At nearly 30,000 views, this guide has proven to be one of my most watched videos. I'm glad that so many people have found this information useful. There have been a few additions to the Legendary Series (now commonly referred to as the Vintage Series) since I made this video. The '87 Worlds Mid, the JJ Ultima and most recently the Optima Pro. At some point I will revisit this guide to include the latest releases. Thank you all for your continued support.
@@albertkelly7129 Thank you! It was quite a task to transport everything to the park and film. I could not have done it without the help of my wife. 😊 But, things have moved on and Kyosho continue to add more buggies to the Legendary Series line up. Eventually I'm going to have to do a remake. That is going to be quite a challenge! 😅
Gosh dang I wish I could thumbs up this video/series more than once. Absolutely an amazing resource you’ve provided. I’m listening through for my 10th time at least. Thank you
Wow, thank you!! 😊 I had no idea this video would prove to be so useful to so many. As things have moved on and Kyosho continue to add new machines to the Legendary Series, I plan to revisit this topic and produce an updated version. But first I need to get around to building the newer machines including the two '87 Worlds specials and the Optima Pro.
I really like the 48p gears over the old 32p. With 48p you can actively get any pinion as they are widely used today. I have the Turbo Scorpion, Tomahawk, Optima, Javelin and the Turbo Optima. When I was a kid I had the Optima but I bought a Javelin body and would run it as either one.
Great video, as always. You manage to combine loads of information with stunning scenery and a very professional production. Kyosho can be very happy about this video. And it's so nice to see that this park seems to be maintained very well, I would love to visit this place at some point. I'm already owning seven of these, also because of your clips... Thanks for your great work!
Thank you for the kind words.😊 I'm still a novice when it comes to video production, especially editing. Final Cut Pro editing software is capable of so many things and it has been quite the learning curve! The park I visit most is very well maintained, but also very busy. On the first day of filming we had to wait for long periods of time because there were just so many people around. Sadly, a lot of the other parks I have access to are not so well kept, so during the summer months it can be difficult to run. Thanks for watching! 👍
Hello, thank you for this video. I discovered rc cars with an Optima from a friend when it just arrived in France. And since then I'm a fan of Kyosho. The Javelin is also my favorite of this series. Thank you again for this great moment
I had the bug, I raced the later version of the Ultima for a year And the Turbo Optima for a year But changed out for a FWD Yokomo for two years and the the first Losi buggy for two years then I moved to the first Losi truck and raced that for two years. Then moved to road racing. I raced in LA, Visalia, Fresno, Sacramento, and Modesto CA. It was a fun time.
Kyosho’s were way beyond my means back in the day. I ran a Monster Beetle for fun and when I got into racing, I got my hands on a Terra Scorcher. It didn’t do so well against Optima Mids, Ultimas and Top Cats on an indoor carpet track, but it was fun! Good times!👍
I grew up watching and then running these legends back in the 80's into the 90's, all of the performance machines were the ones to beat. It aas exciting watching who was going to have the world championship car after the season was over. Adults had formula one and nascar, we had the buggy championships as kids and young adults. My buddy always ran kyosho buggies, i ran associated, when he went to an optima, i went to a hotshot.. his always felt better in handling and durability. I stepped out of rc cars and went to planes, but breifly went back when tamyia had the tnx nito series, but left again. Now i want my childhood back and im glad both tamyia and kyosho are still doing old school re-release kits to bring back memories.
I love that you put your quick ones at the beginning and they were all useful. I built the javelin as my 2nd ever rc kit and always bashed it, so every hop up part from jaz rider is at this point on it and it runs phenomenal.
They are addictive! Even though many of them share more similarities than differences (Scorpions & Beetle or Optima & Javelin) they all have their own charms. It's worth getting them all if you can! 👍 Though, not good for the bank balance! 😅
I got a Javelin and recently added a Tomahawk to my collection. I love Kyosho's and specially the Legendary series. Now looking at the Beetle and wondering if I can mate the chassis with a Tamiya Beetle body :)
Hi David. Hi from Australia. Really appreciate you taking the time to unpack these wonderful creations. You present so well. What you’re doing is worth while. It makes happy to follow your rc journey.
Thanks! The white cage looks so much nice than the orange, personal opinion of course. 😁 When I get round to it I will be building the Carbon Spec Javelin. I finally have all the pieces ready, just no time for the build!
The Turbo Scorpion was buy first Legendary Series build and likewise I was really impressed with the quality of the kit. They are on the more expensive side, but the cost is well worth it. And the fact they've been modernized to better handle modern electronics is a real bonus.
I started with the Honda CR500 motorcycle and right now in the box's I've the Turbo Scorpion, the Optima Mid, and the Javelin, and coming today is my Ultima SB Dirt Master. And I have at least 30 competed Tamyia kits!!!! Great video, Ralphie
I recently got the beetle. Although I burned up the torque tuned motor on 3s in grass, I love that car. It’s fast, fun and handles well. I would love to add a tomahawk to the collection one of these days .. they’re great cars
Thank you David! I will follow your advice about using just a little on thread lock. I will just put the old swing shaft back and limit its turn on the remote. 🙂
Back in the day the Turbo Optima had a wider body for a 7 cell battery. It came with a "modified" motor and a speed control that could handle the extra current. Also in the box was bearings and a belt drive which were optional on the Optima and Javelin, and larger wheels. Lastly the shocks were larger in diameter and taller (making the shock towers larger as well) but they were still a locking collar and not threaded. Threaded shocks were available about a year later. I used to run my Optima with a Turbo Optima body with the Javelin inner roll bar underneath.
Very good buyers guide. I recently bought a scorpion, fit a brushless System in it and went to the beach. I was stunned how good the car drove through loose sand, the great suspension, it was absolutly amazing, these buggys do deliver.. the real weakpoint like you mentioned is the wheel-fitting situation.
Just another big THANK YOU and GOOD JOB for this (and your others) amazing breakdown of the Kyosho lineup. I reference them often as I slowly but surely accrue more for my collection 👍
Yes! The Optima Mid and Ultima are great and I can really see why so many people love them. I raced against the them back in the day and always dreamed of owning one. But now I'm finding I prefer the vintage designs of the earlier buggies, despite them being less capable. I hope Kyosho bring back some more of the older buggies!
@@KaiCityRC I recently got a vintage Kyosho Peanuts elec, think I prefer my original Scorpion, but the Peanuts does have a certain charm… The re releases are stunningly engineered in comparison to the vintage, fortunate to be able to compare 83 to 2014 with the Scorpion, even down to metal used the new ones are so much better.
What an excellent video! The information was presented in a very easy to digest manner. The quality of the shots and overall production kept me interested the whole time. i was bummed when it was over, lol!
Hi again David! I have a dilemma. The Hobbywing quicrun 1060 brushed ESC arrived yesterday and i installed it to my Kyosho Optima but the connectors are different. On the back of the box it says, "QUICRUN WP 1060 BRUSHED SBEC T PLUG". Did I order the wrong one? Please help which esc model and series I should order. This doesn't have the white Tamiya connector that I'm used to to connect to the battery. Or do I just need an adapter? And with regards to the steering servo. I bought the Zoskay servo high torque metal gear 25kg/0.13s 6.8v. Is it normal that after I've installed the servo horn, the front wheels is hard to turn left or right by hand? It doesn't move freely is what I'm trying to say. The servo horn that I used is the one that came with the RC kit #25 (OT203-3 Futaba Kyosho). Thanks again!!🙂
Now I wish I had all of these. Thank you for posting this 15:35 The only kyosho I have is from the 80's. Nitro truck think it was called Nissan hard body had a .10 size nitro motor. I always wanted the wild cat. Will be picking up few of these in the future thanks again
Brilliant video, thankyou. I was always a Tamiya kid so have naturally picked up the Tamiya Re-re's but have always looked at the Kyosho with envy. I'm heading to Japan for holidays in January and wanted to pick up some buggys to bring home. Any tips about where to pick up Turbo Optima, GForce Genovo etc.? I'll be in Tokyo and Kyoto. Thanks again for the video's, very well put together.
