Interested in the hobby: Basic Q's
 

Hey guys,

I am considering getting into the hobby, I have a few questions:

What is the best entry level electric on-road car (I do not want to dive in to deep money wise - I am not 100% sure this hobby is for me)
What are the on going expenses: tyres, club fees, etc. ?
Recommended stores/websites to buy from

I am in Brisbane - from what I can rather gas cars are not very popular - why is that ?

Cheers !

Too big a question mate

Try to find a second hand M05 mini from someone who has raced then cut some laps with that till you decide if this hobby is for you.
It doesn't cost much, unless you want to win

Hi mate. I'm new to the forum but not the hobby. I've been racing bashing and flying rc's for years. If u want to see if the hobby is for u ( which no doubt it will be). Get your self a second hand package of the for sale forums and go to your local club. The m05 minis are a great car but do not drive the same as the more popular stock class cars which are 4wd. By starting out in the 21.5 class u will cut costs of tyres and maintenence. Don't get caught up in the whole more i spend the faster i go coz it ain't true. Practice and set up knowledge are the most important upgrades u can get. This hobby can be done on a budget or can cost u a fortune. Good luck and most of all have fun! !!

+1

If you are in Brisbane and want to enjoy on-road racing, then plan to head to England Park Raceway when it's finished (soon) and you'll see Nitro IC cars there too and you can make up your mind.

In the mean time, go shopping for a charger, consider the tools and batteries you'll need, shells, tyres and paints too and get an idea of the expenses, or for those of us in the hobby, retail pleasure.

Bayside at Wynnum, Logan on road at Meakin Park, all run 190mm Electric tourers if you want to mingle and have a peek into

$1200 will get you a mix of used and new chassis, Radio Gear, Batteries, Charger, Tyres, some lubes and tools. $10-20 entry fee and a set of tyres, $30, so realistically $50 is reasonable for the day of racing. That gives you around 30 minutes track time with practice and the day to chin wag and enjoy the hobby.

That said, $12,000 is just as easily spent as $1200, the compromises you make to suit a budget are important.

Hi Mate,

We have the 1/10th Electric State titles on the October Long weekend. ( 2 weeks time) if you would like to come and see what electric on-road is all about. Otherwise we are racing at Bayside next Saturday night.

It can cost as much or as little as you like to get into racing. There are kits that start at about $150 and go upwards from there. Batteries you can pick up from www.hobbyking.com from as little as $40 approx a pack and 2 would do you. As for tyres you dont need a new set each time you race unless you are out there to win every time but as you are learning a set would last you ages.
As for Mini's no one races them up in Brisbane anymore so it would be pointless to get one if you are considering racing.
I hope this helps you out.

Cheers
Nudge

Thanks for all the info guys - some great stuff.

Is good to know that there is some gas racing going on - I will have to check it out once the track is open.

The Meakin Park track is just down the road from me - I actually went down last night and had a look around. Wynnum is not to far either I will have to check it out.

Moving forwards with getting the gear, correct me if I am wrong; 3 Racing Sakura XI Sports looks like a is good value for money starter car that has alot of features.
I will have to do a bit more research on the rest of the gear

The sakura cars are fine and will serve u well as a beginner and as u improve. Like all cars regular maintenance will keep it going for ages. As far as electrics go i have always found hobbywing products to be best bang for buck. I've tried almost every brand esc amd motors around and usually always come back to hobbywing. Plus there is good local support. A good charger is always money will spent and as far as lipos go wether u spend 100 on brand names or spend half that on nanotechs proper charging will keep them good for ages. Just remember to do your research before dropping your hard earned. As stated this hobby can cost a fortune but doesn't have to if u buy right the first time.

I'd almost be certain if you went to the tracks with a Sakura, there'd be others trying to sell you their old ones. That's not because the sakura's arent good, the notion of going faster with other brands got the better of them. It might happen to you too, so are you sure a Sakura is the right choice?

Another + 1 , buying big name brands isnt always the key to winning races and more importantly having fun , we currently have a member at our club who is dominating the 21.5 class using an $85 spec R chassis with minimal hop ups , a $45 hobbyking motor (these are excellent value and go really well ) and a hobbywing justock esc


Thr sakura from what im told is comparable to the spec r and a good car to start off with as has been previously.mentioned if you dont maintain it it will suffer and this is the case with the top of the line brands as much as the cheaper options

When you decide that the hobby is for you id sugeest you invest in a decent transmitter, you will notice the difference between that and one of the budget 2.4ghz straight away , the cheap.one work but theyre not really responsive enough for serious racing ,you dont have to spend a fortune on one , do your research and ask around at your local track , chargers and the like are all person choice items so buy what you like the look of and are happy operating..

Good luck with your purchases and enjoy racing the cheapest and safest form of motor sport available

Mate come and see myself or John at bayside this weekend as we are racing starting at 1pm but we will be there practicing in the morning as well. I will be there from around 9am or 10am. I am more than happy to point you into the right direction. Been in the hobby for 25 plus years so more than happy to pass on knowledge.
Cheers
Fordy

Yes Pro Tourer is certainly showing signs of a revival at Bayside with numbers improving while the world class Brendale track is having a makeover. You mentioned being on a budget and trying the hobby before jumping right in. 3Racings Sakura has shown itself as a pretty bullet proof car as far as surviving crashes is concerned with newbies. For learning car craft and Driving it's a good start. Parts are cheap and easy to get hold of. There are some brands like XRAY & VBC very well supported locally with a few second hand ones getting around for a good price. I personally like TAMIYA, then there are a few CAPRICORNS, SHUMACHERS, YOKOMO's, HOT BODIES And others as well. Plenty of choices. Sometimes too much.
If your choice is electric, then 21.5 is the place to start, less cost in day to day running of the car. Less stress on moving parts and slower speed when you crash = spending less money to keep it running. When you just cant wring any more out of the car for lap times and most importantly CONSISTENCY, then Upgrade.
Club memberships vary from Club to club. Bayside is now $40 for an adult renewable in January each year or half that for less than six months.
Club Members race for $10 a meet. Non members cost $15.
Tyres can cost up to $45 per set, or less for anyone wanting to sit there and put them together themselves.
It pays to have a simple set of tools for electrics. 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 & 3.0mm hex drives. a philips head and flat screw driver, pointy nose pliers, a 7mm socket for taking off the wheels, and a pair of small scissors. All the other gadgets can come later.
A battery charger and a couple of Lipo Batteries would get you through a race meet.

Bayside Racetrack timing will be on from 12 noon with practice all afternoon and racing from 5pm

Cheers Brendan
B.R.C.C.C Secretary

Thanks guys - some more great info

I believe I am free this Saturday so I'll come down to Bayside for a look.

You are right about having too many choices/option - I almost thought I was ready to take the plunge and order some gear, but the more I look the more choices I have and the less I realise I know

Thanks guys - some more great info

I believe I am free this Saturday so I'll come down to Bayside for a look.

You are right about having too many choices/option - I almost thought I was ready to take the plunge and order some gear, but the more I look the more choices I have and the less I realise I know