1/8 vehicles, have they killed the RC industry?
08-28-2009, 06:43 PM
#17
The only thing that is killing the rc industry is poor quality products and extreme pricing thats all .
Nothing to do with 1/8th scale .I ve seen alot of guys go from on onroad to off raod 1/10th and 1/8th scale all the time just for a change.
Nothing to do with 1/8th scale .I ve seen alot of guys go from on onroad to off raod 1/10th and 1/8th scale all the time just for a change.
08-28-2009, 08:03 PM
#20
Kits and equipment cost the same as they did in 1987. 1/8th engines and computer driven radios have come up in price, tires are always a throw-away but every other thing has gotten higher in quality at the same price.
The RC racing industry has been dying since the mid-80's, I'm sure it'll be dying the same way in 20-30 years. Face it people, it's always going to be a small hobby, it'll never be in the Olympics or on ESPN primetime. It's a hobby.
08-28-2009, 08:16 PM
#21
David is right,it is a hobby for most of us.Just a few can call themselves factory drivers and they are sponsored by the hobby-industry, not like formula 1 sponsored by electronic-giants or what so ever. For them the r/c is not interesting enough because there is no broadcasting events on tv nationwide or worldwide like other sports.
08-28-2009, 09:17 PM
#22
Tech Apprentice
iTrader: (7)
Its all about change and evolving with the market. I hate to see LHS close because of the inability to make it; but I have personally seen several where the owner admits to not really understanding business principals or leveraging the manufacturers to assist with big events, etc. 1/8th scale is what the market wants; period. If it wasnt, they wouldnt sell and there would be no articles blaming them. Shops, manufacturers, and tracks that ignore what the customers wants, whether it seems fair or not, will not make it. I wish there was enough people involved in this great hobby to have a LHS on every corner like McDonalds.
Change is uncomfortable but necessary for growth. I love 1/8th, Slash, and 1/10 elec 4wd. I try to support them all but right now, 1/8th has the largest participation in my area and lets face it, its a lot of fun when there are more than 10 people showing up to race a class.
Our hobby will continue to change and it will grow/shrink like it always has. Freaking out or pointing the finger at another class is like fighting your brother....the culprit is not another successful class killing a weak one, its attendance dropping off in a class to the point it dies....but, most of those people switch to another class; not disappear altogether.
I love this hobby! LONG LIVE RC!~
Change is uncomfortable but necessary for growth. I love 1/8th, Slash, and 1/10 elec 4wd. I try to support them all but right now, 1/8th has the largest participation in my area and lets face it, its a lot of fun when there are more than 10 people showing up to race a class.
Our hobby will continue to change and it will grow/shrink like it always has. Freaking out or pointing the finger at another class is like fighting your brother....the culprit is not another successful class killing a weak one, its attendance dropping off in a class to the point it dies....but, most of those people switch to another class; not disappear altogether.
I love this hobby! LONG LIVE RC!~
08-28-2009, 10:13 PM
#23
Both problems will be solved as electric 1/8 scale continues to improve. As of today, the weak link is the motors and escs are not quite durable enough for that platform whereas, 1/10 racing is mostly a dirt onroad with a few speedbumps.
08-28-2009, 10:17 PM
#24
and by the way, we are in final development on our 4wd 1/10 buggy so please do not bash me for my opinion.
Go to youtube and search hobby haven. It is our local track designed for 1/10 but we run 1/8 on it.
then type in SIC or WIN (southern invitational championship) or (wiregrass) and compare the tracks. As the product durability increases, the more radical the nature of the track. Apparently the track designers down south like to sell Losi, Caster, Mugen, Xray parts....and there is absolutely no way a 1/10 would survive more than a few laps on one of those tracks.
Go to youtube and search hobby haven. It is our local track designed for 1/10 but we run 1/8 on it.
then type in SIC or WIN (southern invitational championship) or (wiregrass) and compare the tracks. As the product durability increases, the more radical the nature of the track. Apparently the track designers down south like to sell Losi, Caster, Mugen, Xray parts....and there is absolutely no way a 1/10 would survive more than a few laps on one of those tracks.