Thanks for commenting! 😊 I'm not familiar with Tokyo hobby shops, but a good place to start would be the Tokyo branch of Super Rajikon（スーパーラジコン) or Hobbyshop TamTam. Picking up a Genova would be pretty easy, as they usually in stock at most online retailers, so I'd imagine brick & mortar hobby shops have them too. But depending on timing, it might be harder to get a hold of a Turbo Optima. With all the Legendary Series, Kyosho tend to run off a batch, then they're in stock everywhere. But after a while pretty much everywhere will sell out, and you've got to wait for the next batch.
Fantastic camera work. I raced Scorpions and Beetles BITD, lovely little cars. Modified the heck out of them, you could get them just under the magic 3lb weight limit. Recently built myself a hybrid of the Turbo Scorpion and Tomahawk from re-release kits. It’s a great car.
Thanks! I would have loved to get my hands on a Kyosho kit back in the 80's, but sadly they were way beyond my budget at the time! Superb cars even then. I'm so glad Kyosho re-released them now. 👍
Great video David! Just received my first legendary series car but haven’t built it yet. The infamous Optima Mid. I like the longer videos Dave you’re very well spoken and it’s easy to learn about them so.
Mid 80ies I got myself a Progress, back then a crazy monster with Pre-Optima 4WD and Rear Motor and 4WS! Maybe it's time to get back on the horse and get me one of thos 60 year Optima specials?
Bro this is hands down THE BEST video on the legendary series hands shown and I haven't even finished watching it yet. Really informative THANKYOU! I'm getting back into RC wish I'd never sold all my gear (covid needed money) and I've got my heart set on a Kyosho retro buggy and haven't been able to decide. Beetle was my number 1 then the scorpion/scorpion turbo but I want them all honestly 😂 also vids just a really good watch, your camera work is great! Big ups
Incredible video, great commentary, information is it a premium, props to other channels on UA-cam, this is my first time watching this channel, but I will be subscribing. Really well done my friend!
What a great video on the Legendary Series cars David! You are right in that it’s hard to stop at owning just one..😂 Thanks for putting it together. Very enjoyable to watch. 👍😊
Thank you for watching! I'm a huge fan of the Legendary Series. I think some enthusiasts might be put of buying one because they're on the more expensive side of the spectrum and do not include a motor. Add to that for markets outside Japan, Tamiya's kits (usually) come with an ESC too, and I can see why people might be put off. But they are such lovely well made kits and I don't think anyone would be disappointed after buying one! 😊
The Lazer CVDs will also work on the optima if you place some shims or washers between the carrier and the wheel hex pin. The "dogbone" portion of the cvd is the correct length but the stub axle portion is a little too long, hence the need for shims. I found these easier to get than the universals.
Great tip! That's some really useful information. 👍 😊 Getting a hold of the universals is next to near impossible. When they come back in stock, you've got to be real quick!
@@KaiCityRC I finally have some universals, but the Lazer CVDs are working so well I plan on running them until something breaks. I've been a little tougher on the optima then I have meant to be (accidentally completely submerged the car and crawled out of a puddle in a field) and they are still going strong!
Definitely! Give one a try! They're relatively expensive, but totally worth it! 👍 Be warned though, buy one and you'll almost certainly want to buy an other! 😁
@@KaiCityRC : Mine hasn’t run in about 20 years. It’s mechanically all there so I’d like to restore it a bit. I would need all new electronics and I’m afraid modern LiPos and motors would grenade the 33 year old transmission. So, after your guide, I’m looking at getting the new 60th Anniversary Optima Mid kit and make that my primary runner. I still want to get the old chain drive Salute going for old time sake. Any thoughts on suitable motors/escs?
The Beetle is a kit I've always thought was super cool, but haven't owned myself. If I decide to purchase a new R/C, it would be between this, the Tamiya Blitzer Beetle and the Kyosho MadVan. The WL Toys 1/14 buggy is one I've been tempted to buy, but the price has doubled since first seeing it.
I enjoyed the video and suggestions, thank you. As a kid the only magazine full of models under my mattress was a Tower Hobbies catalog and I spent hours reading the advertisements and dreaming about each kit. I couldn't really afford any of the models and I was stuck with my Tyco Aerohopper that while fun was clearly a toy when compared to something like a Tamiya Fox Buggy. After I broke the A-arm on my Areo Hopper hitting a curb, I spent my lawnmowing cash on fixing up used RC cars which consisted of a worn-out Blackfoot and and hand-me-down RC10 gold-pan from a family member. I remember being intrigued by the Kyosho models. At 12 years old my Uncle noticed me walking around with my tower hobbies catalog and told me I could choose any model I wanted for my birthday. It was a dream come true, but what would I choose? Eventually I settled on the new electric USA-1 by Kyosho that just kept jumping out at me. In retrospect, I don't think the USA-1 lived up to Kyosho standards of quality as it was nearly all plastic and had a lot of issues with the steering linkages and other components that would pop-off or come loose. Still, I really liked my USA-1 and it was the first new RC vehicle I had ever built. Eventually I would go on to own a couple other RC cars after the USA-1, but I wouldn't come across another Kyohso vehicle until I bought a used 4wd Lazer from a neighbor kid. I was amazed at its smoothness and what seemed like a very solid build quality at the time. Since then I've bought a gas powered Inferno, which is built like a tank and has been very reliable. I'm highly considering buying a couple of these re-release models to build and toy around with. They'll spend a lot of time sitting on a shelf, but there's something about the throw-back look of these Kyosho models that brings me back to my childhood, a time when owning one was basically just a dream.
Watched it all, enjoyed all the Kyosho video's you have done. What a fleet! I know you have said in the past you are not a painter but I do like the colours you have done, they all look great. Well done 👏🏻
Wonderful job on the video my friend! A great rundown of all the buggies and also wonderful shots of them running around as always! I agree with you pretty much across the board (keeping in mind I don't have them all yet)! I know you said it was a long video but I didn't even notice the time go by, great job!
Thanks Addam! 😊 I contemplated splitting the video up into smaller parts, but I felt it would be better to keep everything in one (long) video. The Kyosho's are addictive and it's hard to stop at just one! 😁
Very informative video 👍 I have built and used and own all of the legendary series apart from the javelin and they are top quality rc buggies by far the best on the market and my favourite from all of them including tamiya’s rc vintage series is the optima mid😍 it is the coolest looking rc buggy that’s ever been designed followed very closely by the tamiya avante!
I certainly hope Kyosho will continue to bring out more buggies in the Legendary Series. Anything would be nice, but one of the older chassis would be great! 😊
I think they look great. 👍 I’ve personally never owned one, and they don’t seem to be very popular in Japan, but at some point I’d like to add one to the collection.
Thank you! The Turbo Scorpion is my favorite 2WD, and the Beetle just looks so cool. These Kyoshos are addictive, so I suspect it won't be long before you add a 4WD chassis to your collection too. 😁
I’m currently on 4. Ive just converted my Optima to a javelin . Bit expensive for the parts but the optima body is so hard to find and mine started to crack . Great overview and video😊👍
Great video David, all your buggy's look awesome and as you said, they're so much much better than any Tamiya buggy. I've got most of the off road Legendary Series buggy's apart from the Beetle and the Mid (I'll probably get a Mid one day). I've only built 3 so far (Scorpion/Turbo Scorpion and Javelin) but haven't completely finished or run any yet. Glad to see you used the proper front bumpers on the Optima/Javelin and Turbo Optima too instead of those other useless pieces of plastic (excuses for front bumpers). I don't know why people use them on these buggy's, it just makes them look incomplete and gives no frontal protection from impacts.
For those considering a box-art Optima: 2/3rds of the body is covered with stickers so it's pretty heavy (53g). Some stickers in specific areas are very difficult to apply perfectly. The rear part above the motor is a patchwork of yellow stickers, nearly impossible to get perfect. So if you're going box-art, you might want to consider using paint..(especially for the rear part) because the sticker sheets provide both options.
