Official dNano and tracks coming soon...

[potentiality]

Im sorry, all my enthusiasm just went out the window with HTUSA. I don't like one dealer distribution, and on top of that, I don't find many HT useful, or even helpful for the most part. Too much like McDonalds. Mom and Pop stores are the best at helping the customer and actually having to do a damn good job.

As I said interest in these has just gone out the window. To be honest, I hope it fails in HT side, as it will convince Kyosho USA from doing stupid 1 distributor items. Hadn't they learned from their experience with Great Planes?

[carnaige]

Don't worry I know it will all work out!

[arch2b]

the racing concept is just a rip off of the existing howfastareyou mini-z racing series. very dissapointing they chose not to work with an existing proven series that wasn't manufacturer dependant.

i'll likely get a dnano if and when they ever get to my area but i doubt it will be any time soon. htusa SUCKS in terms a quality service and small scale rc support. it's towerhobbies all over again...

[TimJohnson]

Originally Posted by punkrock

I was at the United Toy and Hobby convention yesterday, and had a long talk with the HTUSA and Kyosho people who were conveniently set up next to each other.

Originally Posted by punkrock

The HTUSA people do have the exclusive distribution, that is correct. They will start selling the Dnano sometime in mid november. The cars are very impressive if you haven't seen them run. They are fast, look cool and will have many hop-ups. The price is going to be about $130 for just the cars, and another $130 for the starter pack including the battery, controller, etc. Yep, your looking at $250 for a 4" car, but seriously after seeing them run, I might be willing to take the jump.

This has been pushed back a bit due to customs.

Originally Posted by punkrock

All of the cars have a built in transponder, and you will be able to race each week, twice a week, on a preset track configuration that will be run all over the US. So essentially, you will be running your times against racers from all over the US. According to the Kyosho guys, they plan on pushing the heck out of it with a monthly magazine, and the ability to get your lap times and other car stats online at any time, really making it a national competition. There will also be run-offs, series, etc.

The online set up will be simular to Xbox Live racing games.

Originally Posted by punkrock

Now for the not-so-good news. The tracks you are seeing in the Kyosho concept stores and online are NOT the tracks you will be racing on. The actual tracks in the stores will be something close to 3' x 8'. They will have movable barriers that are the same as all of the other tracks in the US, so they can set up the exact same track as everyone else with ease. The track looks NOTHING like what you are seeing in the Kyosho stores. Its is wayyy SMALLER.

Correction here, the tracks will be 3 sections 4'x8' that are modular. SO if you so choose you can expand the track with other 4'x8' sections of track.

Originally Posted by punkrock

It's an amazing concept, but the problem, with getting HTUSA involved is that unless it takes off immediately, they will drop it like a hot potato and those of us who bought the equipment expecting to race every week will be left out in the cold. They need to open it up to private hobby shops as well, as they are the bread and butter of our sport.

75% of HobbyTown USA stores have signed up for the Dnano. If Hobbytown fails we do have a back up plan. So customers will not be out cold.

[TimJohnson]

Originally Posted by Marcro

Yea, I don't go to HobbyTown USA at all. The only really good Hobby Town that I've seen that even is interested in Kyosho Mini-Z's is the shop in Melborne Florida. I suspect they will definetly have the Dnano's there.
I think one of the biggest issues with these cars is their price tag's. I dont' see where your getting the $130 unless that's a special price once they are finally released here in the USA. Currently we are paying 250 per car ALONE!
That's alot of money for most of us!
As for hop-up's, it's already got plenty from Kyosho. Ball bearings, gyro, springs, aluminum steering plates and rear hubs, carbon-fiber H-plates, and now ball-differential upgrades.
We need to see companies like Atomic and PN step up and start designing some way cool aluminum bit's and disc-dampers, camber'ed knuckles, et'c for these babies!
Another cool upgrade I'd like to see would be some sort of a light kit so we can race'em in the dark!

If my memory serves me correct, I think Philip from PNracing has been working on options parts, and is waiting for Kyosho America to release the Dnano....I am sure Philip will chime in on this one.

