When a new post on Scream And Fly on RC helicopters began to pick up momentum, I became more interested in them.  At the time I had a $10 Ecoman infrared-controlled, 2-channel helicopter that I’ve been playing with, and it was a lot of fun.  I was impressed that such a small craft could hover and fly so well.  As the helicopter thread grew, so did my interest in RC helicopters, so at that time I went to my local hobby store and picked up an E-Flite Blade mCX and Blade mSR, and I immediately realized how much fun (and addicting) these little helicopters are.

:: Walkera CB-100 ultra-micro helicopter - Click to enlarge ::

From that moment, I began to accumulate talent and many more helicopters, to the point where I can fly non-stabilized fixed-pitch and collective pitch helicopters quite well now.  At this moment, I’ve been enjoying my Hirobo Quark quite a bit, as well as the many Walkera helicopters I own.  I’ll be posting many reviews and opinions on each model when I get some time.  For now, I’ve been overwhelmed with the Scream And Fly updates, which should be finished this month.

I hope.

So what is a short course truck?  Generally, it’s a 2WD electric chassis with a 540-sized brushed motor. Pretty basic for starters, but many bashers and racers will add brushless power, and Traxxas just introduced a 4WD Slash, so we could see other RC manufacturers follow suit.

The HPI Blitz is a ready-to-run truck based on the E-Firestorm, which is a proven platform. It features a brushless-ready transmission with all-metal gears and a sealed differential.  Steel dogbones bring the power to the wheels, and adjustable oil-filled shocks and multiple mounting points allow fine tuning of the truck’s suspension. The stock truck is powered by the inexpensive 15-turn HPI Firebolt 540-type brushed motor, which provides surprisingly good performance.  No, it will not compete against brushless trucks, but it provides enough performance to keep most drivers satisfied.

The quality of the vehicle is excellent.  Plastic parts are cleanly finished, and trademark HPI engineered durability is evident in the Baja-inspired swiveling bumpers, and stiff plastic tub chassis.  The front and rear suspension units and gearbox are quickly and easily removed with just a few screws.  It’s clear that HPI designed the Blitz to be very easiy to work on either at home or trackside.  HPI is known to use high quality plastics and the Blitz is no exception and the ATTK-10 body is very nicely finished in either black or orange primary colors.  The Blitz is only available as an RTR at this time, though many HPI option parts are available.

The radio gear is the HPI AM 27MHz system, which works perfectly fine with no glitching.  An FM system would have been better, but HPI likely assumed most serious drivers will upgrade the radio system anyway, and this system keeps the price of the RTR package reasonable.  The radio gear consists of the HPI TF-1 two-channel transmitter, SC-15 speed controller, and RF-6 receiver.   Some notes on this radio gear to keep in mind - first, HPI does not recommend using a 7-cell battery pack with it and there is no reverse-lockout for racing.  Not a big deal, but I really would have liked to use a 7-cell pack with the Blitz, as I feel it would improve performance substantially.

Performance is very good - quick handling with fantastic traction thanks to the Maxxis-licensed Trepador tires. The steering is fairly precise, but could be improved.  The truck is surprisingly lightweight, which translates into a vehicle that can tackle more than appears possible.  After several battery packs through the truck in hard terrain, there were no signs of breakage, leaks, or any other issues.  The metal-gear

Top speed is about 20mph, which is quite fast for a truck with a stock 540-type motor.  In sharp turns on tarmac, the Blitz will drift out of turns nicely, thanks to its light weight and great low-end power.  It accelerates out of turns quickly and reaches its top speed within a very short space.  For short course track racing, the Firebolt provides plenty of power for even seasoned drivers.  Bashers might want a bit more power, however, especially if you’re planning on running on tarmac often.

Now that Traxxas, HPI, Team Associated, Losi, and Kyosho all have short course trucks, there are plenty of options out there, but HPI’s pedigree of high performance, durability, and track proven designs should place the Blitz at the top of your list of short course trucks.

:: RCDriver.com video showing the HPI Blitz in action ::

Related Links:

• HPI Racing
• HPI Blitz Forum
  

In addition to its digital-dashboard glory, the 1984 Corvette was indeed advanced for its time, incorporating more aluminum and fiberglass into its design than any other production car.  Putting aside the cheesy 1980s one-liners that went along with this car, it was quite an impressive handing car, though the cross-fire injected 5.7-liter V8 was anemic, with a rating of 205-horsepower.  But that didn’t matter at the time, since it was still far better than what the C3 Corvette evolved into.

