Its really sad that nitro is no longer as popular as it once was especially in the bashing community. Its very much still alive when it comes to RC Racing but its becoming rare to see any new Nitro Releases from the big manufacturers (Nothing good in years IMO)! Electric has just come so far that they have kind of made Nitro RC redundant. The starting issues, maintenance and tuning problems so many people face especially newcomers just puts people off instantly. Electric is the way to go these days but nitro should definitely be explored at least once by any 'Serious' RC hobbyist! Let me know if you agree or disagree! Only 2 days to go to win a Brand New ARRMA Fury/Vorteks Enter to win here: raffall.com/beyondrc
I remember about 10-15 years ago when i started and it was basically if you wanted performance you had to get a Nitro. Honestly im glad tho that today we have brushless
Another thing you didn't mention are the Karens. I remember running my nitro buggy in the backyard for about 2 minutes, and some old karen across the street from me came barrelling over to tell me I'm "bEiNg A dIsTuRbAnCe". So 10 minutes later I got my 2 stroke leaf blower out (which is about 5 times louder) and started running it at full noise, and she didn't say a damn thing........ 🤷♂
Haha!! Yeah no one has anything to say when its early on a Sunday and you are firing up the weed trimmer/lawn mower but when its a 2 stroke/nitro toy car suddenly its very wrong and like you say a disturbance... Never have understood that!
@@beyondRCbecause the person with the weed trimmer or mower is doing something productive and keeping their home looking nice which helps the neighborhood look nice which helps everyones property value. Plus the guy with the weed trimmer usually has a muffler that muffles most of the noise and they are only out there for an hour or so max. The nitro rc car is the equivalent of someone riding a dirt bike up and down a quiet street. It has a much higher pitch sound and irritating after a while
I just broke in a VRX buggy yesterday with no issues. People at the park were very curious about the little buggy as nitro is not common. Hopefully, people will give them a second chance.
Last year i attended a rc meet, everyone there was running brushless trucks and cars. I was the only one with a nitro, kyosho inferno neo 2.0. When i got it started they all stopped running their electric rc's to watch it fly up and down screaming its little head off! I love my kyosho nitro buggies. ❤
Gas and Nitro's always stop people every time I run mines. People that are driving their cars walking by. Always stop to ask me about these beautiful machines, but they don't do that while I'm running your electrics.
Just bought one and have finished running it in. LOVE IT! I love the technicality of getting the engine tuned to perfection and the fact that I ran it for over an hour this evening - topped up the fuel once, that’s it! Real engine, real messing about and tinkering, FAR more fun than charging a battery 🥰
Electric is cheaper, faster, more powerful, easier to start, easier to maintain, easier to upgrade. There's more platforms you can do with them from crawling to bashing to racing. You can run them indoors and people won't hate you when you run them outside. Nitro is a nostalgic niche now, it's only cool for the sound and smell.
@@mikeyyyy8915Compare the cost of fuel vs cost of charging a lipo… Also, I have yet to find a nitro engine cheaper than a Motor+battery combo of similar power
I’ve got an old Kyosho nitro with 2 speed transmission and an exhaust upgrade. It sounds amazing, especially when it changes gear. Plus the smoke and smell. It’s just awesome. A modern electric equivalent will be much quicker and easier to run but I’m happy with mine.
The tinkering and tuning with Nitro is so rewarding when you get it right.Another cool part I liked in my later nitro years was a 2 speed for the sound and speed boost ❤❤❤❤
Electric if you don't use it you still need to maintain the lipo batterys you do not want it to discharge to low otherwise you are up for new batterys And can be a fire hazard. Nitro just fill it up and go all day. As long as you do the appropriate run in when you first buy it.
I started bashing, got a TLR typhoon. Then went to the track, i seen nitro. Man now 20k into race gear multiple o.s engines, new ones in my bag waiting. And travling the world to race toy cars at the back of the paxk
Hey man, sometimes I am at the back of the pack too, hopefully you are having a race battle with someone else at the back of the pack though because that’s what it’s really all about, just having some good close racing with someone else no matter where you are in the pack 😉
Yes! Also another massive issue. Can't run them at parks or places where too many people are around especially with dogs! Dog walkers are a nitro fan's worst enemy lol!
nitro are great, i've got an old 3.3 T Maxx, it's just that, it's so involved, and life is so busy, it's hard to find time to play with it when others are so quick and easy
I am a mechanic, and love all things mechanical. Nitro is fun, but i prefer electric - it's more reliable, faster, cheaper, batteries have tons of power and run time these days. I would own a hybrid, but not an electric. I'm not saying i wouldn't be open to driving an electric car one day, but battery technology and infrastructure just isn't ready for electric cars.
@@vivos71 target are you really trying to draw a comparison between? Electric RCS and real EVS? Hobby grade, electric car could potentially be totaled if a battery gets damaged,? What? I'll be great, electric RC can only be charged at certain places around the country and therefore have very limited range? What electric RC cars? Comfortably far more expensive to their Nitro counterparts?
@@LordPrometheous pretty much, yea, i mean a gasoline 1:1 is pretty much totalled in any impact that would be enough to compromise the battery too. As far as ‘charging anywhere’ much like RC, just bring your own charger, and also typically yes, Electric RTR’s are more expensive than IC rc’s
@@vivos71 I watched the video by rich rebuilds and a Tesla Model 3 was totaled because of some damage underneath the undercarriage where a few sales of the battery got hit but it was enough to total the whole vehicle because the replacement would have been 18 thousand dollars. I can't imagine why that would have totaled an ICE vehicle. The damage didn't look serious but it did dent the battery.
I've been in the hobby since the early 80's. I booted nitro when brushless and LiPo's hit the scene. 10 yrs have passed, and Brushless set-ups have only improved 6 fold! Plus, have seen the price of nitro fuel these days?? I miss the sound and the smell. Don't miss the constant tuning, keeping fresh fuel, and engine maintenance.
Great video. I remember watching my uncle race his nitro truggy and as a kid it was the coolest thing ever. Now as an adult, I’ve got a couple nice electrics RC’s from Arrma and Tekno but I’m interested in adding a nitro rig at some point they’re just so cool.
One of the draw backs for me is the need for a battery, if you wanted to run high voltage servos by the time you buy a quality lipo or 2 and a charger you might as well have the battery run the car. Can not beat the sound of a nitro though... 1 nitro, any more than 3 in the same area and it can get old quick.
Electric cars/buggies have no soul. Tinkering with the nitro engine helps you become one with your buggy. You can't beat the sound of a properly tuned engine.
I had a nitro Traxxas back in the day. The maintenance of the kit made me abandon the hobby. I am getting back into it this Christmas with a brushless setup.
I wouldn't say that I prefer them, but the fact that I can be out of the door ready to go in 10 minutes is very appealing, finding I'm running them a lot more nowadays.
I always prefer to run nitro. Yes, electric are fun and practic, but nitros rarely give me headaches. As long as you have good pinch and a nice tune, the thing will fire and run for days... I have 15 year old Novarossi engines that are running just absolutely amazing. Love the things.
The things that are difficult about nitro is what makes them fun. Electric just plug and play, kinda boring. Batteries are for flashlights and chicks toys!
Great video , I have a nitro Cage , the two speed one and I swear it is bullet proof. I have had it around 10 years and still love it , nothing more frustrating though than breaking a pull start and not having a spare. Greetings from Australia.
Never run nitro...I wanted to as a kid in the late 80s. My biggest issue was at this time my nearest nitro supply was 30 miles away in a town we NEVER went to. I couldn't run nitro. A couple of years ago I did buy a King Motor Baja 1:5 clone. (Yes it was 2 stroke) It was a nice setup. Good solid engine but it was such a bitch, P.I.T.A to start! 20 minutes yanking on that draw string and during its 1/4 throttle run in...I hit a rabbit hole. It flipped and broke the rear shock, wishbone and drives shaft. I repaired/upgraded it and sold it. Battery is where its at.
