My rc dirt bike - replica 2011 Villopoto bike

[JohnnyMac]

Just thought I would share some work I did transforming my new rc, a VMX 450 1/4 scale dirt bke. Maybe somebody will find it interesting lol. I spent about a month it. The frame comes stock in black plastic. Yuck. So I spent some time painting up that, then started on the body. Body came prepainted so I resorted to working on outside of it. Its a combo of spray painting and sticker graphics. Originally my intent was to skin the body completely with stickers like you artist would to 3d model. I ended up with 3 sheets total, all while learning Gimp in the process. Hopefully my bike will get some attention needed in the hobby. I have an album with a few more pics at facebook if curious http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3 ... 5cb7397bf4






Cya guys online.

[frederick]

Thats absolutley sick.

[Travis107]

I myself race RC's. Team Associated FT B4.1 to be exact I think that is awesome man. Maybe bring it to a RC track and get some foody of it in action!

[MiNi]

[excelmx112]

Thats way sick!

[TannerKawi250f]

i never knew these things existed.

[scheeve3]

Wow, riding that is probarly 100time's harder then playing mxsimulator. And what a nice paintjob ... damn.
How big is that thing actually? Because on that photo do's it looks like a 85cc size bike or something .

[JohnnyMac]

Thanks for the reponses. In a couple months a working front break will be released so that should help out on tracks. Rc street bikes dont require extra help keeping bike upright, but the offroad bikes a rear wheel gyro is required, which is why the rear wheel is solid not open. I have a local track available so I definately plan to shoot videos, especially since nobody else has. Will I look like a goon just like in mxs, probably, but fck it, I wouldnt be playing mxs if I didnt like a challenge.

The way I took the photos, it is a bit tricky to tell the scale of it lol. I guess the size is something comparable to a 1/10 short course truck of 1/8th buggy. Here's the specs from www.venom-group.com:
Length: 21.57" (548mm)
Width: 11.32" (287.5mm) w/ guide wires
Height: 12.24" (311mm) w/o rider
Wheelbase: 14.56" (370mm)
Ground Clearance: 3.27" (83mm)
Motor: 4800kv 540 class Brushless Motor
Batteries: 2-cell LiPO Pack* (Not Included)

[dustywalrus]

I myself race RC's. Team Associated FT B4.1 to be exact I think that is awesome man. Maybe bring it to a RC track and get some foody of it in action!

Haha, i also race rc's, i have a Team Associated T4.1.

[Jones221]

Johnny you live in norcal right?

[Magnus42]

OMG, it looks huge

http://static.rcgroups.net/forums/attac ... 1300350566

[jesplind]

Sooo hard to see what scale it is! looks as big as a car in some pictures

[JohnnyMac]

Im surprised this thread popped up...

Johnny you live in norcal right?

Central coast actually. About 30 minutes from Pismo Dunes if that means anything.

Jesplind, after I took these I thought so too. It was NOT intentional. The bike is actually sitting on a small 2-3ft table top dirt mound a tractor left. So with the ground and the weeds way back looking so small it looks almost full size. Its 1/4 scale so with the rider on it, its about the size of the 1/10 short course trucks.

UPDATE:
Since posting the original pics, I spent a lot of time figuring out how to deal with the foam rider that sits on the bike. The stock rider paint job looks like a silly toy job, so it needed the same treatment. I focused on the gear he had on at LA SX and Salt Lake in 2011. I used a paintbrush with a special airbrush paint called createx that required a heatgun to treat. I printed stickers which some are holding up while others are not so its hit n miss. Oh yeah, the goggles have real mirrored lens that I made from mirrored tint that I glued to a piece of lexan, then attached to rider.
Here's a source pic of RV2:


Here's my version




Next projects for the bike include a installing the real working front disk brake the company just shipped to me last week, and then replace the mechanical gyro inside back wheel with a prototype version Im working on that I may try sending out to a company that can print nylon plastic in 3d.

Cya guys online.

[dustywalrus]

my local hobby shop promised me a job when i turn 15, so ill be getting discounted prices, would you recommend i pick myself up one of these? are they alot of fun?

[JohnnyMac]

Dusty,
I think they are fun but challenging too, much like mxs compared to mva might be in a way. Its not the cheapest available if your on a budget. Another bike to consider is the duratrax dx450 if your wallet is tight. With the vmx, some have had good luck with the bike running good while others have had issues. The biggest complaint was the gears inside the rear wheel that spin the gyro didnt last long (plastic). Venom replaced those with steel ones for free with proof of purchase. Very good customer support! Bikes take a lot more practice to drive then a 4 wheeled rc. I've heard they are more compareable to flying an airplane in how you operate the transmitter, but I personally I wouldnt know. Just like a real bike you make a quick turn of steering wheel to initiate the bike into a lean but then use throttle and opposite steering to pull out of lean. I learned quicker with the motard tires in a parking lot. This bike has a tendency to wobble on surfaces the rear tire cant get grip on, like hardpacked dusty terrain. "Race" tires are in the works so hopefully that will help.

I created a youtube channel RCDIRTBIKEACTION just for rc dirt bikes with playlists for racing, track sessions, motard, and bashing/freestyle if anyone is interested in the hobby, so check the videos out and read any reviews out there too. Heres the channel link if interested: http://www.youtube.com/user/RCDirtBikeAction