Great advice! I'm not that great at painting, and when I first saw the decal set for the Optima I thought "wow, no need to mask and paint all that yellow!" But then you look at what's involved in applying those decals and the angles involved...and yeah, going box art can be a challenge! 😅 The Turbo Scorpion's blue decals are almost as bad! But, to be fair, it's nice that Kyosho provide the decal option. 👍
@@KaiCityRC As you explained very well, the quality of these Kyosho's is simply incomparable with anything Tamiya offers -even if my Astute comes close. But as I was working on the body, I repeated over and over "the body/stickers should have been made by Tamiya"... The stickers are very "all or nothing" - corrections are very tricky without ripping them. True, I've never seen another brand offer both options on the sticker sheets. My Optima will end up as a hybrid: full stickers except for the yellow rear end : for those who are looking for the "right yellow" : I did some tests and I found that 3-4 layers of Vallejo Acrylic polyurethane Candy Yellow, backed with Tamiya white (for lexan) is "as near as makes no difference". Keep up the good work :)
I'm not too familiar with Kyosho's very early RC If memory serves, I believe the Eleck Peanuts was their first electric buggy. (but don't quote me!) The Land Jump came out later, but I think it was nitro only. It seems unlikely that Kyosho would have offered an electric conversion kit. Though I guess a 3rd party may have done? I'm sure over the years people have done their own EP conversions.
Hi there David. Are all your Kyosho RC's have the dean type connectors for the ESC and battery? I'm just wondering if you didn't use Tamiya connectors for any of your RC's. Thank you again!
You really have an awesome collection of classic Kyoshos there. I only have the Javelin and Scorpion, both re-re ofcourse. I wonder, would you recommend me getting the Turbo Scorpion although I alread have the 2014 Scorpion? I noticed that the main differences, besides certain cosmetics, are the wheels and a somewhat longer wheelbase. Is that all?
YES! 👍 But from a self-confessed Kyosho Legendary Series Addict I think you're asking the wrong person!! 😁😅☺️ Seriously though, you should get the Turbo Scorpion. The differences are subtle, but there are enough to make it interesting. Longer wheelbase, wider tread, wheels, tires, larger shocks & stays to name but a few. And if you still aren't convinced, I'd add that eventually Kyosho will stop making these re-re's (for whatever reason) and once that happens they'll be much harder to find and probably more expensive when you do. 👍
I got my eye on a turbo scorpion atm. But the tamiya BBX is in my radar too... how would you rate the bbx in comparison to the scorpion? The kyosho quality seens like it's on another level whilst the tamiya praise is distracting lol. Great vid 😀
Thanks for the comment. I don't have a BBX (yet!) so I can't really give you a fair comparison of the two. Kyosho's vintage buggies are mostly metal and are of a very high quality, whereas the BBX uses a lot of plastic. I've read it is of a higher quality than most other Tamiya kits. The BBX comes with alloy dampers and a slipper clutch too. Tough to say which is the better buggy (for the money).
Brilliant video! I am a Tamiya collector and you just convinced me to seriously consider Kyosho. That said, I am into Kyosho 1/8 nitros. Can you do a video covering the Inferno series and variants?
Thanks for watching. Unfortunately I don't have very many nitro RCs. Back in the mid 2000's I ran a TR15 Stadium Force, Inferno ST, Savage 4.6 and Tamiya TNX 5.2 among others. But lack of places to run them ultimately saw me move away from nitro in favor of electric. Right now the only one I have left is the TNX, plus a handful of nitro touring cars.
Awesome video!! My favorite 2wd Kyosho is the Scorpion. I live in the USA. When the Scorpion first came it out a long time ago, Kyosho was not known in the USA. So, it was released under the Cox Scorpion. However, all of the parts had the Kyosho name all over them. I originally had one of these Cox/Kyosho but sold it on eBay many years ago. I was so happy to see that Kyosho re-released the Scorpion again. Of course it did not have the Cox name on it. The re-release does have the red bottom loading shocks which are not very good. This is what the original Scorpion had. I got some Kyosho top loading shocks which work much better. I do have a re-lease Ultima 2wd buggy which I did this time install the bottom loading red shocks. They do work but I do not like them. My favorite Kyosho 4wd car is Optima Mid. I had an original one but sold it. I wish that I did not. I now have the Kyosho Optima Mid re-release kit. I have not yet built it will soon. Thoughts?
I'd say get that Mid built! 😁 The re-released Mid is very good and you won't be disappointed. The kit shocks work well too! I agree the kit shocks on the Scorpion etc aren't the greatest, but they are period correct I guess. I've not had any issues with mine, though I've heard quite a few people say they're prone to leaking. The HG shocks I installed on my Scorpion or the Gold Shocks I fitted to my Ultima are much better. 👍
i know these are on another level, but i just picked up an all original cosmo with lots of spare (new old stock) parts even the original futaba magnum radio. 50$ theres probably 200$ in spare parts. got a pretty good deal
Wow! You got a great deal there. 👍 The Cosmo maybe mostly plastic, but it’s still a great buggy with a lot of charm. They’re very hard to find now. Congrats on the purchase. 👍
Excellent video! Really appreciate the time and effort put into creating this. Tons of really good information about each buggy and I really enjoyed watching the running footage while listening to your descriptions. Thanks! Was it difficult to get all the buggies out to the park for the group shots?
😁 Yeah! Carrying nine buggies from the car park to the grass area took several trips back and forth. Thankfully my wife was helping out. The whole video shoot took a while to put together - charging multiple batteries, moving from one location to another, etc. And the parks were really busy on those days, so it was tricky to film without having many people in the shots. It was fun though and great to run all of them back to back.
Fantastic vid and talk. Scenery is just beautiful. I miss Japan now :( The only Legendary series I have is an Ultima, which is my favourite. I have a Scorpion and an Optima that are a Frankenstein mix of old and re-re parts.I'd have all of the legendary series if i could.
Thank you for the kind words. 😊 I'm based in Yamanashi, so quite a way from the big population centers. The scenery here is fantastic, though it has changed a lot in the last 20+ years. When I bought my first Kyosho re-re, the Turbo Scorpion, little did I know I would become addicted to them! It has taken a while, but I've been very fortunate to be able to collect them all. 😊
What an awesome video! Thanks for making this. It brought back so many nostalgic memories of building and racing these kits when I was a kid. 🙏🏼👍🏼😎 Where are these kits available nowadays?
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. 😊 I'd imagine most hobby shops around the world will stock some or all of them, though they do tend to go in and out of stock from time to time. Check out your local online retailers. 🙂
Not at the moment. I bought the kit when it was first released but have yet to get around to building it! 😅 As you're probably aware it has quite a few upgrades of the standard Mid. Most are more for aesthetics and reliability, the big performance changes are ball diffs, universals, better shocks and springs, and ball raced steering. Eventually I'll get around to it building, running and a review., but in the meantime I'm sure others have made reviews on their channels. 👍 Thanks for asking though and your comment reminded me I need to get the parts together to convert mine back to gear diffs - I hate ball diffs and if I was to ever race it, it would almost certainly be on carpet when gear diffs would be more reliable! 😁
@KaiCityRC one follow up question. I understand it is a re-issue of the 87 model. Wouldn't that result in an RC car without any improvements done to stability, drive train, etc.. in the last almost 40 years.... meaning it's probably not a great car?
@@DiDoria Kyosho made a lot of small, but significant improvements to all of their vintage re-releases. However they’re primarily to help with reliability and suitability for modern electronics, rather than performance gains. For example, the move to 48p gears, hex hardware and minor changes to the drivetrain. Overall though, they remain true to how they drove when they were new. 👍 Nevertheless, they are products of their time. RC racing has come a long way in the intervening years and generally speaking they would struggle to be competitive against a modern high end machine. * However, in vintage class racing they do very, very well. It all depends what kind of racing you want to do. I grew up during the Golden Era of RC and while my modern buggies are technically far superior, they aren’t as much fun as my vintage stuff. *a lot also depends on the driver skill. Let’s just say I wouldn’t bet on me winning if I raced my YZ-4 SF2 against Masami Hirosaka with a vintage 870c. 😅😉
@@KaiCityRC Thanks! Late reply but ended up buying the Mid 87. Excited to build it but first need to make a decision on the transmitter/receive and servo. As you seems pretty experienced. Any advise? Thanks :)
I've never owned one, but if Kyosho ever decide to re-release it, I'd be very tempted. I like the futuristic styling. It's more of a budget orientated buggy compared to the current re-releases. If memory serves it's mostly plastic with a design similar to a Hornet/Grasshopper.
