Nexus vs. Raptor: What should i get?

[wlcohen]

I am going to purchase a helicopter this summer. I know so far that the 2 most popular beginner helicopters are the Kyosho Nexus 30 & the Thunder Tigare Raptor 30.

I think i would like to get a m ARF. Is that a good idea, or should I just build one?

I have read a lot of good things about the raptor, but i hear the engine that comes with it is no good. The Nexus comes with an O.S. engine which i know is good, so that makes me lean towards the Nexus. It also seems like the nexus is supported more by Tower Hobbies.

I am also going to get a simulator soon to practice on before i even purchase the copter. I think i am going with RealFlight and the 3 add ons at once so i can get all the helicopters. I know the Raptors are on the third add on, but are there any Kyosho copters in there?

So what are your opinions?
Please don't make this into a flame war, i just want some honest info.

Thanks

[N2DEEP]

wlcohen thanks for asking this I am the same but getting the great planes 2 in the am at the lhs. The sales guy said it has 11 hilos on it. They all sell thunder tiger so we will wait and see!!

[Smokecover]

I'm getting a heli as soon as I can spare the money. I've been to the local field and watched some, just to get a little close-up watching and learning experience. I plan to go every weekend for a while and watch, while I do simulator time at home. I had planned to get a raptor 50 as my first, but will probably get a century SE instead. They said the raptor likes to go off by itself (he said it did it when I was watching), and the century is a much more stable heli. The kit is like $330. They also said the nexus is one I should pass up. They basically called it junk. Actually they did call it junk. But when more than one person I am watching actually fly their birds says something about any of the heli's, I listen.

also I think a kit is the best thing for someone new to it. After you build one then you know how it goes together, which you will need to know for upkeep and repair after crashing.

[Targo]

GET THE RAPTOR!!!! ARF if u like
Trust me! No wonder it has been designed by a heli world champ!
Its a better chopper in every aspect.
Can become a 3-d out of the box.
For the support and spare parts, check heli-world.com, u ll be conivinced that it is not a problem with the raptor

About the O.S. , U are right, its a better engine, but that is not that the thunder tiger is a bad one, not at all. Its still a good engine

[wlcohen]

The Raptor kit says it comes with 32bb and the ARF 49
where are the extra bearings?

What do most people get the kit or ARF?

[Targo]

the 20 extra bearings its an upgrade that comes as a gift with the arf version. Basically it makes al the rotary parts move smoother . It gives accuracy to the flight, and protects it too!

Lotsa people go with arf (and If I were U, I would), the only disvantage is that U are not forced to know how everything works on your chopper, but almost for sure U'll get a better built kit if U don't build it. Of course that it is only if U are not an experienced modeler. U must know people that can help U out , and have experience with r/c choppers (if not consider seriously not to buy it !!!), so there is no problem with help in trimming, reparations and lessons. My advice is to buy the arf.
You'll have it flying sooner and most probably better built

[Smokecover]

At http://www.heliproz.com/ Click online catalog, then store directory. You can get a raptor 30 kit with 29bb for 249.99, or the kit with 49bb for 259.99

For 284.99 you can get a raptor 50 kit with metal swashplate and 60 tailhub and grips, long boom and more. This is the kit I was planning on getting myself until I saw the guy flying one and telling me it doesn't handle all that great and that the century se was alot more stable. I think that is alot more heli for another 25-35 bucks, plus the added cost of a larger engine.

I still say get a kit, so you will know how it's put together. Take your time and do it right. You may even do a better job than the worker putting togetherr the ARF machine.

Besides, how do we know that worker wasn't half drunk/hungover/high when he put the parts together?:D

[wlcohen]

I think i agree, i am going to build one.
It has two 3 benefits:
- I will care more about the assembly then the chinese will
- I will know where every thing goes when i crash
- I can put in an O.S. engine

I am going to have to check out the LHS and see what copters they carry and if they stock parts. I have been doing a lot of research on the net, and i have not seem much on the century. Seems that most people are recomending the Raptor 30.


I went ahead and purchased RealFlight G2 from Tower Hobbies & I got add on volume 3 so i could get the raptor heli.

[Smokecover]

Hey man I know everyone's recommending the raptor 30 as a great heli and I'm sure it is, I'm just listening to people who I'm actually watching fly the heli's, but if you are going to build your heli I still think that raptor 50 kit is a much better deal for the extra 25 bucks, plus the added cost of a 50 engine. I dunno jack about it, all I have is a radio and a sim and can barely hover. But the raptor 50's power to weight ratio can be compared to a 60 size heli with a 90 engine from the reading I've done. They say it's got awesome power. Check out the Runryder board also if you haven't been there, there are some very knowledgable people there.
http://216.71.42.85/

[wlcohen]

My LHS carries the raptor so that is what i am going with. They also like the kit over the ARF beacuse they say the engine that comes with the ARF is really really bad!