just thought to share my experiance with my xrider sagittarius 1/4 scale off road bike . i had dabbled with rc bikes in the early 2000's , had a thunder tiger road bike clone , and a 1/4 scale off road bike from hobbyking [ i think ] . the road bike worked well and i learnt to ride with it , the offroad bike though was never a success , disliked the rear wheel mechanical gyro . it was ''controllable '' up to a point , but forget about accuracy to put it where you wanted it . i now have both the losi promoto , [red one painted yellow] ,and the xrider sagittarius , i have had the losi for a couple of months longer than the xrider . for my set up i used the reciever that is in the losi , mounted in the same orientation , thinking to have all the features of the losi system , namely the extra stability system [ electronic gyro ] , and the different riding modes in the reciever , along with the incorporated mechanical gyro .[ both have ] . however this system is not compatable with the xrider , as it interfered with the steering input , even with a ferrite ring in circuit , causing loss of steering control . big thank you to dave [ holeshot hobbies] , for the phone discussion concerning this issue and all the advise on my set up, is excellent service . my only thought is that the radio frequency put out by the mechanical gyro was causing the interferance , as the gyro's are different on both models . it might be possible to filter it out , depending on how much one wanted the ''ride'' modes on a switch, instead of your finger . replaced the reciever with a four channel spectrum surface reciever , which fitted in behind the brake servo's , between the frame side plates and ran the antenna out the rear of the bike . fitted the rear brake disc and servo , diddn't like the bmw blue/white helmet , so painted it black . i also added velcro to the seat and rider , to assist in carrying it by the rider . in case of loosing the seat fuel cap and body clip during a battery change , i cut the bottom off a swivel and glued it to the fuel tank [as to turn ] , and made a small trace wire and attached it to the brake cable , a cable tie is on the rear body clip , so they both stay with the bike , and not in the grass .i also put a s/s mesh screen over the r.h.s. motor gear train to stop possible debris causing a gear jam and are running 8mm nylon rod posts on the rear holder with losi wheels , for my lean bars .battery is a 3 cell , 4300 mah , gens ace shorty pack . i have upgraded the steering with the dual hydralic damper steering upgrade/bearings , and added 2mm of preload , huge improvement . absolute minimum headshake and very responsive . upgraded the brake servo's to 2, kst X15-1809 V8.0 [18KG@6V ] , bit of trimming to get lead in , and a, savox SC-1251MG [9kg@6v] for the steering , drops straight in ,centres better .for more front brake force i re-routed the cable from the caliper straight to the head/triple, over the handlebars, and straight to the cable/servo mount , miniumum bends/friction , and a lot more force transferred to the caliper , better stopping power . i removed approximatly 75mm of the outer brake cable sheath . the seat assembly keeps the cable down . i have removed all pre-load on the rear shock , she sits better and has improved handelling . she is now very responsive , slightly quicker than the losi , better top end speed . the slow speed handelling is also superior to the losi , being very close to walking speed . the narrow width of the xrider [ narrower than the losi ], gives it another slight edge over the losi , being the smaller turning circle/radius . the bikes physical behavior is more to scale realism than the losi , she sits and turns a bit more stable , the rear slides more realistically ,i think because having only one gyro , there is not the ''fight off'' that is apparent in the losi front forks shake , when the two gyro's fight each other , same when the front wheel is off the ground . the xrider seems also quite durable , through the set up process i had many a crash , endo's and tumbles ,including one at half , to three quarter throttle head on into a tree , nothing broke or needed replacing , testament to the quality of the product . i am impressed with this model and find i am taking it out more than the losi . i get between 7 - 10 minutes from a battery . also the xrider is considerably lighter than the losi so is easier to carry around and set up . i noticed on my losi when i was working on the front brake , [ have a few upgrades on the losi ],that the outer brake cable would ''shrink'' at full brake . you can see it , look at the distance between the brake cable and the handelbar , apply full brake and watch the cable get closer to the handelbar. this does not happen on the xrider , why , because the losi outer cable sheath is plastic tube , and it compresses under load , thus stealing force from the caliper , the xrider has metal in the brake outer sheath [ saw it when i cut ], like a real brake cable , and does not compress , just little things that shine .once again quality . i replaced my losi cable outer with a inner core from a aircraft flexable push rod , and made a big difference to the stopping power . sure the xrider takes a bit more work to set up , but isn't that what seperates the avid modellor from the hobbyist . for the quality and performance of the xrider sagittarius , one will not be dissapointed . yes i was, a bit dissapointed with the xrider's , first runs , compaired to the - whack a battery in in and jump over houses , go through brick wall , ?, l.o.l , with the losi . though now ,a completely different bike , been through the learning curve , and in my opinion the xrider sagittarius is on par with the losi . the ''goods and bads '' of each, cancell each other out , if you are after ''tricks'' , [wheelstand], and extreme conditions , prefer the losi . if you are after a fast , responsive mx track racer , then prefer the xrider . for stay on the ground performance, i think the xrider wins ,depends on eveyone's style . only thing i do know is - MY XRIDER IS A BLAST