So what we have here is a set of very rare videos that were likely played at dealers in 1983 to promote the then-new Corvette.  Keen viewers will spot the pre-production 15×7 wheels, which were never offered on the production car, as well as the lack of computerized climate control on the featured car, which was likely not ready for production when this video was made. So sit back and enjoy this retro-cool trip back in time to bad outfits and laughable marketing.  I miss the 1980s.

YouTube videos below - parts one and two.  These are work-safe.

I remember purchasing my very first router, the original Linksys 4-port wired-only router that became the start of what would be a router revolution of sorts.  When these things first started appearing in homes, broadband providers hated them.  The thought of their customers sharing a single broadband connection rather than shelling out extra cash for an additional line irked them, yet the conscious of the customers remained crystal clear.  When home network routers became mainstream, ISPs accepted that everyone was going to own one, and so they became the norm.  But there’s one problem - so few of them seem to be 100% reliable.

My data connection at home here is very fast.  I have Business Class cable, and it screams.  I use my computer for everything possible, from large file transfers to gaming, and all of this depends on my router maintaining a rock-solid throughput of data. My first Linksys router was great - I never had any issues with it.  Then I replaced it for a wired unit and the troubles began.  Reboots, lockups requiring power cycles, and eventually, death.  The Linksys unit I replaced it with did the same, so I was finished with Linksys.

So I gave D-Link a try, first using the DGL-4300 Gamer Lounge unit.  It was perfect - a 100% reliable router than ran fast and never scoffed during heavy network traffic.  The unit ran hot though, and died after about a year of use.  I replaced it with a D-Link DGL-4500 - another gaming router.  Again, a stellar performer that lived for about a year, then it refused to connect to the internet.  And so it went into the garbage.

When the DGL-4500 died, I needed a replacement immediately, and the only unit I could locate locally was the D-Link DIR-655, which is essentially the same router as the DGL-4500, but it’s white and does not have the fancy OLED display on top.

:: My D-Link DIR-655 gigabit wireless-N router - click image to enlarge ::

It’s been a few weeks now and so far the DIR-655 has been fantastic.  What are my expectations?  I think it will continue to work great for about a year, then die — which is why I am prepared, having ordered a new DGL-4500 that is kept in reserve.

Can anybody design a reliable home router that does what it’s supposed to and lasts longer than a year?

Smokey, the plump Siberian Husky that shares the house with me is a good dog, but anyone looking at him could tell that he could use a bit more exercise.  I know, he’s cute and puffy the way he is, but he also needed a bit more excitement in his life rather than sleeping all day and night.  So I remembered how years ago, he would go crazy over radio controlled cars, running after them in the back yard to the point of exhaustion.

Smokey is much older now, but I thought I would buy an RC car just for both of us to have a little fun.  It all started with the Caster Racing Fusion F-18 Fusion, and he just lit up at the sight of it.  Now, months later, Smokey can’t wait to go outside, and admittedly, I’m having just as much fun as he is.   I decided to step up to a Traxxas Rustler VXL, and that was a really cool truck.  It’s super smooth and fast, and very easy to operate, requiring almost no maintenance.   But, I wanted something more - I wanted the realism that goes with a combustion engine instead of an electric motor and the sounds and smells that go with it.  That’s all great, but I really didn’t want to mess with nitro motors - they are messy and require constant tuning.  No thanks - at least for now.

I started researching larger scale vehicles and instantly found the relatively new and extremely popular Baja 5B and 5T 1:5 scale buggy and buggy and truck.  To put this into perspective, the vehicles that Traxxas sells are 1:10 scale, and are large to begin with.  A 1:5 scale vehicle is huge, and that’s an understatement.

The Baja 5B(buggy) and 5T(truck) are essentially the same vehicle, using the same chassis and basic components with the main difference being the body and in some cases the engine size.  Most Baja parts are interchangeable, such as suspension parts, drivetrain, engines, etc.  I thought about getting the 5B, but after some thought I just couldn’t resist the looks and size of the 5T.

