First things first; what’s available out there? This section will inform you guys about the various forms of motorized transportation available to you. From the Ford Fiesta to the Abrams Tank, from the Ferrari F430 to a Mack semi-rig, we’ll let you know what’s out there.

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Segway- Battery powered one person transport. Limited speed, limited capacity for off-road travel, no protection from zombies, and no real cargo capacity. If you’re using one for scouting in tight environments, it’s quiet and a bit quicker than walking, but not good for much else.



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Motor scooter- Marginally quicker than a Segway, powered by either a battery or a small gasoline engine. Not particularly fast by any means, but fairly easy to drive and simple to work on. Not much in terms of cargo capacity or off-road capacity, and they are fairly loud for the dismal performance they offer. However, scooters do offer good fuel mileage, though they have small tanks which hurt fuel range. Again, for scouting or urban environments maybe, but there are far better options available



Hot Pink, FTW!!!

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Dirt Bike- This is a must-have for any good convoy. The Dirt bike has proven itself to be one of the most rugged vehicles you can get straight off of a showroom floor. Most are two-stroke, so mixed fuel-oil will be necessary. And of course the two-stroke makes them fairly loud for their size. Not a great primary vehicle as they aren’t very comfortable and can’t carry much. However, you’d be hard-pressed to find a recon vehicle as quick, agile, and rugged as a dirt bike.



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Motorcycle (Cruiser) - This is your Harley-Davidson or similar big bike. The heaviest of all bikes, they’re the least practical. They tend to suck down fuel faster because of their weight, which also makes them slower and less agile than other bikes. And of course, they lack the suspensions and tires to make them any good off-road like a dirt bike. Also, beware a modified exhaust, which some owners favor. They can make the bikes extremely loud while providing no performance increase at all. They still can’t carry much; a couple of saddlebags are about all that can be accommodated. However, they are the most comfortable. If you’ve always wanted one, or love the one you have, they aren’t the worst possible choice. However, targeting one for practical reasons isn’t smart.



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Motorcycle (Sport bike/Café racer) – The fastest of all motorcycles available; sport bikes offer insane speed and handling. The faster of them accelerate as if powered by a bomb, and they can stop in the blink of an eye. They are also the most dangerous. Once you get moving, if something goes wrong you can find yourself out of control in the blink of an eye. And of course, your only protection is speed. Carrying capacity is even less than a cruiser, though the performance is light-years ahead. For recon, pursuit, or escape, a sport bike will get you out of a sticky situation at a break-neck pace. Of course, that speed and lack of protection may just prove to break your neck afterwards. Use with extreme caution.



The always-beautiful Milla Jovovich and the BMW K1200R, one of the best 'naked', or body-less, bikes available.
This crotch-rocket here, the Suzuki Hayabusa, is the fastest production in the world. Pre-2001 models were consistently capable of breaking 200 mph, though newer models are electronically governed to 186 mph. There are claims however that with the limiters defeated, the stock bikes will hit 220 mph.

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Motorcycle (Dual-sport) – Probably the best choice for a two-wheeled vehicle post Z-Day. The dual-sport is the beautiful union of a sport bike and a dirt bike. Equally at home on or off-road, these bikes offer speed on road and rugged ability off-road. Carrying capacity is still not good at all, only a couple of saddlebags. If you want a good two-wheeled recon vehicle, look no further.



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Motorcycle (Touring) – Basically, a long haul bike such as a Honda Goldwing. They are the most comfortable of all the motorcycles and has the most storage capacity with several built in compartments and holders. They are also slow, heavy, and not as maneuverable as other bikes. They are the quietest though, which makes them an alright pick for a vehicle, though not the best.



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ATV- the All-Terrain Vehicle is a four-wheeled, one rider vehicle built for similar purposes as a dirt bike. The four-wheel design makes it easier to drive than an ATV, though at speed the short wheel-base is downright dangerous. Many a rider has gotten seriously ****ed-up riding off-road and losing their balance. Most are two-stroke, though four-stroke versions are gaining popularity. While the backs offer space for a storage rack which can hold a small amount of cargo and they can tow a small trailer, ATV’s still only offer marginally better cargo capacity than motorcycles. Not a bad option if you’re experienced, but they can do serious damage to you even if you’re a seasoned rider. Use with caution.



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Side-by-sides- Basically, a grown-up, two-seater version of an ATV. They’re a four wheeled vehicle with two seats and a built-in roll cage. They have a bigger footprint than an ATV and as a result offer better stability. They also offer more storage ability, though the side-by-side’s size may inhibit it in extremely dense areas. All-in-all, they’re a good option for off-road travel and worth consideration if you find a good one.

