Abstract: A shift mechanism for a motorized toy includes a shift lever which is mounted on the toy so as to be able to move back and forth along an X axis and back and forth along a Y axis. The toy includes an electric motor and electric power supply for powering the same. A gear train connects the electric motor to an output shaft. A shift mechanism is connected between the shift lever such that movement of the shift lever along one of the X or Y axes shifts certain of the gears in the gear train to control the speed of the output of the output shaft. Movement along the other of the axes of the shift lever controls an electric switch which governs both the polarity of the current supplied to the motor to provide for both forward and reverse rotation of the output shaft as well as to break the circuit between the power supply in order to start and stop the toy.