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Why should I even bother...
... to begin with RC?
Hi peeps... As some of you may have read (or not...) I'm thinking about buying a Kyosho ZX5-SP or RB5 (still not sure but I'd like to have a Kyosho). But I wonder... is it even worth buying a RC car? Please I hope someone can give me a non-biased opinion on this. If I look at what I did with RC cars... it has been something popping up in my life now and then disappearing again for a while and then coming back again. To give you an example: - My first car was some tamiya thing, forgot the name... I still was 11 y old I think - I then had a Kyosho Optima Turbo MID SE, my dad helped me build it, the car I had the most fun with, I was about 14 y old then - I sold the Kyosho because I wanted a nitro car, stupidest decision ever, I had a Pure Ten Kyosho Lancia Delta Inegrale... nice car, enjoyed it but never give me the statisfaction the Optima did. As expected the Pure Ten engine got phucked and that was it for nitro, I decided to sell all my stuff... last time I ran it was 2003... - Sold everything, but in 2005 it started to tickle again... I missed building the cars :( I kept an eye open now and then until I came across tower hobbies (behold the internet) and I bought a HPI MT2 SS... I enjoyed building the car (fun!) and stuffed in my 'old' RC stuff... I enjoyed riding it, but my old RC gear (still had a transmitter and receiver from that Pure Ten) so I had a modern car with crap electronics. Not happy, sold evrything (with great profit thanks to the low dollars) but result: no car, nothing. - Decided to stop with it... but then the RB5 arrived... was this the Kyosho that would fill my 'gap' I lost with the Optima Mid? I was lucky to buy a COMPLETE shed of RC gear, a Xray on-road electro car... owner said it was broken, but I managed to fix it... I kept all the best tools and receiver (Futaba with model memory, ok thingie) and sold the riding car with great profits again and kept myself a decent FM transmitter and receiver. ... but now... I am not sure if I would enjoy the Lazer or RB5 as much as the Optima. I was 14 then, I'm 30 now... There are NO clubs here (nowhere in the nearest 50 km) and the clubs that are at 50 km distance scare me off... most of them - no offense - have really really REALLY big RC freaks. This means that a noob like me with 'simple' setup wouldn't exactly feel at home. Also, I'm not looking for adventure and joining euro races, club championships and stuff like that. I just ant to have fun... I don't want to make friends with 30 people I don't know and - how rude it may sound - I'm not interested in what they do either as jobs etc... I had the chance to talked to a local flying RC club (there is one) and I got really disappointed upon return: these people can't really talk about anything else then RC planes. Help me out... I'm talking about 750$ of equipment here so I don't want to buy this lot if in one month I realize that this whole club thing is nothing for me (I'm not really a 'club' person, never was... I like social contact but when you go to a club at a certain stage they expect you to ALWAYS be there or you're not a 'real member'... I have a very busy job and also ride Enduro motorcycle at the weekend so... Hope someone can help me out with this mindtwist :confused::confused::confused::confused: Cheers, Dominique, Belgium |
x5 is the best car we have tried so fare easy to drive reasonabley easy to work on and very fast
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I think the question your really asking yourself is:
"Do I actually want to do RC?" I found that if you don't enjoy the racing at relaxed club level, then you won't enjoy it at all. For me this is the most fun, meeting people on a regular basis, and making friends in racing. I do do some regional events as well, but never really enjoyed the really big national events, since they were hard work, and a lot of travelling. For me on my own this was very tiring and not very enjoyable. As it is, the local club 20 miles away on a friday evening is really fun, very relaxed, always a good track and also indoors (so regular racing even in winter). While it may not be the most challening track and is a similiar surface every week, I enjoy the social side of things and talking to people and having a joke... Just keeping in the RC scene and reading on Oople keeps me happy Hope this helps Mark |
I think having a laugh at the big events is the best bit, i think if you asked all the drivers at a national "what is there favorite thing about racing off road" they would say the social side and the people that do it. You dont have to be a geek to have a good time.
I also think they would be very helpful as im sure they want to see the hobby grow, give it a chance,you may like it. See you at the euros next summer:lol: |
Why not get a Kyosho Lazer ZX-5 RTR and see if you want to go to the club after bashing around with the car for a while? I wouldn't go blowing $750 on a hobby I wasn't even sure I would enjoy.