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Sub Compact Car- A sub compact is considered to be the smallest class of road-legal automobiles. They are four wheeled vehicles that have between 85 and 99 cubic feet of interior volume, are up to 165 inches long. Most are front wheel drive, with very few rear-wheel or four-wheel drive options. Typically three or four cylinder engines, with a very occasional five or six cylinder.

Being the smallest of cars, they are usually the lightest. This is both good and bad. Good as fuel mileage is usually very good. It's bad in that they usually have very low horsepower, have small fuel tanks which limit range, don't carry much, and they aren't good for handling impacts. If you've got one handy, they beat walking and for on road they aren't bad at recon, but in most cases there are better options out there.



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Compact Car- A compact is a car with between 100 and 109 cubic feet of interior volume, and is somewhere between 161 and 187 inches long. Compacts are more mainstream than sub-compacts, and there is a much bigger offering. Front-wheel drive is still most common, though a rear-wheel and all-wheel drive options exist. Four cylinders are the norm, with a few six-cylinders and several forced induction options available.

While some are not very practical, certain models of compact cars offer a hell of a lot of car stuffed into a little package. Hot hatches are prevalent, hatchbacks with bumped up power figures and more aggressive suspension and braking systems. If you're looking for one more vehicle to round out a convoy, or need maneuverable options for dense areas, some compacts make an enticing offer.



This Volkswagen R32 for example is an enticing offer. Four wheel drive, either a DSG manumatic transmission or a 6-speed manual, and a six-cylinder making 250 horsepower.






Again, another enticing offer. The Subaru Impreza WRX STi offers 300 horsepower and foot pounds of torque from a turbo-charged Boxer four cylinder engine, all-wheel drive, and a 6-speed manual gearbox. It's rally-proven to be hellishly good on and off-road, and it still seats four comfortably.

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Mid-size car- A step up from the compacts, mid-size cars offer more interior space and often times a bit more luxury. Also present are a wider range of engine choices. Everything from naturally aspirate four cylinders up to supercharged eighty-cylinder engines can be found under the hood of a mid-size. Transmissions are also a wide range. Automatic, manumatic, and manual transmissions are all available as are all drivetrains.

The decision to take a mid-size car can be either great or terrible. An automatic Nissan Altima four cylinder isn't exactly the best option available. A Dodge Challenger SRT8 with a stick shift, is pretty damn good. A Subaru Legacy GT Spec B. is a good decision, a four-cylinder Chevy Malibu automatic or Camry four-cylinder automatic, not so much.





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Full-size car- Full size cars are the biggest of cars, and offer the most in interior volume. Also, they're more prevalently rear-wheel drive and offerings of 6 and 8 cylinder engines are far more common. They also are the heaviest of the sedan/coupe category which does have an effect on braking and handling, and fuel mileage. However, they usually have bigger gas tanks, they're usually the most comfortable of a car company's offerings, they have more interior room, and they usually have fairly large trunks.

A few examples of full-size cars are the Dodge Charger SRT8, the Ford Crown Victoria, the BMW 7-series, the Pontiac G8 GXP, and the Acura RL. They're big brutes, but offer impressive power figures, roominess, and the curb weight of a small truck. No good convoy is without one of these cruisers.

425 horsepower of all-American V8 goodness! Rear-wheel drive, possible 6-speed stick, and enough power to outrun all but the fastest of raiders. Plus, they're relative affordability compared to other cars of similar performance figures has made them more commonplace than would be expected. I know of four of them in my area alone (all in black), not including dealerships. Just beware the harsh expanses of cheap plastic interior...



One of the benchmark luxury cars, riding out the apocalypse doesn't get much more comfortable than this. And with BMW's engine choices, it doesn't get much faster either. And of course, German engineering gives this Leviathan fair reliability and handling.

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Mini SUV- These are the smallest of the sport utility vehicles. Not really traditional SUV's, they are almost entirely built off of smaller car chassis' and thus have relatively limited ground clearance. They're almost entirely front-wheel drive with all-wheel drive options in some models. Four-cylinders are most common with almost nothing larger than that.

Mini SUV's are practical in urban areas and offer more capacity and soft-roading ability than their compact car counter parts. That said, they still don't have the power, size, or ground clearance of other trucks. If you've got one on hand and like it, keep it. Otherwise, there are probably better options available.





The Jeep Wrangler is one of few exceptions to the above. It comes from the factory with rear or all-wheel drive, uses a real truck platform, and has a big engine. It is however arguably in the mini-SUV, at least the traditional Wrangler is. The new Wrangler Unlimited's stretched chassis puts it firmly out of mini-SUV classification.

