Which buggy?

[HumboldtBlazer]

go here and judge for yourself if the Storm RTR holds up well. Not a single part was broken in any of that
skip the "sweet" video as that is not the Storm.

http://207.218.248.32/~humboldt/

 

[Zoomer]

wow those are great videos!!!!!!! i think this really convinces me
you have the RTR right? what pipe did you get for yours, and what kind of tires?????

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

Just start witht he $30 2 chamber Dynamite 1/8 scale pipe
http://www.dynamiterc.com/Products/Detail.aspx?ProductID=DYN6606
you wont need anything better IMO until you upgrade the engine. To great starter dirt tires are Pro-Line Crime Fighters or Knuckels if you can find them I would start with the X compound until you really feel the need to burn a set of shoes in one day of racing. Stick with the stock rims, but if you have the money I like the light Pro-line Velocity dish rims but thats not a must.

 

[CRSMP5]

well i feel the lightning is also a racer IMO.. but it makes people mad when people suggest it here.. for the ones I've seen race they run well and can compete with the upper priced buggies, when a real engine is installed you do not see the differance on the track..

also to add 1 more thing.. when the savage was released.. did it tick people off like the words hb lightning does?

 

[Gmanlusk2004]

nah... people embraced the savage... or at least i did. I love the t maxx actually having some competition now. The lightning can hold it's own for the price, it just isn't made of the same quality of the storm. nuff said.

L8r,
Garrett

 

[wbynum]

I agree. To say the Storm is a race ready buggy but the Lightning isn't is pretty off base. IMO, they are reversed. The Storm is a decent basher, where the Lightning (especially the Pro) is a true race buggy.

Personally I think the people who bash the Lightning are just pissed they paid $600+ for a buggy when they see a ~$200 buggy that is on the same level.

 

[Zoomer]

interesting, damn, hmmm.. now you guyz have made it hard to choose. Think think think

 

[CRSMP5]

http://www.radiocontrolzone.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=90416

that will make it even harder, the biggest iece of info on the web on it, different forum, 57 pages long, expect 8 hours to read, with parts suppliers links, shopes that carry parts, what the buggy actually is, what other buggy parts will fit, problems found, issues solved, and a wold of info, on the lightning, it was probally the 1 piece web wise that sold me on it, the 2nd was seeing all the same budget buggies in person, the 3rd was all the reccomendations from others, lhs owners who DID not have them in stock and told me to wait for one vs buying what they did have in stock, u know person with $ in hand being told to wait for it instead of selling me a ofna or storm, i admit the storm radio is nice, but i can buy it for 100$.... and a buggy from rc boyz for 320+shipping, so we will say 450 to be nice to have a great buggy running... but I'm using a old radio and standard servos in mine (free) so have my buggy, sold the new engine for 75, bought a good used 8 port for 110 shipped... and threw my 16t ofna vented cb in it from my savage and all i can say is wow...

 

[Zoomer]

damnit why so difficult?????

 

[Zoomer]

ok here is another question what is best thr rtr, or the pro kit? this is for the lightning of course, but i still have the storm in the back of my mind, if anyone has any more info i will be reading for awhile LONG WHILE, but this really helps out!!!!! Thanx!!!!

 

[Gmanlusk2004]

Originally posted by humboldtblazer
ok here's the short. Why is the lighning not a good racer? Because no Pro's or Am's are racing it period. The Storm has consistenly winning more and more races and placing better all the time. The Pro kit for the Storm is $389 at my lhs so price is not the issue. The RTR Storm is $50 more. Why are people like HCR, Firioni, and other top "race parts" manufacturers making parts for the Storm where it seems all the others are staying away from the HB? Also to listen to the advice of a LHS owner should be taken as a grain of salt, his is there to take your money...............

humboldt.. wow. That is the....... best thing you have ever said.:clap: deep man. deep.

L8r,
Garrett

again...:clap:

 

[Nitroaddict]

I have to agree with blazer - constantly people who like the lightening, and the lightening pro tell me that it is better than my storm pro. All i have to do to get them to shut up is ask them two questions:
1. My storm is consistantly winning professional and club races all over the world. How many national titles does the lightening have? oh yeah. none.
2. How many major racing companies make aftermarkert upgrades for the lightening? oh yeah - none.
------------
3. Trying to compare the lightening to the storm, is like trying to compare the RS4 to a serpent.

