Power Kite Forum - which buggy engine would you buy

which buggy engine would you buy

WELDNGOD - 10-2-2010 at 07:54 AM

I can only afford 1 big buggy engine w/ my tax refund this year. If you were in my shoes ,which would you choose? I have got it down to 3. I don't want a arc ,lei ,bow or c-kite just a FB big a$$ ram air parafoil. If you have any specific info on one of my choices, let me know . (good or bad) I'm on a hunt, and I want to make sure that it is the one I want. There is no way for me to try em first , so I'm gonna count on my kiting "family " to lead the way. Thanks alot
WG

bobalooie57 - 10-2-2010 at 08:15 AM

I vote for the 8M Reflex, especially if you get the one Tonka was offering, it seemed like a sweet deal, I don't remember if it sold. I havent flow any of those kites, but I did fly Scudley's 4M Reflex, and if the 8 is any thing like it, you should be flying in 4mph!

WELDNGOD - 10-2-2010 at 08:20 AM

it is the one Tonka has. And it would look sweet w/ my yellow buggy! I just can't find alot of info on it.

kteguru - 10-2-2010 at 08:21 AM

I think you narrowed it down to 3 great kites. My guess is that you'll end up loving any of them. Of course you know where my vote went:wink2:

WELDNGOD - 10-2-2010 at 08:23 AM

yeah , I KNEW where you fly/stand.

Drewculous - 10-2-2010 at 08:27 AM

d@mn dude... tough list...

I voted for the blade simply because, in my shoes... thats the one i'd have more fun with and get the most use out of... but then again i dont buggy, i static jump and atb :puzzled:
I've heard very good things about the reactor from angus, as far as buggys go...

in the end whichever you go with i think you'll be happy, all are good kites

BeamerBob - 10-2-2010 at 08:50 AM

I've already put my money where my vote is on this one. I had the Blade and sold it because I started to buggy. It magnifies gusts and lift in the buggy where most kites would give you an upward tug, the Blade is picking you up. Since I don't jump in the buggy and don't ride hills, the Blade just didn't fit me anymore. It is a blast to static fly and jump with and I imagine it would be fun on a landboard if you have some skills. Another way to look at it is that the Reactors are made to do what you do. You'd be forcing the Blade to work at your task........... And it will be pushing back. :o

acampbell - 10-2-2010 at 08:58 AM

I'm with Bobby on this. Blades are too punchy for my style. The Reactors need the right tension on the brakes, but the look of the bottom skin will give you all the clues you need. When you get it right, it surges like a Toyota with a stuck gas pedal. :lol:

The 8.6 is more versatile than you would think for the size... esp if you hook in for upwind legs.

kteguru - 10-2-2010 at 09:40 AM

Man the 8.6 reactor 2 is only 665.00 with line and handles?! That seems like a great deal. I didn't know they were so inexpensive. Maybe thats the route to go if you want a crispy new one WG. Blades are reserved for us crazy people :ninja:

WolfWolfee - 10-2-2010 at 09:57 AM

I too love my Reactor 4.9, great kite all around.

Krohn1999 - 10-2-2010 at 12:06 PM

Reactor is the only choice I see for Buggying.

Blade: to much lift/Pull

Sky Country: when you get it up to speed you get very little feedback from the kite, it will start to pump and then just fall out of the sky . I tested them against the Reactor 2 and they lost big time. I was in contact with them about this problem but they didn't seem to want to change anything on the kite.

Reactor II: best choice from your list. If you open up the brakes you can use this kite in windranges you never thought possible. Very stable, easy to control, turn speed is acceptable for an intermediate. top speed is not the best, if you want to get it going faster than 55kmh you really need to work it. But for 1 hand cruise control riding a great kite.
thats my opinion.

ripsessionkites - 10-2-2010 at 12:13 PM

Reactor I or II ???

The Reactor I has more punch on the start but the Reactor II has more speed and reduced lift ... its a speed machine.
Dunno your riding location but if you have long beach, I'd go RII, since the its faster than the Reflex.
The RII comes standard with 20m lines, but if you wanted to increase the Low End, buying a set of 30m - 35m lines would do the trick.

