7772LikesKyosho Mini-Z Series
08-17-2018, 06:13 AM
#1891
Cheers,
Jim
08-17-2018, 11:25 AM
#1893
08-17-2018, 01:09 PM
#1894
The scale seems to be in a state of flux right now. It is losing itself in the aftermarket hybrid offerings from various manufacturers with nothing showing any superiority of form over function except from X-Power and their stuff is as expensive as a new Asomematix 1/10 car. They are caught between brushed and brushless as well as AAA and lipo batteries. A lot of the old school guys have dropped out while the scale finds itself. There are constants though and you are acquainted with them.
08-17-2018, 06:38 PM
#1895
I bought the MR03 RWD a few weeks back. I have been playing with RC for 35+ years now and I have to say I am pretty impressed with the chassis. I have almost 15 hours of run time on mine and with the exception of the brittle motor wires breaking and needing to be re-soldered the car has been bullet proof and a lot of fun. I am running mine at home on hardwood floors and with a little work I have the car hooked up pretty well. I have really enjoyed the tuning aspect of the car, I run a "circuit" in my kitchen which measures roughly 12'X6' and use my iPhone to time my laps, on a course this size the stock brushed motor provides more then enough uuummmppphhh. The KT531 radio is fine, it feels a bit cheap and does not offer much in the way of tuneablity (only steering dual rate) but it is fine. This is one area where I find the Mini-Z lacking as you have to spend quite a bit of money to get a decent Tx. I wish there was a way to get my inexpensive, though capable, Futaba 3PV to work with the car.
Cheers,
Jim
Cheers,
Jim
How are you timing w/ your iPhone? Is there some sort of dedicated app that counts laps some how or just a count down timer?
08-17-2018, 07:41 PM
#1896
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Even use a picture of an RC car description
Phone has to be vertical to get best chance. It’s possible to set 4 lanes.
Has beep or voice.
So for past few days I’ve been using the app for 1/10, should work no problem for MiniZ
08-18-2018, 12:57 AM
#1897
I try to post up on everything that I can when things pop up on MZR, even if I dont know the answer.
Much of the traffic has gone to facebook for people that want instant answers without leaving a paper trail for other users with similar questions or issues to later find and use to troubleshoot. Traffic is picking up slightly as of late, especially for the North East US region, with multiple events and locations on the horizon. MZR is my primary RC forum, I just come on here when I see a subscription update in my email.
The scale definitely is in a weird spot right now. New tech, brushless/LiPo/carbon chassis cars are popping up, and Mini-Z racers dont know how to adapt them into the racing program. What was once a very strong racing segment, has since moved up scale in this region. Mini-Z has sort of reserved itself as a practice tool to keep the muscle memory trained for these drivers, or they have completely forgotten about it. Many of our tracks have closed in the years after the recession, Kyosho's ever increasing prices made it difficult to get new racers. The newer budget oriented chassis brought on by other companies did not play well out of the box and turned what would have been new racers away. The RC hobby in general has been suffering by lack of support by youth, primarily people interested in gaming at home rather than going to a track to socialize in person, and the work required to maintain the cars and batteries.
I took a few years away, was in a difficult spot, and when I was ready to return, most of the hobby that I had known had disappeared. There was nowhere to race, and nobody racing. I am trying to do what ever can be done to salvage the hobby that I had dedicated so many years to, and thoroughly enjoy. There is nothing like it. I play video games occasionally, build computers, bicycles... but it all pales in comparison to my real hobby of RC, which is focused around the Mini-Z. There is no other type of RC that you can race a car over 10 years old, and still be competitive. Mini-Z is not dead like many of my old racing buddies have said. As long as there are people willing to race, it is alive. It isnt what it was from 2006-2012, but it is still going as long as people have a will to make it go on.
08-21-2018, 06:27 AM
#1898
The only way to increase traffic, is to make some yourself
I try to post up on everything that I can when things pop up on MZR, even if I dont know the answer.
Much of the traffic has gone to facebook for people that want instant answers without leaving a paper trail for other users with similar questions or issues to later find and use to troubleshoot. Traffic is picking up slightly as of late, especially for the North East US region, with multiple events and locations on the horizon. MZR is my primary RC forum, I just come on here when I see a subscription update in my email.