 

[wbynum]

Y'all are to funny. Last time I checked there wasn't to many storms placing in the A-mains of large tracks. As for the aftermarket parts support, if you use that as a guide you are beyond hope. If a car (i.e. storm) needs all these aftermarket parts, then I would say it is a weak buggy. There is a reason the Lightning Pro doesn't need aftermarket parts. The 4mm 7075 shock towers, the nice chassis braces, the CNC knuckles are just a few reasons.

The T-Maxx has a buttload of aftermarket parts but you would be hard pressed to find anyone that said in it's stock form it was better than a Savage, Dominator, etc. As for people staying away from the Lightning Pro, give it time. Ofcourse the Storm has a bigger user base. It has been out 2+ years while the lightning has been readily available for 6 or so months.

 

[CRSMP5]

well my question is on the "options and hop ups" beign made for a lightning.. the pro has it all except rear CVDs, the fronts will fit, the cb any ofna will fit, pipe, header, any will fit, engine any will fit, the only thing i cannot say it has is a torson diff.. BUT i have a feelign a ofna 7.5 one will fit it..

ohh i know 1 option it lacks.. the 3x10x3mm bearings in the steering uprights, better wheels and tires, better wing, and some stiffer springs.. u know.. for what i see on it.. the aftermarket hop ups already exist..

yes parts support sux butt.. but ill tell u what.. unless i buy a ofna here i cannot get storm parts unless mail order.. and the link to the 57 page long thread has stores for mail order that have tested and tried fast service..

it is still a new buggy on the market, with no real advertising of it, and to be honest.. the word of mouth on it is increadable, problem is the lack of advertisign for it.. HB is screwed up in this, and to be honest i still see a major lack of advertising on the dirt demond too.. so the real thing is customer support/advertising sux for hb.. actually I've heard the scustomer support is very very good for it for the series of buggies that were shipped incomplete they more than made up for it with a simple phone call..

it took me 3 days to read thru that thread.. once your done.. goto a lhs.. open all the buggies they have and start to compair what you see.. all aluminum supports, cvds brakes, tires, the stock pro tires hook up well but wear, and the stock wheels crack, they are like layered plastic and so far mine have stress cracks on teh outer layer of plastic, the tires do hook up well though, while loking at all the buggies you will be able to see what options you get, and a price to see what is the best bang for the buck.

after you get done looking.. goto the track and watch some races.. talk to the owners, if they seem full of themselves move on to the next owner.. look at the abuse the bugges go thru. i was lucky, i had all the buggys u can imagine used at my track.. yea i can say the big $ buggies liek kyosho have a added differance that ill never feel like lower center of gravity for servos and stuff.. but the price differance is so great to that i cannot see how 800+ is worth it..

i can always drill holes, and reengineer how the servos are mounted for 50$ worth of pieces to lower my cg.. and still have a 600$ buggy with big motor and durability thats race worthy..

after seeing what a POS the dd is i cannot beleive i bought a hb product to be honest.. problem fo rth ecost and duribility it has.. I'm impressed.. all i ment to do here was inform someone about the hb, with a link to some good knowledge on it.. i cannot persuade anyone.. I'm a cheap bastard..

i just want to make sure he has info on it.. so he can make a educated decision.. but now u have the info.. feel free to ask questions.. and the info is hard to get from the web.. i looked and looked for it, and that one thread is the most that exists besides a few little threads on this forum, where u can see anger from others cause it is brought up..

also when i got mine i took it 100% apart and rebuilt it so i knew loctite, fluids, gaskets and all were in proper position and place.. this thing is built better than my savage.. all screws into metal were loctited, lock nuts used where appropriate, the works.. the neg thing i found was no clue to what the weights of shock oil and diff lock oil.. soi i cleaned them out and added in my own so i knew the weights in them.

 

[Nitroaddict]

i keep hearing that the lightening has more stuff included than the the storm. so what, if the buggy is still off balance, and not set up properly for racing. Dont forget - its still made by HPI, lol. Sure the RS4 SS has more equipment than an NTC3, but that doesn't make it better. no mater what u do to the RS4 - it will never be competitive professionally. Point being - yes the lightening is a nice buggy for a basher - but it will never be competitive in the race circuit.

