How to get the Sandbike vehicle in Dune Awakening

Dune Awakening Vehicles
(Image credit: Funcom)

To get the sandbike vehicle in Dune Awakening you need to progress to a point in the main campaign where you reach a mission called "Across the Gap", at which point crafting the sandbike will become your immediate priority. While the bike you craft probably won't last forever (especially if it ends up in a Sandworm's maw), you can craft more of them if you get the materials, and even begin to upgrade and modify them with extra pieces that emphasize certain stats.

If you're interested in giving up walking for driving around Arrakis in style, we'll show you how to craft the Sandbike and get the first vehicle in Dune Awakening below, whether its your first time or whether you just need a refresher.

How to get a vehicle in Dune Awakening

Dune Awakening Vehicles

(Image credit: Funcom)

While there are several vehicles in Dune Awakening, the first of them you'll unlock is the Sandbike, a one-seater three-wheeled motorbike. This unlocks roughly 3-5 hours into the game, depending on how much time you dedicate to the main questline, when you unlock a quest called Across the Gap after completing some missions at the Dune Awakening Griffin's Reach Tradepost.

This quest is explicitly about building a Sandbike so you can cross the expanse of desert at the top of Hagga Basin South fast enough that the Dune Awakening Sandworms don't eat you. In doing so, you'll be given all the information and material you need to keep crafting sandbikes, so if they get destroyed or lost (or if you just want more for your friends), you can repeat the process.

How to craft a Sandbike in Dune Awakening

Dune Awakening Vehicles

(Image credit: Funcom)

To make a Sandbike in Dune Awakening, you need the following base components.

  • 1x Welding Torch (Tool made in Fabricator, made with 6x Copper Ingots)
  • 1+ Medium Sized Fuel Cell (Made in Chemical Refinery with 45x Fuel Cells and 15x Water)
  • Sandbike Components (All can be made in the Fabricator with Copper Ingots and Advanced Servoks)
    • 1x Sandbike Chassis Mk1
    • 3x Sandbike Tread Mk1
    • 1x Sandbike Hull Mk 1
    • 1x Sandbike PSU Mk1
    • 1x Sandbike Engine Mk1

Some of these can be found in enemy camps, but they're often degraded and damaged. Making your own is usually preferable if you can spare the resources. Likewise, you don't have to craft the Medium Sized cell over the Small one, but the availability of the standard cells and water that build them mean that there's no reason not to.

Once you have the components, equip the welding torch and you can place the pieces out in the open and assemble them accordingly. After that, interact with the bike by holding down F to add the Fuel Cell and power it up.

Now you have a Sandbike, here's some tips on using them:

Dune Awakening Vehicles

(Image credit: Funcom)
  • Craft a Vehicle backup tool. These are handheld devices that can store vehicles within them and deploy them again, effectively a way to carry your bike on you without leaving it behind.
  • You can alter your Sandbike with modular components. These might be upgraded core components (like a better chassis and treads) or optional additions like scanners and seats that change the way it functions. These can be researched and built in Fabricators, or found in enemy terrain.
  • Don't leave them in the sun. Consistent heat causes them to degrade over time. Place them in your base, in the backup tool, or at least in the shade somewhere, to stop this from happening.
  • Keep an eye on fuel! Because Sandbikes need specially prepared Fuel Cells and you can't use the default ones you find around, you need to keep an eye on how long it can run for. If it helps, some of the Planetologist skill tree is based on fuel conservation and vehicles powers, though I wouldn't say they compromise the best Dune Awakening skills overall.

How to repair Vehicles

Dune Awakening Vehicles

(Image credit: Funcom)

Different components of the Sandbike vehicle can be damaged individually, but they're all fixed in the same way. Either you can replace the components by dismantling the bike and adding new ones with the Welding Torch you used to build it in the first place, or go to your Fabricator and craft Welding Wire with scavenged metal components. Then go to the Sandbike with the Welding Torch and switch to repair mode accordingly. The module on the bike you select can be repaired at the cost of Welding Wire.

Want to truly fill out your Arrakis guidebook? We've laid out a functioning list of Dune Awakening tips to help new players get to grips with the systems involved. Or if you're looking for a fresh start, check out the best Dune Awakening Homeworld, Caste and Mentor for character creation!

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Joel Franey
Guides Writer

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and raconteur with a Masters from Sussex University, none of which has actually equipped him for anything in real life. As a result he chooses to spend most of his time playing video games, reading old books and ingesting chemically-risky levels of caffeine. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at USgamer, Gfinity, Eurogamer and more besides.

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