We've had some great feedback on our recent blog series exploring the new  X- RIDER CRS 1:4 RC MOTO.  In part 3 of the series , we are focusing on the steering system, fairings, fenders and panels, the rider and the scratch bars.  If you have any questions, don't hesitate to drop us a comment below or reach out to us. THE STEERING SYSTEM The steering system has been the focus of much interest for many of you, while for us, the preoccupation has been testing the bike, its capabilities and limits and anticipating your questions and answering them for you.  Previously in the 1:4 category of off-road motorcycles, the steering system has been either a basic steering shaft connected to the servo and using a spring either side of the servo fixing; some other models used an oil filled steering damper. While this system worked, it didn’t come without some drawbacks. Most notably, a tendency for the bike to get head shake or steering wobbles. The problem being that while the oil damper systems were better, their location and fixing points meant that the bike would still suffer occasional headshake. X-Rider have put thought into refining the steering system so that it is more compact and discrete, by designing a double arm system which is installed under the front of the bike and mounts directly to the lower triple clamps and is adjustable through spring preload. The system provides accurate and direct steering inputs making the bike agile, giving you the ability to make tight turns at speed with ease. The factory settings for the steering offer a calm and very stable bike that tracks straight and will easily stand itself upright out of corners. You can liken it to driving a car in that, you need to keep steering input through the corner to keep the bike down. The result? Easier to drive and a great base for beginners to learn from. To sharpen the motorcycle’s agility and make It more reactive to your inputs, simply increase the preload on the springs. A stiffer setting will keep the bike down in the corner however, you need to give the model more counter steering inputs to stand the bike up and exit the corner.  Important note:  If you keep your steering input on once the bike has leaned over and touched the bars, your bike will not turn easily and will run wide.  So, whether you prefer the bike to stay down in the corners or stand up easily, you can fine tune things to suit your personal preference with this system.  As a general rule an ideal setting is as soft as possible and as hard as necessary. Experiment with this setting and find which works best for your driving style. We have fine tuned the system on our bike and experimented with all settings from very soft to max preload and we found our sweet spot with the bike somewhere in the middle of the two extremes.  We also made a couple of small easy mods which made a huge impact on the performance, stay tuned for more details on that in upcoming posts. UPGRADED TWIN OIL STEERING DAMPER SYSTEM OPTION:  Due for release in early March, X-Rider has an upgraded twin oil filled steering damper system. The upgraded system provides even more tunability to the steering, while at the same time keeping the front end rock solid stable even under the harshest conditions. We are looking forward to installing them on our test bike and you bet we’ll be reporting back on what we think of those after we’ve given them a thorough test. FAIRINGS, FENDERS AND PANELS: The CRS fairings, front fender and number plate panel are made from a high grade, flexible and durable nylon material. The main fairing is made up of three pieces that is attached and removed from the bike as one piece. While it has been scaled and designed directly based from a CRF Honda (a feature we love)  it could easily resemble any 1:1 MX Motorcycle with the right colours and decals attached. We are currently working with a decal supplier to have some custom replica liveries designed and we are hoping we can make that available for customers soon.  The front fender is almost unbreakable, it bends and twists in a crash, but always returns to its normal position, we haven't even been able to crease it yet. Overall it's lightweight and extremely durable, the fairing is quick and easy to remove to get to your electronics or change a battery. The current colour choices are Fluro Red or Blue with Kawasaki green, Yellow, and more to look forward to in the future.   A template of the decal kit is available to download for those wanting to create their own custom liveries, we cannot wait to see what is produced. The fairings all tie together and when assembled on the bike marry perfectly with the chassis frame of the bike and all the other scale details. I can’t wait to get some paint on those areas to really highlight and create a personal look! The rear fender swoops down from the tail of the motorcycle, giving full protection to the rear shock, while still allowing for easy access to it for ride height adjustments. It does a perfect job of keeping the mud, dirt and debris from flicking back into and all around the motorcycle. All the electronics are neatly set out at the top of the model, receiver and brake servos set back over the rear wheel, while the battery installs in the middle of the chassis for optimum weight distribution and COG. The ESC is securely mounted just above the battery while the brushless motor mounts below the battery and behind the chassis mounted flywheel gyroscope. All the electronics are well protected from dirt, debris or any potential impacts, while being simple and easy to access without having to take a heap of parts off to get to them. SCRATCH BARS - GREAT SUPPORT AND LONGEVITY The motorcycle is delivered with two sets of scratch bars made of 4mm steel, a set of regular U shape bars along with an additional set with a tighter U shape for use on tarmac are included in the box.  