I started by getting an AE B4 rtr and going from there. To be honest, it was the best thing I had ever done as, like you, I had tried nitro and found it wasn't my thing. By getting the rtr ZX-5, you could get started at a decent buget and get back into driving. If you get the bug, you can start upgrading the car and then take it racing. You know 50km isn't really that far, we have had racers travel hundreds of miles to race at Southport! |
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I have followed the BIWS rounds and learned a lot. Spoke to a few ppl who helped me out. All the gear i have got with this car needs to be upgraded, it is bloody expensive!! I nearly gave up with it all as there isnt much in the way of a local club where i live, there was when i was a kid but they have all fizzled out! I have found one club in the next town that i will be going to once i have splashed a bit more cash on a few more batteries, tools and new radio gear. This website has really opend the RC world up to me but also baffled me with talk of technology, maintainance and set ups. For me this was quite daugnting at first and i thought i will never be able to compete with these boys who know how to et their cars up ect but then every1 has to start somewhere. I think u will probably have to make friends with other RC enthusiasts to get anywhere in the hobby tho! Why not talk a few of ur mates into it and have a meet between urselves? That brings me onto my qusetion, Does anyone know of any buggy clubs in the Derbyshire area? I already know about the one in Mansfield. Cheers |
broxtowe?
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You need to do it to escape your mind from work, have fun with some friends and attend events not only to race but to enjoy the people your with.
I enjoy the racing, but I equally enjoy the outside of racing socialising - such as Saturday nights between nationals etc. its ace |
Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I have found a club (MBV) that's having a race saturday... I might go check it out to see the atmosphere...
But you're right I'm not doing it for trophees, I'm just doing it because I like fiddling with stuff :) |
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if you come along in July to the Belgium GP, you may not be able to enter it as booking in filled up quicker than Robbie Williams, but you'll certainly have a lot to watch - plus beer, music, entertainment. :thumbsup: this is what its about! :) |
One time RC always RC...
-the racing & excitement -the fine mechanics -the building & maintenance -the modifications -the learning & understanding -the joy of masking & painting a cool bodyshell -the trips & sights -the new & friendly people -building or improving a track -taking part in organizing a race -taking part in running a club -maintaining & improving rules and regulations And the fact that you're not ever going to have excess spare time and be bored again... and never running out of conversation... Try always to have FUN! :thumbsup: PS. Never mention RC on the first date!!! ;) |
I've been thinking the same thing, and I suspect I will never race in a proper race, simply because i would be too worried about being crap. I'm leaning toward a Durga, as atleast it isn't costly. My hope would be to perhaps try and hook up with some local folks who do race, and try and get in to the swing more that way.
But my approach is that if I want to have a laugh as a minimum with an rc car, then the Durga isn't a bank breaker.... and I can always get some hop-ups if I do look to race proper. Cheers! |
Yes, the main object is always to enjoy it and have FUN! And you'll have fun no matter what level you are on! As to the racing it takes a lot of practise to become good, so enjoy it all the way!
Unless you're on a very tight budget I'd consider a "full blown" car though. It's for many of us a big part of the hobby to work on these technological marvels. And with the extremely low prices nowadays you might as well go for the real deal. Good luck! |
Where do you set a boundary between budget and full blown just out of interest? I'm certainly not adverse to the idea of buying decent rather than buying cheap and risking having to buy again.
Cheers! |
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CHASSIS
Well, the car/chassis is the main thing. And the price difference between a full blown WC-winning chassis and a "toy" is not much these days. For instance the AE B4 or B44 are extremely well made machines at a ridicilously low price. They are strong, more or less ever lasting (just replace broken parts and shim away slop), very good to drive. RADIO I'd also buy a decent radio, that one you'll keep for many years. Minimum a radio with EPA and Expo functions. BRUSHLESS Finally I'd go for a brushless combo, it's powerful, gives longer runtimes, and best of all it's maintenance free. Don't do the typical beginner error of buying a way too fast motor, do as the pros advise you to: 4,5 or 5,5 for 4WD / 6,5 or 7,5 for 2WD. LIPO If you then want to save you could go for LiPos (not race legal till 2009, most likely) and a LiPo charger. Very inexpensive chargers and batteries. The LiPos give you VERY long runtimes (+/- 20 minutes!) and so much power. You can even charge them weeks before you go out to play. Best of all you don't need to spend a small fortune on high tech chargers, ballancers/dischargers, matched cells +++ TOOLS You can also wait with all the cool stuff like good tools etc. But if you get into the hobby you'll enjoy it more with good tools. |
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Here is the link http://www.srccc.co.uk/ |
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check out http://me-or.co.uk for clubs in your region :) |
Tools and motor
At least buy a Hudy 2mm driver.
Brushless motor ?, insane power over and above what u will need, do u need to be able to wheel spin at will, do u want to steer with the throttle, do u really WANT Ferrari type power ? Do you drive RC cars because its would be totaly insane and painfull to do it in a real car ? Be prepared to go through a lot of tyres ) |
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