[McLaren]

'Undriveable' is a word which is thrown around alot these days...

However, to truly understand the word, first you must try a box-standard Moto GP bike.

Before you start, let me explain...

I was sitting by the letter box this morning waiting... after about an hour or so the mailman arrives and I sign for my parcel. It's quite small I think... NO! Maybe the bike was out of stock and this is just my Porsche and Slot.It stuff (see other posts for details)... I rip the box open to find my Porsche, the Slot.It stuff.... and the bike! The box is absolutly tiny and so is the bike. It's much, much smaller than I thought it would be. After a few photos I take it out of the box and examin it. Looks good, few more photos...

Ready and waiting is the simple Carrera oval which is made from the Argos Carrera sets, so almost everyone has this track (I think...). Just three straights on each side, and a 180 turn at each end. I put it on the track and go for the first corner slowly... not only did the bike deslot at a rediculously slow speed, it seemed to accelerate once it had left the track, and almost took a trip down the stairs... After another 2 minutes of running, I hadn't comleted a lap, and I was gettng impatiant. I took it back to the box and cleaned the tyres and oiled it up. BIG MISTAKE: Oil on the pinion or the back wheel gear thing, just flies out and all over the back tyre. Oh dear... Anyway, cleaned that all off and taped the tyres a bit, and it went a lot better. Still very strange to drive but better. I got the back wheel off the rails a couple of times exiting bends, but usually this was followed by a large off, or the bike just continueing in a straight line.

I then moved to the outside of the oval (having tested on the inside thinking it might need room to slide...) and the difference was night and day. Suddenly it was completeing lap after lap of consistant times. It became fun to drive and the back was sliding a little bit more and remaining in the slot.

Now I must confess. I was absolutly determined to do a review on them as standard to let everyone know how they go. But I was so disappointed that I realised I had to do something. I sourced about 15g and spread it evenly on each side, placing it at the very tips of the out rigger. I also took out the magnet.

OMG. It was great. Exactly what I wanted it to be. I could drift it out of every corner now, and the limit was easy to stay within. It was great because you know when to gun it down the straight when you hear the motor revs rise. As the bike comes round the corner, the tyre slips off the rails and looses a bit of grip. Consequently the motor revs a bit higher, and you can hear it happen. As soon as you hear this, plant the throttle and the back will swing out magnificently. Awesome.

I can't tell you how happy I am that they can be made to race well, and Carrera owners rejoice because your tracks are not on the 'bike no-go' list.

Right some final facts for you to know:

- The guide is not centred between the wheels so it can slide.
- The magnet is easily removeable. You take off the whole little black mounting thing which make the silloette even more like the real thing.
- To make them run quieter round the track, simply lay a bit of insulating (or any kind of plastic) tape under each outrigger. It must be about 1.5 inches long and parallel to the rails. Fold the first 0.5cm over and 'Robert is indeed, your mother's brother'. Silky smooth.
- For all the 'magnet brigade' keeping the magnet in with the weight make the bike handle very well. Like a magnet car almost. A very narrow, very tall one.
- My bike doesn't wheelie at all like others have said, and I was using the standard Carrera thumb controllers which I think are about 35ohm. It was okay to drive, honest...

Overall I was very pleased with the bike when modified slightly, but cannot see any use for them as standard.

I can't wait to see if anybody build a 'bike track' with large radii corners and banking. It will improve them no-end.

Erm... any questions?

I know this isn't quite like the review I envisaged but I wanted to get some feedback to you asap. I will test at Wrexham (Sport track) this weekend, and Eastcote (Ninco) Wednesday. Oh, and Preston (wood) a week Sunday. More info, including track times then.

Did I miss anything?

Lotus

PS. Wore a shirt and tie for the whole time I wrote that...

 

[McLaren]

Oh and for all those people I promsed a review to. I will still do it. I'll complie all the parts and make one biggie. Plus pictures soon. Sorry if everythings a bit slow. I have my finals exams coming up.

Lotus

 

[McLaren]

Couple of points:

Firslty, I MUST stress that all conclusions I have drawn above are the result of running the bike around the simple and short Carrera oval. I have no reason to believe that they should handle differently on bigger tracks, but don't take my word for it yet. I will test at more tracks and keep the review ongoing with all my findings.