If you're a freestyle guy than my pick would be the Blade 8.5m

WELDNGOD - 10-2-2010 at 12:14 PM

thanks for the info Krohn, It is those little pieces of info that are the most helpful. I can see by your sig ,that you are a knowledgable kiter w/ plenty of experience.( or you are loaded w/ cash)

WELDNGOD - 10-2-2010 at 12:17 PM

Rip, I was looking at the RII,thanks for the info.

Krohn1999 - 10-2-2010 at 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WELDNGOD
thanks for the info Krohn, It is those little pieces of info that are the most helpful. I can see by your sig ,that you are a knowledgable kiter w/ plenty of experience.( or you are loaded w/ cash)

no just a kite shop.

I do have to dissagree with Rip thou
8.3 Reactor 1 was a tracktor that would not get out of its own way. We tried many things to change this without any luck. the 6.4 would pass it in almost any wind.

on the 8.6 I use max 18m lines(normally 15m) on the beach and 20m inland. If you need more than that on length the wind is too low and you should be grabbing your 10.8m instead.

Every rider needs to decide for themselves what works best for them, use the experiences that you read hear and find your best setup. one thing is for sure you will not regret buying a Reactor II

awindofchange - 10-2-2010 at 12:35 PM

I voted Reactor II, to me this would be the best choice for the buggy. Incredible speed, power, upwind ability and super stable for a high aspect ratio kite. As said above, if you are looking for freestyle then the Blade may be a good choice but the Reactor II works great for that as well. IMO, the Blade just doesn't have the performance of the other kites in the buggy. The Blade however does work excellent for boarding and jumps as it has great pop and explosive power on the bottom end. I find in the buggy that the Blade doesn't keep up and just wears you out with a ton of side drag and not as much forward bite. It is like comparing the power of a Ferrari to that of a semi truck. If you are in the sand or hilly areas then the extra grunt of the Blade may help you plow through things that may slow you down but if you are on hard pack and are looking for performance and speed, the Reactor II will deliver more.

Just my opinion, hope it helps.

WELDNGOD - 10-2-2010 at 12:44 PM

sounds like a blade is alot like my Pansh sprints,fast but w/ a ton of side pull that just wears you out. I fly mine hooked in or hotwired cause I can only "hang on" for so long. Sure looks like my "family " wants me to go nuclear.

RonH - 10-2-2010 at 02:38 PM

I have a Reactor I 8.3 and I think the RII will be better... I can hang on to the RII 10.8 in about the same wind as my older RI 8.3... Have not tried the 8.6 but it should be a keeper.

Ron

BigMikesKites - 10-2-2010 at 03:11 PM

I would have to vote for the Reactor II or the Vapor. The Vapor is really fast and really expensive. The Reactor II is ... just impressive. Great Quality and fantastic flying.

Got my big arse going 18mph in a 5 mph wind. That was with a 5.5m Reactor II.

You can't go wrong.

arkay - 10-2-2010 at 04:24 PM

reactor (or blurr), don't have either, but that's what I'd go for for a fixed kite. Personally, I'd go depower cause I'm lazy

heliboy50 - 10-2-2010 at 05:40 PM

Getting my 1st RII in a couple of weeks.

WELDNGOD - 10-2-2010 at 05:42 PM

what size Heli? let us know how ya like it.

Scudley - 10-2-2010 at 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Krohn1999
Reactor is the only choice I see for Buggying.

Blade: to much lift/Pull

Sky Country: when you get it up to speed you get very little feedback from the kite, it will start to pump and then just fall out of the sky . I tested them against the Reactor 2 and they lost big time. I was in contact with them about this problem but they didn't seem to want to change anything on the kite.

I will say the Blade has too much lift.
I have to disagree with Krohn on the Reflex. I have never had mine drop from the sky. If you like to park and ride, it is not the kite for you. Start moving the kite about the window and you will find you were not up to speed yet. throw in a loop and watch out.
I have not flown a Reactor.
S

heliboy50 - 10-2-2010 at 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WELDNGOD
what size Heli? let us know how ya like it.

450 SE and rappy .50 titan, but going EP 700 soon. Will do on the
RII- maiden flight may be at NABX.

ripsessionkites - 10-2-2010 at 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Scudley

Quote:

how does it do at speed, it should park, and maintain its position ... it would be pretty dangerous going 50+ mph and thinking you still needed to apply control over it.
maybe the "drop of out the sky" means more with more speed it likes to back into the middle of the wind window or with improper tuning the LE folds inwards.

