Issue with the Wire Stablizers
After several minor bumps and scrapes (OK, crashes!) the wire stablizers had bent to a point that thay interfered with steering. I decided to try and straighten them back to the original shape. Well this was no easy task. The metal that these wires are made from is extremely tough to get back into a shape that I would consider good enough.There are good and bad points about those metal stabilizer. On the good side, they don't bend easily. On the bad side, they don't bend easily. It may take a lot of punishment to bend them but it's a punishing ordeal trying to bend them back.
I'm considering taking on a little project that might help with this problem. I want to modify or make my own stablizers. I'm thinking of using some very small dampener shocks along with small rubber wheels. The wheels will have to be small enough so that they don't look like goofy little training wheels that you would find on a kid's bike. At this point in time whether or not the stablizer mod idea will even work is just a theory. I still want to do some research on how to go about doing this mod the right way.
Issue with the Nitro Engine
My biggest challenge with the Ducati bike was the the nitro engine easy start system. Not so easy. The way it is designed and where it is placed in the bike is a good idea. But I think the bike designers should have spent more time on the structural design. The engine itself is fine but the starting system tends to fall apart at high RPMs causing the one-way bearing and brass bushing that holds the one-way bearing in place to fly out the sides when giving the RC bike a lot of throttle.It could be that a factory defective engine was installed in my RC bike -- I don't know for sure. I just want to point this problem out so that if and when it happens to someone else they will know what to do. There are three different ways to go about fixing this particular problem.
Option 1: Take your receipt and go back to the hobby store where you purchased the RC and ask for an exchange or refund.
Option 2: Call or go online to Thunder Tiger's website and ask for a replacement engine. They may ask you to send the original engine and all of its broken parts back to them so they can either fix it or send you a new one.
Option 3: Go the route I chose and replace the engine with an entirely different model. If you choose to do this you will want to grab a TigerDrive setup as well -- clutch type starting system with the adapter wand shaft to go with it because if you try to use the starter shaft that came with the bike you will find that it is too big to fit. Depending on the new engine, you may have to replace the clutchbell as well.
Loose Screws and Other Nutty Problems
Advice I've offered to readers and friends: "Make sure to go over the entire RC and tighten EVERY nut, bolt and screw there is!" If I had heeded my own advice I could have avoided a lot of frustrations and delays. When you fail to tighten up all the nuts and bolts and screws, parts start falling off at high speeds -- not good. Yes, I am guilty of being in a hurry and ended up trying to find the front wheel nut in the dark poorly lit parking lot. Imagine how goofy I looked walking around using my cell phone as a flashlight trying to find a missing wheel nut?So, is this RC bike a worthwhile purchase?
Despite the frustrations and engine problems I still enjoy racing around the parking lot with my now fixed RC motorcycle. If I had to do it all over again I would still buy the Thunder Tiger Ducati 999R Testastretta.However, if I were to do it all over again I'd be sure to tighten all those loose screws and nuts before I hit the pavement running.
