Bits vs. I-Racers

[Trackmaster]

Hi ya all!

For my first post I?d like to ask one simple question, several different answers though I think:
I have bought a couple of I-Racers from Nikko and built myself a nice little track (spending several nights in the garage while the family was sleeping). Now that the track is complete I find that it?s no fun driving it. The cars are VERY hard to handle, I guess the method of steering with two engines for the rear wheels is just not good enough (my track has a grip that is outstanding, which perhaps is bad in this case).
Can you guys tell me if the Bits act differently with the steering method of the front wheels turning?
My intentions are to build tracks and offer people to race them, sort of a “big boys mini-motor club”! But, to get all this to work out I of course need cars that will function in a “predictable” way.

Please, send me your inputs regarding the handling of the Bits, so I know what to spend my money on.

[Admin]

tis my understanding that because bits are slower it makes them easier to control even tho the i-racers have proportional steering and speed…

true?

[Admin]

I also spent a great deal of time building a track.

I also bought Iracers first.

I also was extreemly frustrated.

I bought char-g cars and they are *MUCH* better.

Throw/sell those iracer’s away. Get a Char-g (Tomy/Tomica).

With a track build; Make it wide (Ppl say 8″ but try to keep it no less that 4″ if you can). Also, as you have a great surface, make sure the ‘walls’ of the track can be ‘rubbed’ by the car and it can still travel (Scalextric Armco would do this, but even card in strips is good). This will allow ‘less skilled’ racers still continue even though they are bouncing around and be able to keep going round tricky turns.

Have a look at the track I done:

http://groups.msn.com/TheAdmiralsLair/bitcharggallery.msnw?Page=12

http://groups.msn.com/TheAdmiralsLair/bitcharggallery.msnw?Page=13

(It’s the ‘swiss alps/moutain rally looking one with the river)

[Admin]

I agree with wejjy. I have Bits and one iRacer. I like my Bits soooo much better. They are far easier to control even at high speeds (I have a booster and 3.8 motors) Over/understeer can also be controlled with tires selection on the Bits.The control of the iRacer is poor at high speeds. I can only turn it tight with almost no speed on it. Then there’s the issue of control lag.

I’m going to keep my iRacer anyway…I only got it because it’s the WRC Impreza.

[Trackmaster]

Wejjy

Your track makes me want to come for a visit 🙂 nice work!
Can you please explain a little further the concept of the Char-G?s being *Much* better?
Is it possible to drive yourtrack without “rubbing” the walls all the time (obviously not if you?re abeginner, but if you?ve been driving for a while)?

When I built my track I made the mistake of thinking about the looks instead of “driveability” in one case: The curve barriers!
Of course I should have place the barriers “inside out” instead of how they?re placed now…
I think you?ll soon understand, I will post pictures of my track for those interested, both here and at The Admirals Lair if possible.

Please, more inputs are welcome, I also want to know what cars to spend the money on:
TOMY Char-G or OEM Char-G

[Admin]

after trying a few OEMs as well as regular and booster bits, i would say that you should definitely go for the real deal.

all of the oem cars i have bought have poor steering, and lots of fiddling has only improved things marginally.

my oem cars are now destined for mod-experiments, and parts supply!!!

[Admin]

Why are they *much* better… Let’s see!

The iracer has control ‘lag’. Any QuakeIII player out there will know what I mean if they use a moden and try to use a railgun (*grin*). What this means is it takes a fraction of a second between you operating the stearing on the control until it actually starts turning. Makes you have to ‘preempt’ the turns. Believe me, with the iracer, you have enough to worry about.

When turning with an iracer, due to the nature of the turning system, you turn slower than you go straight (This is because turning only makes one motor work, where going straight uses two and thus twice the power.

iracer’s are also *VERY* susceptiple to wheel slip. Imagine: if one wheel hits a section that has less grip than the other wheel when going straight, the car turns. It’s just too hard to keep them straight with a surface other that DEAD level and completely dust free.

Enough reasons? I hope so

The Track. Thanks for all the comments! I’m rather proud of it. I have track areas whose turning circle is different from the actual cars and as they are ‘digital’ turning (ie dead straight or FULL turn and nothing in-between) some of my turns cannot be done without VERY accurate turning or barrier rubbing. This means that in times, the car will rub the sides of the track, just make sure your barriers are capable of allowing the car to still move (Even if it is with less speed). It helps keep the flow of the race 🙂 As you get used to the turns, you can get around it without ‘touching the sides’ (Reminds me of a girl I once knew…) or just a bit to help you get around the tricky bits. I have very narrow points in my track (some parts go as thin as 4″) so it’s definately for racing pros and not amatures.

Just make sure your track is appropriate to the people racing on it. Narrow for the pros, wide for the kiddies and keep the armco (Barriers) VERTICAL unless you want the cars to roll over (You MAY want this!).

One last thing. Make the track have multiple routes! Barricade of sections and your track will have more possabilities. It means you can reuse it and reconfigure it (It’ll make it’s interest much longer if you do).

Shal I put your name down for a race day if I ever do one? Sweden is a LONG way to come (to London). LOL

Did I explain everything?

Wejjy.
PS: Dying to see your Track! Please put it up on Admiral’s Lair too if you can or email me it on djini_hades@hotmail.com (That goes for anyone who has track pics!!!!)

[Admin]

HAHAHAHA!!!

its a Quaker!!

I used to play Unreal Tournament over modem 🙂

I know what lag is 😉

[Author]

Posts