The Biker Advanced Recon Commando (BARC) speeder, a product of the Aratech Repulsor Company, served as a potent speeder bike utilized by the Grand Army of the Republic for reconnaissance missions during the Clone Wars. A version intended for civilian use, the Police BARC speeder, was also prominently featured on Coruscant.
Despite being a newer model compared to the 74-Z speeder bike seen during the Second Battle of Dorin, its design was more influenced by the Ripper produced by Aratech's rival, Mobquet.
Initially intended solely for use by the Advanced Recon Commandos, its effectiveness led to its adoption by the broader army. These speeders were adorned with the red and white colors emblematic of the Galactic Republic.
Propulsion was achieved through repulsors coupled with a turbine engine situated on the frontal prong. Control of the speeder was managed via twin steering vanes positioned atop the bike, along with foot pedals located below. Armament consisted of two blaster cannons extending from the lower section of the forward prong, complemented by two additional cannons affixed to each side of the vehicle's rear.
These speeders possessed the capability to operate at significant altitudes and were occasionally employed as escorts for LAAT/i gunships transporting VIPs.
Numerous variations of the BARC speeder existed, including the RapidResponse police speeder employed by the Coruscant Security Force during the Clone Wars, the two-person BARC speeder, and the BARC command vehicle, which was also used by Biker Advanced Recon Commandos during the Clone Wars and later by officers during the Galactic Civil War. The BARC command vehicle featured a modified design characterized by a more substantial front section and two forward-pointing vanes.
During approximately the second year of the Clone Wars, a BARC speeder variant was operated by Coruscant police droids. The main differences from the military version were a dark blue/gray paint scheme and flashing red and blue lights near the aft and stern thrusters. On one occasion, Jedi Master Tera Sinube and Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano used a police droid's BARC speeder to reach a train station in pursuit of Ione Marcy and Cassie Cryar, guided by a homing beacon Sinube had placed on Marcy. In another instance, police droids utilized these speeders to pursue a civilian airspeeder, believed to be carrying Satine Kryze as she fled after the apparent murder of Davu Golec, with clone shock troopers assisting.
Shaak Ti, a Jedi Master, piloted a BARC speeder during the initial phases of the Battle of Coruscant, transporting herself and Stass Allie to the Supreme Chancellor's residence to ensure Palpatine's safety. Following the Siege of Saleucami, Commander Neyo and his wingman, riding BARC speeders, carried out Order 66 by using the bike's blaster cannons to target Jedi Knight Stass Allie's speeder, resulting in her death.
During a mission on Felucia to capture Shu Mai, the Presidente of the Commerce Guild, Aayla Secura and Clone Commander Bly received support from a squad of 327th Star Corps troopers riding BARC speeders in their assault on the Presidente's headquarters. These elite biker troops, supported by ARC-170 starfighters, were victorious against Vulture droids during the engagement.
Troops under the command of Jedi Generals Yoda, Luminara Unduli, and Quinlan Vos later rode their speeders into battle on Kashyyyk, advancing alongside Infantry Support Platforms and HAVw A6 Juggernauts.
Following the conclusion of the war, the early Galactic Empire continued to utilize BARC speeders, although they were eventually replaced by the older 74-Zs for military applications.
On Kashyyyk, many speeders were abandoned after the Empire's formation and were subsequently used during the Galactic Civil War by the indigenous Wookiees and visiting pilots. Some others, also originating from Kashyyyk, fell into the possession of spacers for personal use. During the Galactic Civil War, BARC speeders saw use by various groups, often requiring proof of ownership. Many of these BARC speeders received custom paint jobs. In addition to civilian applications, the BARC command speeders also existed in two variants: one for Galactic Empire personnel and another for Rebel Alliance personnel. Regardless of the faction, both required members to hold a Colonel-class rank before being granted access to one.
The BARC's design was influenced by the precedent set by the Imperial speeder bikes featured in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. While they are depicted on Saleucami, they are also visible on Coruscant and were designed for use within the forests of Kashyyyk. Originally, Stass Allie was intended to ride a BARC speeder, but a more recognizable 74-Z speeder bike was substituted to establish a stronger connection to the original trilogy.
LEGO has released seven BARC speeder models: one in 2005, two in 2011, one in 2013, one in early 2014, one in 2020, and one in 2021. The initial model was included in the Clone Turbo Tank set. The second model and a variant were featured in two other sets (Clone Trooper Battle Pack and Battle for Geonosis). The fourth variant was included in a set with a Confederate speeder and a sidecar attachment. The fifth variant, featuring a new spring-loaded firing mechanism, was part of the Battle on Saleucami set. The sixth variant was included in the 501st Legion Clone Troopers set. The seventh variant, which appeared in the Bad Batch Shuttle set, is virtually identical to the 2020 version, except for its color.