Krohn1999 - 11-2-2010 at 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ripsessionkites

Quote:

Originally posted by Scudley

Quote:

we had 2 sky country's here for testing (8. somthing and a 6. somthing) and have to say our experience with them was not great. They are built very good except for the bridle and it is not set up correctly. We took about 50 cm out of the brake bridle just to get the thing to even react to brake input. Looping? yea it will loop fast but we felt no real power explosion, they would loop good but it didn't really seem to like it. Maybe your Reflex has a diffrent bridle as the two that we had,, both of the ones we had would just drop out of the sky without any real warning when they hit there max speed. How do you have yours set up (which knot do you use) we had it set up as flat as we could get it otherwise it wouldn't run forward at all. on the other setting you could get it to fly in almost no wind but you could not buggy with it in these settings as soon as you got a little speed going it would just rip you out the side of the buggy
Have you ever felt yours start to pump? if not you may not have had it going fast enough yet. I don't remember the exact speed but it should be between 55-60Kmh buggy speed. It is not a good feeling to be running down the beach with a pack of buggyiers right on your tail and your kite just falls out of the sky. I must say it does give everyone in the pack a chance to check there buggy/kite emergency brake abilitys though.

ripsessionkites - 11-2-2010 at 01:58 AM

is this what your talking about Krohn : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyV-mbI9jEQ

see how it drops and maintain height or forward speed?

SEE YOU @ World Cup - De Panne.

Krohn1999 - 11-2-2010 at 11:50 AM

@Rip

no I'm talking about a total stall of the foil, it folds up and falls to the ground. It has somthing to do with the angle of attack, it is almost like the wind gets sucked out of the kite and it just folds up. I think due to the flat adjustment needed to get the kite to run forward, the line length between A,B, and C ar not in the right proportion and the leading edge starts to dig into the wind. The form itself is more like a bump instead of a wing.
or
one of the lines used in the bridle(a,b,orc) is streching so much that it is changing the AOA during flight.
either way it was happening to everyone that was flying the kite. and we all know what we are doing.
as far as the pumping goes the kite would start to run forward and then stop dead in its tracks. it never would really make it forward like a normal kite does it would just stay in the middle and pump without you changing a thing on the brakes.
I had a 3.0 Brooza II that started pumping like that in 7Bft winds, I found out later that the dirtouts were open, After closing them problem was gone.
I think the Reflex could be a great kite but it needs more work on the bridle adjustment and material.
BTW: Iwas in Les Hemmes on the weekende training for the 150km race in holland at the end of the month. Maybe you should come over for that instead.

WELDNGOD - 11-2-2010 at 03:55 PM

Thanks everybody, it looks like I'm gonna get a ReactorII. I'm goin nuke!!
I'm not gonna race so I don't need a high maintenance , needs tweaking kind of kite . I want it to be like all my flexis have been ,Take em out of the bag, put on lines and go! The blade I want is just more than I can spend now, so it looks like 'ol Pete wins this round.:saint:

BeamerBob - 11-2-2010 at 04:18 PM

You'll love how the speed builds when it doesn't feel like you have enough wind to buggy. Don't go miles from home with it though. It will keep you going with almost no wind once you are rolling. You will turn and the kite will fall out of the sky if the wind died while you were making tracks, unless you have uber talents.

WELDNGOD - 11-2-2010 at 04:35 PM

will have to be prepared for that , thanks BB

solaris - 13-2-2010 at 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Krohn1999
no I'm talking about a total stall of the foil, it folds up and falls to the ground. It has somthing to do with the angle of attack, it is almost like the wind gets sucked out of the kite and it just folds up. I think due to the flat adjustment needed to get the kite to run forward, the line length between A,B, and C ar not in the right proportion and the leading edge starts to dig into the wind. The form itself is more like a bump instead of a wing.
or
one of the lines used in the bridle(a,b,orc) is streching so much that it is changing the AOA during flight.
either way it was happening to everyone that was flying the kite. and we all know what we are doing.
as far as the pumping goes the kite would start to run forward and then stop dead in its tracks. it never would really make it forward like a normal kite does it would just stay in the middle and pump without you changing a thing on the brakes.
I had a 3.0 Brooza II that started pumping like that in 7Bft winds, I found out later that the dirtouts were open, After closing them problem was gone.
I think the Reflex could be a great kite but it needs more work on the bridle adjustment and material.