I have 2 boats and one car. I haven’t played with them in about 4 years. Pulled everything out and glad I cleaned everything before putting them away. Everything turned on instantly.
I personally like nitro because i enjoy the fiddling. I love tuning them, the air filter maintenance, etc. most nitros have flat metal chassis which is easier to clean with less nooks and crannies like plastic chassis. And the receiver pack lasts 4 hours or so and costs a fraction of what batteries for an electric car cost. Yeah fuel is pricey but its honestly worth it for the longer run time. I really think manufacturers were onto something when they tried to make nitro sized gas engines and it needs to be tried again. Gasoline is easier to tune and holds a tune better. HPI almost nailed it with the savage octane. They just went bankrupt before the v2 could make it to shelves. It would have saved the fuel powered side of the hobby. Nitros also have way less fires than electrics which is safer for me. The fuel has a higher flash point and doesnt randomly combust. Both nitro fuel and lipo batteries go bad in about a year if not used. I think a first rc should always be electric. But nitro shouldnt die. It is still relevant and is a huge part of why our hobby is considered a “hobby”.
They were really popular in my area around the early 2000s. Crazy to think that was 20+ years ago, but it seems just like yesterday. I think you nailed it on the state of nitro in 2024 though. I was never really a fan because of the noise, and I was already messing with small block V8s and learning to be a civilian Airman at the time. So, messing with all that never really appealed to me.. but if you race them, really love them, or want to learn how internal combustion engines work and how to tune them.. then nitro is where it's at! The nitro rally cars are pretty cool because they fit the whole vibe, I have to admit
Glad you agree on the state of nitro in 2024! They are nowhere near as popular as they used to be and whilst its a real shame for us engine lovers. I can totally appreciate why people opt for electric for the ease of use and less fuss! Shame but its the truth (Although last time i did a video like this i hurt some feelings with the die hard nitro lovers lol)
I started with a Tamiya M-Chassis VW Bug around 30 years ago😅 after getting this i dreamed of a Tamiya TRX (or TRF, cant remember) a full carbon, belt driven chassis. After that i bought myself a nitro for the first time and i remember the struggles more then the fun... I got 2-3 more nitro cars but changrd to 1/5 scale gasoline because it got sound and is soooo much easier to maintain and set up as a nitro. But know... I have like 15 brushless cars in various chassis (buggy, onroad, trophy truck etc) but right now i am building my own 1:4,88 scale dream RC car with a gasoline boxer engine (2cylinder) with everything created and build by myself😅
I started out with electric touring cars. Now i have a 1/5 petrol buggy, and it's just so much better the smell the sound. It literally sounds like an old-school dirt bike
I started with a savage 25 9years ago. But I had a super hard time. So I went electric. But then I traded my arrma outcast for a losi 8ight v1 and that thing I loved had zero issues tuning and keeping it running. But last year the engine died so now I'm running a kyosho neo 3.0, the kyosho is my first brand new nitro. Before I always got them used
I had electric growing up. But I always wanted a nitro car. When I became an adult with discretionary money... I got one. I like both but nitro is by far my favorite.
Alot of people like hating on Traxxas but i can't be mad at them. They are one of the only large companies left making nitros for backyard bashing and their tremendous parts support on top of that. Its a little sad to see how many lazy people have gotten into this hobby. Electrics dont make you think at all.
I agree. I’m not sure if it’s a generation thing or just lazy people though. I know my kids will always take the easy route with stuff instead of the more complex challenging option. Getting young ones into the hobby is hard enough. Trying to get them in on nitro is way harder and almost impossible due to the learning curve involved. They just don’t care and want it to work instantly 😂 not sure exactly the problem but if we can’t get the young ones to take up nitro once the older ones die off nitro will be dead forever!!
@@beyondRC society doesn't want to work for anything anymore. They want instant gratification. The feeling of accomplishment of building and learning is part of the fun and that was what made the hobby a hobby. When all you are doing is plugging in a battery you are just playing with a toy at that point which anyone can do. I do hope slowly we can rebuild the hobby
@@gingerman6560Very true. I will be doing more nitro content in the future but even if all the youtubers gave nitro massive influence i still cant see it going back to how it was as electric has come so far!
The amount of people I see in nitro groups tearing down vehicles for maintenance vs in electric groups saying stuff like ‘i have a clicking from the diff please help’
Yes, you're right. I used to be an r/c car manufacturer factory sponsored off road racer for 1/8th scale cars. Back then the nicad powered electric cars were our indoor track winter use machines. Loved the sound of a tuned Nova Rossi powered .21 car. But now ? The noise is just too much for any multiple local use cars and LiPo/brusless speeds are fast and so much easier...........Yes, I've joined the 'Dark Side' 😮
My first hobby grade was a nitro right before Brushless really started taking over. Ran gallons and gallons through it had fun with everything about it. The main reason i just don't run my Nitros anymore is the mess afterwards.... Caked in oil and dirt. that being said i really enjoy the tuning and trying to get the Engine to just scream. but not enough to want to run them😐
Nitro is awesome, i love electrics aswell if im just wanting a quick fly or drive but if i have the time its the nitros that come out, much more involving and more fun to use
My first hobby grade was a nitro Rustler in the late 90s. I had no clue what I was getting into and almost gave up a few times but here it is 2024 and that same car is still running strong. I definitely agree for a large percentage of rc enthusiasts nitro is not the way to go! I think to have them and be able to enjoy them you have to just have a special place in your heart for them!
Absolutely I’ve always been a fan and my first ever proper hobby grade rc truck was nitro. A thunder tiger ssk. Brilliant truck and still miss it to this day. Maybe I need to track one down 🤔 haha.
@@beyondRC I have sold my Rustler twice and both times the people couldn't get it to run and gave it back to me for free when they got sick of it lol I am never ever letting it go again!
A heat gun helps with start up. Get the block warmed up to 65C 150F without heating up the carb. The crown heated at 94C 200F. It helps prolong engine life an makes it significantly easier to start. Biggest threat to nitro is the banning and percent decrease of nitromethane. You can run on 0% if it came own to it just like back when they first came out but nitro gives a ton of power. Nitro is the glory.
Man, am I an old head. I raced Nitro on-road back in the late 90s, and then bashed a Nitro Savage Big Block for YEARS. Thinking about getting back into the hobby, but most buggies are RTR which I HATE. Every time I think about going back to off road, I can't even imagine electric. Much shorter run times, so quiet, and no exhaust fumes. Yuck. Suggestions for a 1/8 Nitro Buggy Kit? Awesome video btw.
I really do love both electric & nitro, but especially to a petrol head nothing is going to beat having a real engine in a model car it’s on another level to electric; goes without saying there’s more maintenance involved but once you’ve learnt what you need to do it’s just routine! Great video, would love to see more nitro content on the channel!
@@ajkr32 epic car btw i had a deep blue pearl R32 3 door for 8 years! There is a vid of it on youtube with 300k Views: ua-cam.com/video/AvkLJ-c3WIY/v-deo.htmlsi=6H8OkZUX_SncD3jI miss it every day cherish that beauty :)
I'm currently trying to get a friends nitro car started, and I'm having absolutely no luck with it. I've tried everything I can think of!! Carb settings reset, all the fuel pipes replaced, tank replaced, glow plug replaced, pull start swapped for a rotor start, and nothing!! Next thing to try is checking the head gasket, and making sure that's sealed properly. I got a £200 mountain bike free, as payment for trying to get it started, and it won't beat me!! 😬👍🏻
@@HaggardRC I've tried that. I had another look at it yesterday, and I think there might be an issue with the head. One of the bolts was loose, so I've stripped it down, replaced the gasket, and put new bolts in. Just need to check the tank and fuel pipes, and then I'll have another try at starting it. 👍🏻
Well done mate for trying to give nitro some exposure. It just feels so much more exciting than electric which feels a bit soulless unless you are doing serous racing . Where I go there are electric cars that are actually the same speed or faster than my nitro buggy but people always say to me “ wow that’s going well!” I think the noise of the screaming engine makes it seem much faster than it really is. My tips for nitro. Most important. Get a starter box. Using a pull start is enough to quickly put anyone off of nitro. 2 buy a medium price car like a hyper 7tq or kyosho ready set. These cheap £100 nitros are probably going to be harder to run easily and reliably . 3rd is to by a cheap parts car if the model you are using so you have a spare of any part that could possibly break or fall off. Nothing worse than travelljng to a location and having a wheel but lost or a pinion stripped. 4. Buddy up with a pal and run a pair of cars , it’s more fun and you can share spares . I have videos of my channel of a lot of my cars including my nitros .