You won't have any issues with the model rolling over onto the rider's head with this system. The bar supports are positioned neatly and discretely toward the front and rear of the chassis sitting just under the fairings, this position gives the most support while not upsetting or unloading the models suspension when your bars touch the ground. While the steel bars give lots of support when the bike rests on them, we prefer using a nylon bar. The nylon bar has reduced friction when touching the ground and also has some flex which keeps from upsetting the bike handling if you touch down on them aggressively. The holders will accommodate up to a 6.5mm nylon bar; we tested both 6mm and 8mm bars.  To use the 8mm bar we drilled our holders out. We are still testing and evaluating our preference from 6-8mm, for maximum support of the bike on the bar we think the 8mm works best, but if you don't rely on your bars for as much support 6mm will serve you well too. While we personally prefer the nylon, however the steel bars do an excellent job of holding the bike weight and they won't wear out in a hurry either.  THE RIDER - READY TO BATTLE LIKE JETT LAWRENCE AT THE START GATES! Made from flexible and a very strong durable vinyl material, X-Rider spent a good deal of time getting the scale sizing and body position and proportions correct. His helmet is loosely based off an AGV MX helmet, and yes unlike previous RC motorcycle riders, this one even has a neck and he's actually looking ahead to see where he is going! Seated in the attack position just like Jett Lawerence at the start gates, he is ready for battle. Many small details like his knee pads, removable helmet visor and his racing boots all adding to the most scale and real to life looks. For the ARTR models the rider is painted in the red or blue colour scheme with number decals included. In the build kits the rider is supplied unpainted and ready for you to customize to your liking. A variety of paint can be used to decorate the rider, we recommend the TS range of Tamiya paints, or the PS range can be used if you undercoat first.  Our takeaways on the rider: From our testing with the bike, we believe the rider has held up flawlessly. Through all the cartwheels and backflips he has not sustained a single injury, apart from a couple of small scratches. We like the special attention that has been paid in getting the proportions, body posture and seating position on the motorcycle to give an authentic ready for action look. The riders hands clip securely onto the handle bars, while his boots are clipped down on the foot peg posts. This keeps him securely in place, allowing you to even carry the model from the rider. Quick tip: For access to the battery and electronics area, simply push his boots off the peg post and put him in a handstand position to remove the fairing. Quick and simple, just how we like it! Want more in the series? Head here to get updated forum posts in this series and more. We would love your questions and feedback on any upcoming content you’d like to see from us at www.holeshothobbies.com.au.  If you want to stay connected with us, you can follow us at facebook and instagram or YouTube.   Happy RC Moto Racing! 🏍️💨

Hi guys and gals,     We know many of you are itching to see and hear more about th X-Rider CRS Saggitarius before making the decision to add it to your Moto RC collection. We have been using our time to get to know the bike more inhtimatley and now have close to 100 packs of testing experience.   So, let's take a closer look and some of the stand out features of the X-Rider CRS Motorcycle for you.   X-RIDER CRS MOTO - STAND OUT FEATURES YOU CAN'T IGNORE   RIMS & TIRES   Front and rear alloy spoked wheels and hubs are standard equipment. Our testing so far has involved plenty of jumping and flat landing coupled with a good amount of crash testing. You'll be pleased to find out that we have yet to have a spoke bend or come loose or get in buckle in the rims. The tyres are mounted with foam inserts front and rear and as you would expect, they have been designed with durability in mind. While they are harder than we would like for racing, they still get the bike around the track nicely and they won't tear up in a flash on tarmac either. Note that there will also be some option compounds offered shortly after the first batch of kits arrive, with the posibbilty of even an option tread pattern.   The tires are manufactured by CST Tire company - these guys specialize in making road, adventure and racing tires for the automotive industry, from 4WD vehicles and motorcycles to pushbike rubber. For some time they have been manufacturing some of the best, sticky 1:8 RC Bike rubber we've come across. Without a doubt, the rims and tyres on the CRS are a standout feature, they have been designed and manufactured to the most accurate scale sizing and details that we have ever seen in this category. You get a much better appreciation for the scaling when you compare it to any other motorcycle in the category.   FORKS & REAR SHOCK ABSORBER   Our test bike came equipped with silicone grease forks, similar to the one's found on the ARX-Bikes. While we got the forks to work well, we found a good setting to work with by increasing the thickness of the silicone grease, however we were still not 100% satisfied and as a result, the forks were redesigned to be hydrolic using silicone oil. These upgraded forks allow for better damping and more tuneability as well as being much cleaner and easier to service. It's win win, in our eyes!   