Also I'd like to ask about the rear tires of the Scorpion and Tomahawk. Mine seem to have cracked over just a couple of years standing on the shelves. Is that normal? And would there perhaps be an alternative tougher tire from another kit from any manufacturer that would fit the old rims?
Interesting.🤔 None of mine have cracked despite (sadly) spending most of their time on a shelf. I do run them as often as I can though! I think that helps. Kyosho offered two sets of rear tires: SCT002MB are the kit supplied "medium" rear tires. There is also SCT002SB a soft compound set. Likewise the fronts are available in hard (kit), medium and soft. I'm not aware, at least over here, of any other maker offering tires for the Scorpion sized wheels. There probably are though! I'm no expert, but I guess cracking could also be caused by environmental factors such as heat, cold, exposure to sunlight, etc. Most of my collection sits in the dark in a cupboard, so very little light. No tire damage on any of them. But interestingly in the same cupboard the unused foam air filter in a nitro car disintegrated into nothing in 10 years! 😩
@@KaiCityRC 😆yeah, these air-filters do get pulverized in time, on my motorcycles as well. The Scorpion kit comes with the medium hardness rear and front tires, I had to get the softer front tires separately. I was satisfied with the rear tires but now as they've cracked I ordered new ones, also medium, I'll see how they hold up. I guess it could be due to my Scorpion's tread width overlaps the shelf some on the edges, thus putting uneven load on the tires.
Hi David - these videos are great and I'm so sold on getting a few of these cars myself. I am already well down the path of a 'Pro-Spec' Javelin (have bought all the carbon parts, all the gold anodised parts and shocks, black wheels, white cage). I have bought 2 motors (also want a Turbo Scorpion - please stop spending my money!). 1 motor is the 240s Gold 13.5T, the other the 15.5T 240S for 4wd. Am also thinking about the Fantom to come under the wing in time. Originally thinking 13.5T gold motor for the gold Javelin to match the color scheme - will it be too much in terms of speed in your opinion? Or just gear it down? Then thought to use the 15.5T for the Turbo Scorpion, but it turns out the 19.5T meant for 2wd has a higher rpm than the 15.5T! Confused! Can you help me match the 2 motors, and thoughts on the next motor to get if I got the Fantom? My other thought would be 15.7T for Javelin, 13.5 for the Fantom and buy the 19.5T for the Scorpion a-la Kyosho recommendation. Hope that made sense as I'd value your thoughts 👍 Cheers!
Hi there! Either the 13.5T or 15.5T 240S will work fine in the Javelin. 👍 You can run anything from a 16T to 30T pinion, so there's plenty of room to adjust the gearing to match your needs. If you're fitting the gold anodized parts from the Turbo Optima, then I'd go with the Le Mans 240 Gold (but I am biased 😁) It just looks so good. 😎 You might also want to consider picking up the HD slipper pads, and Kyosho recommends the MCN Spur gear too. Though, that can be very hard to find at times. As for the RPM differences between the 15.5T and 19.5T 240S motors, my guess would be the 15.5T is tuned for better torque output at the expense of RPM. I'd personally go with the 19.5 in the Scorpion to be honest. It's a vintage design and although the transmission has been updated to handle higher powered motors, the suspension remains decidedly old school! I run the relatively slow 30T brushed Le Mans (I'm a bit old school myself 😅) and find them to be adequate for my needs when running the standard 6.9:1 gearing. Not fast, but not 540 silver can slow either. Sorry, I can't really help with the Fantom as I don't have one and it's been quite a few years since I ran any on road chassis. (very few places to run on road around here). I will say that if you get the 60th anniversary version, then there's really only one choice for the motor: GOLD! 😁 Hope that helps! Good luck with the Javelin build! It will look awesome when done I'm sure! 👍
At nearly 30,000 views, this guide has proven to be one of my most watched videos. I'm glad that so many people have found this information useful. There have been a few additions to the Legendary Series (now commonly referred to as the Vintage Series) since I made this video. The '87 Worlds Mid, the JJ Ultima and most recently the Optima Pro. At some point I will revisit this guide to include the latest releases.
Thank you all for your continued support.
Thank you David! The amount of work that must have gone into this is mind boggling but what a superb reference for this series. Outstanding!
@@albertkelly7129 Thank you! It was quite a task to transport everything to the park and film. I could not have done it without the help of my wife. 😊
But, things have moved on and Kyosho continue to add more buggies to the Legendary Series line up. Eventually I'm going to have to do a remake. That is going to be quite a challenge! 😅
Gosh dang I wish I could thumbs up this video/series more than once. Absolutely an amazing resource you’ve provided. I’m listening through for my 10th time at least. Thank you
Wow, thank you!! 😊 I had no idea this video would prove to be so useful to so many. As things have moved on and Kyosho continue to add new machines to the Legendary Series, I plan to revisit this topic and produce an updated version. But first I need to get around to building the newer machines including the two '87 Worlds specials and the Optima Pro.
Thank you so much for your video.....what a beautiful place to have to film these classics
Thanks!
I really like the 48p gears over the old 32p. With 48p you can actively get any pinion as they are widely used today. I have the Turbo Scorpion, Tomahawk, Optima, Javelin and the Turbo Optima. When I was a kid I had the Optima but I bought a Javelin body and would run it as either one.
Great video, as always. You manage to combine loads of information with stunning scenery and a very professional production. Kyosho can be very happy about this video. And it's so nice to see that this park seems to be maintained very well, I would love to visit this place at some point.
I'm already owning seven of these, also because of your clips... Thanks for your great work!
Thank you for the kind words.😊 I'm still a novice when it comes to video production, especially editing. Final Cut Pro editing software is capable of so many things and it has been quite the learning curve! The park I visit most is very well maintained, but also very busy. On the first day of filming we had to wait for long periods of time because there were just so many people around. Sadly, a lot of the other parks I have access to are not so well kept, so during the summer months it can be difficult to run.
Thanks for watching! 👍
Hello, thank you for this video.
I discovered rc cars with an Optima from a friend when it just arrived in France. And since then I'm a fan of Kyosho. The Javelin is also my favorite of this series.
Thank you again for this great moment
The Javelin is one of my favorites too! 👍
just purchased the Optima Re-re, this video keep me occupied while i waiting my package to come lol
man, nothing like these old buggies. Just the way they look is amazing
Thanks! Kyosho made some fantastic looking buggies back in the day. 👍
I had the bug, I raced the later version of the Ultima for a year And the Turbo Optima for a year But changed out for a FWD Yokomo for two years and the the first Losi buggy for two years then I moved to the first Losi truck and raced that for two years. Then moved to road racing. I raced in LA, Visalia, Fresno, Sacramento, and Modesto CA. It was a fun time.
Kyosho’s were way beyond my means back in the day. I ran a Monster Beetle for fun and when I got into racing, I got my hands on a Terra Scorcher. It didn’t do so well against Optima Mids, Ultimas and Top Cats on an indoor carpet track, but it was fun! Good times!👍
I grew up watching and then running these legends back in the 80's into the 90's, all of the performance machines were the ones to beat. It aas exciting watching who was going to have the world championship car after the season was over. Adults had formula one and nascar, we had the buggy championships as kids and young adults. My buddy always ran kyosho buggies, i ran associated, when he went to an optima, i went to a hotshot.. his always felt better in handling and durability. I stepped out of rc cars and went to planes, but breifly went back when tamyia had the tnx nito series, but left again. Now i want my childhood back and im glad both tamyia and kyosho are still doing old school re-release kits to bring back memories.
It's great that other companies are following Tamiya's lead and re-releasing kits from long ago so that we can all enjoy them once again. 😊
Ahhh, when off-road race cars looked like off-road race cars.