The HPI Baja 5T is powered by a Chung Yang 26cc two-stroke “Fulie” engine that runs on high octane fuel at a 25:1 fuel/oil mixture.  The CY engines are a direct clone of Zenoah engines, and most of the parts are even interchangeable and as such, a Zenoah engine will drop right into the Baja with no modification.  CY engines are known to be just about as reliable as Zenoah these days, and with proper care and maintenance they can run a long time between rebuilds.

The Baja’s drivetrain consists of a two-wheel-drive single-speed transmission utilizing all-metal gears and an alloy differential case.  The chassis is 4mm thick stamped aluminum alloy, and most suspension parts are made of high strength nylon.  It weighs close to 40 pounds and has a top speed of about 45mph, according to HPI.  Aftermarket parts support for the Baja series vehicles is huge, and there’s even a kit offered in form of the Baja 5B SS, which features the larger 26cc engine and most of the HPI upgraded parts.

I ordered my Baja from Dave’s Discount Motors and that included their Dominator tuned pipe, which is supposed to increase the power of the vehicle substantially.  The truck arrived here a few days later, and nothing could prepare me for the size of it.  The photos of tne Baja 5T simply cannot depict its size, so when you see one of these in person, it’s quite an experience.  Yeah I know, I’m talking about an RC vehicle here.  But really, it’s cool.

I’m very impressed with the quality of the vehicle, and I decided to shoot some photos of it before it gets dirty.  I have not started it yet - that will come soon, as well as a follow up article on its performance.  I’m just wondering what kind of a reaction this monster will draw at the local parts here.  Stay tuned for updates with action shots.

Related Links:

• HPI Racing
• Dave’s Discount Motors - the best place to buy your HPI Baja

This is the first Yamaha outboard I’ve owned.  I would have preferred to own a two-stroke Mercury or Evinrude, but none were to be found.  That’s right, they’re all gone forever.  I have a new Johnson 9.9 sitting in my closet, but I needed more power than that.  Since Yamaha is still producing two-stroke engines, I ordered a 15HP engine through a friend on Scream And Fly’s message board.

:: The 15HP Yamaha had much more power than I expected ::

When the time came to order my new Carolina Skiff, I hesitated to order the new JV13, even though it was a much better boat in every aspect over the J-series boats.  While the JV has better hull, and quite frankly looks much nicer with its Boston Whaler-like looks, the JV13 is about 100 pounds heavier than the J12.  That’s a lot of extra weight.  I went back and forth, thinking that the little 15HP outboard may not be enough to power the heavier JV13, but in the end I decided to take the chance that it would be - and it is.

A few days ago when I launched the new boat I could immediately feel that the Yamaha had much more power than my previously-owned 9.9 Mercury two-stroke engine. This surprised me since the Mercury had a displacement advantage over the Yamaha.  By the time the break-in schedule permitted me to plane the boat, I was surprised how effortlessly the boat planed, and a small burst of full throttle left me in amazement.  Yeah, we’re talking about a small outboard here.  If someone told me this was a 20HP engine, I would have believed them.  Even more interesting, this Yamaha sounds exactly like the 1986 Evinrude 4HP I had when I was younger. Freaky, but in a good way.

So there it is, I’m impressed and very pleased with the performance of this engine.

Overall, Carolina Skiff makes a decent boat for the price.  When you look at the insane prices that Boston Whaler is charging for even their smallest models, a Carolina Skiff may start to make more sense.  The basic construction of a Carolina Skiff s low-cost, using chopper gun layups with a foam and fiberglass floor as the boat’s structure.  The company claims this construction method results in a boat that is stuff and unsinkable.  That much is true, however the foam inside the boat has an uncanny habit of absorbing water, should any unsealed holes int he floor be present.  This isn’t a Carolina Skiff-specific issue though, I’ve seen many boats using closed-cell foams absorb water like a proverbial sponge.

Putting this aside, my J12 and J14 boats have been good to own and lot of fun. They are very easy to trailer, and although they slide very easily in turns, they also draw very little water.  I never had any problems with them, so I thought I would give the new JV model a try, since it looks much better than the typical squarish, flat bottomed Carolina Skiff.

