5Likesis nitro dying?
07-18-2013, 08:59 PM
#1
is nitro dying?
I got into this first
Last edited by gt72; 09-22-2016 at 05:57 PM. Reason: add text
07-19-2013, 12:45 AM
#2
Niro is only being pushed to the side for 2 main reasons:
1. electric is easier to use, meaning all you need to do is charge the batteries and go. Nitro on the other had you have to tune it and worry about if you have enough tires and fuel. So electric is just easier to get into the hobby with.
2. tracks these days are designed mainly for electric and the foam tires don't grip up well. (where i live at least)
Nitro will one day become popular again when a new revolutionary engine comes out with much more horsepower, same as what happened with electric, the brushless and Lipo technology came along and electric just blew up. So give it a couple of years and nitro will be big again.
1. electric is easier to use, meaning all you need to do is charge the batteries and go. Nitro on the other had you have to tune it and worry about if you have enough tires and fuel. So electric is just easier to get into the hobby with.
2. tracks these days are designed mainly for electric and the foam tires don't grip up well. (where i live at least)
Nitro will one day become popular again when a new revolutionary engine comes out with much more horsepower, same as what happened with electric, the brushless and Lipo technology came along and electric just blew up. So give it a couple of years and nitro will be big again.
07-19-2013, 01:52 AM
#3
With todays RTR products and the attitude of most beginners the story goes arround that nitro is difficult up to understandable. As Jehova's witnesses they spread the word so no one wants to buy a nitro anymore but only electric.
Then (for sure in Europe) enviorment laws are getting tighter. Noise and polution is becomming an unwanted phenomenon pushing tracks to close or alow only electric.
Then (for sure in Europe) enviorment laws are getting tighter. Noise and polution is becomming an unwanted phenomenon pushing tracks to close or alow only electric.
07-19-2013, 06:36 AM
#4
As for most other things in life, what goes up will come down, but won't die...... Back then(2000), nitro was it and electric was a pain.... Now with brushless and lipo, electric got easier than nitro for newbies, but nitro will eventually rally back with lower and lower motor prices and lots more fun time on the driverstand...
07-19-2013, 07:12 AM
#5
On road nitro is the biggest that it has been in years, At least in the US and for sure in Texas! GT is spreading like wildfire, my GT sales have tripled since the beginning of the year. Its not dying for sure. If you want to spread the word in your area get a GT. Bang for the buck you cant beat it, its the easiest nitro class to start off with and maintenence is not bad especially tires!
07-19-2013, 08:05 AM
#6
Hm
Nitro is NOT dying. It's not doing great, but it'll never die out, for two reasons.
1. With nitro, I can run a lot longer. We have 45 minute mains, and our ability to fire and go just isn't matched by electric.
2. Ah...the sound of the engines roar. I attended an electric race not too long ago, as a spectator. Yes, they are fast. Yes, they seem to handle well. But I'm not real keen on the sound of the vacuum cleaners roar. The electric guys have a good gig, but it misses the smell and the sound of racing. It may be a point of personal preference, but there are still more than a few people who want the sound and smell of authentic racing.
I ran electric many years ago, and it was a nice way to keep hands on during the winter months....nice to see the guys at the track....but it always felt like something was missing. And just as you're really getting the feel of things and settling down for the long haul, it's over. I have no desire to run electric mains that are only as long as nitro qualifiers, I want to RACE. I give total credit to the electric guys, they have a good product and by the numbers, they're doing very well....good for them. But for myself and others, it's just not racing.
1. With nitro, I can run a lot longer. We have 45 minute mains, and our ability to fire and go just isn't matched by electric.
2. Ah...the sound of the engines roar. I attended an electric race not too long ago, as a spectator. Yes, they are fast. Yes, they seem to handle well. But I'm not real keen on the sound of the vacuum cleaners roar. The electric guys have a good gig, but it misses the smell and the sound of racing. It may be a point of personal preference, but there are still more than a few people who want the sound and smell of authentic racing.
