jiml

iTrader: (3)

Well, 1.3% of first time RTR buyers coming back as hobbyists or racers is probably a pretty close estimate. The point here is no matter what you do some people just aren't going racing.

I don't blame RTR for the downfall, we disagree there. Oh, well. I blame racers, but that's a different thousand page thread.

I'm glad we can have a conversation. You just never know on RC Tech, Facebook, or wherever. I have been told by some I am a master debater.

jiml

iTrader: (3)

1/8 Nitro on road racing is the pinnacle of RC racing!!! Always has been, always will be.

With that out of the way, 1/8 nitro buggy is very popular, especially in the US. Yes to be good in that you need your stuff together. Only thing that bothers me about that class is once you build and race a buggy, that buggy becomes worthless. I've spoken to many who race and they agree. A couple years ago one of the indoor tracks had a swap meet. One of the racers had 30+ nitro buggies, complete with engines and servos. He was asking $50 apiece. Didn't sell any,

mrreet2001

iTrader: (9)

Is it because they become outdated or just beat to crap? Im not overly familiar with off road.

RC10_goldNwhite

I am just going to put my thoughts down on this, I think it is a fun topic to explore.

Here is why I blame RTR for the downfall of the hobby, and my thought progression.

Back in the "good ol' days" hobby shop top shelves were filled with kits, now these kits were pricey for the time, however they consumed little space, making the profit per square foot an easier target to hit. Selling one of these kits also [normally] came with the selling of other items, batteries, servos, bodies, tires, wheels, tools, etc. Higher profit margin items that served as the main stay for profits in a hobby store. Along comes RTRs, which at first were no big deal, they allowed easy access to the hobby for someone who had interest. These were in much bigger boxes, however at the time were still a decent profit, not as much as selling a kit and all of the necessary things to complete the car, but also not next to nothing. Things hummed along for a while, and manufactures started noticing the sales of other manufacturers who were selling RTRs, at this time there was a convergence of things going on in the world which made this all possible, and made these as profitable as possible for the manufacturers. First, we [America] were offshoring our manufacturing at an alarming [to me] rate to China, second the internet was becoming a juggernaut in terms of capturing sales, third the [hobby] industry was expanding in popularity, however was beginning to be run by major distributors. This convergence meant that manufacturers could have their RTRs manufactured in China, using very inexpensive equipment, for cheaper than the cost of a normal kit, it also meant that the manufactures would only have to maintain a customer list of the major distributors [Horizon, Tower, etc], who also did retail sales of the product, and who were now responsible for distributing that product to hobby stores. This is where the hobby, to my mind, started its demise. Hobby shops were starting to become nervous now, they can see where things are going, however they are reassured by the distributors that they will still have profits, think of all of the cars you are going to sell and how many parts you will be able to sell when they are broken. The rest is history, hobby shops downsizing and disappearing, tracks disappearing, the hobby more or less shrinking.

You may be saying, wait... you blame RTR for the greed of manufactures and distributors, and for them taking the profits away from the retail level. Yes. RTR was the domino that made this possible. I am not blaming the consumers, they just purchased what they wanted, they had no clue what was going on behind the scenes. Most consumers look at their $500 purchase and assume that the hobby store just made $500 off of them. The problem is that you have these giant RTR boxes, further hurting the profit per square foot, also parts walls collecting dust because virtually no one is buying them. I blame RTR for the downfall of the brick and mortar hobby shop, when you lose the local knowledge and experience in a hobby store, you lose the ability to recruit new faces into the hobby. Which in turn causes the downfall of a hobby. I am not going to pretend that there aren't a-hole racers out there, even entire cliques at tracks of people who are not helpful... sometimes an entire customer base of a track, that just dissuades people from racing, the loss of the local hobby shop dissuades people from wrenching. I don't even want to guess at what the return rate is for people buying RTRs now.

Roelof

RTR is nothing to blame. The only thing I blame RTR is that there is totally no choice for a stick transmitter.
RC cars as a hobby is full alive, on every corner of the street you can find a kid playing with his car.

Keep in mind this topic is about racing so a serious large step from bashing or even starting to drive some laps at a track. The problem is that these cars are only known as toys and not as serious adjustable racing machines. There is just a lack of the right publicity.

In England they have found the right ambassador for the promotion of the sport.

jiml

iTrader: (3)

Okay, my respect for Lewis went up a little. A little.

Cinnabun

iTrader: (37)

I have not tried dry tire VXL, because that isnt a thing around me. Everyone wants to run 3.5t's and wreck going down the track than complain that they aren't the fastest. Ive put the time into mine, and it will make a straight and solid pass with a 3.5t, but im not putting my car down the track for the amusement of others wanting to play bumper cars.

jiml

iTrader: (3)

Sheesh!

I'm lucky, I run with a bunch of guys who love helping each other. We introduced VXL this year as a break from the outlaw SE class. Local newspaper did a feature on our racing. Next week 20 kids showed up with brand new drag slashes! We have a great time. Yea people still crash but they understand when you're this close to the limit sometimes you go over it. Ever hear of JSRC? Justin is one of the founding members of our group.

Roelof

So the in this topic all praised no prep drag seems to have some difficulties too....
Have we passed peak NPRC? - R/C Tech Forums (rctech.net)

warracer

iTrader: (4)

I mean, with a recession in sight or at least, a lot of talks and rumors about one combined with high interest rate anything hobby related that are non-essential will take a hit.

Mountain biking was really hot last summer, couldn't find bikes anywhere, now the used market is being flooded and price are going down and trail networks are much less crowded.

I think the guys that already have their stuff will most likely continue but new participants will be more uncommon.

nitrous36

And with that, nothing ever fully recovered from the 08 recession.

mrreet2001

iTrader: (9)

Between the china factories getting shut down over and over, the ports not able to process fast enough and not enough raw materials. ... It was hard to find ANYTHING in 2020 and 2021.

jiml

iTrader: (3)

All that proves is people will whine about anything

Roelof

Yep, many people who stay away from track racing and love no prep did whine about too much rules and see what no or less rules can become.....

DesertRat

iTrader: (2)

People do whine about rules a lot, but what annoys me more is the massive and loud "THE CARS ARE TOO FAST" lobby.

Here's what making the cars as slow as molasses does. First, it removes all of the fun of watching your car go fast. Second it means that the guys who can afford to spend the money and take the time to maximize their class legal power have a much larger advantage over New Racer Joe Nobody.

Neither of these are good for the hobby.