:: The Carolina Skiff JV13 has a familiar style - click on image to enlarge ::

I went down to the local dealer and ordered a JV13, and requested that the boat not have any of the standard electronics and accessories installed.  The factory had no problem meeting this request, and they provided all of the accessories with the boat separately.  Why did I do this?  Because I do not want any holes drilled into the floor of the boat for accessories I’ll never use.  No holes means no chance of the boat getting water intrusion into the foam.

The boat’s construction appears more robust, although it’s basically the same as a J model.  The obvious resemblance to a Boston Whaler is not coincidental, and it’s one of the reasons I chose this model in addition to a better ride in saltwater.  The gelcoat is pretty well finished, and overall mold quality is pretty good.  The installation of the seats and front deck is very neat, and unlike the previous J skiffs I owned, there are no stress cracks anywhere on this boat.  No, the mold and finish quality of this boat is not up to Boston Whaler standards, but neither is the price either: the JV13 sells for about $2300.

I’ll be rigging this boat with a new Yamaha 15-horsepower two-stroke engine.  That should be enough power for it, though this boat is heavier than an equivalent J model.  We’ll see, but I would rather not have a 20 or 25-horsepower engine that would be heavier and require bolting through the transom.  I’ll post more photos and a report on how well this little boat runs.  Thanks for reading.

Related Links:

• Carolina Skiff Boats
  

2010 KAWASAKI NINJA® ZX™- 6R
The Middleweight Sportbike That Won Just About Every Magazine Comparo!

When it comes to performance, no class is more competitive than middleweight sportbikes. To stand out in this crowd, a motorcycle needs to do everything better than well — it needs to kick serious tail in every department. Hats off to the Kawasaki Ninja® ZX™-6R then, winner of 600cc comparison tests in just about every publication and website of note on the planet. With an engine the critics agree feels bigger than 599cc, and a chassis that out handles all others, the ZX-6R returns as the bike to beat in 2010.

With a fine-tuned chassis including a class-exclusive Big Piston Fork and fully adjustable shock out back, razor-sharp handling sets the ZX-6R apart. To optimize front-rear rigidity balance, frame stiffness around the swingarm pivot and the rear engine mounts is carefully tuned, with the compact engine rotated forward around the output shaft for a steep cylinder bank angle and optimal center of gravity. An exhaust layout with a short side muffler keeps the weight low, and an exhaust pre-chamber further contributes to the ZX-6R’s mass centralization.

The Ninja ZX-6R’s lean physique is fundamental to its light handling, with every component on the bike carefully scrutinized for minimal weight. The intake resonator box and supports for the instrument panel and mirrors are unitized with the enlarged —to optimize intake volume — Ram Air duct, contributing to weight savings and improving rigidity. Camshafts are made of lightweight chrome-moly steel, and light, magnesium engine covers all add up to big weight savings, along with transmission, oil pump and starter gears carefully engineered for maximum strength and minimal weight.

Along with its light weight and compact design, the ZX-6R engine is packed with details to give it precise throttle control and amazing performance, particularly in the mid-range. Smooth power delivery is achieved through outstanding combustion efficiency. Cylindrical guides in the top of the airbox guide the fuel charge into the intake funnels to reduce buffeting and improve cylinder filling, along with advanced cylinder porting techniques. High-current secondaries in the ignition coils provide hot, consistent sparks at all rpm.

In addition to its more than healthy bottom-end torque and smooth throttle response, the engine’s mid-range performance benefits from a similar number of refinements, including double-bore velocity stacks with inlets at two different heights, special-profile pistons with low piston-ring tension for reduced friction, and advanced cam chain guides for excellent cam-chain stabilization.

That strong mid-range provides great drive out of corners and is harmonized with the engine’s silky smooth high-rpm performance. This linear throttle torque delivery results in unparalleled controllability and offers the rider precise throttle control at all rpm. This predictability pays dividends when making mid-corner power adjustments. When combined with the reduced need to downshift provided by its healthy mid-range performance, the predictable throttle response makes it easier for riders to maintain their rhythm when stringing corners together.

In keeping with its racing heritage, the ZX-6R employs a cassette-type transmission that simplifies gearing changes at the track, reducing set-up time and allowing more time for riding. A slipper clutch allows quick downshifts without upsetting the rest of the chassis when reducing speed on corner entry.