The Javelin is my favorite, as well. I went with a yellow cage. The Turbo Scorpion is my second favorite. Both were an absolute joy to build.
I love that you put your quick ones at the beginning and they were all useful. I built the javelin as my 2nd ever rc kit and always bashed it, so every hop up part from jaz rider is at this point on it and it runs phenomenal.
Thank! I'm glad the video was helpful. I love my Javelin. One of THE best looking buggies for sure. 👍
I had a feeling I was going to buy the whole series. After watching this video. I must buy!
Great video. Love Kyosho.
They are addictive! Even though many of them share more similarities than differences (Scorpions & Beetle or Optima & Javelin) they all have their own charms. It's worth getting them all if you can! 👍 Though, not good for the bank balance! 😅
Me too.
This will be an expensive journey
I got a Javelin and recently added a Tomahawk to my collection. I love Kyosho's and specially the Legendary series. Now looking at the Beetle and wondering if I can mate the chassis with a Tamiya Beetle body :)
Hi David. Hi from Australia. Really appreciate you taking the time to unpack these wonderful creations. You present so well. What you’re doing is worth while. It makes happy to follow your rc journey.
Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment. Your support is very much appreciated. 😊
.. and, your Javelin looks awesome! You nailed it with that white cage, red wing and black rims. Just dead cool! I'll do mine the same way.
Thanks! The white cage looks so much nice than the orange, personal opinion of course. 😁 When I get round to it I will be building the Carbon Spec Javelin. I finally have all the pieces ready, just no time for the build!
@@KaiCityRC I'm sure you'll nail that too. Looking forward to your next clip with it.
I have the re-re Optima and Turbo Scorpion. I loved building both, but I was blown away by the quality of the Turbo Scorpion parts.
The Turbo Scorpion was buy first Legendary Series build and likewise I was really impressed with the quality of the kit. They are on the more expensive side, but the cost is well worth it. And the fact they've been modernized to better handle modern electronics is a real bonus.
Beautifully produced video. Great breakdown of all the buggies.
Glad you enjoyed it! 😊
You get a fat kiss ❤❤❤ for preparing everything outside to take this Video of your collection.
Thanks for that
Some of the finest car-follow shots I have seen! Well done! So much nostalgia in one video!
Thanks! ☺️
I started with the Honda CR500 motorcycle and right now in the box's I've the Turbo Scorpion, the Optima Mid, and the Javelin, and coming today is my Ultima SB Dirt Master.
And I have at least 30 competed Tamyia kits!!!!
Great video, Ralphie
Great informative video, and now I want them all.
They’re very addictive! 😅
I recently got the beetle. Although I burned up the torque tuned motor on 3s in grass, I love that car. It’s fast, fun and handles well. I would love to add a tomahawk to the collection one of these days .. they’re great cars
Hi David This is Akira Kogawa It was very nice to see you at Shizuoka Hobby Show. Thank you for great videos!!
Thank you! It was great to meet you too! 😊
Thank you David! I will follow your advice about using just a little on thread lock. I will just put the old swing shaft back and limit its turn on the remote. 🙂
Back in the day the Turbo Optima had a wider body for a 7 cell battery. It came with a "modified" motor and a speed control that could handle the extra current. Also in the box was bearings and a belt drive which were optional on the Optima and Javelin, and larger wheels. Lastly the shocks were larger in diameter and taller (making the shock towers larger as well) but they were still a locking collar and not threaded. Threaded shocks were available about a year later. I used to run my Optima with a Turbo Optima body with the Javelin inner roll bar underneath.
Can I just say that I don't understand how your channel has less than 2000 subscribers 😢
You make really great content 👏
Keep up the excellent work 👍👌
Thank you for the kind words. 😊
Very good buyers guide.
I recently bought a scorpion, fit a brushless System in it and went to the beach. I was stunned how good the car drove through loose sand, the great suspension, it was absolutly amazing, these buggys do deliver.. the real weakpoint like you mentioned is the wheel-fitting situation.
Thank you! The suspension on the older 2WD buggies works really, really well and one of the things I really like about their design. 👍
Just another big THANK YOU and GOOD JOB for this (and your others) amazing breakdown of the Kyosho lineup. I reference them often as I slowly but surely accrue more for my collection 👍
Thank you, I'm happy to hear my videos are proving useful. 😊
Love this video. Brilliant overview and detail on the best rc car range ever put together in my opinion.
Thanks!
Another great video David, I agree with you that vintage feel is the thing that floats my boat!
Yes! The Optima Mid and Ultima are great and I can really see why so many people love them. I raced against the them back in the day and always dreamed of owning one. But now I'm finding I prefer the vintage designs of the earlier buggies, despite them being less capable. I hope Kyosho bring back some more of the older buggies!
@@KaiCityRC I recently got a vintage Kyosho Peanuts elec, think I prefer my original Scorpion, but the Peanuts does have a certain charm… The re releases are stunningly engineered in comparison to the vintage, fortunate to be able to compare 83 to 2014 with the Scorpion, even down to metal used the new ones are so much better.
What an excellent video! The information was presented in a very easy to digest manner. The quality of the shots and overall production kept me interested the whole time. i was bummed when it was over, lol!
Thank you for the positive feedback and kind words. 😊 I'm glad people are finding my videos useful. 👍
Thanks again for all your help and much needed advice David!!
Hi again David! I have a dilemma. The Hobbywing quicrun 1060 brushed ESC arrived yesterday and i installed it to my Kyosho Optima but the connectors are different. On the back of the box it says, "QUICRUN WP 1060 BRUSHED SBEC T PLUG". Did I order the wrong one? Please help which esc model and series I should order. This doesn't have the white Tamiya connector that I'm used to to connect to the battery. Or do I just need an adapter?
And with regards to the steering servo. I bought the Zoskay servo high torque metal gear 25kg/0.13s 6.8v. Is it normal that after I've installed the servo horn, the front wheels is hard to turn left or right by hand? It doesn't move freely is what I'm trying to say. The servo horn that I used is the one that came with the RC kit #25 (OT203-3 Futaba Kyosho). Thanks again!!🙂
Now I wish I had all of these. Thank you for posting this 15:35 The only kyosho I have is from the 80's. Nitro truck think it was called Nissan hard body had a .10 size nitro motor. I always wanted the wild cat. Will be picking up few of these in the future thanks again
Thank you for watching. 😊
Brilliant video, thankyou. I was always a Tamiya kid so have naturally picked up the Tamiya Re-re's but have always looked at the Kyosho with envy. I'm heading to Japan for holidays in January and wanted to pick up some buggys to bring home. Any tips about where to pick up Turbo Optima, GForce Genovo etc.? I'll be in Tokyo and Kyoto. Thanks again for the video's, very well put together.
Thanks for commenting! 😊 I'm not familiar with Tokyo hobby shops, but a good place to start would be the Tokyo branch of Super Rajikon（スーパーラジコン) or Hobbyshop TamTam. Picking up a Genova would be pretty easy, as they usually in stock at most online retailers, so I'd imagine brick & mortar hobby shops have them too. But depending on timing, it might be harder to get a hold of a Turbo Optima. With all the Legendary Series, Kyosho tend to run off a batch, then they're in stock everywhere. But after a while pretty much everywhere will sell out, and you've got to wait for the next batch.
Fantastic camera work.
I raced Scorpions and Beetles BITD, lovely little cars. Modified the heck out of them, you could get them just under the magic 3lb weight limit.
Recently built myself a hybrid of the Turbo Scorpion and Tomahawk from re-release kits. It’s a great car.
Thanks! I would have loved to get my hands on a Kyosho kit back in the 80's, but sadly they were way beyond my budget at the time! Superb cars even then. I'm so glad Kyosho re-released them now. 👍
Thank you for this very interesting and comprehensive guide to the Legendaryseries David👍I enjoy and appreciate your videos very much.
Thanks for watching. 😊 Hopefully Kyosho will bring out more vintage buggies in the future!