Ran Nitro almost 30 years ago, before the days of electric start, race cars had a bump box, some bashers had pull start. The payoff for Nitro was that, when it worked, they were the fastest cars on the track and when they were running you got a lot of run time with quick fill ups. Batteries in those days went between 5-7 minutes but now, brushless lipo is better in literally every single way. Nitro does smell good though, should make it an air freshener.
I love nitro, got an old 1:8 Hyper 7 Pro with starter box , love the smell, love the tuning it needs and love the noise, but its also the noise thats the downfall, unless youre at a track it will get people moaning at some point...
I agree. As much fun as nitro is most don’t want to deal with or have the time to deal with the extra maintenance and procedures, myself included. I used to have a bunch of them but after trying out 1/5 scale gas rigs my desire to run nitro vanished instantly. As easy to start and run as a weed trimmer and with the clone options from rovan and 30DN they’re affordable as well. If space is a concern the baja shorty is no bigger than a Xmaxx.
for sure! I love running my 30DNT effortless to start and as you say no harder to start than a weed trimmer. Way easier over nitro. The only other thing is noise which has been pointed out in some of the other comments. People do love a moan about the noise and the 1/5 Petrol's are incredibly loud!
@@beyondRC yes that is very true. The noise is quite a problem sometimes. One of those “CY high flow exhaust” cans that comes on the losi 5ive t 2.0 helps significantly, but they kill a lot of performance. Then they sound like a weed trimmer as well. Haha
I actually do like the sound. I don't mind tinkering around. However, the sound is the biggest problem... I keep running my cars on the middle of the night in my housing estate (not sure if used the right term; not english native). People would kill me if I did this with a nitro. My belt driven brushless touring car goes like "sssssssssssst" And that's actually the reason, why I never had one as a kid, either.
Nitro was the easy way to go fast back in the 90s when I got into the hobby with the nitro hawk. Electric just wasn't as fast and used low capacity nicd batteries that also took forever to recharge. Today with lipo and brushless outperform nitro by far. Nitro is noisy and messy and also requires a lot of tuning and expensive nitro methane and glow plugs. No reverse as well.
I have to give you a thumbs up just for running that Hyper 7. I still have very fond memories of my car.... loved that thing! Well, except for the tuning to get the mixture just right, frequent replacement of glow-plugs ($$$), cleaning up all the oil after the run, magically ingesting a pebble into the engine even though it had an air filter securely installed, and a few other annoyances I can think of. Still, there are those days I find myself on eBay looking for a decent Hyper 7 bargain...
Mostly airplane guy here. Harder can be better! We are coming around to the reality that twitching controls to an appliance is less engaging. Time to get the spirit back into the hobby.
just a thought, if i had more time, id develop a ecu to deal with tuning.... i know i know, that's all part of the challenge, i just feel like it would make getting things up and running a lot easier for beginners. or even anybody that struggled with it and went to electric. i know it will never achieve lipo power, but nitro's are more fun to drive..
Agree you can’t beat nitro the smell the noise is something that electric can’t replicate and I’ve not seen as many nitro fires compared to lipo batteries catching on fire.
Hey, RC Racing is bit popular but shunned away and tucked away due to people not realizing how competitive and lovely the sport was on TV, seeing your RC Car represented on TV was awesome and amazing to see, I have a Mugen Seiki MTX-2 and I got it for $59 for parts and repairs which I hold that car dearly as that is the first Touring Nitro RC Car I got, don’t worry about the noise, it’s loud but it will get better soon for Nitro Cars, cheaper ones can break due to overpowering a Nitro RC Car’s Engine, Kevin Talbot had that video about a Banzai Dirt Cheap Nitromethane RC Car, they last longer than Electric due to no charging and fuel, they have became hard to tune during a RC Racing because you need the best tunes to win a Nitro Car Race, they have a deepest heart in me as I have a Touring Nitromethane Car that is the hardest to get parts from but still nostalgic enough to own…
Im 57, used to run nitro back in the day because they were fast and you got a decent run time out of them, a fast(ish) electric buggy was lucky to get 5 minutes out of it's batteries back then. These days there's not much point to nitro, loud, smelly, messy to much effort to keep them running and often a pain in the arse to start. I think that as the old school guys die off they'll pretty much disappear as manufacturers drop support.
i agree. Manufacturers are fully aware of the situation i believe. Thats why we dont see any new nitro releases in the basher market. Not too sure about the racing scene as its not really my thing. Shame really.
I started out with electric, but I switched to nitro and I have more fun running a nitro than an electric, but yea, the only companies that still make nitro I can think of off the top of my head are Traxxas, Kyosho and hsp. Now one setback to nitro will be that they can be noisy and you have to be careful about where you run them. Electric can go more places and you can run them indoors as opposed to nitro, I mean maintenance on nitro is not as easy as electric is. Overall nitro is a lot more fun than electric if you can overlook the problems they have.
Agree. Because many people prefer ez of getting an rc going plus no noise to Neighbors BUT I bet this is NOT to convince those people but more for those who rather choose to run nitro NO matter what. Because of whatever they like about it. For most like me I like to hear and see the response even when you let go the throttle and feel the neutral ride and back on the trigger. That you cannot get with electric. But hey both have they place. Enjoy what you like. Guys 👍
good video dude, you cover all the points good and bad, i did run nitro maybe 30 plus years ago and sorry just could not go back to it, so im 100% electric
One big pain in the **s, is the point, that most of the RTR engines are poorly manufactured. Therefore front bearings are leaking and air is sucked through the front bearing for example and the engine isn't handleable anymore and most of the buyers refuse to go for a quality motor such as a OS. So there is way more know how required for the RTR society to have fun with a nitro, but once you get to that level, you can have a full hour of driving and just pause for refueling.
Back around 25yrs a bunch of people would meet up in a big parking lot every Sunday and drag race nitro rc’s. One day this guy shows up with a built electric car talking crap and our slowest nitro car out ran him. I couldn’t remember how many times he went to his car to charge his batteries that day but it was a lot.
Used to really enjoy Nitro cars and planes back in the days when electric cars were slow and a bit crap but with modern electronics, better batteries, crazy motors and getting aggrivation from people complaining and calling the police when running the nitro cars I finally gave up on nitro, converted my last nitro car to electric a few months ago and now only run electric. Having to charge and carry a bunch of battery packs to have a decent day out is a pain in the ass but for me electric is simply way less trouble. I do miss turning fuel into noise but dont miss being chased away by folks calling the cops when going out for a blast. Electric tech has come a long way and certainly does not attract complaints like the nitro did even though many of my electric cars are actually faster than the nitro cars and you dont hear them approaching so are probably more dangerous. Funny how an RC nitro car sparks complaints but a petrol strimmer or chainsaw that makes a very similar level of noise appears to be acceptable. People are strange.
I’m fairly new to RC I’ve started out with electric never had any interest in nitro and very recently got interested into gas. I just recently bought a 1/5 gas baha and now having a hard time going back to electric. Something about gas that I just love!
Our group ran nitro only for years back in the day. I was the first to put a brushless system in along with some lipos. It was over for nitro at that point for us. This was when chargers weren’t really available or brushless systems. But we knew what was coming. Nitro is always cool though, I just don’t want to tune anymore.
Got my first nitro (Kyosho Inferno Neo 3.0) about a month ago. Definitely not as fast as my brushless electrics but I'm hooked. Do what makes you happy I say.