08-28-2009, 10:22 PM
#25
I also will say that the majority of people who frequent this forum are actual racers and I know a lot of racers who never go online and post. Yes, we will probably never be on espn, but I remember as a kid in the 70s/80s being not cool for riding skateboards and racing BMX. My how times have changed there.
I wonder how many members this forum actually has and I wonder how many people are out there read info on here and never sign up with an account?
I wonder how many members this forum actually has and I wonder how many people are out there read info on here and never sign up with an account?
08-29-2009, 04:19 AM
#26
08-29-2009, 05:47 AM
#27
I have come to think simplification is what will help the hobby sustain. Every time a new class comes along that catches on everyone is excited about it (remember Touring cars in the 90's? Slash/SC now?). That class has it's short period of happy growth and then the inevitable happens, aftermarket companies come out and before long there's a stock and mod class and people want a sportsman division (<this word is the whole problem) of that. 1/8th is so popular because this division for the most part, doesn't exist and huge turnouts are the result.
The advent of the Truggy has hurt this as well. My local track used to have A through E mains and 60 entries a week, now with truggies we have a few less entries but what's telling is that half or more of the racers are running two classes so in reality it's shrunk by 1/3rd.
Electric needs to do away with the stock and mod thing and settle on something like 10.5 or 13.5 BL, TC racing should do that and also settle on a spec tire that's chosen for durability, not performance. Everyone would complain and half a season later they'd all be having a better time despite themselves.
The advent of the Truggy has hurt this as well. My local track used to have A through E mains and 60 entries a week, now with truggies we have a few less entries but what's telling is that half or more of the racers are running two classes so in reality it's shrunk by 1/3rd.
Electric needs to do away with the stock and mod thing and settle on something like 10.5 or 13.5 BL, TC racing should do that and also settle on a spec tire that's chosen for durability, not performance. Everyone would complain and half a season later they'd all be having a better time despite themselves.
08-29-2009, 05:54 AM
#28
I have come to think simplification is what will help the hobby sustain. Every time a new class comes along that catches on everyone is excited about it (remember Touring cars in the 90's? Slash/SC now?). That class has it's short period of happy growth and then the inevitable happens, aftermarket companies come out and before long there's a stock and mod class and people want a sportsman division (<this word is the whole problem) of that. 1/8th is so popular because this division for the most part, doesn't exist and huge turnouts are the result.
The advent of the Truggy has hurt this as well. My local track used to have A through E mains and 60 entries a week, now with truggies we have a few less entries but what's telling is that half or more of the racers are running two classes so in reality it's shrunk by 1/3rd.
Electric needs to do away with the stock and mod thing and settle on something like 10.5 or 13.5 BL, TC racing should do that and also settle on a spec tire that's chosen for durability, not performance. Everyone would complain and half a season later they'd all be having a better time despite themselves.
The advent of the Truggy has hurt this as well. My local track used to have A through E mains and 60 entries a week, now with truggies we have a few less entries but what's telling is that half or more of the racers are running two classes so in reality it's shrunk by 1/3rd.
Electric needs to do away with the stock and mod thing and settle on something like 10.5 or 13.5 BL, TC racing should do that and also settle on a spec tire that's chosen for durability, not performance. Everyone would complain and half a season later they'd all be having a better time despite themselves.
Alot of tracks are running only 2wd E mod now. had to kill stock because it was divideing up the classes.
What is the point of stock and mod anyway? Equal racing-no, slower racing-no, cheaper racing-no, fairer racing-no, dividing up the class-yes
The stock class is often running faster times than mod anyway!
08-29-2009, 11:48 AM
#29
Tech Fanatic
1/8 scale has less rules to deal with at ROAR event or club racing.
08-29-2009, 12:22 PM
#30
1/8th scale CAR $2000
TIRES $100 A SET
add some rain and 1/10th E kills all....
TIRES $100 A SET
add some rain and 1/10th E kills all....