The lower fork legs are very robust and solid, with excellent tolerances and no slop, the fork bottoms or 'feet' (as I like to call them) are also made of high grade alloy, incorporating also the front brake caliper in alloy on the left side of the motorcyle. Another impressive feature of the X-RIder CRS suspension is the travel!  With around 80-85mm of travel you can soak up all the bumps and handle even the worst jump landings without bottoming out and po-going all over the track.   For the rear shock, a complete alloy body, cap and lower mount is included as standard. Our CRS test bike was supplied with the ARX rear shock, however a totally new one has been designed and produced to be included as standard. While we are still waiting to test the new shock, reports from the factory are that it out-performs the one in our bike now. Like the forks, the rear damper provides more than enough travel to soak up any bumps and big jump landings. The rear shock position has three adjustment fixings on the swingarm and the swingarm itself has down-stop adjustment to set your droop and ride height to your liking.   BRAKES   Mechanical disc brakes for the front and rear are included standard on the bike. Alloy brake calipers are standard and are powered by two separate midi sized digital servos rated at 6kg of torque. Both front and rear machined discs are floating and look true to scale in every way. The brake pad  need a few runs to bed in the disc and pad material before you get the best performance out of them.   For those of us that like to push the limits as far as we can, we recommend upgrading the standard servos to ones with a torque of 10kg or more for endo stopping power. We have tested the bike running just the front brake with rear motor brake and then switched to running the disc brake on the rear too. You have the freedom of choice to use it or just leave it there for looks, either way we prefer it to having a fo setup like most other 1:4 bikes have.   We have chosen to run both front and rear mechanical brakes and have even occasionally added in a little motor brake to lock the rear easier and back it in!   DRIVE TRAIN & SWINGARM   The main ESC is a Hobbywing 80A brushless controller, that will run on either 2 or 3S lipo power. A 3800KV 3652 brushless motor, with an 11T pinion and 56T main spur gear. The chassis will accommodate up to a 3660 brushless motor and the motor mount is adjustable to accommodate up to a 21T pinion.   On the chain side we have a 9t front sprocket and rear 34T sprocket, a high grade roller chain with chain link is included. RC motorcycles moved away from slipper clutch setups many years ago, simply because they were not very effective and made it difficult to reduce the overall width of the models. The more norrow the motorcycle can be, the more lean angle you can have, allowing for greater corner speed and faster laptimes overall.   There is an optional part for those that prefer to have a slipper setup, the X-Rider factory have designed and are manufacturing it for release soon after the first kits arrive. In our testing we have not felt that it has been needed, but always nice to have the option.   Many of you may be thinking, how does the chain adjust? You'll be happy to know that just like any other 1:1 motorcyle or even bicycle, chain adjustment is achieved with a left and right setscrew that moves the rear axle forward to backward to achieve the correct chain tension.   To adjust you simply; loosen both axle left and right axle screws, remove one side at a time completely to insert your 2mm driver and adjust the set screw. Repeat the same process on the opposite side and re-tighten the axle screws, and…you're done! For extra security and to prevent the axle being able to shift rearward we installed a screw through the rear of the right swingarm, locking the axle in place completely.   In all our testing so far we have only adjusted the chain twice. The chain is protected via a very neat and discrete chain guard which houses and protects the chain from all sides.   THOUGHTS ON OVERALL SIZE COMPARED TO THE LOSI-PRO-MOTO   One of the very first features that we noticed on the X-Rider CRS motorcyle was the overall size. It is a bit taller and longer than the LOSI PRO-MOTO. Additionally, we noted how narrow the motorcycle is, so when you take a closer look at the swingarm, you'll discover it has the most narrow swingarm on any 1:4 MX Motorcycle! At just 69mm wide overall, you won't find another 1:4 motorcycle available today (or previoulsy for that matter) that has as much clearance or lean angle capability.   What is the benefit of this? More lean angle allows you to carry higher corner entry speed and maintain that speed through the middle and exit of the turn. Sweet! We cannot wait for the super-motard slicks to arrive to really put the bike through its paces on the tarmac. On the dirt we find the increased lean angle allows you to drift the bike into and out of corners allowing for a much tighter turning radius.   In summary, there is lots to get excited about here. From better lean angles, more flexibility in carrying higher corner entry speeds to improved laptime opportunities and more upgrade options and parts, the X-RIDER CRS is proving to be a worthy apponent in the 1:4 scale category. And that makes for a lot more fun on the track for all of us!     LIKED THIS POST? Keep an eye out for our next forum post where we'll take a closer look at the steering system, flywheel gyro system, the chassis and much more.   If you're keen to get your hands on the X-RIDER CRS Pre-Order Promo which will end soon, head here.   Follow Holeshot Hobbies on Instagram, Facebook and You Tube