I used to be a big fan of nitro rc, but the noise and usage limitations due to that noise kind of makes me look for quieter solution, electric rc is perfect current days, with big and fast chargeable lipos. Its a shame electric does not smell as good as nitro 😂
Had a couple traxxas nitro trucks back in the day. Fun when they ran but not fun trying to get running sometimes. The sound was the best part. Aways sounded faster than they were. Did have a nitro boat for a short time. After a couple swimming retrieval sessions that had to go. Now I have all brushless. Spend most time upgrading and suspension tuning. I like the programming capabilities of the electronics now.
I ran nitro for 25 years, neighbors hate the noise, always buying gas, I spent more time fixing and tuning then I got runtime. I bought my first Kraton 6s and sold my nitro rig 2 weeks later, It's quiet, faster , and reverse that actually works lol.
I have electrics from 32nd to 6th scale, a 10th scale nitro, and a 5th scale gasser. Electrics are more user/newb/budget friendly, less offensive to most folks, and needs a LOT less support equipment per run than either nitro or gas. That being said, it's hard to beat the sound and overrall experience of a snarlin, smoke spewing nitro on the pipe and snapping gear changes imho. My main limiters in the whole thing are tuning can sometimes be a big p.i.t.a. and the eyewatering cost of fuel nowadays gear
Remember when if you wanted a R/C car you had no choice but to build it? RTR wasn't a thing! Instant gratification and unwillingness to learn nitro IS a thing now.
Listen, if you know what you are doing, then nitro is easy to tune. When engine is at operating temps, it takes 5 minutes to tune it at most. And then you can have fun all day. NOTHING beats nitro for pure fun.
I used to love nitro back in my early days of rc, as they were faster than electric and had longer run times. The engines were built to a higher standard back then too, being easier to start and maintain tune. That's why nitro is dying today, the engines are not built to the same standards and as a result are unreliable and unpredictable. I recently tried nitro again and it was a horrible experience. Difficult and expensive to purchase the fuel, the engine's don't run as well as they used to and I spent more time tinkering than driving. I still admire the charm of nitro but will never purchase or run one again after having horrible experiences with HPI and Kyosho. The benefits of electric cars are too hard to ignore. Reliability, ease of use, speed, power, cheaper running costs and no noise to disturb the neighbours.
I am brand new to racing 1/8 nitro buggy and I think it’s pretty cool, pretty neat. One thing I have thought about nitro is that I don’t know why anyone would want to bash nitro powered cars, to me nitro really is just for racing in this day and age
Preheat the motor, prime the fuel system, use a good ignitor. It will start on the second pull. When you shut it down put it at bottom dead center. If you have problems your compression is gone or your tune is off. I spend more time balencing/discharing my lipos for storage than it takes to clean an airfilter. Maintence difference is overblown .
i have a AE mgt 8.0 and i love it but the cost of fuel is insane almost 90 usd for a gallon and also the closest hobby store to me is over 1hr away so ive been debating whether to convert it to electric but i dont want to lose the nitro but i also know i might never use it again if i dont
I still hang on to nitro. Barely tho. I have a savage .21 and the best primer option i use is a primer bulb that plugs inline with the fuel line to the carb. You really cant beat brushless🤷. Best things ive done is convert nitro to brushless.
The sound of Nitro's though as you get older drives me nuts. Its like some guy with a weed wacker at 7am in the morning. A lot of high pitched shrieking for so little torque and instant off the mark power. 6s is where it's at for me, but i also really love the smaller 3s stuff around, Very portable, fast af, and durable. In saying that, Nitro's will always have their place and die hard hobbyists and there's nothing wrong with that at all. Its all about having fun and putting that smile on your face that only this Hobby can do. There is no hobby quite like RC Cars in general whatever your power source. Go hard...Take care. Jimbo, Australia.
Hello! Honest question…I had a family member many years ago that was big into nitro. All I remember is the thing was soooo temperamental. It would always foul out the plugs (glow plugs?), always stalled out, would only run for one minute or so when it actually did work, etc…is this pretty common or is this more of an individual case? I loved the sound and smells but I just remember it looking like a major pain in the ass
let me guess, maintenance, noise and smell ? :D I'll still watch it though. I remember when I was a kid, real RC cars were all combustion engines, and it kept me and my lame unable-to-do-anything-mechanical dad away I'm just as unable as he is, so I really enjoy electric RC cars. I have other hobbies and I'm not really willing to learn all the stuff I'd need to know to run nitro cars.
Ha ha pretty much spot on although i do enjoy the smell and noise part of what makes it so fun for me. Just the constant complaints about the noise which restrict a lot of us from enjoying them. Not like electric you can take them anywhere!
I don’t really find that nitro cars need more maintenance, just that electric cars are more forgiving to neglect. Like diffs and shocks should be rebuilt a lot more often than a nitro engine would need to be pulled or inspected, and when there is an issue with the engine It’s usually just change the air filter foam or bearings.
If I didn’t live in a small apartment I would probably get a few nitro cars. Electric is so much easier when you don’t have a garage or workbench outside of the apartment.
Fuel & plugs so expensive it’s loud, smelly, oily, messy, did I say loud? never ending fine tunning of the low & high needles it’s really not “plug&play” like electric these days im passing on nitro these days 😂
I still have my Hyper 8 i bought new but dont drive it anymore, i now have a handfull of OG HPI Bajas, gas and electric, old ones and new. Just awesome
Its really sad that nitro is no longer as popular as it once was especially in the bashing community. Its very much still alive when it comes to RC Racing but its becoming rare to see any new Nitro Releases from the big manufacturers (Nothing good in years IMO)! Electric has just come so far that they have kind of made Nitro RC redundant. The starting issues, maintenance and tuning problems so many people face especially newcomers just puts people off instantly. Electric is the way to go these days but nitro should definitely be explored at least once by any 'Serious' RC hobbyist! Let me know if you agree or disagree!
Only 2 days to go to win a Brand New ARRMA Fury/Vorteks Enter to win here: raffall.com/beyondrc
@@WhiteTrashtastic 😂😂
I remember about 10-15 years ago when i started and it was basically if you wanted performance you had to get a Nitro. Honestly im glad tho that today we have brushless
It's more expensive to run nitro cars 😮😐
@@beyondRC I agree . It’s good to be well rounded .
Used to fly nitro. That's all there was. Now I hear just Shipping costs for nitro is more that the fuel itself.
Nitro is a hobby in and of itself. Plain and simple. You have to enjoy engine tinkering to enjoy nitro rc.
@@atlas3863 i love both nitro AND electric
Another thing you didn't mention are the Karens. I remember running my nitro buggy in the backyard for about 2 minutes, and some old karen across the street from me came barrelling over to tell me I'm "bEiNg A dIsTuRbAnCe". So 10 minutes later I got my 2 stroke leaf blower out (which is about 5 times louder) and started running it at full noise, and she didn't say a damn thing........ 🤷♂
Haha!! Yeah no one has anything to say when its early on a Sunday and you are firing up the weed trimmer/lawn mower but when its a 2 stroke/nitro toy car suddenly its very wrong and like you say a disturbance... Never have understood that!
@@beyondRCThey don't like you having fun because they're invariably all soulless types.
@@beyondRCbecause the person with the weed trimmer or mower is doing something productive and keeping their home looking nice which helps the neighborhood look nice which helps everyones property value. Plus the guy with the weed trimmer usually has a muffler that muffles most of the noise and they are only out there for an hour or so max. The nitro rc car is the equivalent of someone riding a dirt bike up and down a quiet street. It has a much higher pitch sound and irritating after a while
@@Thelounge3k yeah I get it same as the very loud 1/5 petrol 2 strokes
That would make me run gallons of fuel all day long
I just broke in a VRX buggy yesterday with no issues. People at the park were very curious about the little buggy as nitro is not common. Hopefully, people will give them a second chance.
Haven't had a nitro for about 17 years. I just ordered one last week just to have one to mess around with.
What did you go for?