I ran electric many years ago, and it was a nice way to keep hands on during the winter months....nice to see the guys at the track....but it always felt like something was missing. And just as you're really getting the feel of things and settling down for the long haul, it's over. I have no desire to run electric mains that are only as long as nitro qualifiers, I want to RACE. I give total credit to the electric guys, they have a good product and by the numbers, they're doing very well....good for them. But for myself and others, it's just not racing.
07-19-2013, 08:08 AM
#7
Agree with Roelof. Enviroment studies. Its harder for nitro to get permit from the city government. Noise a pollution, and permits for restrooms. Area or district you apply for is it zoned for that. Lot of paper work and red tape. In the US of A EPA has something to say, That why Nitro is not allowed indoor. Person that have respitory problems. For permanent tracks They wouldhave to have clubs to keep them opened. RTR is the way to get people into hobby, but 80% are not mechanics. it take time and patience. Same thin with electronics.
Disagree with religion in the equation. being JW, Jewish, Christian, Baptist, Catholic, or Atheistic, nothing to do with the hobby.
Disagree with religion in the equation. being JW, Jewish, Christian, Baptist, Catholic, or Atheistic, nothing to do with the hobby.
07-19-2013, 09:43 AM
#8
Be the change
Decide what you want to do, then do it.
Get yer gearhead on and build the one you want.
Find a club within your reach or start one.
Have fun and others will follow.
Nitro is alive because you made it so.
Get yer gearhead on and build the one you want.
Find a club within your reach or start one.
Have fun and others will follow.
Nitro is alive because you made it so.
07-19-2013, 09:56 AM
#9
Through the 80's and 90's electric was the way to go. Nitro was just too temperamental to go mainstream. In the early 2000's electric was still stuck with NiCD's and NiMH's with only a 5-10 minute run time and Nitro finally hit it's stride with simpler engines and the ability to get 40 minutes of run time. The additional run time was so much longer that it was a huge advantage over electric and made up for the extra noise and mess you get with an engine. The simpler engines helped too. Once we got away from finnicky starter boxes and breaking in and hand tuning engines that needed to be constantly rebuilt (like the ones from the 90's) it was a lot easier to go nitro.
Once LiPo came around though, the run time gap was effectively closed. Now you can have a clean, quiet, indoor and outdoor electric ride that runs just as long and is easier to work on - especially for noobs. You can run the same thing all season. Nitro has no Pro's now, and only Con's when it comes to the debate. Not trying to come down on my nitro brothers out there... I know some of you have nitro running through your veins and love the smell of it :-) Just that for a new person off the street coming into the hobby, nitro is becoming a harder and harder sell vs. electric.
I really think the brief spike in Nitro popularity was really just an anomally and things are settling back down to the way they always were - with Nitro being a niche market. It had a good 6 or 7 year run, but it's always been more of the niche class in R/C racing. Ironically, I think the long run times are actually part of what holds the class back. I already spend all day at the track with my electric rides doing 8 minute heats and 15 minute mains. Just getting in 2 heats and a main takes the whole day up with the full race roster we have. If the run times were any longer you'd either have a lot more people in each heat - which isn't always practical, or you'd have fewer opportunities to drive, but they'd be longer. I suppose maybe that would balance it out but there'd be more downtime then.
I think we'll continue to see large scale gas grow (1/4 and 1/5).... with the Losi and HPI 5th scales and the big surge in 1/4 onroad there's a new market coming online for the gas world. Large scale is becoming reliable, practical, and cheap enough to be viable for the weekend warrior. I think 10th scale for sure, and now 1/8 ebuggy are going to be owned by electric for the forseeable future though.
My two cents anyway...