Fantastic video, loads of info without getting too technical and certainly helping me make my decision for my first kyosho purchase
Thanks! 😊
Great video David! Just received my first legendary series car but haven’t built it yet. The infamous Optima Mid. I like the longer videos Dave you’re very well spoken and it’s easy to learn about them so.
Thank you for the support! 😊 This has been my most challenging and involved video I've done to date. 😅
Good luck with the Mid build! 👍
Mid 80ies I got myself a Progress, back then a crazy monster with Pre-Optima 4WD and Rear Motor and 4WS! Maybe it's time to get back on the horse and get me one of thos 60 year Optima specials?
Fun watch, thank you. I just decided on the wild one buggy
Good choice! 👍The Wild One oozes retro cool! I love my BHM edition. 😊
Bro this is hands down THE BEST video on the legendary series hands shown and I haven't even finished watching it yet. Really informative THANKYOU! I'm getting back into RC wish I'd never sold all my gear (covid needed money) and I've got my heart set on a Kyosho retro buggy and haven't been able to decide. Beetle was my number 1 then the scorpion/scorpion turbo but I want them all honestly 😂 also vids just a really good watch, your camera work is great! Big ups
Thank you! 😊
David, Great video and overview 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 I’m sooo hooked on Kyosho and I’m building my collection.
They are addictive! 😁
Incredible video, great commentary, information is it a premium, props to other channels on UA-cam, this is my first time watching this channel, but I will be subscribing. Really well done my friend!
Thanks for the kind words. 😊 I'm glad you found the video useful.
What a great video on the Legendary Series cars David! You are right in that it’s hard to stop at owning just one..😂 Thanks for putting it together. Very enjoyable to watch. 👍😊
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed. 😊 The Legendary Series should come with a warning label: ⚠️ Warning, Highly Addictive.
Amazing David! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with the community dude 👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you for watching! I'm a huge fan of the Legendary Series. I think some enthusiasts might be put of buying one because they're on the more expensive side of the spectrum and do not include a motor. Add to that for markets outside Japan, Tamiya's kits (usually) come with an ESC too, and I can see why people might be put off. But they are such lovely well made kits and I don't think anyone would be disappointed after buying one! 😊
@@KaiCityRC just assembled my first! I am sure I will be back for more 😎
Great video! I'm off to browse the hobby stores... just browse... honest.
Such an awesome video!!!! Thank you 🙏🏼
Glad it was useful Thanks! 😊
The Lazer CVDs will also work on the optima if you place some shims or washers between the carrier and the wheel hex pin. The "dogbone" portion of the cvd is the correct length but the stub axle portion is a little too long, hence the need for shims. I found these easier to get than the universals.
Great tip! That's some really useful information. 👍 😊 Getting a hold of the universals is next to near impossible. When they come back in stock, you've got to be real quick!
@@KaiCityRC I finally have some universals, but the Lazer CVDs are working so well I plan on running them until something breaks. I've been a little tougher on the optima then I have meant to be (accidentally completely submerged the car and crawled out of a puddle in a field) and they are still going strong!
Superb roundup, the only problem is you’ve put 4 of these cars on my want list 🤦🏻♂️🤣
They are addictive!
Thanks, only used to Tamiya I want to try Kyosho !
Definitely! Give one a try! They're relatively expensive, but totally worth it! 👍
Be warned though, buy one and you'll almost certainly want to buy an other! 😁
Enjoyed the video. I have an original Kyosho Salute. It uses the same wonderful chassis as the Turbo Optima. Wonder if it'll ever get re-released.
I hope so!
@@KaiCityRC : Mine hasn’t run in about 20 years. It’s mechanically all there so I’d like to restore it a bit. I would need all new electronics and I’m afraid modern LiPos and motors would grenade the 33 year old transmission. So, after your guide, I’m looking at getting the new 60th Anniversary Optima Mid kit and make that my primary runner. I still want to get the old chain drive Salute going for old time sake. Any thoughts on suitable motors/escs?
The Beetle is a kit I've always thought was super cool, but haven't owned myself. If I decide to purchase a new R/C, it would be between this, the Tamiya Blitzer Beetle and the Kyosho MadVan.
The WL Toys 1/14 buggy is one I've been tempted to buy, but the price has doubled since first seeing it.
Great video on Kyosho cars!
Thank you! 😊
I enjoyed the video and suggestions, thank you. As a kid the only magazine full of models under my mattress was a Tower Hobbies catalog and I spent hours reading the advertisements and dreaming about each kit. I couldn't really afford any of the models and I was stuck with my Tyco Aerohopper that while fun was clearly a toy when compared to something like a Tamiya Fox Buggy. After I broke the A-arm on my Areo Hopper hitting a curb, I spent my lawnmowing cash on fixing up used RC cars which consisted of a worn-out Blackfoot and and hand-me-down RC10 gold-pan from a family member.
I remember being intrigued by the Kyosho models. At 12 years old my Uncle noticed me walking around with my tower hobbies catalog and told me I could choose any model I wanted for my birthday. It was a dream come true, but what would I choose? Eventually I settled on the new electric USA-1 by Kyosho that just kept jumping out at me. In retrospect, I don't think the USA-1 lived up to Kyosho standards of quality as it was nearly all plastic and had a lot of issues with the steering linkages and other components that would pop-off or come loose. Still, I really liked my USA-1 and it was the first new RC vehicle I had ever built.
Eventually I would go on to own a couple other RC cars after the USA-1, but I wouldn't come across another Kyohso vehicle until I bought a used 4wd Lazer from a neighbor kid. I was amazed at its smoothness and what seemed like a very solid build quality at the time. Since then I've bought a gas powered Inferno, which is built like a tank and has been very reliable. I'm highly considering buying a couple of these re-release models to build and toy around with. They'll spend a lot of time sitting on a shelf, but there's something about the throw-back look of these Kyosho models that brings me back to my childhood, a time when owning one was basically just a dream.
Watched it all, enjoyed all the Kyosho video's you have done. What a fleet! I know you have said in the past you are not a painter but I do like the colours you have done, they all look great. Well done 👏🏻
Thanks for the kind words. 😊
Great video, now I want them all!
Thanks! They're very addictive!
This is very helpful. Thank you for making this!
I am pleased that people are finding it helpful! Thank you for watching and commenting. 😊
What an incredibly informative awesome video!
Thank you for the kind words. 😊
Wonderful job on the video my friend! A great rundown of all the buggies and also wonderful shots of them running around as always! I agree with you pretty much across the board (keeping in mind I don't have them all yet)! I know you said it was a long video but I didn't even notice the time go by, great job!
Thanks Addam! 😊 I contemplated splitting the video up into smaller parts, but I felt it would be better to keep everything in one (long) video. The Kyosho's are addictive and it's hard to stop at just one! 😁
@@KaiCityRC It was great and I am glad you kept in on video, I enjoyed it a lot!
Very informative video 👍 I have built and used and own all of the legendary series apart from the javelin and they are top quality rc buggies by far the best on the market and my favourite from all of them including tamiya’s rc vintage series is the optima mid😍 it is the coolest looking rc buggy that’s ever been designed followed very closely by the tamiya avante!
Thanks for watching and commenting. 😊 The Kyosho Legendary Series truly are fantastic RCs! 👍
Great video! Thanks so much for this.
Thank you for watching! 😊
Hey David I don't think they're finished bringing out new ones of the old ones.
I certainly hope Kyosho will continue to bring out more buggies in the Legendary Series. Anything would be nice, but one of the older chassis would be great! 😊
Fantastic video great cinematography full of great information I was just curious what are your thoughts on team associated
I think they look great. 👍 I’ve personally never owned one, and they don’t seem to be very popular in Japan, but at some point I’d like to add one to the collection.
Awesome video and good looking buggy's. That is a beautiful place, mind sharing where it is? Would love to visit one day!!
Yamanashi, Japan. 👍
Thanks!
Wow you packed a lot into this video. Very comprehensive guide to these great cars. I've got the Turbo Scorpion and Beetle which are great 😁
Thank you! The Turbo Scorpion is my favorite 2WD, and the Beetle just looks so cool.