@@beyondRC VRX Racing
Last year i attended a rc meet, everyone there was running brushless trucks and cars. I was the only one with a nitro, kyosho inferno neo 2.0. When i got it started they all stopped running their electric rc's to watch it fly up and down screaming its little head off! I love my kyosho nitro buggies. ❤
Gas and Nitro's always stop people every time I run mines. People that are driving their cars walking by. Always stop to ask me about these beautiful machines, but they don't do that while I'm running your electrics.
As far as electric I really hate the batteries. Charging them, balancing them, storing them, it’s as bad as dealing with nitro.
I have just got back into RC cars, I have 3 in my collection all nitro, yep and I love the fuss and maintenance required to keep them running
Electric =reliable, easy
Nitro = pain in the buttt, super badass
Just bought one and have finished running it in. LOVE IT!
I love the technicality of getting the engine tuned to perfection and the fact that I ran it for over an hour this evening - topped up the fuel once, that’s it!
Real engine, real messing about and tinkering, FAR more fun than charging a battery 🥰
Electric is cheaper, faster, more powerful, easier to start, easier to maintain, easier to upgrade. There's more platforms you can do with them from crawling to bashing to racing. You can run them indoors and people won't hate you when you run them outside. Nitro is a nostalgic niche now, it's only cool for the sound and smell.
Electric is not cheaper than nitro.
Yes it is. Just take a look at the Losi dbxl. @@mikeyyyy8915
@@mikeyyyy8915Compare the cost of fuel vs cost of charging a lipo… Also, I have yet to find a nitro engine cheaper than a Motor+battery combo of similar power
U have to keep charging them ect@@Ben-mw9vz
@geodude3966 no i disagree can pick up a lrp 32 port and mod it 1000% be faster than a stock kraton 6s
I’ve got an old Kyosho nitro with 2 speed transmission and an exhaust upgrade. It sounds amazing, especially when it changes gear. Plus the smoke and smell. It’s just awesome. A modern electric equivalent will be much quicker and easier to run but I’m happy with mine.
The tinkering and tuning with Nitro is so rewarding when you get it right.Another cool part I liked in my later nitro years was a 2 speed for the sound and speed boost ❤❤❤❤
Hybrid will make nitro great again ! Sickening.
Electric if you don't use it you still need to maintain the lipo batterys you do not want it to discharge to low otherwise you are up for new batterys
And can be a fire hazard.
Nitro just fill it up and go all day.
As long as you do the appropriate run in when you first buy it.
@@johnspiteri6807 With a proper storage mode on most chargers nowadays, a quick check in every week or 2 would be sufficient.
I started bashing, got a TLR typhoon. Then went to the track, i seen nitro. Man now 20k into race gear multiple o.s engines, new ones in my bag waiting. And travling the world to race toy cars at the back of the paxk
Hey man, sometimes I am at the back of the pack too, hopefully you are having a race battle with someone else at the back of the pack though because that’s what it’s really all about, just having some good close racing with someone else no matter where you are in the pack 😉
I think nitro will always be a thing. Of 350 or so rigs, I still keep around 50 nitros.
Wow you have 350? You need to make a video or 2 of your collection!
I would also love to see that! Impressive!
Please show us
@@AndrewSury Holy and i thought 10 was a crazy number. I wanna see that collection. At least 2 of them are Sentons i reckon.
@@MysteriMaan , three Senton 6s cars. lol. Two with original bodies and electronics.
For me it's just the noise issue. Way too loud and it just upsets everyone around you.
Yes! Also another massive issue. Can't run them at parks or places where too many people are around especially with dogs! Dog walkers are a nitro fan's worst enemy lol!
@RCKickschannel you should here Ricky's 30 DN, it's an awesome machine but damn it's loud aye Ricky, still not as fast as my Mojave 😂😂😂
@@RCKickschannel Try looking up different places to run on Google earth? That's how I found my local pit where I run my nitros
@@ARRMAFANBOY currently doing some work on the big ol beast. Will be ready for another race 👀👍
Same for me.
nitro are great, i've got an old 3.3 T Maxx, it's just that, it's so involved, and life is so busy, it's hard to find time to play with it when others are so quick and easy
Absolutely this is why most people don’t bother anymore just far too much effort 👍
@@beyondRC Exactly 🤣
Something that is interesting to me is how many people like electric rc’s, but don’t like electric 1:1 cars when all the same pros and cons apply
I agree.
I am a mechanic, and love all things mechanical. Nitro is fun, but i prefer electric - it's more reliable, faster, cheaper, batteries have tons of power and run time these days.
I would own a hybrid, but not an electric. I'm not saying i wouldn't be open to driving an electric car one day, but battery technology and infrastructure just isn't ready for electric cars.
@@vivos71 target are you really trying to draw a comparison between? Electric RCS and real EVS? Hobby grade, electric car could potentially be totaled if a battery gets damaged,? What? I'll be great, electric RC can only be charged at certain places around the country and therefore have very limited range? What electric RC cars? Comfortably far more expensive to their Nitro counterparts?
@@LordPrometheous pretty much, yea, i mean a gasoline 1:1 is pretty much totalled in any impact that would be enough to compromise the battery too. As far as ‘charging anywhere’ much like RC, just bring your own charger, and also typically yes, Electric RTR’s are more expensive than IC rc’s
@@vivos71 I watched the video by rich rebuilds and a Tesla Model 3 was totaled because of some damage underneath the undercarriage where a few sales of the battery got hit but it was enough to total the whole vehicle because the replacement would have been 18 thousand dollars. I can't imagine why that would have totaled an ICE vehicle. The damage didn't look serious but it did dent the battery.
I've been in the hobby since the early 80's. I booted nitro when brushless and LiPo's hit the scene. 10 yrs have passed, and Brushless set-ups have only improved 6 fold! Plus, have seen the price of nitro fuel these days?? I miss the sound and the smell. Don't miss the constant tuning, keeping fresh fuel, and engine maintenance.
Great video. I remember watching my uncle race his nitro truggy and as a kid it was the coolest thing ever. Now as an adult, I’ve got a couple nice electrics RC’s from Arrma and Tekno but I’m interested in adding a nitro rig at some point they’re just so cool.
One of the draw backs for me is the need for a battery, if you wanted to run high voltage servos by the time you buy a quality lipo or 2 and a charger you might as well have the battery run the car. Can not beat the sound of a nitro though... 1 nitro, any more than 3 in the same area and it can get old quick.
Electric cars/buggies have no soul. Tinkering with the nitro engine helps you become one with your buggy. You can't beat the sound of a properly tuned engine.
I had a nitro Traxxas back in the day. The maintenance of the kit made me abandon the hobby. I am getting back into it this Christmas with a brushless setup.
Love nitro and electric. But i do love being able to just get going straight away, unlike sometimes taking up to 10-15mins with the nitro.
Just started running a 36cc baha petrol buggy ,i know its not nitro but its so much fun
I wouldn't say that I prefer them, but the fact that I can be out of the door ready to go in 10 minutes is very appealing, finding I'm running them a lot more nowadays.
Really good to hear 👍
I always prefer to run nitro. Yes, electric are fun and practic, but nitros rarely give me headaches. As long as you have good pinch and a nice tune, the thing will fire and run for days... I have 15 year old Novarossi engines that are running just absolutely amazing. Love the things.
The things that are difficult about nitro is what makes them fun. Electric just plug and play, kinda boring. Batteries are for flashlights and chicks toys!
I want a nitro....always have, but there's no one to race and nowhere to race one. The smell, the feel, the sound, it's just unmistakable and amazing.
Great video , I have a nitro Cage , the two speed one and I swear it is bullet proof.
I have had it around 10 years and still love it , nothing more frustrating though than breaking a pull start and not having a spare.
Greetings from Australia.
Never run nitro...I wanted to as a kid in the late 80s. My biggest issue was at this time my nearest nitro supply was 30 miles away in a town we NEVER went to. I couldn't run nitro.
