The motorized gyro is fully
adjustable to alter handling characteristics, but I
had the most success and
the most fun keeping the
gyro maxed out on high.
The slower you set the
gyro, the more steering
and handling you get—at
the expense of stability.
pro tips
3
FULL BALL
BEARInGS
This ain’t no bump and
grind! Kyosho’s Moto Racer
rides smoothly on a full
set of ball bearings. Every
rotating part spins on a
metal ball bearing, making
the bike buttery smooth
even at a snail’s pace.
Consider running a thin
bead of CA glue around
the rear tire bead.
Although the tire locks
tightly onto the wheel, my
test cycle felt squirmy on
high-grip surfaces. This
leads me to believe the
tire’s bead pulls away from
the wheel under high-G
forces. A quick application
of CA cures that.
1
ELECTRIC-POWERED
ADJUSTABLE GYRO
Unlike nearly every other
RC bike on the market,
the Moto Racer uses an
electric-powered coreless
gyro. Turn the bike on,
and the gyro spins up to
the selected setting on
the transmitter. This little
gyro, which sounds like a
jet engine spinning up to
speed, does serious work,
maintaining the bike’s
stability at all speeds.
Kyosho offers both low-and high-speed gyro
settings on the transmitter,
which allows you to dial-in
independent stability
settings for low-speed and
high-speed handling.
2
120MAH LIPO
BATTERY AnD
CHARGER
The Moto Racer gets its
power from an itsy-bitsy
120mAh LiPo battery that’s
similar in size to a piece of
Trident Ice gum. It cranks
out some power though,
giving the bike a 10-minute
run time even with the
electric-powered gyro
spinning like a turbine.
You charge the battery
with the included USB
dual outlet peak charger,
which can charge two
batteries at once. For
optimal performance and
minimum charging time,
plug the USB charger into
a high-powered computer
USB outlet. I experienced
charge times between
15-25 minutes.
hot features
4
REPLACABLE
FARInGS
The Moto Racer’s farings
are removable and replace-able, which means you
can scratch it up, bang it
up and race it up all you
want. Though they were
not available at press time,
Kyosho says it plans to
release Ducati and Honda
livery versions shortly
after the initial release of
blue Yamaha bikes like the
one tested here.
5
2.4GHZ RADIO
SYSTEM
You don’t have to worry
about frequency conflicts
with the Kyosho KT- 19
transmitter, which is
2.4GHz and powered by
four AAA batteries. The
transmitter acts as both
the controller and as an
optional charger, though I
recommend charging with
the USB adapter only. Both
low- and high-speed gyro
settings are adjustable
from the transmitter, plus
steering trim.
SOURCES
Pretty simple, really—I drive the vehicle and see how much it makes me smile and laugh. Fun factor
is the #1 criterion for an RC vehicle like the Mini-Z Moto Racer. After spending several weeks with our test bike, one thing is
obvious: this is an addictive, fun little machine. Its performance is impressive at any scale, much less at 1/18-scale. Its ability
to stay upright, given its 85-gram weight (a whopping 1/10th of one pound), is mind-boggling. And the Moto Racer’s scale
realism will impress even static modelers. Take a break from the ordinary and give one a go. If you thought four wheels were
fun, wait until you give two a try!
verdict