These Kyoshos are addictive, so I suspect it won't be long before you add a 4WD chassis to your collection too. 😁
OT but this park is beautiful, doesn't look like its in Tokyo? I would love to travel and check it out.
It's in Yamanashi, Japan.
Wow, I really enjoyed this!
Thank you!
京商は、いいラジコンですね。
Great Vid, Just getting into Kyosho.. Thanks for sharing...👍
I’m currently on 4.
Ive just converted my Optima to a javelin . Bit expensive for the parts but the optima body is so hard to find and mine started to crack .
Great overview and video😊👍
😁Seems like you're also becoming addicted to the Kyosho Legends! Won't be long before you pick up number 5! 😅
@@KaiCityRC I’d love the mid but funds aren’t happening just yet 😂
Great video. Love these cars
Thanks! 👍
Great video!! Where are these beautiful parks located??
The parks are in Yamanashi, Japan. 😊
Great video and love the buggies. Can I ask what colour that is on the Turbo Optima, the metallic grey looks amazing!
Tamiya ps-63 bright gunmetal. 👍
Love it! Thanks so much for this! You’re work and dedication is awesome
Thank you!
Absolutely! also, feel free to check out my vids on my optima mid :) hope u like! @@KaiCityRC
Great video David, all your buggy's look awesome and as you said, they're so much much better than any Tamiya buggy. I've got most of the off road Legendary Series buggy's apart from the Beetle and the Mid (I'll probably get a Mid one day). I've only built 3 so far (Scorpion/Turbo Scorpion and Javelin) but haven't completely finished or run any yet. Glad to see you used the proper front bumpers on the Optima/Javelin and Turbo Optima too instead of those other useless pieces of plastic (excuses for front bumpers). I don't know why people use them on these buggy's, it just makes them look incomplete and gives no frontal protection from impacts.
Bumpers were not an option for me! With my driving, I need bumpers! 😁
Thanks for watching! 😊
For those considering a box-art Optima: 2/3rds of the body is covered with stickers so it's pretty heavy (53g). Some stickers in specific areas are very difficult to apply perfectly. The rear part above the motor is a patchwork of yellow stickers, nearly impossible to get perfect. So if you're going box-art, you might want to consider using paint..(especially for the rear part) because the sticker sheets provide both options.
Great advice! I'm not that great at painting, and when I first saw the decal set for the Optima I thought "wow, no need to mask and paint all that yellow!" But then you look at what's involved in applying those decals and the angles involved...and yeah, going box art can be a challenge! 😅 The Turbo Scorpion's blue decals are almost as bad!
But, to be fair, it's nice that Kyosho provide the decal option. 👍
@@KaiCityRC As you explained very well, the quality of these Kyosho's is simply incomparable with anything Tamiya offers -even if my Astute comes close. But as I was working on the body, I repeated over and over "the body/stickers should have been made by Tamiya"... The stickers are very "all or nothing" - corrections are very tricky without ripping them. True, I've never seen another brand offer both options on the sticker sheets. My Optima will end up as a hybrid: full stickers except for the yellow rear end : for those who are looking for the "right yellow" : I did some tests and I found that 3-4 layers of Vallejo Acrylic polyurethane Candy Yellow, backed with Tamiya white (for lexan) is "as near as makes no difference". Keep up the good work :)
Happy Holidays Mate!!! This is my 3rd viewing!!! lol Absolutely EPIC...Cheers🏆💯🏁
Wow, thank you! 😊 Have a great winter holiday! 👍
Talking oldschool: Was there ever a Kyosho Landjump electric conversion ?? I am asking because I did see one on a flea market.😑
I'm not too familiar with Kyosho's very early RC If memory serves, I believe the Eleck Peanuts was their first electric buggy. (but don't quote me!)
The Land Jump came out later, but I think it was nitro only. It seems unlikely that Kyosho would have offered an electric conversion kit. Though I guess a 3rd party may have done?
I'm sure over the years people have done their own EP conversions.
Hi there David. Are all your Kyosho RC's have the dean type connectors for the ESC and battery? I'm just wondering if you didn't use Tamiya connectors for any of your RC's. Thank you again!
Yes, the first thing I do is replace the Tamiya connector with a Deans one.
Wonderful video, your stiff is pretty nice, can I ask what weight oil you use in the rear shocks on the Tomahawk?
It's been a while since I built it, but I'm pretty sure I went with the kit oil.
The black one looks cool
You really have an awesome collection of classic Kyoshos there. I only have the Javelin and Scorpion, both re-re ofcourse. I wonder, would you recommend me getting the Turbo Scorpion although I alread have the 2014 Scorpion? I noticed that the main differences, besides certain cosmetics, are the wheels and a somewhat longer wheelbase. Is that all?
YES! 👍
But from a self-confessed Kyosho Legendary Series Addict I think you're asking the wrong person!! 😁😅☺️
Seriously though, you should get the Turbo Scorpion. The differences are subtle, but there are enough to make it interesting. Longer wheelbase, wider tread, wheels, tires, larger shocks & stays to name but a few. And if you still aren't convinced, I'd add that eventually Kyosho will stop making these re-re's (for whatever reason) and once that happens they'll be much harder to find and probably more expensive when you do. 👍
@@KaiCityRC Thanks. I see your point.
I got my eye on a turbo scorpion atm. But the tamiya BBX is in my radar too... how would you rate the bbx in comparison to the scorpion? The kyosho quality seens like it's on another level whilst the tamiya praise is distracting lol.
Great vid 😀
Thanks for the comment. I don't have a BBX (yet!) so I can't really give you a fair comparison of the two. Kyosho's vintage buggies are mostly metal and are of a very high quality, whereas the BBX uses a lot of plastic. I've read it is of a higher quality than most other Tamiya kits. The BBX comes with alloy dampers and a slipper clutch too. Tough to say which is the better buggy (for the money).
Brilliant video! I am a Tamiya collector and you just convinced me to seriously consider Kyosho. That said, I am into Kyosho 1/8 nitros. Can you do a video covering the Inferno series and variants?
Thanks for watching.
Unfortunately I don't have very many nitro RCs. Back in the mid 2000's I ran a TR15 Stadium Force, Inferno ST, Savage 4.6 and Tamiya TNX 5.2 among others. But lack of places to run them ultimately saw me move away from nitro in favor of electric. Right now the only one I have left is the TNX, plus a handful of nitro touring cars.
Great video I learned alot
Thank you!
Awesome video!! My favorite 2wd Kyosho is the Scorpion. I live in the USA. When the Scorpion first came it out a long time ago, Kyosho was not known in the USA. So, it was released under the Cox Scorpion. However, all of the parts had the Kyosho name all over them. I originally had one of these Cox/Kyosho but sold it on eBay many years ago. I was so happy to see that Kyosho re-released the Scorpion again. Of course it did not have the Cox name on it. The re-release does have the red bottom loading shocks which are not very good. This is what the original Scorpion had. I got some Kyosho top loading shocks which work much better. I do have a re-lease Ultima 2wd buggy which I did this time install the bottom loading red shocks. They do work but I do not like them. My favorite Kyosho 4wd car is Optima Mid. I had an original one but sold it. I wish that I did not. I now have the Kyosho Optima Mid re-release kit. I have not yet built it will soon. Thoughts?
I'd say get that Mid built! 😁 The re-released Mid is very good and you won't be disappointed. The kit shocks work well too! I agree the kit shocks on the Scorpion etc aren't the greatest, but they are period correct I guess. I've not had any issues with mine, though I've heard quite a few people say they're prone to leaking. The HG shocks I installed on my Scorpion or the Gold Shocks I fitted to my Ultima are much better. 👍
@@KaiCityRC I definitely am going to build my Optima Mid next. I did get the kit the extra decals too.Thoughts?
i know these are on another level, but i just picked up an all original cosmo with lots of spare (new old stock) parts even the original futaba magnum radio. 50$ theres probably 200$ in spare parts. got a pretty good deal
Wow! You got a great deal there. 👍 The Cosmo maybe mostly plastic, but it’s still a great buggy with a lot of charm. They’re very hard to find now. Congrats on the purchase. 👍
Excellent video! Really appreciate the time and effort put into creating this. Tons of really good information about each buggy and I really enjoyed watching the running footage while listening to your descriptions. Thanks!
