This confuses me as the RB6 is without the single best all round 2wd car that I’ve EVER run. I’ve seen a few people who have struggled and it is down to them trying to use a setup which is in no way suited to them and their driving style.
It’s all very well trying to drive the super aggressive, massively pointy setups that the superstars run but there is a reason they are the superstars … they can hold on to such a beast and get the best out of it to make the couple of 10ths each and every lap which makes the difference. Mere mortals who have yet to make the pact with the devil can’t do that. Like a single swallow not making a summer a single super lap doesn’t make a fast qualification time.
For most people they need a car that is dependable, predictable and importantly will tolerate the odd mistake without biting them like a rabid dog with sun stroke. The car that they can keep moving for the full five and half minutes will be the fastest car for them. Once they get to the point where they can do clean runs then they can start looking for the extra sparkle to bring the individual lap times down, if that costs them consistency then a little step back is needed.
This is the strongest part of the RB6’s character, like the Lazer FS2 it can be setup to be hugely forgiving without being slow over a lap and they can also be setup to be ultra fast for those that can hang on. Both cars can be whatever you want them to be as they are so neutral in their baseline handling.
I’ve tried to drive both Kev & Tony’s setups and whilst they are super quick over a lap I can not hang on to them for a full run and loose many times what I gain on a single whilst waiting for marshals several times in each run. Seems to me that Kev likes a lot of steering.
I’ve also tried Matty’s setup and I find that a little too pointy for me but still fairly predictable and I can get it round with car. A change to the front shock position was needed for me though. Seems Matty is a point and squirt driver.
So the above setups aren’t any good then? NO WAY!!!! They are fantastic and very fast as is regularly proven by those guys so if you drive similarly to those guys give them a try for sure!
Everybody who has driven my RB6 has come off the rostrum enthusing about how stable and easy to drive it is, common comments are “a very forgiving car”, “goes exactly where you point it, no surprises” , “so stable over the bumps and yet great direction change” … the list goes on. The proof is also in how little change is needed from track to track. I’ve basically run the same car on high grip astro, low-medium grip multi-surface and indoors on carpet. Only changes are small roll centre adjustments both ends to change the overall grip level / breakaway point and wheelbase, Kyosho cars seem very sensitive to wheelbase. VERY occasionally I’ll change springs to suit a big change in grip but again this tends to be both ends of the car together as the balance is brilliant!
Do I think mine is the ultimate setup? For the superstars probably not, they will want a car that rotates a little freer and is maybe a little more ‘on its nose’. For the absolute beginner also maybe not as it will probably have a bit too much mid corner & exit steering for them. I’m happy to advise how to tweak it to suit though. For the “typical” driver, F4-F2 level it will be a really good starting point and easy to dial in more or less natural rotation, entry steering etc. to suit an individual.
I think this is an example of what we see every time a new car comes out, people get it, throw on a setup from a superstar team driver and fail to gain the 3s/lap they were expecting and sell up rather than trying to get the car to suit them.
As for the other points of the RB6 it’s strong, reliable, responsive to setup changes and needs no hop-ups to perform (yes I have a few on mine but I like shiny things). You won’t be disappointed.
I’ll throw my “base setup” at Arno later so hopefully it will be on Petit soon.
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