Hi Krohn,
I am the distributor of Sky Country products in North America (located in Vancouver, BC, Canada). I am very sorry to hear about your unpleasant experience with Reflexes. This is the first time I have heard any negative feedback.
And I am very concerned. We strive for high customer support.
There has been an obvious mistake with kites settings and I am going to investigate it. I have sent the request already to Sky Country in the Ukraine regarding this matter.
I have never had Reflex to fall or stall, even when I was learning kiting on it. As a matter of fact I find it is very friendly and responsive, but at the same time it was very forgiving of my many errors and giving me time to recover.
In terms of response to pilot input, experienced pilots fly them like a stunt kite. With careful manipulation of the brakes they will sit and wait, and even rides backwards for you. reference the full death kite video
Now as a novice/intermediate rider, I love its smooth speed, and I know it sure can generate a lot of power when I loop it (I have learned to respect its response to quick changes in direction since I have been lofted several times bringing the kite to Zenith too fast).
As to material (which really puzzles me now, what on Earth was shipped to you), Sky Country is using a high quality top notch material light Skytex (same type of material is used in some parts of a paraglider), it has a perfect combination of durability and weight, and riders usually comment on its sleek look. Older models were built using the heavier, but substantially more durable, Gelvenor.
I am not sure what the problems were with the kites sent to you, but assure you this is not what has been experienced by pilots that we have dealt with.

Scudley - 18-2-2010 at 12:32 PM

Sorry to be late on this discussion, but I am busy writing code. It is so easy to get lost algorithms.
I have to admit to having limited experience with flying Reflexes in enough space to go over 55 km. Our local field, Garry Point Park, is so small that if you are doing above 55km you had better be able turn RFQ because either the perimeter chain or the river is coming up really fast. If you do not make that turn you are, to quote Russel Peters, "going to hurt real bad".
At NABX I only had my 4m Reflex with me. The winds were such that there was not a huge amount of time when the wind was right for a 4m. I did have some time out with tacks in the low 60s (kmph), I never noticed any tendency for the kite to suddenly drop from the sky. I did notice at high speeds that I had tomes where the apparent wind direction shift made the kite act as if you were going dead down wind. You could fix this by 'heading up" or driving the kite forward and up or down by pumping the brakes a bit or even jibing the kite but not the buggy. I never notice the kite pumping. This was with a 4m not a 6m or an 8m, so I really can not comment on the performance of these kites at these speeds.
How my Reflexes are set up: I like to fly with the kite flat. My brakes are tight enough that with the handles in the neutral position there is no slack in the brake lines. I am not sure why the brake leaders are so long the kites when shipped but I think it is so that you have enough brake leader at the kite that as power lines lines stretch you can make adjustment with having to make new brake leaders. With that set up I never have any problem looping my kites.
I am not sure what you mean when you say that the kite loops okay but does not seem to like it.
S

solaris - 1-3-2010 at 12:25 PM

This is a reply to Krohn's post about flying Reflexes.
After talking to Yavorsky (one of the designers and directors and test
riders), Rakov (main designer) and Chris, here is some light on this
mystery.

Chris requested some kites for testing for his kite-shop, and received 5
and 7.2.
Chris flew the kites in different wind conditions. When they were flown in
winds outside recommended wind range ~20-25 miles kites experienced
unpredictable behavior.
Recommended max speed for 5 m is 43 km/h (=12 m/s). For 7.2 it is of course
less - 36 km/h (=10 m/s). The recommend wind ranges are found on the Sky
Country Canada web site: http://skycountry.ca/kites.php?model=reflex and
Sky Country's site: http://sky-country.com/en/products/kites/reflex/

Reflexes 3 and 4 would have been much better bets for the winds Chris was attempting to fly in. They have been flown in high winds with no issues whatsoever (no tendency of falling down, generates lots of power when looping, smooth controllable behavior).
Yavorsky said that the *pumping* is a known issue when a kite is flown beyond its speed limit. It happens because at high speeds a kite is flown at low angles and it tries to get back to higher ones, causing a kite to perform *S*s (which look and feel like *pumps*).

