, paralleling the guest parking lot and rising over the queue line for the Viper roller coaster. Featuring a bold orange track and wine-colored support structure, Raging Bull's 202-foot-lift will dominate the Park's ``skyline,'' dwarfing its neighboring roller coasters the Viper and the American Eagle, whose maximum heights are 100 and 127 feet, respectively. The next tallest roller coaster in the Park is ShockWave, the seven-looping mega-coaster that opened in 1988 at 170 feet. The addition of Raging Bull brings the Park's roller coaster tally to 10.

``Raging Bull is more than just another 'speed coaster' due to its unique design. The combination of speed and exhilarating track configurations will make this a must-ride experience for roller coaster enthusiasts worldwide,'' says Jim Wintrode, Vice President and General Manager of Six Flags Great America. ``Raging Bull is the most exciting addition to the Park since we opened Batman The Ride, the first ride of its kind in the world, in 1992. The giant addition also represents the sizable commitment of Premier Parks toward building and expanding the entertainment product at this Park.''

Raging Bull is named after a ferocious beast that terrorized the citizens of the old Southwest Territory until they fled the town and built the beautiful courtyard and mission seen today. The raging bull still lurks in the ruins of the old mission, which today serves as the loading station for this unpredictable, wild roller coaster.

Upon entering the old mission, riders will be ushered into one of three unique, side-less 36-passenger trains. Riders will sit high up in these open- air trains, with their feet barely brushing the floor. A simple T-bar style restraint will extend from the floor between each rider's feet, with the bar resting across the rider's lap. Vivid teal, red and yellow trains will feature a bovine animal print motif as well as bull's horns on the front of each train.

``The Raging Bull train will be very different from traditional roller coaster trains because these 'side-less' trains take away a feeling of protection around the passengers,'' comments Wintrode. ``The sense of vulnerability will make this ride even more thrilling for our Guests.''

When the train leaves the station, it will begin its 76-second ascent up the 202-foot lift hill. From there, it will plunge 208 feet at 73 miles per hour down a nearly straight drop into an underground cavern. The train will roar out of this tunnel and soar, practically sideways, through an inclined loop 159 feet off the ground. This will be followed by more soaring hills, steep drops and wildly banked turns before returning to the station. This non-looping, wild ride on 5,057 feet of track will last more than 2-1/2 minutes.

Raging Bull is being designed and manufactured by Bolliger and Mabillard, the acclaimed Swiss roller coaster design firm that brought Iron Wolf to Six Flags Great America in 1990 and introduced the inverted outside-looping roller coaster to the world at Six Flags Great America with the opening of Batman The Ride in 1992.

In recent years, the pursuit of greater thrills and higher adrenaline rushes has resulted in the construction of roller coasters that deliver increasing speed. Often called ``speed coasters'' or ``hyper coasters,'' these rides traditionally incorporate towering lifts and super-steep drops to achieve speeds in excess of 70 miles per hour. Typically, speed coasters feature long straight-aways of track and a series of small hills that gives riders exhilarating ``air time.'' Raging Bull's design is unique even among speed coasters, due to the twists, switchbacks and ``inclined loops'' incorporated in a way that sustains speed and delivers a breathless ride.

Construction has already begun on this powerhouse roller coaster and will continue throughout the winter months. The ride is expected to open to the public in the Spring of 1999.

Six Flags Great America is owned by Premier Parks Inc., the world's largest regional theme park company with 31 parks, including parks serving nine of the ten largest metropolitan areas in the United States and six locations in Europe. The company annually hosts nearly 40 million guests. A publicly held corporation with corporate offices in New York City and Oklahoma City, Premier trades on the NYSE under the symbol PKS.

I was sure those 'inclined loops' and 'sideless trains' were going to bring a new world of coastering to us all, just as Batman: The Ride did so many years before. By then, I knew I was a twister fan, and best of all, B and M was finally building a hypertwister, with near inversions!

All winter I watched that coaster being built, and I could not wait to ride Raging Bull. So much so, I got up the day of media day, even though it was the rare media day to which I was not invited during that era. Immediately after the media day (which occurred before the park opened), there was a huge line for Raging Bull.

I saw Paul Reuben there, being escorted around in a golf cart and opining (as he always does) that Raging Bull was the best coaster in the history of Earth, and probably all the rest of the planets (I later found out most are nearly certain he is a paid endorser...and apparently that is the case, as every coaster he rides is the best ever...).

I waited hours, along with another poster here, for the front seat. No coaster I have ever ridden has ever disappointed me more. The layout, to me, even without the infamous braking, is about as exciting as that of Son of Beast.

I have since ridden every seat on that thing at least once, though I know not why. If you love Raging Bull, you really need to ride Diamondback, Goliath, Nitro, etc. (Oh, he told us his opinion...no, he didN'T..those babies are in alphabetical order!). I will give it this...it's better than Apollo's Chariot in my book...but then, so is the average Scrambler. Apollo's Chariot is just too smooth and relatively forceless other than floating airtime...it's like the Shivering Timbers of hypercoasters (and no, I am not much a fan of that coaster either, for many of the same reasons as Raging Bull...a huge re-creation of a John Miller ride, said I before I went...and it just goes up and down and and down and up and down and then trick track and a helix. That coaster was the one that proved to me forever more my out and back days are essentially over. The year Shivering Timbers opened was the year Rampage opened. The latter was a superb ride much more in the lines what Terpy adores when it opened, but soon became a rough, slow shadow of itself. Terpy had ridden Rampage, had loved it, knew he was leaving the world of out and backs, and was now excited to find B and M, yes B and M, was going to build hypertwisters....little did he know what he was going to find in Chicago...)