Once LiPo came around though, the run time gap was effectively closed. Now you can have a clean, quiet, indoor and outdoor electric ride that runs just as long and is easier to work on - especially for noobs. You can run the same thing all season. Nitro has no Pro's now, and only Con's when it comes to the debate. Not trying to come down on my nitro brothers out there... I know some of you have nitro running through your veins and love the smell of it :-) Just that for a new person off the street coming into the hobby, nitro is becoming a harder and harder sell vs. electric.
I really think the brief spike in Nitro popularity was really just an anomally and things are settling back down to the way they always were - with Nitro being a niche market. It had a good 6 or 7 year run, but it's always been more of the niche class in R/C racing. Ironically, I think the long run times are actually part of what holds the class back. I already spend all day at the track with my electric rides doing 8 minute heats and 15 minute mains. Just getting in 2 heats and a main takes the whole day up with the full race roster we have. If the run times were any longer you'd either have a lot more people in each heat - which isn't always practical, or you'd have fewer opportunities to drive, but they'd be longer. I suppose maybe that would balance it out but there'd be more downtime then.
I think we'll continue to see large scale gas grow (1/4 and 1/5).... with the Losi and HPI 5th scales and the big surge in 1/4 onroad there's a new market coming online for the gas world. Large scale is becoming reliable, practical, and cheap enough to be viable for the weekend warrior. I think 10th scale for sure, and now 1/8 ebuggy are going to be owned by electric for the forseeable future though.
My two cents anyway...
07-19-2013, 09:59 AM
#10
Nitro racing can see a big resurgence if you can get the tuning to the level of what 1/5 gas vehicles enjoy.
Being an electric guy at heart, I tried my hand at nitro years ago when it was the big class out here for 1/8 buggy. Even with the help of drivers (one in particular was sponsored at the time I believe by the engine manufacturer I was using and knows his stuff) I never could get it to run reliably for racing purposes, and it was the engine recommended by a variety of people to start with lol.
Seeing how even today even the highly experienced drivers who run nitro still can get the common flame out or the hard-to-start issue and maintain a tune, for me I would be lost for sure.
Fast forward, tried a 1/5 gasser as the deal was too good to pass up. Fire and go like a weedwacker with power and extreme runtimes on 1 tank. Fairly cheap too.
If you could get that kind of tech into a smaller scale RC (not sure whatever happened with HPIs engine they were making), fuel racing would see a BIG resurgence IMHO.
Heck, I would buy one ...
Being an electric guy at heart, I tried my hand at nitro years ago when it was the big class out here for 1/8 buggy. Even with the help of drivers (one in particular was sponsored at the time I believe by the engine manufacturer I was using and knows his stuff) I never could get it to run reliably for racing purposes, and it was the engine recommended by a variety of people to start with lol.
Seeing how even today even the highly experienced drivers who run nitro still can get the common flame out or the hard-to-start issue and maintain a tune, for me I would be lost for sure.
Fast forward, tried a 1/5 gasser as the deal was too good to pass up. Fire and go like a weedwacker with power and extreme runtimes on 1 tank. Fairly cheap too.
If you could get that kind of tech into a smaller scale RC (not sure whatever happened with HPIs engine they were making), fuel racing would see a BIG resurgence IMHO.
Heck, I would buy one ...
07-19-2013, 11:03 AM
#11
NITRO IS NOT !!
I WILL ALWAYS SAY NITRO IS FOR RACING AND BATTERIES ARE FOR FLASHLIGHTS...NUFF SAID !!...LOL...It seems all Electric guys tried their hand at Nitro and failed, shoved it to the side and went and bought battreies...shame shame...I find watching electric buggy and onroad racing the most boring thing in RC... I just got into the hobby 12 months ago, and currently own 14 nitro models to run in all classes, and find tuning as easy as eating cake...with that said im a natural born tinkerer as I own a 900 hp Toyota supra in my garage that has been featured in manys magazines...NO.... NITRO WILL NEVER DIE AS GUYS LIKE ME EXIST !!!
07-19-2013, 03:46 PM
#14
No it's not dying, it died, but it's a zombie so it rose back up from the dead!!