QUOTE resulting in wearing the soft tyre

I have found this problem already. I reversed the polarity of my oval and did a few more laps and found that the back wheel was 'sticking' in the slot. This is because the tyre had worn unevenly. Just slightly, but enough to notice a difference. I don't think this will cause a problem for most people, as most tracks have turns or each direction, which would even it all out.

Meco: I agree completely about the F up in the timing. It was a stupid mistake that somebody should have thought of. I'm surprised really because (unless they are superb on Sport track) it seems like no-one tested them before putting them on sale...

In regards to the track contents of the Moto GP sets. Another F up! The bikes will not go through R2 curves with any consistancy. Banked R2 maybe, but no flat R2. I found a significant difference between the two lanes of my Carrera track, which are probably R3 or R2/3.

What really needs to be done is someone to make a mould in lead which will just fit over the outriggers. Something which looks a bit slicker than two wheel balencing weights. Then everyone could buy them and everything would be equal. IMHO any event run with these must allow weight, but where do you draw the line? In a complex circuit, I think as much as you can fit on is a good amount to start with, then try and add some more...

Oh well, I'll report back with more findings later. Maybe if my sister can be persuaded to watch Big Brother in the small lounge, then I can get a proper track set up in the big lounge...

Lotus

 

[McLaren]

Size comparison out of the box...

In race spec...

I have also notice that (on Carrera track at least) the super grippy front tyre is upsetting the car through the corners. Removing it improves handling even more. Luckily it fits the back hub as well, so you can sand it down a bit. I think I'll trim about 1.5-2mm off it, and varnish it. That should make it go well whilst still looking as much like a normal bike as they ever did...

Lotus

 

[McLaren]

QUOTE And theres another problem with the packaging that no one has commented on - they forgot to put 'Scalextric' on the front of the boxes!

Maybe they think they'll sell more if people don't think it was made by them!

You caught the dreaded 'carp' disease...

That's aload of crap isn't it?

But anyway, the carp is needed...

Lotus

 

[McLaren]

QUOTE And from a "tuning" standpoint - other than a complete redesign, adding weight/magnets seems to be the only thing one can do...at the moment one can't change tires or wheels, or change the gear ratio, or change the motor, or change the guide (though modifying it for "depth" might help), can't lower the "body" for better COG, etc., basically outside of weights and/or magnets all our known "tuning" tips are pretty much useless for the Moto GP's.

Actually, you can change the gear ratio. Change the pinion on the motor! It's nothing special really, just looks different.

I will test on Sport tomorrow. Results Monday or Tuesday.

Offset guide is a silly idea. Whoever suggested it first obviously didn't think it through. Firstly, they would look even more stupid. Secondly, one side of the outrigger would be longer with more weight one one side of the slot, so it would act like a lever to prise the bikes from the slot. Thirdly, the bikes would cross the slot one one side still, and fall off the track on other sides. Forthly, the pivot round the guide would mean that they handle well strange round bends. For example is there were offset to the left, then goin around left hand bends, how to they swing out? They wouldn't. Fifthly, it another thing to design. It would make them over complicated. Sixthly, SF members would moan because they weren't inline with the slot, and it doesn't make them look like real bikes... Oh and seventhly, why bother? The tyre wear is not any worse than soft Proslot tyres, which everyone replaces after each race meeting (almost).

Anyway, I hope seven reasons are enough for people to stop moaning about the bikes running in the middle. Most of the people who have commented haven't even seen or tried them yet.

Hopefully, sceptics will reserve comments untill I have completed the review. But you know they won't...

Lotus

PS. Thanks for the kind words guys. It makes it worth the effort when you are appreciated.

 

[McLaren]

Just downloading the video now.

Graham tried my bike, and indeed, it was crap on the Sport track.

I replaced the magnet afterwards, and it improved, but still deslotted under any kind of pressure.

Definatly a home track thing...

Why am I writing this here? It's meant to be part two...

Oh well.

Lotus

PS. Ninco testing tomorow...

 

[McLaren]

Just watched the video.

I never managed to get a bike run like that, let alone stock!

Mine wouldn't run around the inside of those Carrera bends at anywhere near that speed. This combined with what others say, leads me to think that I've got a duffer... Not the best to review with, but oh well...

More later.

Lotus

 

[McLaren]

Cheers.

Look out for parts 2, 3, 4 and final coming soon...

Lotus