 

[Smokey]

Originally posted by humboldtblazer
ok here's the short. Why is the lighning not a good racer? Because no Pro's or Am's are racing it period. The Storm has consistenly winning more and more races and placing better all the time. The Pro kit for the Storm is $389 at my lhs so price is not the issue. The RTR Storm is $50 more. Why are people like HCR, Firioni, and other top "race parts" manufacturers making parts for the Storm where it seems all the others are staying away from the HB? Also to listen to the advice of a LHS owner should be taken as a grain of salt, he is there to take your money...............

First off, I am not a racer. I am simply a basher that wanted a durable buggy, I found it. I am tired of humboldtblazer trashing the Lightning.

You don't own one, ever ran one, so how can you say it is no good?

The fact that no pro's race it is a non-factor, it has only been out for 8 months....give it 6 more months.

The fact that many pro's race a storm.....so what? They are racing a buggy that has been around for many years.

Manufacturers make hop-up parts for factory parts that need replaced......the Lightning needs none of these parts, it comes with them!!!

As for advise of the LHS....yes, they are there to make money, so why would a LHS recommend a buggy that parts are not available for? Why would they recommend a buggy that they won't be able to sell hop-ups for? And most of all, why would the LHS recommend something that costs a lot less than most others? So much for the money factor!!!


I am hoping you will be eating your words before long. The Lightning will be a factor before you know it.

I would think that you would not trash something you don't own, if somebody is asking for a reference, they want to hear from somebody who has experience, not opinions!! I would LOVE to race you, just to show you what the Lightning can do, but, that won't happen. Maybe someone in your area will race you, just so you can see what the Lightning is capable of.

 

[CRSMP5]

u know it jumps very well i cannot say its off balance.. also.. IT IS NOT a HPI product..

a piece of info i found, as we all know hb does not make things, they buy a design and rename it.... well a lightning is a "1/8 Sacker Pro Kit" http://www.ozshops.com/cgi-bin/RT_R...y887k_detail::cy,d:,p:,s:,i:cy887k.jpg,t:&ip={mt=da&it=n&ap=radio&co=prdetail&us=1046786738-28&kn=pr.pr-land-203-7-255-001&**

i want a set of the blue aluminum.....

so there.. burnt nope.. again misinformation..

 

[CRSMP5]

ill just stay out of the 1/8th scale forum here.. its so stuck up that its not worth my time.. PM me or email me directly.. this is my last post to the 1/8th scale post.. I'm so sick of the BS and the pissing wars.. for those of you unwilling to open your eyes and say ok.. maybe it is a great bargan, and is able to be raced, too bad 99% of use people who frequent forums will never participate in a national race, and those being sponsored to be in a big race will take what they get.. as i said.. HB is not doing poop on its advertising of the buggy, or anything.. I'm sure if they did their job properly it would be being raced to show the stuck up asses on this forum there is competition in the market.. enough said.. buuuuh bye..

 

[Nitroaddict]

LOL - some people just make me laugh.

 

[wbynum]

humboldtblazer: Best I can tell you have pointed out no facts but just biased opinions. I have tried pretty hard to keep from bashing the Storm but since you race the Storm I see why you think every buggy needs aftermarket hopups. Go to any competative local track and you won't see many hopups on any of the high end buggies, except for a few durability upgrades (i.e. thicker shock towers on a K2). You will always have the people that will buy anything aftermarket, but 90% of the aftermarket parts mean nothing for performance.

I love how the Lightning bashers state as fact the Lightning is off balance, needs new suspension, etc, yet they admit they haven't seen the Lightning raced at a professional level. Let me guess, you saw some local newbie buy a Lightning and trash it and that's how you formed your opinion?

I will admit the Lightning Pro is probably a step below a K2 or the new Mugen in a top drivers hands, but my guess is 99% of the local racers couldn't tell the difference. If someone wants to spend the $300 - $400 more on another buggy, then all power to them. I just find it sad that newbies will be suckered into buying a Storm by certain people when a much better buggy is available for a cheaper price.