If you’ve spent more than five minutes in a GTA Online public lobby, you’ve heard it. That high-pitched, vacuum-cleaner whine. It’s the sound of the Oppressor Mk II, the infamous fly bike in GTA 5 that changed the game forever. Some people love the efficiency. Most people—honestly—just want to throw their controller through the TV when they see that little radar icon zooming toward them. It’s a hoverbike. It’s a missile launcher. It’s a griefing tool.
Rockstar Games released the Oppressor Mk II back in 2018 as part of the After Hours update. Since then, the community has been in a literal arms race.
The Love-Hate Relationship with the Oppressor Mk II
The fly bike in GTA 5 isn't just one vehicle, but the Mk II is the one everyone means when they complain. Before it arrived, we had the original Oppressor. That one was actually a bike. It had wheels. You had to touch the ground to recharge your boost, which meant you actually needed a little bit of skill to keep it airborne. It was fun. It felt like a stunt prop from a 1980s action movie.
Then came the Mk II.
It completely broke the meta. Suddenly, you didn't need to drive. You didn't need to learn the map's shortcuts or worry about traffic. You just hopped on, flew in a straight line, and pressed a button to delete anyone in your path. Rockstar realized they'd created a monster, which is why we've seen so many balance passes over the years.
What makes it so dominant?
Basically, it's the convenience. It spawns right next to you if you're a Motorcycle Club (MC) President. It fits in tight alleys. The missiles—while nerfed in recent years—are still incredibly accurate against NPCs. If you’re trying to grind out Cayo Perico prep missions or move cargo across Los Santos, nothing beats the fly bike in GTA 5 for sheer speed.
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But that convenience has a price. Because it's so easy to use, it became the weapon of choice for "tryhards" and griefers. You know the type. The guy with the face paint and the thermal goggles who kills you for no reason while you’re just trying to buy a new shirt at Ponsonbys.
The Nerf History: How Rockstar Tried to Fix It
For a long time, the Oppressor Mk II was untouchable. The missiles were "tier 1," meaning they had aggressive tracking that was almost impossible to dodge in a standard car. If you weren't in a Nightshark or a MOC Cab that could tank 20+ explosions, you were basically dead meat.
Rockstar finally stepped in with the The Criminal Enterprises update. They slashed the missile accuracy. Now, if you’re in a fast car and you know how to take a corner, there’s a decent chance the missile will hit a building instead of your bumper. They also increased the cooldown for calling it back in through the MC menu. Used to be instant. Now? You’ve got to wait five minutes if someone manages to blow you out of the sky.
Then came the price hike.
If you want a fly bike in GTA 5 today, you're going to pay a staggering $8,000,000. That’s the base price. It used to be around $3.8 million. Rockstar is clearly trying to make it a "luxury" item rather than something every level 20 player can buy with a single Shark Card. Is it worth 8 million? Honestly, probably not if you're just starting out. But for a veteran player with 50 million in the bank? It’s still a mandatory purchase.
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Better Alternatives to the Fly Bike
Look, the Mk II is great, but it’s boring. Flying in a straight line at 130 mph gets old. If you want utility without the "griefer" stigma, there are other options.
- The Sparrow: Stored in your Kosatka submarine. It’s faster than the Oppressor. It has infinite missiles. The downside? It’s made of wet cardboard. If you land too hard, it explodes.
- The Deluxo: It’s a flying DeLorean. Need I say more? It’s slower than the fly bike, but the missiles are actually better. They have some of the best tracking in the entire game.
- The Raiju: This is the newer F-35 style jet. It has VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) and stealth mode. It’s way more expensive, but it can cross the map in seconds.
Dealing with a fly bike in GTA 5
If you’re being hunted by one, don’t panic. The biggest mistake players make is staying in their car. If you’re in a regular vehicle, you’re a sitting duck.
Jump out.
The Oppressor Mk II cannot lock onto players on foot. Once you’re standing on the pavement, the pilot has to aim manually, which is surprisingly hard because the bike wobbles. Pull out an Up-n-Atomizer or a Heavy Sniper with Explosive Rounds. One good shot and they’re tumbling toward the asphalt.
Another great counter is the Imani Tech. If you own an Agency, you can equip certain cars (like the Buffalo STX or the Champion) with a Missile Lock-on Jammer. This makes you invisible to the fly bike’s auto-aim. There is nothing funnier than watching a frustrated griefer circle you, unable to get a lock, while you just drive away calmly.
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The Professional's Perspective
Most "pro" grinders still use the fly bike in GTA 5 because of its profile. You can park it on the roof of a building, run inside to grab a mission item, and be back in the air in three seconds. No other vehicle offers that level of verticality and speed.
However, the "golden age" of the Oppressor is definitely over. With the introduction of the Railgun as a purchasable weapon in the Gun Van, the skill gap has shifted. A player with decent aim can swat a fly bike out of the air before the pilot even realizes they’ve been spotted. It’s no longer the "win button" it used to be.
Practical Steps for New Players
If you are looking to get your first fly bike in GTA 5, don't just buy the bike. You need the infrastructure first.
- Buy a Nightclub: This is the prerequisite for owning a Terrorbyte.
- Get the Terrorbyte: This is a massive armored truck. It is the only place where you can upgrade the Oppressor Mk II.
- The Specialized Workshop: You have to buy this add-on for the Terrorbyte to actually put missiles on the bike. Without missiles, the bike is just a fancy moped that flies.
- Check the Trade Price: You can save millions of dollars by completing 5 Client Jobs from the Terrorbyte computer. It’s a bit of a grind, but at an $8 million price tag, the discount is massive.
Don't be the person who flies around blowing up low-level players. Use it for what it's best at: cutting down the time on your boring delivery missions. The community has a long memory, and if you start trouble on a fly bike, expect the entire lobby to come after you with jets and orbital cannons. It’s just the Los Santos way.
To truly master the vehicle, learn the "handbrake trick." If you hold the handbrake (Space on PC, R1/RB on consoles) while flying, the wings retract slightly and you gain an extra 20-30 mph of top speed. It makes a huge difference when you're trying to outrun a jet or just get to Sandy Shores before the timer runs out.
Keep an eye on your flares, too. You only get 20 of them. Use them sparingly, or you'll find yourself falling out of the sky when you least expect it.