Some explanation is in order. I know what I like. I love violent coasters. I do NOT like rough. I love strong laterals, quick changes in forces and direction, undulating speeds from fast to nearly creeping and back (see The Coney Island Cyclone in particular, which nearly stops at the tops of several of the hills), and rides with a great deal of variety in the elements. The Georgia Cyclone....Tremors...Rampage...all twisters of a sort...and the same can even be said of Maverick, just a twister carried forth in a whole new way compared to John Miller's day.

I had such high hopes for Raging Bull. And man, was I ever disappointed.

Thankfully, there's a truly wonderful wooden coaster next door...

[brick52]

I've really ridden Diamondback so I really can't vote in this.

[Beast1979]

I abstained from voting, as I've only ridden Diamondback ( ) but if I would have to vote based on what I am most looking forward to, I'd have to say Goliath (SFOG), Apollo's Chariot, Nitro, Behemoth.

[CoastersRZ]

Through my limited travels, I`ve only managed to ride Diamondback and Intimidator at Carowinds (on opening weekend). I like the turnaround better on Intimidator, but I like the airtime, and setting better on Diamondback. And of course the splashdown is an awesome element on Diamondback. Intimidator is a borderline parking lot coaster as it runs adjacent to the parking lot throughout most of its course. The way Diamondback interacts with the midways, and runs along side the train just makes for an awesome experience, both for those riding it, and those wandering around the park or on board the Kings Island and Miami Valley Railroad.

[Pillsberry123]

I've only ridden Diamondback, but I can safely assume that Diamondback stands out from the bunch because of the staggered seating.

From my understanding Goliath at SFOG stands out as the best, and it looks like it based on pov's too.

[The Interpreter]

Behemoth was first to have the staggered seating...

[Vortex]

I would vote like this Nitro, Diamondback, Behemoth and Apollo's Chariot. The only reason I liked Nitro better than Diamondback is the bunny hops at the end.

[sheikra_rocks]

Define the term "hyper coaster" then tell my why SheiKra and Griffon are not on the list.

I would choose...

Diamondback, SheiKra, AC, and Griffon.

[Guest Millennium]

I'll be riding Nitro in a week and I will be able to see how it compares to DB.

^, sheikrarocks, Those arent B&M Hypers, they are B&M Dive Machines. I guess they might be hyper coasters too, I don't know. You listed 4 options also when it is a poll where you pick one.

[ziplock]

I've only been on two B&M Hyper coasters. Diamondback, and Raging Bull. I like Diamondback more though.

I might ride Nitro this summer, but not 100% sure.

[coaster_junky]

a hyper coaster is a roller coaster that is over 200' tall, but less than 300' tall, so actually not only are sheikra and griffon dive machines, but also hyper coasters, because both's height place them in the hyper category also.

before someone brings up the no inversion rule, when Son of Beast first opened it was referred to as the world's first hyper-woodie, it had an inversion.

[bkroz]

^ Ah semantics... Hyper coasters (also known as mega coasters, which are also known as coasters between 100 and 199 feet, thus excluding them from the definition of hyper coaster, which is between 200 and 299 feet, which makes them mega coasters in the minds of many... confused?) are a hard thing to judge - some say it's based on height. Others say it's a specific layout. Still more say it must actually be without certain elements. I say, who cares? Ride the rides and enjoy them...

Anyways, Terpy was right in his assessment of Apollo's Chariot (as I said, my personal pick) in that it's mostly floater air, very smooth, and very graceful. There's only one transition in it that actually took me by surprise and had me laughing, but when it's all said and done, Apollo's Chariot is just a really fun ride for me. As he said, if violent coasters are your thing, it's not for you.

[markr]

Have only ridden DB and Nitro, so didn't vote.

[Jasper]

I have only rode Apollo and Diamondback but I would have to give the edge to Apollo here.

[TombRaiderFTW]

I've only ridden Diamondback (soon to be fixed at Canada's Wonderland)... but based off of looks, I honestly think it's between Apollo's Chariot and La Ronde's Goliath. I might also toss in a trim-free Six Flags Great America Raging Bull... but I don't think that ever happens, unless someone's keeping an excited PTR a good secret. While these might not be rated as B&M's best rides, it seems like they're the hypers with real personality (read: that aren't a copied-and-pasted set of camelbacks, helixes, and *maybe* one unique element).

[gigacoaster2k]

I've ridden DB, Intimidator, and Goliath at SFOG. My vote went to Goliath.

DB is great as far as airtime, but that's it. The turnaround is weak and the helix is forceless.

Intimidator's MCBR grabs much harder than DB's, but it BARELY touches the ride's speed, whereas DB's MCBR kills the ride and slows it down to a cruise. Intimidator's turnaround and helix pull you through with relentless force. The airtime isn't as pronounced on Intimidator as it is on DB, but it's there. I rate Intimidator over DB.

Now, as for Goliath at SFOG: WOW. From the first drop to the brake run, it's merciless. Great airtime. Nonstop speed. The helix is so intense it nearly made me gray out. I knew after my first ride that it was going in my top 5 steel.

I love airtime, but more than anything I love a coaster that is relentless in its elements while delivering nonstop speed. This is why I rate Goliath > Intimidator > DB.

[BavarianBeatle]

I had to go with Nitro, because its the best of the three that I've been on. But, for the most part, I think a poll about the best B&M anything is pretty much like asking about the favorite paint you've ever watched dry.

[The Interpreter]

...that would be the paint on Racer. Oh, to see new paint dry on that coaster again...and not just in the final brake shed tunnels...

[UnrealNightmare]

I've only ridden Diamondback and Goliath(SFOG). I prefer Diamondback. My favorite hyper or (mega) coaster overall is Titan.