The scale definitely is in a weird spot right now. New tech, brushless/LiPo/carbon chassis cars are popping up, and Mini-Z racers dont know how to adapt them into the racing program. What was once a very strong racing segment, has since moved up scale in this region. Mini-Z has sort of reserved itself as a practice tool to keep the muscle memory trained for these drivers, or they have completely forgotten about it. Many of our tracks have closed in the years after the recession, Kyosho's ever increasing prices made it difficult to get new racers. The newer budget oriented chassis brought on by other companies did not play well out of the box and turned what would have been new racers away. The RC hobby in general has been suffering by lack of support by youth, primarily people interested in gaming at home rather than going to a track to socialize in person, and the work required to maintain the cars and batteries.
I took a few years away, was in a difficult spot, and when I was ready to return, most of the hobby that I had known had disappeared. There was nowhere to race, and nobody racing. I am trying to do what ever can be done to salvage the hobby that I had dedicated so many years to, and thoroughly enjoy. There is nothing like it. I play video games occasionally, build computers, bicycles... but it all pales in comparison to my real hobby of RC, which is focused around the Mini-Z. There is no other type of RC that you can race a car over 10 years old, and still be competitive. Mini-Z is not dead like many of my old racing buddies have said. As long as there are people willing to race, it is alive. It isnt what it was from 2006-2012, but it is still going as long as people have a will to make it go on.
I try to post up on everything that I can when things pop up on MZR, even if I dont know the answer.
Much of the traffic has gone to facebook for people that want instant answers without leaving a paper trail for other users with similar questions or issues to later find and use to troubleshoot. Traffic is picking up slightly as of late, especially for the North East US region, with multiple events and locations on the horizon. MZR is my primary RC forum, I just come on here when I see a subscription update in my email.
The scale definitely is in a weird spot right now. New tech, brushless/LiPo/carbon chassis cars are popping up, and Mini-Z racers dont know how to adapt them into the racing program. What was once a very strong racing segment, has since moved up scale in this region. Mini-Z has sort of reserved itself as a practice tool to keep the muscle memory trained for these drivers, or they have completely forgotten about it. Many of our tracks have closed in the years after the recession, Kyosho's ever increasing prices made it difficult to get new racers. The newer budget oriented chassis brought on by other companies did not play well out of the box and turned what would have been new racers away. The RC hobby in general has been suffering by lack of support by youth, primarily people interested in gaming at home rather than going to a track to socialize in person, and the work required to maintain the cars and batteries.
I took a few years away, was in a difficult spot, and when I was ready to return, most of the hobby that I had known had disappeared. There was nowhere to race, and nobody racing. I am trying to do what ever can be done to salvage the hobby that I had dedicated so many years to, and thoroughly enjoy. There is nothing like it. I play video games occasionally, build computers, bicycles... but it all pales in comparison to my real hobby of RC, which is focused around the Mini-Z. There is no other type of RC that you can race a car over 10 years old, and still be competitive. Mini-Z is not dead like many of my old racing buddies have said. As long as there are people willing to race, it is alive. It isnt what it was from 2006-2012, but it is still going as long as people have a will to make it go on.
08-22-2018, 06:53 AM
#1899
Mini-zs are my all time favorite. I’ve toyed around 1/10, planes, drones but for me nothing beats the realism and precision that these cars have. I own five, have a little atomic track, lap timers, and have built a couple of not so good little drift tracks. I race every one of them when I can. When I show friends, they think it’s a little toy but hand them the radio and they’re off buying their own. I love the convenience of racing indoors day or night either at home or at a friends place. Here in Australia, they were always hard to get but lately I’ve seen shops start to sell them. I do hope mini-zs grow in popularity, they have a lot of potential and I am suprised that they are not more popular. They truly are a lot of fun. I never really hear any negative comments about them when I speak to others.
I’ve always had this itch to open up a shop with a few tracks and rent the cars out to bring more people into the hobby. Don’t care if it doesn’t make money so long as it pays for itself and people can get a taste of just how much fun these are to drive.
I was keen to also get into dnanos but not sure what happened to them.
Always look forward to seeing the new autoscales and models come out. Long live the mini-z!
I’ve always had this itch to open up a shop with a few tracks and rent the cars out to bring more people into the hobby. Don’t care if it doesn’t make money so long as it pays for itself and people can get a taste of just how much fun these are to drive.
I was keen to also get into dnanos but not sure what happened to them.
Always look forward to seeing the new autoscales and models come out. Long live the mini-z!
08-29-2018, 04:55 AM
#1900
GOOD News ! 
Kyosho’s forthcoming Mini-Z MR-03 Evo 1/28th scale car
https://www.rcmonkey.jp/2018/08/mr-03-evo.html
Kyosho’s forthcoming Mini-Z MR-03 Evo 1/28th scale car
https://www.rcmonkey.jp/2018/08/mr-03-evo.html
08-29-2018, 05:15 AM
#1901
Tech Prophet
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GOOD News !
