Is Vekoma really that bad?

[SonofBaconator]

A lot of people complain about Vekoma as opposed to other manufacturers. In comparison to other manufacturers like B&M, Intamin, and Mack, Vekoma has always seemed to be labeled as the inferior company. What do you think? I personally like Vekoma but I'd like to see what people really think about the company and it's coasters. Please feel free to share your thoughts!

[TombRaiderFTW]

I'm on the fence. The Disney Vekomas I've ridden run as smooth as glass. The non-Disney Vekomas I've ridden (except for most of their flying and kiddie coasters) run as smooth as broken glass.

I'm curious to see what the next 10 years bring for them. Their recent designs with the new track design (from around 2010 and later) have been getting good reviews from enthusiasts, and they seem to be doing well for themselves in Asia and eastern Europe. I wonder if they'll be able to reinvent themselves in the industry.

[fyrfyter]

Other than the Disney coasters, I think the only other one I've ridden is Invertigo, and I've never had a complaint about it.

[silver2005]

I find reactions to Vekoma's to be a bit of an over reaction when they're given a negative light. I have had a few headbanging rides on Invertigo, but I've also had pretty smooth rides on it.  I agree about the Disney Vekoma's being smooth (I've only done BTMR).  Hershey's Sidewinder, a traditional boomerang, wasn't too bad, even with its original train.   T3 was funky in how didn't have consistent forces, but I liked the layout.  

My thing about Vekoma is I wish they did more custom work.  It seems most of their resume are their standard designs.  While useful for newer and smaller parks, they don't really have much to offer for bigger parks.  Their flyers and all their inverted boomerang models are quite unreliable on top of that. 

[Sythe]

I find reactions to Vekoma's to be a bit of an over reaction when they're given a negative light. I have had a few headbanging rides on Invertigo, but I've also had pretty smooth rides on it.  I agree about the Disney Vekoma's being smooth (I've only done BTMR).  Hershey's Sidewinder, a traditional boomerang, wasn't too bad, even with its original train.   T3 was funky in how didn't have consistent forces, but I liked the layout.  
My thing about Vekoma is I wish they did more custom work.  It seems most of their resume are their standard designs.  While useful for newer and smaller parks, they don't really have much to offer for bigger parks.  Their flyers and all their inverted boomerang models are quite unreliable on top of that. 

I think their fliers are reliable. I used to go to SFA all the time and I never saw Batwing break down.

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[silver2005]

^Firehawk and Nighthawk are notorious for downtime issues. 

[d-lo775]

I've been on about 25 Vekoma coasters and with the exception of maybe 5, I would consider them all to be one and done coasters (credit only) for me. By one and done I mean once in my lifetime and that's it, forever. SLCs, Boomerangs and Ninja all in my bottom 10. Throw in a couple B&M and Togo Standups along with Mean Streak and SoB and that's enough bad memories to last me the rest of my life.

[VortexBFForever]

I don't think Vekomas are that bad. Invertigo and Firehawk are a lot of fun, as is Boomerang at Darien Lake. I even like Mind Eraser (also at Darien Lake) though I am well aware of all its shakiness (and why people have a strong distaste for SLCs); I was crazy enough to ride it four times in a row and have no bad memories of it. When the day comes for me to experience Kentucky Kingdom for the first time, I do plan to give T3 a spin and see how it stacks up.

Obviously, Vekoma coasters are not the best rides, but I like them!

-BFF, who is thankful that her home park has one of the most, if not the most reliable Invertigo in the Cedar Fair chain.

[SonofBaconator]

I really like the Flying Dutchman and Invertigo models but I wish they came out with some more "original" work. It seems like almost every Vekoma is cloned which makes it less special. I'm thankful Firehawk only has a twin and Invertigo only has two other clones. Maybe I have a soft spot for Vekoma because their track is so reminiscent of Arrow, but I'd like them to become more custom and less clone. 

[MDMC01]

So, I voted for the second option. Per RCDB and my own coaster count, I have been on exactly 7 Vekomas. These include one Standard Boomerang, an Inverted Boomerang, 2 Family Suspended Coasters, an SLC, a family coaster, and a Flying Dutchman. Out of those, I've really enjoyed the SLC (T3), the Flying Dutchman (Firehawk) and the Inverted Boomerang (Invertigo at KI). I really do appreciate Vekoma's innovation, such as the creation of the first standard flying coaster with Stealth (which I'll be riding this summer for my 100th coaster!) - and it's subsequent installations at Geauga Lake and Six Flags America - as well as the daring Tilt Coaster in Taiwan (there's a pair of dueling tilt coasters in China, but those are not by Vekoma). So, yeah, Vekoma's pretty ok.  

[rhyano]

1 hour ago, MDMC01 said:

such as the creation of the first standard flying coaster with Stealth (which I'll be riding this summer for my 100th coaster!

You've made a mistake of not making that Fury 325... Nighthawk is awful!

[CoasterDirected]

Kings Island honestly probably has the one of the best collection of Vekoma coasters that aren't in Disney, and that isn't saying much. I like Firehawk but it's inferior in many ways to B&Ms and really don't like Invertigo or Flying Ace.

I just think everything until a few years ago has been consistently bad. Hated the SLC at KK, their loopers and regular boomerangs are ride once and regret it. Their family coasters are ok, and anything Disney is pretty good except apparently Space Mountain Mission 2.  I can stand rough or uncomfortable, but it isn't worth it for most Vekoma rides besides the credit. 

However I'm very happy with the direction they are currently heading, looking very impressive and smooth with their new products and designs.

[Sythe]

^Firehawk and Nighthawk are notorious for downtime issues. 