[TimJohnson]

Originally Posted by potentiality

Im sorry, all my enthusiasm just went out the window with HTUSA. I don't like one dealer distribution, and on top of that, I don't find many HT useful, or even helpful for the most part. Too much like McDonalds. Mom and Pop stores are the best at helping the customer and actually having to do a damn good job.

As I said interest in these has just gone out the window. To be honest, I hope it fails in HT side, as it will convince Kyosho USA from doing stupid 1 distributor items. Hadn't they learned from their experience with Great Planes?

HTU's are "mom and pop" hobby shops. They are a franchise store privately owned. It is up to the individual HTU shop to set their rules and hire their employees.

I think you are twisted here. Great Plains sells to hobby shops, HTU is a hobby shop franchise that sells to you. Two different types of fruit.

[TimJohnson]

Originally Posted by arch2b

the racing concept is just a rip off of the existing howfastareyou mini-z racing series. very dissapointing they chose not to work with an existing proven series that wasn't manufacturer dependant.

People that put thought into the software did not know anything about the howfastareyou deal. In fact if anything, the system parallels with Xbox live.

Originally Posted by arch2b

i'll likely get a dnano if and when they ever get to my area but i doubt it will be any time soon. htusa SUCKS in terms a quality service and small scale rc support. it's towerhobbies all over again...

ROFLMFAO. No way in h377 is this like tower hobbies. period. Like I stated before 75% of the HTU stores have signed up. It was very well received by HTU store owners, and managers.

As far as HTU service, that will depend on the employees each HTU store hires.


I have never seen such dislike for HTU's ever, unless there was a bad employee working at one. Please keep in mind that in order for the HTU stores to even carry the Dnano, they have to fully support the Dnano with parts, option parts, races and so forth. So that location is either in or out, not one foot in or one foot out.

[fraz]

Thanks for the updates Tim.

As for the GP comment, you know as well as I what was meant by that. Tower and GP operated in such lockstep that it was transparent to everybody that it was run as a single organization. This and some of their other actions left some with a bad taste in their mouths so they are skeptical when a similar "looking" situation presents itself. My suggestion is acknowledge and move on

I am hopeful the new relationship will rock. The tracks don't sound too appealing yet as 4x8 is barely enough to race a ZipZap and dNanos fly. Modular is one thing but let's hope we get some large, smooth, flat tracks to air these suckers out.

Any ETA on when we can expect to see dNano stuff on US soil? I have things I want to get right away and it would be nice not to have to do Japanese mailorder. And unfortunately my buddy is in China right now and dNano stuff is still not there yet either

BTW, if you want my take on what will make/break dNano in the US. It's not the car/starter kit (or module) cost although that is on the steep side. It is the bodies _PLUS_ the need to buy a fitting kit at exorbitant prices. If there is any way to get these down to reasonable prices or even offer bundle combos, it could go a long way to help build this new and budding race base.

[arch2b]

tim,
thank you very much for the information. if indeed that many ht'usas are in than we stand a better shot of seeing these in more than just small regional/local pockets. ht is no worse off than other chain rc stores in that finding one that supports kyosho to begin with, then mini-z products in particular is difficult to say the least. i deal with a chain store in our club racing and it was not easy convincing them to get kyosho in general and mini-z in particular. chain store support for micro rc has never been good in my opinion. and forget finding any employee that knows anything about them... in 7 years of racing mini-z's i have NEVER found a store with an employee that knew what they were talking about with regards to mini-z's. i think that says alot and does not inspire confidence with regard to dnano's. what is intersting is what you have explained about them buying into them, all or nothing. i hope this forces them to get to know the product and actually sell it vs. casting them off as toys.

i'm sure you see a different side of the story however i see it from the consumer aspect and it's never been good for me regarding kyosho micro rc's in maryland, virginia or the district of columbia.

prove me wrong and i'll be a happy dnano owner, till then i remain a skeptic. i hope you understand.

