Airframe Ultra Bluntnose, Vector, Cruiser, Hopper
Four airframes, four jobs. New riders stay on Bluntnose. Specialists pick Vector, Cruiser, or Hopper on purpose.
Airframe Ultra has four bikes. That is the whole garage in current playtests: Bluntnose, Vector, Cruiser, Hopper. There is no fifth secret frame in the Steam demo slot. This page is a static comparison — damage taken, starting boosts, handling, jump, top-end, and role — plus a decision flow before a Warehouse vote. It is not a cheat menu.
For kits, use the Loadout Planner. For placement opinions, use the airframe tier list. Read boosting before you main Vector. The game is coming soon, so numbers can move, but the roles have been stable from Beta 1 through the February 2026 open beta.
Comparison table
Damage multiplier is incoming. Lower is tankier. Hopper’s 1.6x means it eats 60% more. Cruiser’s 0.7x means it eats 30% less. Do not read 1.6x as “Hopper deals more.”
| Airframe | Damage taken | Starting boosts | Handling | Jump / loft | Top-end | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose | 1.0x | 3 | Average, predictable | Small loft, easy to time | Solid mid-high | Generalist |
| Vector | 1.3x | 5 | Average until hurt, then worse | Ultraboost glide, extra height on burst | Burst, not cruise | Booster |
| Cruiser | 0.7x | 3 | Poor, nose-heavy, slow turn | Weak vertical; brake-tilt to climb | Highest sustained | Long-map bully |
| Hopper | 1.6x | 3 | Sharpest, weight-sensitive | Highest, punchy boost-up | Lowest; falls off after the first seconds | Arena jumper |
Beta 4 pick rates: Bluntnose about 50%, Hopper 19.4%, Vector 18.1%, Cruiser 11.2%. The team said Bluntnose at half the lobby was fine for a generalist. Recap in Beta History.
Bluntnose — the default on purpose
Three boosts, 1.0x taken, average everything. Boosts are short and punchy, which is what you want in a brawl and on a hairpin. You can take it into Oceandrive, Chasm, Estate, or Warehouse without rewriting your brain. New riders are not wasting potential here; they are skipping the specialist tax.
Reset on Bluntnose when a specialist is going badly. Vector without ultraboost is a 1.3x coffin. Cruiser you cannot turn is a 0.7x wall. Hopper treated like a drag bike is a 1.6x firework.
Vector — five boosts, pay 1.3x
Vector exists for people who love boosting. Five starting shots and an ultraboost when the burst glides close to ground or wall. Straight-line speed without that tech is not Cruiser. Durability is not Bluntnose. Double-tapping boost while one is live can throw you sideways. Dry-boosting is a last resort because you already take 30% extra.
Pick Vector for ramps and long sight lines — Chasm, Ocean Drive, Stormdrain. Skip it when the lobby is arena-voting Estate all night. Pair it with the Vector booster kit on the planner, not with Heavy body.
Cruiser — 0.7x and a long nose
Cruiser is the big roadster. Highest top-end, worst handling, 0.7x incoming. Boosts last about a second and a half and do not pop you into the sky. You win by staying on the gas, not by out-jumping Hopper. Brake before corners. Tilt the nose up on slopes. In arenas, slow down or you lodge the tail in geometry.
Long maps are the pitch: Oceandrive, Nightride, open Quarry. Short interiors are the fine print. Split-screen Warehouse brawls make Cruiser a bit. Full circuits with points that carry let it steal a circuit without winning a fistfight — if you finish the race legs.
Hopper — 1.6x, jumpy, arena first
Hopper is small, fragile, and the only frame that wants you thinking in jumps. Boosts shove you forward and up; touching ground dumps the speed. Handling is the sharpest. Top-end is the weakest. Rider weight matters: Light helps, Heavy hurts.
Take Hopper for arenas and interior chaos. Leave it when the vote is three long race maps. The Hopper arena kit exists because shotgun and bat match this bike better than an SMG at 100 meters. You will get shot; the rider is more exposed.
Decision flow
Use this in order. Stop at the first yes.
- New, or you cannot name a Bluntnose weakness? Take Bluntnose. Play a full circuit. Read Getting Started if the tutorial was a blur.
- Love boost routes and ultraboost more than top speed or jump? Take Vector. Then read boosting.
- Long maps (Oceandrive, Nightride, open Quarry) and willing to brake? Take Cruiser.
- Arena-heavy lobby and you want jump tech? Take Hopper.
- If none of 2–4 is a strong yes, you already had the answer in step 1.
Online and split-screen use the same four bikes. Couch sessions are good for feeling Cruiser’s turn radius. Public circuits teach that Hopper’s jump does not cancel a three-race deficit on Oceandrive.
Lock the bike, then pick body and weapons on the Loadout Planner. Do not mix identities: Heavy plus Hopper, Vector plus a slow saw, Cruiser plus “I never brake.” If the tier list and this table disagree, trust the table for facts (1.3x, five boosts) and the tier page for the argument. Until a fifth airframe appears, four bikes is the entire decision, and Bluntnose is still the first row.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers for racers still learning Megacity West.
Which airframe should a new player pick?
Bluntnose. It takes 1.0x damage, starts with three boosts, and handles honestly. Specialists (Vector, Cruiser, Hopper) each charge a tax you will feel immediately.
Does a higher damage multiplier mean the bike hits harder?
No. The multiplier is damage taken by the airframe. Hopper at 1.6x is fragile. Cruiser at 0.7x is tanky. Rider melee damage comes from body type and weapons, not this number.
Who should use Vector?
Riders who already like boost routes. Vector starts with five boosts and can ultraboost, but it takes 1.3x damage and wobbles when hurt. It is a poor first bike.
When is Cruiser better than Bluntnose?
On long maps where top speed matters and you are willing to brake early. In tight arenas Cruiser's poor handling and size work against the 0.7x tank bonus.
Is Hopper only for arenas?
That is its job. Jump and handling are elite; top-end is not. You can ride it on race maps, but you are choosing style over the clock. Pair it with a short-range kit.
Do online and split-screen have different bikes?
No. Both modes use the same four airframes. Pick with the decision flow, then take the matching kit from the Loadout Planner.