Kyosho’s forthcoming Mini-Z MR-03 Evo 1/28th scale car
https://www.rcmonkey.jp/2018/08/mr-03-evo.html
Kyosho’s forthcoming Mini-Z MR-03 Evo 1/28th scale car
https://www.rcmonkey.jp/2018/08/mr-03-evo.html
edit. Found one.
http://www.redrc.net/2018/08/kyosho-...o-coming-soon/
Last edited by Billy Kelly; 08-29-2018 at 05:57 AM.
08-29-2018, 05:56 AM
#1902
Red RC ? RC Car News » Kyosho Mini-Z MR-03 Evo ? Coming soon
Biggest change is the ability to use 3rd party receiver (Sanwa, Futaba,...)
Biggest change is the ability to use 3rd party receiver (Sanwa, Futaba,...)
08-29-2018, 06:30 AM
#1903
Optional receivers... looks like we're moving in the right direction.
only other changes that I can see is that the upper arm hinge tower is not connected to the servo case anymore, and looks like a disc damper will come standard with the kit. Two changes that should have been implemented years ago. I'm not complaining, glad to see things moving forward after the longest drought in chassis development in mini-z history.
once the electronics are sorted, it will be easier to get people from other scales to run a mini-z. Guess we will need to adjust the box stock rules to open receiver come new year.
only other changes that I can see is that the upper arm hinge tower is not connected to the servo case anymore, and looks like a disc damper will come standard with the kit. Two changes that should have been implemented years ago. I'm not complaining, glad to see things moving forward after the longest drought in chassis development in mini-z history.
once the electronics are sorted, it will be easier to get people from other scales to run a mini-z. Guess we will need to adjust the box stock rules to open receiver come new year.
08-29-2018, 06:37 AM
#1904
Tech Prophet
iTrader: (9)
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Far south suburbs of Chicago area
Posts: 17,642
Trader Rating: 9 (100%+)
Optional receivers... looks like we're moving in the right direction.
only other changes that I can see is that the upper arm hinge tower is not connected to the servo case anymore, and looks like a disc damper will come standard with the kit. Two changes that should have been implemented years ago. I'm not complaining, glad to see things moving forward after the longest drought in chassis development in mini-z history.
once the electronics are sorted, it will be easier to get people from other scales to run a mini-z. Guess we will need to adjust the box stock rules to open receiver come new year.
only other changes that I can see is that the upper arm hinge tower is not connected to the servo case anymore, and looks like a disc damper will come standard with the kit. Two changes that should have been implemented years ago. I'm not complaining, glad to see things moving forward after the longest drought in chassis development in mini-z history.
once the electronics are sorted, it will be easier to get people from other scales to run a mini-z. Guess we will need to adjust the box stock rules to open receiver come new year.
I’m hoping that the local group can really get a box stock class going. They have couple few guys now, I’m hoping to be able to run of winter.
08-29-2018, 06:52 AM
#1905
Box stock racing is so good. If these do have a disc damper, that will really help the out of box performance. Now only the MM2 and LM come standard with one. Then it's just bearings, t-plate nuts and tires to get a race ready stock car. We permit those upgrades for durability.
these cars do not need to be upgraded heavily like people do to perform. The biggest thing holding them back currently is the proprietary electronics. When people go to a track and ask what the cost of entry it's, and are told $200 for the rtr, then $250-350 for a radio and replacement electronics, it's a quick turn around out the door. With the option to use a radio that you may already have, or can use with other scales, it's a game changer.
My custom chassis uses a sanwa receiver, PN esc and servo controller. It's not a plug and play setup. Getting a plug and play way to do it in an mr03, means that all they really need to do now is convert the power source to lithium and develop slower motors for that power source. Many racers from other scales don't want to deal with nimh. Lithium is so much more consistent performance, but the current motors are simply too fast. We need a 2300kv motor.
these cars do not need to be upgraded heavily like people do to perform. The biggest thing holding them back currently is the proprietary electronics. When people go to a track and ask what the cost of entry it's, and are told $200 for the rtr, then $250-350 for a radio and replacement electronics, it's a quick turn around out the door. With the option to use a radio that you may already have, or can use with other scales, it's a game changer.
My custom chassis uses a sanwa receiver, PN esc and servo controller. It's not a plug and play setup. Getting a plug and play way to do it in an mr03, means that all they really need to do now is convert the power source to lithium and develop slower motors for that power source. Many racers from other scales don't want to deal with nimh. Lithium is so much more consistent performance, but the current motors are simply too fast. We need a 2300kv motor.