Corner-entry controllability is yet another ZX-6R strong suit, thanks to the use of Showa’s revolutionary BPF (Big Piston Front fork). The BPF utilizes a large-diameter internal piston, which permits a reduction in damping pressure, for smoother action and better front end feedback — especially under braking and initial corner turn-in. Additionally, the BPF eliminates many of the internal components used in a cartridge-type fork, simplifying construction and resulting in a lighter overall fork weight.

Having already designed a lighter and more rigid swingarm for the Ninja ZX-10R sportbike, the Kawasaki engineers utilized many of the same design components for the  ZX-6R’s swingarm. Shared swingarm parts include both left and right inner plates, the left outer plate, rear stand bosses, brake caliper stopper, chain guard and swingarm pivot shaft.

The response from Kawasaki’s acclaimed triple petal disc brake package with radial calipers is as refined and powerful as ever. Radial-mounted four-piston calipers and 300mm petal rotors up front provide awesome power and excellent feel. The 220mm rear petal disc features a pedal coaxially mounted with the footpeg for increased mid-stroke braking efficiency and optimum feel. Its master cylinder reservoir mounts forward of the swingarm — freeing up space around the footpeg, reducing parts and contributing to weight savings. It all adds up to unflappable composure under braking, and helps provide the precise control and feel that allows Supersport racers to enter corners harder.

To better capitalize on this lighter machine and its precise control response, the rider interface is appropriately fine-tuned to enhance feedback from bike to rider and vice versa. The relationship of the seat-to-pegs-to-bar “rider triangle” places the handlebars close to the rider and angled for a highly intuitive riding position. The fuel tank cover is flared just so around its top edge, providing a large contact patch and contributing to excellent rider feedback — similar to the ZX-10R. A narrow rear sub-frame and seat leading edge provide a slim, highly flexible riding position for moving around the bike, as well as a shorter reach to the pavement.

A highly refined fairing and one-piece front fender provide excellent aerodynamics and airflow to the radiator, along with great wind protection and minimal crosswind buffeting. An inner rear fender above the swingarm also reduces turbulence and helps keep the tail clean. The ZX-6R’s instrument panel provides information at-a-glance, and a race-quality adjustable twin-tube Öhlins steering damper with relief valve completes the track-ready package.

Highly confidence inspiring, the engine and chassis control precision offered by the Ninja ZX-6R enables riders to push harder and maximize the excitement that comes from actively controlling such a high-performance track-focused machine.

Authentic Kawasaki Accessories are available through Kawasaki dealers.

Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC) markets and distributes Kawasaki motorcycles, ATVs, personal watercraft, utility vehicles and recreation utility vehicles through a network of more than 1,475 independent retailers, with an additional 8,000 retailers specializing in Kawasaki power products and general purpose engines. KMC and its affiliates employ nearly 3,300 people in the United States, with 400 of them located at KMC’s Irvine, California headquarters.

Kawasaki’s tagline, “Let the good times roll.™”, is recognized worldwide. The Kawasaki brand has become synonymous with powerful, stylish motorcycles for over four decades. Information about Kawasaki’s complete line of recreational products and Kawasaki affiliates can be found on the Internet at www.kawasaki.com.

2010 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R Specifications:

Engine: Four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, inline-four
Displacement: 599cc
Bore x stroke: 67.0 x 42.5mm
Compression ratio: 13.3:1
Fuel injection: DFI® with four 38mm Keihin throttle bodies, oval sub-throttles, two injectors per throttle body
Ignition: TCBI with digital advance
Transmission: Six speed
Final drive: X-ring chain
Rake / trail: 24 deg / 4.1 in.
Frame type: Aluminum perimeter
Front tire: 120/70 ZR17
Rear tire: 180/55 ZR17
Wheelbase: 55.1 in.
Front suspension / wheel travel: 41 mm inverted Showa Big Piston Front fork with top-out springs, stepless compression and rebound damping, fully-adjustable spring preload / 4.7 in.
Rear suspension / wheel travel: Bottom-Link Uni-Trak® with gas-charged shock, top-out spring and pillow ball upper mount, dual-range (high/low-speed) stepless compression damping, 25-way adjustable rebound damping, fully-adjustable spring preload / 5.3 in.
Front brakes: Dual 300mm petal rotors with dual radial-mounted, four-piston, four-pad calipers
Rear brake: Single 220mm petal rotor with single-piston caliper
Overall length: 82.3 in.
Overall width: 28.0 in.
Overall height: 43.9 in.
Fuel capacity: 4.5 gal.
Seat height: 32.1 in.
Curb weight: 421.2 lbs.
Color choices: Passion Red, Metallic Spark Black, Lime Green/Metallic Spark Black
Warranty: 12 Months