A couple of years ago I did buy a King Motor Baja 1:5 clone. (Yes it was 2 stroke) It was a nice setup. Good solid engine but it was such a bitch, P.I.T.A to start! 20 minutes yanking on that draw string and during its 1/4 throttle run in...I hit a rabbit hole. It flipped and broke the rear shock, wishbone and drives shaft. I repaired/upgraded it and sold it.
Battery is where its at.
Like your videos everytime I watch them. No nonsense, no gibberish, and straight to the point.
Massively appreciate that. I like to think I don’t clutter my vids with too much waffle 😂 maybe a bit 🤔😂
I have 2 boats and one car. I haven’t played with them in about 4 years. Pulled everything out and glad I cleaned everything before putting them away. Everything turned on instantly.
I personally like nitro because i enjoy the fiddling. I love tuning them, the air filter maintenance, etc. most nitros have flat metal chassis which is easier to clean with less nooks and crannies like plastic chassis. And the receiver pack lasts 4 hours or so and costs a fraction of what batteries for an electric car cost. Yeah fuel is pricey but its honestly worth it for the longer run time.
I really think manufacturers were onto something when they tried to make nitro sized gas engines and it needs to be tried again. Gasoline is easier to tune and holds a tune better. HPI almost nailed it with the savage octane. They just went bankrupt before the v2 could make it to shelves. It would have saved the fuel powered side of the hobby.
Nitros also have way less fires than electrics which is safer for me. The fuel has a higher flash point and doesnt randomly combust. Both nitro fuel and lipo batteries go bad in about a year if not used.
I think a first rc should always be electric. But nitro shouldnt die. It is still relevant and is a huge part of why our hobby is considered a “hobby”.
They were really popular in my area around the early 2000s. Crazy to think that was 20+ years ago, but it seems just like yesterday. I think you nailed it on the state of nitro in 2024 though. I was never really a fan because of the noise, and I was already messing with small block V8s and learning to be a civilian Airman at the time. So, messing with all that never really appealed to me.. but if you race them, really love them, or want to learn how internal combustion engines work and how to tune them.. then nitro is where it's at! The nitro rally cars are pretty cool because they fit the whole vibe, I have to admit
Glad you agree on the state of nitro in 2024! They are nowhere near as popular as they used to be and whilst its a real shame for us engine lovers. I can totally appreciate why people opt for electric for the ease of use and less fuss! Shame but its the truth (Although last time i did a video like this i hurt some feelings with the die hard nitro lovers lol)
@@beyondRC Indeed, and sometimes the truth hurts💯
I started with a Tamiya M-Chassis VW Bug around 30 years ago😅 after getting this i dreamed of a Tamiya TRX (or TRF, cant remember) a full carbon, belt driven chassis. After that i bought myself a nitro for the first time and i remember the struggles more then the fun... I got 2-3 more nitro cars but changrd to 1/5 scale gasoline because it got sound and is soooo much easier to maintain and set up as a nitro. But know... I have like 15 brushless cars in various chassis (buggy, onroad, trophy truck etc) but right now i am building my own 1:4,88 scale dream RC car with a gasoline boxer engine (2cylinder) with everything created and build by myself😅
I started out with electric touring cars. Now i have a 1/5 petrol buggy, and it's just so much better the smell the sound. It literally sounds like an old-school dirt bike
I started with a savage 25 9years ago. But I had a super hard time. So I went electric. But then I traded my arrma outcast for a losi 8ight v1 and that thing I loved had zero issues tuning and keeping it running. But last year the engine died so now I'm running a kyosho neo 3.0, the kyosho is my first brand new nitro. Before I always got them used
I just got my old HPI Nitro RS4 out after a long hiatus. I absolutely had a blast with it.
I had electric growing up. But I always wanted a nitro car. When I became an adult with discretionary money... I got one. I like both but nitro is by far my favorite.
Your right, I've ran both for 30 or more years. Use to be almost everyone had 1 nitro. Your lucky to see any where I'm at. I still have 2 and love'em.
Yep! Shame really 🥹
With a pre heater jacket my Hyper 8.5 starts first time every time 😁👌
Alot of people like hating on Traxxas but i can't be mad at them. They are one of the only large companies left making nitros for backyard bashing and their tremendous parts support on top of that. Its a little sad to see how many lazy people have gotten into this hobby. Electrics dont make you think at all.
I agree. I’m not sure if it’s a generation thing or just lazy people though. I know my kids will always take the easy route with stuff instead of the more complex challenging option. Getting young ones into the hobby is hard enough. Trying to get them in on nitro is way harder and almost impossible due to the learning curve involved. They just don’t care and want it to work instantly 😂 not sure exactly the problem but if we can’t get the young ones to take up nitro once the older ones die off nitro will be dead forever!!
@@beyondRC society doesn't want to work for anything anymore. They want instant gratification. The feeling of accomplishment of building and learning is part of the fun and that was what made the hobby a hobby. When all you are doing is plugging in a battery you are just playing with a toy at that point which anyone can do. I do hope slowly we can rebuild the hobby
@@gingerman6560Very true. I will be doing more nitro content in the future but even if all the youtubers gave nitro massive influence i still cant see it going back to how it was as electric has come so far!
@@beyondRC you're right but i can dream lol. I like your channel just subscribed
The amount of people I see in nitro groups tearing down vehicles for maintenance vs in electric groups saying stuff like ‘i have a clicking from the diff please help’
Yes, you're right. I used to be an r/c car manufacturer factory sponsored off road racer for 1/8th scale cars. Back then the nicad powered electric cars were our indoor track winter use machines. Loved the sound of a tuned Nova Rossi powered .21 car. But now ? The noise is just too much for any multiple local use cars and LiPo/brusless speeds are fast and so much easier...........Yes, I've joined the 'Dark Side' 😮
My first hobby grade was a nitro right before Brushless really started taking over. Ran gallons and gallons through it had fun with everything about it. The main reason i just don't run my Nitros anymore is the mess afterwards.... Caked in oil and dirt. that being said i really enjoy the tuning and trying to get the Engine to just scream. but not enough to want to run them😐
Nitro is awesome, i love electrics aswell if im just wanting a quick fly or drive but if i have the time its the nitros that come out, much more involving and more fun to use
My first hobby grade was a nitro Rustler in the late 90s. I had no clue what I was getting into and almost gave up a few times but here it is 2024 and that same car is still running strong. I definitely agree for a large percentage of rc enthusiasts nitro is not the way to go! I think to have them and be able to enjoy them you have to just have a special place in your heart for them!
Absolutely I’ve always been a fan and my first ever proper hobby grade rc truck was nitro. A thunder tiger ssk. Brilliant truck and still miss it to this day. Maybe I need to track one down 🤔 haha.
@@beyondRC I have sold my Rustler twice and both times the people couldn't get it to run and gave it back to me for free when they got sick of it lol I am never ever letting it go again!
A heat gun helps with start up. Get the block warmed up to 65C 150F without heating up the carb. The crown heated at 94C 200F. It helps prolong engine life an makes it significantly easier to start. Biggest threat to nitro is the banning and percent decrease of nitromethane. You can run on 0% if it came own to it just like back when they first came out but nitro gives a ton of power. Nitro is the glory.
Man, am I an old head. I raced Nitro on-road back in the late 90s, and then bashed a Nitro Savage Big Block for YEARS. Thinking about getting back into the hobby, but most buggies are RTR which I HATE. Every time I think about going back to off road, I can't even imagine electric. Much shorter run times, so quiet, and no exhaust fumes. Yuck. Suggestions for a 1/8 Nitro Buggy Kit? Awesome video btw.
I really do love both electric & nitro, but especially to a petrol head nothing is going to beat having a real engine in a model car it’s on another level to electric; goes without saying there’s more maintenance involved but once you’ve learnt what you need to do it’s just routine! Great video, would love to see more nitro content on the channel!