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Compact SUV- These are a step up in size from mini-SUV's though are actually very similar. Most are still car-platforms with raised ground height. Most are still front or all-wheel drive and most have four cylinder engines. However, there are some V6 and turbocharged four-cylinders available.

Being somewhat taller than the mini-SUV's, compacts offer slightly better soft-roading ability on average but they still aren't off-road ready as a whole. Nice, but most offerings fill a market gap slotted below a company's bigger, more powerful, brawnier SUV option.


The Ford Escape shown here is a compact-SUV. It's built off of a Ford Focus platform and comes either in front-wheel or optional all-wheel drive. The biggest problem with this little scamp is that the Ford dealership you'll visit to get one also has the V8 Explorer and possibly the Expedition/ Expedition EL.



The Subaru Forester XT is one compact SUV that is arguable off-road ready. It comes standard with all-wheel drive, has a turbocharged four-cylinder Boxer engine, and fairly impressive cargo space. And as with most things Subaru, it has reliability on its side.

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Sport Utility Vehicle- SUV's are your good size trucks, such as Tahoes, Explorers, Range Rovers, and 4Runners. These are almost all six or eight cylinder engines, with most new models automatic. They are almost entirely rear or four-wheel drive with a good bit of ground clearance.

However, be weary of faux SUV's that aren't really off-road ready at all, and may quickly leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Gas mileage isn't fantastic due to the curb weight and large motors, though fuel tanks usually run large in SUV's so fuel range is still decent.

These mall-assault vehicles, while eyesores on the road today, will offer massive transportation potential come Z-Day.


This is the Ford Explorer. Offered in rear or four-wheel drive, this V8 powered SUV is a staple of hauling kids to soccer practice, holding tons of stuff, and getting far off the beaten path when it's called for. The Explorer has an illustrious history as one of the best SUV's of all time and is certainly an enticing option post Z-Day.


This here is the Land Rover Range Rover Sport. It is the slightly smaller version of the full Range Rover, another full-size SUV. It is very off-road capable, comes with a variety of powerful motors, including a supercharged V8 option. It can haul quite a good bit and the supercharged engine can outrun some cars.

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Large SUV- These are your anabolic SUV's. The Suburban, the Expedition, the Excursion, the Sequoia, are all large SUV's. These are the trucks that don't even fit in your garage they are so damn big.

Almost entirely V8's, these beasts come with the largest engine offerings of their parent company. The Ford Excursion, even has a turbo-diesel. They are universally rear or all-wheel drive, and almost all automatic.

Fuel mileage drops further from the regular SUV's but then cargo capacity is up, so if you can use the extra space, large SUV's may actually be more efficient overall. They benefit from the biggest curb weights due to their size, so if you're interested in building vehicles to knock other vehicles around, you're in the right place.


This is the Chevy Suburban. It is the already massive Tahoe's bigger brother. The Suburban packs a big V8, rear or four wheel drive and a staggering curb weight. While GM can't really make a good car, they can make a good truck. If you have the opportunity to get one of these Goliaths come Z-Day, you'd better consider it.


This is the Ford Excursion. It is a turbo-diesel giant, basically an F-350 pickup turned into an SUV. Much like the Suburban, it probably won't fit your garage and it is a beast to handle, but post Z-Day its cargo capacity and tonnage make it an enticing option, even more so thanks to its torquey diesel engine.

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Minivans- Minivans are the scourge of the left lane. They are slow, unwieldly to handle, don't have the offroad ability of a proper SUV, don't have the power of a proper SUV, and are usually front-wheel drive instead of all-wheel drive. If manual gearbox versions exist, I've never seen one. Four or six cylinder options are the main offerings, and neither produces a quick vehicle.

However, they do have one major advantage, cargo space. Hauling a brood of soccer rats and all their junk is the mantra of the minivan, and in this task it succeds. A good minivan can hold a hell of a lot, and they're usually equipped with folding seats, tons of cubby holes and hidden storage areas, and various cubic foot grabbing innovations.

Minivans aren't great to drive, can't conquer the off-road, and aren't going to outrun much. However, their low stance makes them a bit easier to handle then large SUV's and they can carry so much it isn't funny. If you've got one, consider using it over going out to scavenge for something else.





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Vans- The bigger full-size variants of mini-vans. They tend to come with bigger engines, usually six or eight cylinder motors. Most are rear wheel drive with some all-wheel drive offerings, and most are automatic.

To be continued