Both kites were flown before being sent and nothing unusual was noticed.
As Chris shared, adjustments have been made to settings right away. Keeping this in mind, the fact that kites and that the wind speed was exceeding kites maximum limits, explains the described kites behavior.

Quote:

I think the Reflex could be a great kite but it needs more work on the bridle adjustment and material.

I have to disagree with Chris on these points. The Reflex is a great kite. The brake leaders do require set up, but brake line tension is a highly personal matter. Sky Country provides brake leaders with enough length accommodate for individual taste and for the inevitable adjustment required as the power lines stretch.
As to the materials: the top and ribs
of Sky Country kites are made of high quality Gelvener :yes:

, often noted by paraglider manufacturers for its extreme durability and resistance to abrasion.
The bottom is made of Porcher Marine SkyTex, noted for its high strength to weight ratio.
These materials are used in the manufacture of most paragliders, where people's lives depend on the quality of the materials used, and in high quality kites.

Bladerunner - 1-3-2010 at 05:15 PM

If by material you mean the kites material rather than the bridles then I have to agree with Solaris and Scudley.

That Gelvener material is pretty amazing. Light slick and strong. Seems to avoid staining as well. The material in the vents is equally amazing.

What was it about the material that didn't please you Krohn ?

Kamikuza - 1-3-2010 at 06:26 PM

I'll always vote PL or he might drive up from Ashburton and kick me in the ass next time I'm home :D

... I see why you buggy guys like the small foils though - the Cult, once it gets working like a $2 stripper, is an impressive source of power.
That's all, thread-jack over ...

ripsessionkites - 1-3-2010 at 07:54 PM

most manufacture windranges are suggestions only and usually based on a 150 to 160lb person. you dont have to live by them. Also line length plays a huge role in performance too. also Khris is a racer, so if everyone is on 5m it would be stupid to size down.

adjusting too much brake, causes drag ... sometimes is better just to let loose.

Scudley - 1-3-2010 at 09:19 PM

In the case of Sky Country the max wind range is determined mathematically with dimensionless variables, such as Froude and Reynolds numbers. The max wind speed listed is when the speed of the kite through the wind causes the loss of wing stability. I guess that is the difference between how an aeronautical engineer looks at this and someone who build but gut feeling.
The max wind speed listed for my 10m is 8m/s (28.8 kmph or about 18 mph). I would never take it out in more than half that unless I wanted to know what being racked felt like.
Rip, you know as well as I do that choice of kite for a given wind speed depends on more than size. We all know that not all 5m are the same. As an ex Uturn dealer I am sure that you would not say that a 5m Helium was anything like a 5m Evo Nitro.
S

ripsessionkites - 1-3-2010 at 10:37 PM

NOT ex Dealer, get you facts straight ... last time i checked im still 110% distributor for Canada and USA. I personally may not fly U-Turn but that doesnt mean i dont sell them to dealers.

www.ripsessionkites.com

your comparing apples to oranges, Chris is comparing the reflex to other race kites, which SC claims is a race kite by the canada website but the main manufacture website states otherwise.

this is starting into a debate, ill stop here. its better to prove it on the race course. see ya at NABX, SOBB, Eurocup or World Cup.

Krohn1999 - 2-3-2010 at 04:23 AM

@ Solaris Interesting to read here that you had discussions with me about „my problem“. Could you please tell me how you contacted me? I guess I must have been really drunk on that day, I don’t ever remember ever talking/writing to you!

It is very interesting to know that U2U’s that I sent Scudly are being sent around the world. I‘ll have to remember that for the future when answering questions from people.

Wind range: Yes I was flying the 7 Reflex above it’s, from sky country suggested, wind range,

by aprox. 2,63 mph. (10m/s = 22,639 mph)
BTW:
The 5 is supposed to be good up to 12m/s so 26,84mph and therefore in the range of wind that I was flying in. Do the math!

Wow so if you want to fly this kite make sure you have a wind meter in plane sight at all times. If the wind goes above the suggested wind speed the kite will, as Solaris said, “experienced unpredictable behavior”

The “Adjustments” that I made “right away” were standard adjustments need to be able to do things like land the kite without having to grab the lines in front of the handles.
Later I did do small adjustments to the kite and, like I said, was able to improve the stability.

