Originally Posted by
Lone Racer
To me the value in a clone is in the secondary market. The losi's seem to hold value where you could find KM to be around half of what they are new. I'd be very tempted to buy a clone roller as I have not been impressed with their motors or servos from threads I've come across..... LSF is about all things large scale. A wee bit more action regarding our big boy toys over there.
Losi 5ive $1500 RTR (26cc or 29cc without tuned exhaust) or $1300 as a roller.
Comes with weak servos and poor radio. On 5ive you need all three servos to do a steering conversion to double and from 6V to 7.4V a battery. Throttle also because on 7.4V it will burn. Losi don’t come with any upgrades.
KM-X2 $719 RTR (30.5cc with tuned exhaust).
Comes with two 50kg 7.4V servos and fair radio. X2 only needs one servo to do a steering conversion to double and from 6V to 7.4V a battery. X2 has about $500 worth of upgrades.
No matter the option you choose on 5ive you want a better engine and radio with servos and receiver.
Let’s choose standard Zenoah G320RC $300 and if you want something more based on the Zenoah G320RC with little more HP it is about $500. On both you need a tuned exhaust $200-250.
To run the engine you need upgrades to centre differential supports and preferably on suspension. Upgrades are about $500.
To do the steering conversion you need to upgrade the steering support as minimum, three servos and a kit for the fitting. $500 + battery $150.
Radio $300-500
On a Losi roller $1300 + 1950 = $3250 minimum up to $3700
KM-X2
Let’s choose standard Zenoah G320RC $300 and if you want something more based on the Zenoah G320RC with little more HP it is about $500. No need of a exhaust as it already has tuned exhaust.
To run the engine it already comes with the upgrades.
To do the steering conversion only needs one servo a kit for the fitting. $200 + battery $150.
No radio needed.
On a KM RTR $719 + 650 = $1369 minimum up to $1569
That is the cost to have the both very close to same specs.
There is one difference. The chassis on KM is 7075 aluminium and the Losi has 6061 aluminium. IMO it is a huge difference in strength and important issue when putting an engine on the vehicle and the impacts that the car can take.
6061 – Mechanical Properties
•Ultimate Tensile Strength 45000 psi
•Tensile Yield Strength 40000 psi
•Fatigue Strength 14000 psi
•Shear Strength 30000 psi
•Hardness, Rockwell 40
•Machinability 50%
7075 – Mechanical Properties
•Ultimate Tensile Strength 83000 psi
•Tensile Yield Strength 73000 psi
•Fatigue Strength 23000 psi
•Shear Strength 48000 psi
•Hardness, Rockwell 53.5
•Machinability 70%
I’m sure you can see that if you lose on KM half and only 1/3 on Losi in resale value you are still going to lose much more on Losi. Plus you pay more than double for the same specs.