I had no intention of buying anything, but I just wanted to check out this place since my local Kawi dealer closed down right after I bought my ZX-6R.  We arrived to see many bikes outside - mostly smaller motocross types and some sport bikes.  After Ryan made fun of me for thinking the Ninja 250 was cool, we looked at the small motocross pit bikes and I immediately had the urge to buy one.  Why?  Well, why not?  I figure I could just put one in my truck and have fun at the local trails or bring it with me to larger Scream And Fly events for transportation and fun.  At least that was just justification for buying it.

:: Yamaha TTR-50E 49cc 4-stroke off road bike weighs 125 pounds - click image to enlarge ::

Among all the bikes they had was a brand new leftover 2007 Yamaha TTR-50E.  Mind you, many of these smaller bikes will no longer be available soon, thanks to our government deciding what’s ‘best’ for us.  Yeah, we really need a lot of that, don’t we?  I made a quick offer on the small bike and I got it for several hundred dollars less than they were asking.  The dealer prepped the Yamaha and Ryan and I loaded it into my Blazer.  That’s right, the TTR-50 rolls right into the back of my truck, fully upright while clearing the roof by less than an inch.  It’s perfect.

The Yamaha TTR-50 is a very small 49cc 4-stroke off-road trail/motocross bike designed for younger riders as well as adult pit bike racing.  This small Yamaha strongly resembles the Honda CRF-50, which has enjoyed huge success with both pit bike racers and younger riders. According to Yamaha, fully half of all buyers for the bike will be adults, so they immediately introduced high performance GYTR parts for the TTR-50, including a big bore kit, high performance exhaust, larger handlbars and suspension upgrades.

The resemblance the TTR-50 shares with the CRF-50 is so uncanny, that I did a bit of research into where the TTR-50 was made.  From what I can gather, the TTR-50 (and perhaps other models in this line) is built in China by Jianshe, a company that produces scooters, motorcycles, and ATVs. I bet that doesn’t inspire confidence in the quality of this product, does it?  Well, from what I can tell the TTR-50 is very well made, though it still suffers from the sloppy mig welds that most motocross/trail bike frames have.

:: Yamaha offers many high performance upgrades for this bike - click on image to enlarge ::

The little Yamaha is equipped with a 3-speed transmission with an automatic clutch, which makes it a heck of a lot more fun than centrifugal clutch models although I would much prefer a manual clutch and maybe a fourth gear.  Top speed is over 30mph stock, which is plenty fast for a bike with 10-inch wheels.  The TTR-50, like all TTR models includes an electric starter, and this bike lights off at the touch of a button, even when cold.  The exhaust is very quiet, which is good, since I won’t have to worry about pissing of my neighbors.  Total specified weight for the TTR-50 is 125 pounds.

I’ve been riding this little bike around the local streets and empty lots here and it’s a riot.  The first gear is so low that it’s almost useless, except for wheelies and climbing, however third gear is plenty tall for great top speed.  Since the bike has an automatic clutch, all the rider needs to do is close the throttle and shift - it’s an easy process, though not very smooth at all.  The bike will lurch slightly at every upshift at lower speeds since there’s always a connection to the engine even with the clutch engaged.   Downshifting is performed in the same manner - just close the throttle and kick the shifter down.  It has an up-up-up shift pattern, so finding neutral is a cinch.

:: TTR-50 features electric start and an automatic clutch - click on image to enlarge ::

As a play bike, the TTR-50 is perfect - it’s light, reliable, and fast enough to be fun.  It’s small enough to fit into my Blazer upright, so no worries about having to use a trailer. If I ever want to go faster, performance upgrades are easy to obtain, and I could even race it in pit bike races.  I just hope the cops that live near me don’t mind much when I pass by their houses while riding it.

Related Links:

• Yamaha TTR-50E Specifications