Was it difficult to get all the buggies out to the park for the group shots?
😁 Yeah! Carrying nine buggies from the car park to the grass area took several trips back and forth. Thankfully my wife was helping out. The whole video shoot took a while to put together - charging multiple batteries, moving from one location to another, etc. And the parks were really busy on those days, so it was tricky to film without having many people in the shots.
It was fun though and great to run all of them back to back.
I wonder what happen if you put the g14 motor in there that's from the four-wheel drive muscle cars.
Awesome video! Scenery is 🔥 Where is this?
Yamanashi, Japan.
Fantastic vid and talk. Scenery is just beautiful. I miss Japan now :( The only Legendary series I have is an Ultima, which is my favourite. I have a Scorpion and an Optima that are a Frankenstein mix of old and re-re parts.I'd have all of the legendary series if i could.
Thank you for the kind words. 😊 I'm based in Yamanashi, so quite a way from the big population centers. The scenery here is fantastic, though it has changed a lot in the last 20+ years. When I bought my first Kyosho re-re, the Turbo Scorpion, little did I know I would become addicted to them! It has taken a while, but I've been very fortunate to be able to collect them all. 😊
@@KaiCityRC Yamanashi is right next to Fujisan isn’t it?
@@Pablo668 That's right! I can just about see Fuji from my window.
What an awesome video! Thanks for making this. It brought back so many nostalgic memories of building and racing these kits when I was a kid. 🙏🏼👍🏼😎
Where are these kits available nowadays?
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. 😊 I'd imagine most hobby shops around the world will stock some or all of them, though they do tend to go in and out of stock from time to time. Check out your local online retailers. 🙂
@@KaiCityRC Thank you I've checked out a few local hobby shops and found one.
Great video!
Thanks!
Got a review on the Kyosho Buggy Optima Mid'87?
Not at the moment. I bought the kit when it was first released but have yet to get around to building it! 😅 As you're probably aware it has quite a few upgrades of the standard Mid. Most are more for aesthetics and reliability, the big performance changes are ball diffs, universals, better shocks and springs, and ball raced steering. Eventually I'll get around to it building, running and a review., but in the meantime I'm sure others have made reviews on their channels. 👍
Thanks for asking though and your comment reminded me I need to get the parts together to convert mine back to gear diffs - I hate ball diffs and if I was to ever race it, it would almost certainly be on carpet when gear diffs would be more reliable! 😁
@@KaiCityRC Thanks for elaborating.
@KaiCityRC one follow up question. I understand it is a re-issue of the 87 model. Wouldn't that result in an RC car without any improvements done to stability, drive train, etc.. in the last almost 40 years.... meaning it's probably not a great car?
@@DiDoria Kyosho made a lot of small, but significant improvements to all of their vintage re-releases. However they’re primarily to help with reliability and suitability for modern electronics, rather than performance gains. For example, the move to 48p gears, hex hardware and minor changes to the drivetrain. Overall though, they remain true to how they drove when they were new. 👍
Nevertheless, they are products of their time. RC racing has come a long way in the intervening years and generally speaking they would struggle to be competitive against a modern high end machine. *
However, in vintage class racing they do very, very well. It all depends what kind of racing you want to do. I grew up during the Golden Era of RC and while my modern buggies are technically far superior, they aren’t as much fun as my vintage stuff.
*a lot also depends on the driver skill. Let’s just say I wouldn’t bet on me winning if I raced my YZ-4 SF2 against Masami Hirosaka with a vintage 870c. 😅😉
@@KaiCityRC Thanks! Late reply but ended up buying the Mid 87. Excited to build it but first need to make a decision on the transmitter/receive and servo. As you seems pretty experienced. Any advise? Thanks :)
Great video man
Thanks!
What are your thoughts on the Kyosho Cosmo?
I've never owned one, but if Kyosho ever decide to re-release it, I'd be very tempted. I like the futuristic styling. It's more of a budget orientated buggy compared to the current re-releases. If memory serves it's mostly plastic with a design similar to a Hornet/Grasshopper.
Also I'd like to ask about the rear tires of the Scorpion and Tomahawk. Mine seem to have cracked over just a couple of years standing on the shelves. Is that normal? And would there perhaps be an alternative tougher tire from another kit from any manufacturer that would fit the old rims?
Interesting.🤔 None of mine have cracked despite (sadly) spending most of their time on a shelf. I do run them as often as I can though! I think that helps. Kyosho offered two sets of rear tires: SCT002MB are the kit supplied "medium" rear tires. There is also SCT002SB a soft compound set. Likewise the fronts are available in hard (kit), medium and soft. I'm not aware, at least over here, of any other maker offering tires for the Scorpion sized wheels. There probably are though!
I'm no expert, but I guess cracking could also be caused by environmental factors such as heat, cold, exposure to sunlight, etc. Most of my collection sits in the dark in a cupboard, so very little light. No tire damage on any of them. But interestingly in the same cupboard the unused foam air filter in a nitro car disintegrated into nothing in 10 years! 😩
@@KaiCityRC 😆yeah, these air-filters do get pulverized in time, on my motorcycles as well. The Scorpion kit comes with the medium hardness rear and front tires, I had to get the softer front tires separately. I was satisfied with the rear tires but now as they've cracked I ordered new ones, also medium, I'll see how they hold up. I guess it could be due to my Scorpion's tread width overlaps the shelf some on the edges, thus putting uneven load on the tires.
Hi David - these videos are great and I'm so sold on getting a few of these cars myself. I am already well down the path of a 'Pro-Spec' Javelin (have bought all the carbon parts, all the gold anodised parts and shocks, black wheels, white cage). I have bought 2 motors (also want a Turbo Scorpion - please stop spending my money!). 1 motor is the 240s Gold 13.5T, the other the 15.5T 240S for 4wd. Am also thinking about the Fantom to come under the wing in time. Originally thinking 13.5T gold motor for the gold Javelin to match the color scheme - will it be too much in terms of speed in your opinion? Or just gear it down? Then thought to use the 15.5T for the Turbo Scorpion, but it turns out the 19.5T meant for 2wd has a higher rpm than the 15.5T! Confused! Can you help me match the 2 motors, and thoughts on the next motor to get if I got the Fantom? My other thought would be 15.7T for Javelin, 13.5 for the Fantom and buy the 19.5T for the Scorpion a-la Kyosho recommendation. Hope that made sense as I'd value your thoughts 👍 Cheers!
Hi there! Either the 13.5T or 15.5T 240S will work fine in the Javelin. 👍 You can run anything from a 16T to 30T pinion, so there's plenty of room to adjust the gearing to match your needs. If you're fitting the gold anodized parts from the Turbo Optima, then I'd go with the Le Mans 240 Gold (but I am biased 😁) It just looks so good. 😎 You might also want to consider picking up the HD slipper pads, and Kyosho recommends the MCN Spur gear too. Though, that can be very hard to find at times.
As for the RPM differences between the 15.5T and 19.5T 240S motors, my guess would be the 15.5T is tuned for better torque output at the expense of RPM. I'd personally go with the 19.5 in the Scorpion to be honest. It's a vintage design and although the transmission has been updated to handle higher powered motors, the suspension remains decidedly old school!
I run the relatively slow 30T brushed Le Mans (I'm a bit old school myself 😅) and find them to be adequate for my needs when running the standard 6.9:1 gearing. Not fast, but not 540 silver can slow either.
Sorry, I can't really help with the Fantom as I don't have one and it's been quite a few years since I ran any on road chassis. (very few places to run on road around here). I will say that if you get the 60th anniversary version, then there's really only one choice for the motor: GOLD! 😁
Hope that helps! Good luck with the Javelin build! It will look awesome when done I'm sure! 👍
Thanks so much David - really appreciate the detailed feedback. You’re very lucky with your collection. I think I’m in a good place. Love these cars!