More coming ;)
@@beyondRC awesome 👌
@@ajkr32 epic car btw i had a deep blue pearl R32 3 door for 8 years! There is a vid of it on youtube with 300k Views: ua-cam.com/video/AvkLJ-c3WIY/v-deo.htmlsi=6H8OkZUX_SncD3jI miss it every day cherish that beauty :)
I'm currently trying to get a friends nitro car started, and I'm having absolutely no luck with it.
I've tried everything I can think of!! Carb settings reset, all the fuel pipes replaced, tank replaced, glow plug replaced, pull start swapped for a rotor start, and nothing!!
Next thing to try is checking the head gasket, and making sure that's sealed properly.
I got a £200 mountain bike free, as payment for trying to get it started, and it won't beat me!! 😬👍🏻
They are a pain but once working they are brilliant Rob!
Put some Nitro directly into the carb, it will start then, as long as the glow plug is alight. You can problem solve from there on.
@@HaggardRC I've tried that. I had another look at it yesterday, and I think there might be an issue with the head. One of the bolts was loose, so I've stripped it down, replaced the gasket, and put new bolts in. Just need to check the tank and fuel pipes, and then I'll have another try at starting it. 👍🏻
Well done mate for trying to give nitro some exposure. It just feels so much more exciting than electric which feels a bit soulless unless you are doing serous racing .
Where I go there are electric cars that are actually the same speed or faster than my nitro buggy but people always say to me “ wow that’s going well!” I think the noise of the screaming engine makes it seem much faster than it really is.
My tips for nitro. Most important. Get a starter box. Using a pull start is enough to quickly put anyone off of nitro. 2 buy a medium price car like a hyper 7tq or kyosho ready set. These cheap £100 nitros are probably going to be harder to run easily and reliably . 3rd is to by a cheap parts car if the model you are using so you have a spare of any part that could possibly break or fall off. Nothing worse than travelljng to a location and having a wheel but lost or a pinion stripped. 4. Buddy up with a pal and run a pair of cars , it’s more fun and you can share spares .
I have videos of my channel of a lot of my cars including my nitros .
Ran Nitro almost 30 years ago, before the days of electric start, race cars had a bump box, some bashers had pull start. The payoff for Nitro was that, when it worked, they were the fastest cars on the track and when they were running you got a lot of run time with quick fill ups. Batteries in those days went between 5-7 minutes but now, brushless lipo is better in literally every single way.
Nitro does smell good though, should make it an air freshener.
15-20yrs ago. Tons of track in the area. Today. Zero. US is gettin ‘smaller’ and has a serious case of NIMBY. -U10
I love nitro, got an old 1:8 Hyper 7 Pro with starter box , love the smell, love the tuning it needs and love the noise, but its also the noise thats the downfall, unless youre at a track it will get people moaning at some point...
💯
I agree. As much fun as nitro is most don’t want to deal with or have the time to deal with the extra maintenance and procedures, myself included. I used to have a bunch of them but after trying out 1/5 scale gas rigs my desire to run nitro vanished instantly. As easy to start and run as a weed trimmer and with the clone options from rovan and 30DN they’re affordable as well. If space is a concern the baja shorty is no bigger than a Xmaxx.
for sure! I love running my 30DNT effortless to start and as you say no harder to start than a weed trimmer. Way easier over nitro. The only other thing is noise which has been pointed out in some of the other comments. People do love a moan about the noise and the 1/5 Petrol's are incredibly loud!
@@beyondRC yes that is very true. The noise is quite a problem sometimes. One of those “CY high flow exhaust” cans that comes on the losi 5ive t 2.0 helps significantly, but they kill a lot of performance. Then they sound like a weed trimmer as well. Haha
1/5 gas rigs are awesome, I run a Rovan AS1 which is a beast, the only downside is it lacks top speed which is where nitro comes in.
I actually do like the sound. I don't mind tinkering around. However, the sound is the biggest problem... I keep running my cars on the middle of the night in my housing estate (not sure if used the right term; not english native).
People would kill me if I did this with a nitro. My belt driven brushless touring car goes like "sssssssssssst"
And that's actually the reason, why I never had one as a kid, either.
For beginners. Electric is just easier and cleaner. But if you're into it, nitro is way better.
Nitro was the easy way to go fast back in the 90s when I got into the hobby with the nitro hawk. Electric just wasn't as fast and used low capacity nicd batteries that also took forever to recharge. Today with lipo and brushless outperform nitro by far. Nitro is noisy and messy and also requires a lot of tuning and expensive nitro methane and glow plugs. No reverse as well.
I have to give you a thumbs up just for running that Hyper 7. I still have very fond memories of my car.... loved that thing! Well, except for the tuning to get the mixture just right, frequent replacement of glow-plugs ($$$), cleaning up all the oil after the run, magically ingesting a pebble into the engine even though it had an air filter securely installed, and a few other annoyances I can think of. Still, there are those days I find myself on eBay looking for a decent Hyper 7 bargain...
Absolutely brilliant buggies!
Mostly airplane guy here. Harder can be better! We are coming around to the reality that twitching controls to an appliance is less engaging. Time to get the spirit back into the hobby.
just a thought, if i had more time, id develop a ecu to deal with tuning.... i know i know, that's all part of the challenge, i just feel like it would make getting things up and running a lot easier for beginners. or even anybody that struggled with it and went to electric. i know it will never achieve lipo power, but nitro's are more fun to drive..
Agree you can’t beat nitro the smell the noise is something that electric can’t replicate and I’ve not seen as many nitro fires compared to lipo batteries catching on fire.
Hey, RC Racing is bit popular but shunned away and tucked away due to people not realizing how competitive and lovely the sport was on TV, seeing your RC Car represented on TV was awesome and amazing to see, I have a Mugen Seiki MTX-2 and I got it for $59 for parts and repairs which I hold that car dearly as that is the first Touring Nitro RC Car I got, don’t worry about the noise, it’s loud but it will get better soon for Nitro Cars, cheaper ones can break due to overpowering a Nitro RC Car’s Engine, Kevin Talbot had that video about a Banzai Dirt Cheap Nitromethane RC Car, they last longer than Electric due to no charging and fuel, they have became hard to tune during a RC Racing because you need the best tunes to win a Nitro Car Race, they have a deepest heart in me as I have a Touring Nitromethane Car that is the hardest to get parts from but still nostalgic enough to own…
Im 57, used to run nitro back in the day because they were fast and you got a decent run time out of them, a fast(ish) electric buggy was lucky to get 5 minutes out of it's batteries back then.
These days there's not much point to nitro, loud, smelly, messy to much effort to keep them running and often a pain in the arse to start.
I think that as the old school guys die off they'll pretty much disappear as manufacturers drop support.
i agree. Manufacturers are fully aware of the situation i believe. Thats why we dont see any new nitro releases in the basher market. Not too sure about the racing scene as its not really my thing. Shame really.
I started out with electric, but I switched to nitro and I have more fun running a nitro than an electric, but yea, the only companies that still make nitro I can think of off the top of my head are Traxxas, Kyosho and hsp. Now one setback to nitro will be that they can be noisy and you have to be careful about where you run them. Electric can go more places and you can run them indoors as opposed to nitro, I mean maintenance on nitro is not as easy as electric is. Overall nitro is a lot more fun than electric if you can overlook the problems they have.
RC kits are disappearing too. They used to be the norm. Now RTR is the norm.
Agree. Because many people prefer ez of getting an rc going plus no noise to Neighbors BUT I bet this is NOT to convince those people but more for those who rather choose to run nitro NO matter what. Because of whatever they like about it. For most like me I like to hear and see the response even when you let go the throttle and feel the neutral ride and back on the trigger. That you cannot get with electric. But hey both have they place. Enjoy what you like. Guys 👍
good video dude, you cover all the points good and bad, i did run nitro maybe 30 plus years ago and sorry just could not go back to it, so im 100% electric
One big issue is getting fuel for them , hard to get here in Canada and very expensive when you do find it at approx 55 dollars per gallon.
That’s insane! Prices are also going up in the uk . The end is close for most people I believe outside of racing 🥹
One big pain in the **s, is the point, that most of the RTR engines are poorly manufactured. Therefore front bearings are leaking and air is sucked through the front bearing for example and the engine isn't handleable anymore and most of the buyers refuse to go for a quality motor such as a OS.