This might be the only time ever that Six Flags America has done something right then.

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[MDMC01]

2 hours ago, rhyano said:

You've made a mistake of not making that Fury 325... Nighthawk is awful!

Fury will be 101. As for why I chose Stealth/Nighthawk to be 100? Nostalgia! 

[fyrfyter]

^Firehawk and Nighthawk are notorious for downtime issues. 

But on that same note, they aren't exactly the most common design of coaster available. They are fairly unique in how they function as coasters throughout the circuit.

The more moving parts something has, equals the more maintenance it needs, equals the more things that can malfunction and the more possible downtime.

This is true for a lot of things, not just roller coasters.

[silver2005]

^That's still a shot against Vekoma and their ability (or lack thereof) in improving the design and show that they can make it reliable. 

[PKIVortex]

Fury will be 101. As for why I chose Stealth/Nighthawk to be 100? Nostalgia! 

How About 100 be the 1980 Arrow Looper Carolina Cyclone​? The first coaster to take riders upsidedown 4 times. So while our Arrow Looper celebrates 30 years, Carolina Cyclone celebrates 37.

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[fyrfyter]

^That's still a shot against Vekoma and their ability (or lack thereof) in improving the design and show that they can make it reliable. 

What do you want, a rollercoaster where the first thing you do is go lie down on your back and pull the harness over you? Won't that be a fun time. Back injury central.......

[silver2005]

^Notice that B&M's design starts you in flight mode and spends little time where the riders are on their backs.  That's what Vekoma needed to do.  

[Thrill_Biscuit]

I just love the name of the company; it sounds like a cruise missile manufacturer. On the likability front, Invertigo and FAAC are the only two I'm aware of that I've ever ridden in my life, so I can really only sit on the fence and observe.

[MDMC01]

3 hours ago, PKIVortex said:

 

 

 

 

How About 100 be the 1980 Arrow Looper Carolina Cyclone? The first coaster to take riders upsidedown 4 times. So while our Arrow Looper celebrates 30 years, Carolina Cyclone celebrates 37.

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I rode Carolina Cyclone back in '01 and enjoyed it (I previously visted Carowinds back in '01 and '03). The only coasters I have yet to ride there are: Vortex, Nighthawk, Fury, Flying Cobras, Ricochet, Intimidator, Woodstock Express and Lucy's Crabbie Cabbie. Sorry to disappoint you all, but I've had my mind set on making Nighthawk my 100th for a while . In fact, I took the year off of Firehawk last year to prepare myself so that I can try to experience what those first riders on Stealth felt during their first ride on a flying coaster (I mean, I have ridden Firehawk and enjoy it, but I just wanted to make it seem as "new" as possible, if that makes sense...) 

[fyrfyter]

^Notice that B&M's design starts you in flight mode and spends little time where the riders are on their backs.  That's what Vekoma needed to do.  

 

I suspect the Vekoma design is actually less wear and tear than the B&M design. The B&M loads you and then swings you up 90 degrees. There are huge stresses there, picking up the weight of everyone along with the seats themselves.

 

Vekoma on top B&M on bottom:

[NellyRacer]

Vekoma's are just okay.  I mean, sure they have a few good rides like Firehawk, but a lot of the other ones are just meh.

[silver2005]

Speaking of Vekoma, I think a CF park (or at least some park) may be getting a Boomerang seeing that Knott's is taking theirs down piece by piece instead of being violent in taking it down.

[Honorarius]

I've ridden a dozen Vekoma coasters... Some I've loved and had to be dragged off of (Rock 'N' Roller Coaster and Expedition Everest)... And some I'd gladly contribute to their demolition (Ednor-L'Attaque)...

I quite enjoyed the lone Vekoma flyer I've been on... Although I don't have a B&M under my belt to compare it to, I'm not exaggerating when I say that Vekoma flyers are head and shoulders better than Zamperla flyers...

[KIBeast]

Personally, I like the Vekomas that I have been on. I enjoy Invertigo and Firehawk at KI. I rode Firehawk when it was X Flight at Geauga Lake. Also enjoyed Thunderhawk at GL as well. I really enjoy how Invertigo doesn't look like it would be that intense, but actually delivers a really intense ride. No matter how many times I ride Invertigo, I always picture the train going off the spike like some of my creations used to do in RCT.

[SonofBaconator]

16 hours ago, silver2005 said:

Speaking of Vekoma, I think a CF park (or at least some park) may be getting a Boomerang seeing that Knott's is taking theirs down piece by piece instead of being violent in taking it down.

That's interesting that you mentioned that because I know they completely destroyed Shockwave from Kings Dominion when it closed. 

http://newsplusnotes.blogspot.com/2015/12/kings-dominion-shares-shockwave.html?m=1

The only parks that would be candidates for Boomerang would be Michigan's Adventure or Valley Fair. Unless Cedar Fair plans to sell it to a park outside of the chain, which I highly doubt, I could see it going to either park.

[silver2005]

^What, you don't want to see CF copy the SFNE model of slapping two Boomerang style rides in the same park?

Also, CP and KD don't have a Boomerang model. 

[JCoaster25]

Have you guys seen Vekoma's new designs lately?? They look really REALLY good. I would love to see some mid-sized parks in the US pick up a Firestorm model for example. The track and trains all look great!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS5fV4k9z_s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XqfJhBhyHQ

And here's one of they're new gen steel coasters that have already opened.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1lQfF3IkTI

 

 

[SonofBaconator]

52 minutes ago, silver2005 said:

Also, CP and KD don't have a Boomerang model. 

Do not blaspheme the Cedar Fair name heathen Silver!