Any new (serious) companies making bits?

SuperShot · #1 11-16-2002, 06:37 PM

Has anybody heard about any of the large, serious companies getting ready to launch their own take on bit char-g's?

We already have Tomy, Nikko and Takara on the serious manufacturer side, and more clone producers than you can shake a stick at. But where are Tamiya, Kyosho, Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Majorette and the like? I cannot believe all of these companies are just interested in watching Tomy showel in all the micro-RC dollar on their own.

It would be really cool to se the likes of Tamiya or Kyosho do pro bits. The Tomy's are cool, but I'd like to see proportional steering, more tire options, more stuff to assemble etc. Those guys should be able to whip up some more sophisticated and denser electronics too, and maybe real performance motors like the stuff you see in 1/10 540-type motors. Add metal/fibreglass wheels, ball bearings, independent suspension etc. The options are limitless!

Sniper596 · #2 11-16-2002, 09:07 PM

hobbico isn't a serious company all of a sudden? They are basically the owner of several r/c related companies ie: kyosho, duratrax. Pretty 'serious'/big in my opinion compared to tamiya who own? No one.

Yaksha · #3 11-16-2002, 09:55 PM

Hot Wheels makes bit clones. But they're the kind that run on tracks and such. Go to any places you can buy a lot of Hot Wheels, there should be a couple there.

r.c.dealer · #4 11-16-2002, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sniper596
hobbico isn't a serious company all of a sudden? They are basically the owner of several r/c related companies ie: kyosho, duratrax.

Hobbico is a distributor of Kyosho, and many other brands of products in the US. However they do own Duratrax, but Duratrax rc cars are not designed or manufactured by Hobbico or Duratrax.

I am suprised that there aren't any Bit type rc's from Hotwheels, since a small scale rc car would be right up there alley. Especially when you consider all the different products that currently are available under the Hotwheels line of toys.

Heres my idea: A true 1/64 scale full function rc car with detailed body thats not cartoonish, with proportional throttle and steering. The cars would come as a kit, with the potential to upgrade motors, wheels, tires, interchangable body sets, and adjustable suspension.

SuperShot · #5 11-17-2002, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sniper596
hobbico isn't a serious company all of a sudden?

I didn't bother to mention Hobbyco as the Microsizers are identical to Tomy's. I was talking about other serious companies launching bits, in addition to the ones already out there.
[quote]Originally posted by r.c.dealer
Heres my idea: A true 1/64 scale full function rc car with detailed body thats not cartoonish, with proportional throttle and steering. The cars would come as a kit, with the potential to upgrade motors, wheels, tires, interchangable body sets, and Agreed. That's my idea too. Tomy had some insight when they introduced some degree of upgradeability to the Bit Cha-g's. But there is loads more that can be done, and Kyosho and the rest are professionals in that market.

RacerXero · #6 11-17-2002, 06:38 PM

i want more booster cars

RacerXero · #7 11-17-2002, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Heres my idea: A true 1/64 scale full function rc car with detailed body thats not cartoonish, with proportional throttle and steering. The cars would come as a kit, with the potential to upgrade motors, wheels, tires, interchangable body sets, and adjustable suspension

Dont we all...

binaryterror · #8 11-17-2002, 07:16 PM

That truly cool 1/64Th scale with exact bodies and fully proportional did exist, it costed nearly $500 i think. Read more here.

But then you'll be complaiing the cost is too much. So then i point you to the Yokomo Puchi Maru.Linked here. But with this one you'll complain the bodies aren't cool or even available in the US. At least it is only $100 RTR.

Really Keyence is quite a large company abroad, and so is Yokomo.

Meeting all your requests though.

QFM Racing · #9 11-18-2002, 02:51 AM

These guys are pretty big players...

Epoch (Kyosho company) = Indoor Racer 1/43
Kyosho = Palm Runners 1/43
Yokomo = PetitMaru (Puchimaru) 1/60
Keyence = Desk Runner 1/87
Sega Toys= TBA
Radio Shack = Zip Zap
Takara = DigiQ / Combat DigiQ
Tomy/Hobbico = BitChar-G/Microsizer/Compact Char-G
Hot Wheels = KIT Racer (Tomys BitRacer)
Discovery Zone distributes Z-Cars
Sharper Image distributes Bensu Clones
Aoshima = TBA

JBit · #10 11-18-2002, 03:55 AM

Aoshima is making the Knight Rider (and KARR) bits, and also 2 cars from that futuristic F-1 anime I forgot the name of - you can do a search function and find it.

#11 11-18-2002, 07:28 PM

dude the cars are 2"s long!!!
pretty high expectations.

i imagine it will take a while for the technology to advance to the level of 1/10th scale cars.

im waiting for someone to put together a nice reliable micro helicopter. hopefully the next MIA housefly will pull it off...

but i expect it will be years before they can really perform like the bigger machines.

QFM Racing · #12 11-19-2002, 02:54 PM

The yokomos and the keyences are pretty advanced. The yokomos are FM and both are digipropo. They already have f-1 micros. Takara released them (f-1 digiQ). Its on the konami IR website. The keyence palm helis are pretty reliable arent they? for $500 bucks they better be.

SuperShot · #13 11-19-2002, 03:36 PM

Yeah, the Yokomo's are cool. For Keyence I've only seen the trucks:
http://www.keyence.co.jp/hobby/english/minitrailer.html
Do they have bit-sized cars as well? The choppers look very cool, but $500 for something that will definetly crash and die in my hands is a bit steep

mike p · #14 12-06-2002, 10:39 PM

omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
who makes duratraxs cars????????????
i got the maximum bx buggy

DKS · #15 12-08-2002, 02:46 AM

uh guys, did you not hear about Tomy's new release?:

fully proportional and no cartoony bodies!!!!!!!!!