So there is way more know how required for the RTR society to have fun with a nitro, but once you get to that level, you can have a full hour of driving and just pause for refueling.
Back around 25yrs a bunch of people would meet up in a big parking lot every Sunday and drag race nitro rc’s. One day this guy shows up with a built electric car talking crap and our slowest nitro car out ran him. I couldn’t remember how many times he went to his car to charge his batteries that day but it was a lot.
Used to really enjoy Nitro cars and planes back in the days when electric cars were slow and a bit crap but with modern electronics, better batteries, crazy motors and getting aggrivation from people complaining and calling the police when running the nitro cars I finally gave up on nitro, converted my last nitro car to electric a few months ago and now only run electric. Having to charge and carry a bunch of battery packs to have a decent day out is a pain in the ass but for me electric is simply way less trouble. I do miss turning fuel into noise but dont miss being chased away by folks calling the cops when going out for a blast. Electric tech has come a long way and certainly does not attract complaints like the nitro did even though many of my electric cars are actually faster than the nitro cars and you dont hear them approaching so are probably more dangerous. Funny how an RC nitro car sparks complaints but a petrol strimmer or chainsaw that makes a very similar level of noise appears to be acceptable. People are strange.
I’m fairly new to RC I’ve started out with electric never had any interest in nitro and very recently got interested into gas. I just recently bought a 1/5 gas baha and now having a hard time going back to electric. Something about gas that I just love!
Yes!! The noise, smell and feel of a gas 1/5 is unbeatable!
Our group ran nitro only for years back in the day. I was the first to put a brushless system in along with some lipos. It was over for nitro at that point for us. This was when chargers weren’t really available or brushless systems. But we knew what was coming. Nitro is always cool though, I just don’t want to tune anymore.
Got my first nitro (Kyosho Inferno Neo 3.0) about a month ago. Definitely not as fast as my brushless electrics but I'm hooked.
Do what makes you happy I say.
I used to be a big fan of nitro rc, but the noise and usage limitations due to that noise kind of makes me look for quieter solution, electric rc is perfect current days, with big and fast chargeable lipos.
Its a shame electric does not smell as good as nitro 😂
Noise, cost of maintenance, cost to drive, constant tuning, being harder to get faster, potential runaways etc are why it's dying off.
That being said.. this winter I'd like to get a kit or used 1/7 and wrench on it for spring. I want to get a boat as well. Lol
Had a couple traxxas nitro trucks back in the day. Fun when they ran but not fun trying to get running sometimes. The sound was the best part. Aways sounded faster than they were. Did have a nitro boat for a short time. After a couple swimming retrieval sessions that had to go. Now I have all brushless. Spend most time upgrading and suspension tuning. I like the programming capabilities of the electronics now.
I ran nitro for 25 years, neighbors hate the noise, always buying gas, I spent more time fixing and tuning then I got runtime. I bought my first Kraton 6s and sold my nitro rig 2 weeks later, It's quiet, faster , and reverse that actually works lol.
I have electrics from 32nd to 6th scale, a 10th scale nitro, and a 5th scale gasser. Electrics are more user/newb/budget friendly, less offensive to most folks, and needs a LOT less support equipment per run than either nitro or gas. That being said, it's hard to beat the sound and overrall experience of a snarlin, smoke spewing nitro on the pipe and snapping gear changes imho. My main limiters in the whole thing are tuning can sometimes be a big p.i.t.a. and the eyewatering cost of fuel nowadays
gear
Remember when if you wanted a R/C car you had no choice but to build it? RTR wasn't a thing! Instant gratification and unwillingness to learn nitro IS a thing now.
Listen, if you know what you are doing, then nitro is easy to tune. When engine is at operating temps, it takes 5 minutes to tune it at most.
And then you can have fun all day.
NOTHING beats nitro for pure fun.
I used to love nitro back in my early days of rc, as they were faster than electric and had longer run times. The engines were built to a higher standard back then too, being easier to start and maintain tune. That's why nitro is dying today, the engines are not built to the same standards and as a result are unreliable and unpredictable.
I recently tried nitro again and it was a horrible experience. Difficult and expensive to purchase the fuel, the engine's don't run as well as they used to and I spent more time tinkering than driving.
I still admire the charm of nitro but will never purchase or run one again after having horrible experiences with HPI and Kyosho.
The benefits of electric cars are too hard to ignore. Reliability, ease of use, speed, power, cheaper running costs and no noise to disturb the neighbours.
I am brand new to racing 1/8 nitro buggy and I think it’s pretty cool, pretty neat. One thing I have thought about nitro is that I don’t know why anyone would want to bash nitro powered cars, to me nitro really is just for racing in this day and age
I swapped on to petrol from nitro easy on getting fuel etc but 2 stroke oil gets harder to find these days
Preheat the motor, prime the fuel system, use a good ignitor. It will start on the second pull. When you shut it down put it at bottom dead center. If you have problems your compression is gone or your tune is off. I spend more time balencing/discharing my lipos for storage than it takes to clean an airfilter. Maintence difference is overblown .
Lipo batts and brushless motors have changed the RC world.
100%
i have a AE mgt 8.0 and i love it but the cost of fuel is insane almost 90 usd for a gallon and also the closest hobby store to me is over 1hr away so ive been debating whether to convert it to electric but i dont want to lose the nitro but i also know i might never use it again if i dont
Nitro power became cute in the brushless generation
I like driving my rc in my house and shop so that really why I like electric. And I’ve seen other having trouble getting the engine tuned right.
I still hang on to nitro. Barely tho. I have a savage .21 and the best primer option i use is a primer bulb that plugs inline with the fuel line to the carb. You really cant beat brushless🤷. Best things ive done is convert nitro to brushless.
The sound of Nitro's though as you get older drives me nuts. Its like some guy with a weed wacker at 7am in the morning. A lot of high pitched shrieking for so little torque and instant off the mark power. 6s is where it's at for me, but i also really love the smaller 3s stuff around, Very portable, fast af, and durable. In saying that, Nitro's will always have their place and die hard hobbyists and there's nothing wrong with that at all. Its all about having fun and putting that smile on your face that only this Hobby can do. There is no hobby quite like RC Cars in general whatever your power source. Go hard...Take care. Jimbo, Australia.
Hello! Honest question…I had a family member many years ago that was big into nitro. All I remember is the thing was soooo temperamental. It would always foul out the plugs (glow plugs?), always stalled out, would only run for one minute or so when it actually did work, etc…is this pretty common or is this more of an individual case? I loved the sound and smells but I just remember it looking like a major pain in the ass
let me guess, maintenance, noise and smell ? :D
I'll still watch it though.
I remember when I was a kid, real RC cars were all combustion engines, and it kept me and my lame unable-to-do-anything-mechanical dad away
I'm just as unable as he is, so I really enjoy electric RC cars. I have other hobbies and I'm not really willing to learn all the stuff I'd need to know to run nitro cars.
Ha ha pretty much spot on although i do enjoy the smell and noise part of what makes it so fun for me. Just the constant complaints about the noise which restrict a lot of us from enjoying them. Not like electric you can take them anywhere!
I don’t really find that nitro cars need more maintenance, just that electric cars are more forgiving to neglect. Like diffs and shocks should be rebuilt a lot more often than a nitro engine would need to be pulled or inspected, and when there is an issue with the engine It’s usually just change the air filter foam or bearings.
If I didn’t live in a small apartment I would probably get a few nitro cars. Electric is so much easier when you don’t have a garage or workbench outside of the apartment.
Fuel & plugs so expensive it’s loud, smelly, oily, messy, did I say loud? never ending fine tunning of the low & high needles it’s really not “plug&play” like electric these days im passing on nitro these days 😂
I still have my Hyper 8 i bought new but dont drive it anymore, i now have a handfull of OG HPI Bajas, gas and electric, old ones and new. Just awesome