[cdog4w]

arch, to address the HT employee lack of knowledge in the micro scale, you're dead on there. My friends and I are always asked for info when it comes to micro stuff. It doesn't come up much since all they really push is the micro-t and in the past the rc18t. My hope is that it will be less important to have super knowledgable staff for the dnano since its a very simple system for the most part. 2.4 removes radio woes, and its all set to race, no transponders to install or deal with. It'd still be nice if the employees DID learn something about the product, but I won't hold my breath.

Tim, you say 75% of stores have signed on and that its either an in or out type of deal (I assume that means its similar to the system Japan supposedly used where shops had to order a very large minimum of cars/parts to buy any at all - say $5000 worth?), but is that binding in any way? I guess what I'm asking is when release day comes, will those 75% of stores be held to their committment and have to purchase all the stock neccessary to run races or will they have the OPTION to purchase at that point?

Also, any hints on which Seattle stores will be participating if any? :P I'll have to check with my local sources and see what I can dig up.

[potentiality]

Originally Posted by TimJohnson

HTU's are "mom and pop" hobby shops. They are a franchise store privately owned. It is up to the individual HTU shop to set their rules and hire their employees.

I think you are twisted here. Great Plains sells to hobby shops, HTU is a hobby shop franchise that sells to you. Two different types of fruit.

Tom, cmon now. Lets be honest. Great Planes also sells directly to consumers at prices that aren't that far off from what they sell to the dealer.

And yes, I know HT is a franchise. Why I mentioned Mcdonalds (another franchise). The point is they both have a built in support base as it is and some guidelines as to how the business must be run to be in a franchise.

There is no excuse here Tom. Like I said, I hope it fails. Then dnanos can come to the local shops that have built their own names up.

[punkrock]

How incredibly ignorant that you should wish any cutting edge progressive advancements in our sport/hobby fail. How ignorant and self centered! You live in an area where there are dozens of great independently owned shops? That's awesome, but how many kids don't? How many parents who don't have the time to research every last little thing their kid is looking for as a christmas or birthday present will rely on a HTUSA because they are convenient, offer decent prices and carry a reasonable cross section of items for sale. How many kids cannot drive themselves to an indy shop, and rely on mom or dad to get them to HTUSA because they are in a strip mall or near an easily accessible centralized area? Your ignorance in wishing that the Dnano fail is just profoundly ignorant, stupid, pompous and elitist. Don't like HT then don't shop there, but for thousands of kids across the country, thats all they have.

I live near Chicago, where there are a lot of indy shops. But the HT in my town, which is the ONLY HOBBY SHOP WITHIN 25 MILES is owned by a mom n pop who bend over backwards to help people get whatever they need, they run races in their parking lot at a LOSS, and they support the hobbies anyway they can. To wish a failure on ANY business this day in age is foolish, so perhaps you being the perfect soul you are, who can obviously do it better, maybe you should run out and start your own hobby shop, since it appears to be so easy to you. Let us know when your up and running, so we can come in, nitpick your products, your prices and your services, and then wish failure on you.

[TimJohnson]

Great Planes does not sell to the consumer. Tower Hobbies sells to the consumer. Tower is a sister company of Great Planes. HTU's purchase from Great Planes just like the rest of the mom and pop hobby shops. I am glad that you see the connection there though. Most people that own hobby shops do not understand that connection.


cdog4w, When I get back to the office, I will check my list.


the track size will be 12x8 using 3 4x8 modular sections

[briankstan]

it seems that Kyosho has cut out all the shops and people that have supported both the mini-z and were so excited about the dnano to be released.

there was an existing platform for both the car, and an exiting track platform (RCP) that most of the clubs have already, and would have picked up the dnanos to race.

it seems that kyosho doesn't care to support those that have supported them in the small scale RC addiction. No hobby shops from my area carry any small scale RC's and have no knowlege of them at all.

I run the local club, and kyosho parts are scarce. does kyosho plan to put the dnano into these stores and effectively support them with parts. I know that the mini-z line without PN and Atomic there were be no parts as the supply that kyosho has just isn't enough to keep with the demand. Even bodies that have been out for a short time are gone quickley and not to be seen again.

[carnaige]

Tim Johnson, Do you work for Kyosho. Just wanted to know.