…… but you know what I don’t want/need to try to convince anybody of anything. Go out buy yourself a Reflex and if you have an opinion on it, keep it to yourself!

@ Bladerunner, The Material that I am referring to is the Bridle lines and the RTF set. The Canopy is made very well using good materials.

WELDNGOD - 4-3-2010 at 03:49 PM

it's all mute now, I already bought the 8.6 PL REACTOR II , it will be here in about 2 wks. :lol:

thanks to everybody for helpin me spend my money wisely. Reactor II won hands down. did not mean to start a aeronautical war or anything, Guess you folks need to meet up at Ivanapah and settle this thang.

BeamerBob - 4-3-2010 at 05:35 PM

I'll have mine at NABX but hope I don't need it. I'm ready to experience some higher speeds. WG you will be thrilled the first time that 8.6 lets you ride when there wasn't enough wind for your other kites to pull you. I can't wait for your impressions.

kteguru - 4-3-2010 at 11:08 PM

Glad you got your light wind engine WG. Now your all set if the winds are low at WW bash. Of course I'll be gunnin' for you with the 8.5 blade :cool:

See ya soon:wee:

WELDNGOD - 5-3-2010 at 04:02 PM

KG , maybe next year I'll get a blade. I can't wait to meet and fly w/ everyone,it's gonna be a blast. I'm gonna bring my alloy bug w/ tandem trailer. And a very special, SHINY surprise I have been workin on lately.

silvereaglekiter - 5-3-2010 at 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WELDNGOD
And a very special, SHINY surprise I have been workin on lately.

I like SHINY :smilegrin:

:wink2:

Competition results

solaris - 8-6-2010 at 05:15 AM

Hi guys, sorry for a late follow up.
About couple months ago I only came across news that Reflex 7m (on a bar) won a 28 km race.
Rider: Tadas Sidaravčius
Place: Lithuania
Kite: Sky Country Reflex 7
Distance: 28 km
Time: 55 minutes
Conditions were quite challenging: wind from 5 to 12 m/s, snow mixed with ice. Only 17 out of 37 made it to the finish.
Results:
http://www.extreme-sports.lt/media/windsurf/data/2010rezultatai/kitegp1/10ZKCros.html
Info:
http://www.extreme-sports.lt/pages/posts/snieguota-nida-nuspalvino-jegos-aitvarai518.php

It looks like the winner kite has the same cool bright colors I have ordered for my own 3m (which is with Dakitez now)

DAKITEZ - 8-6-2010 at 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by solaris

It looks like the winner kite has the same cool bright colors I have ordered for my own 3m (which is with Dakitez now)

did I win a kite? it must be my lucky day. What did I win?

solaris - 8-6-2010 at 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DAKITEZ

Quote:

Originally posted by solaris

It looks like the winner kite has the same cool bright colors I have ordered for my own 3m (which is with Dakitez now)

did I win a kite? it must be my lucky day. What did I win?

LOL! This is way too funny. I swear I am not on crack, it was late at night when I posted yesterday, and my best friend insomnia was visiting me. It happened to be that at that time I was looking at dakites website, and wrote his name here.
But I meant windofchange, WINDOFCHANGE ...
Sorry for a confusion

newtokiting - 9-6-2010 at 04:36 AM

since you got a reactor, i guess the point is mute--still, the blade would be cool if you had MILES of space,but occasionally you will have to fight it--i would have taken the reflex--tremendous grunt--even so, lots of space needed for sure......

WELDNGOD - 9-6-2010 at 04:25 PM

NTK, I got enough space for em. I did not want a lifty kite or a kite that is not that well known and even less known about. So the obvious choice was the reactorII 8.6m. And it rocks. Now I use it to landboard with when there is like no wind.
I had it out in 15+ mph last wknd doin jumps, WOW ! You don't even have to try to jump, and talk about float.
I still have not buggied "hotwired" w/ it . It turns really slow ,so I'm unsure of how that will work out.

Scudley - 9-6-2010 at 08:46 PM

Roland and his father, Ed, seem to do pretty well the 8m Reflex in relatively our pretty small field. They bought Tonka's 8m Reflex. It turns pretty fast. Ed, who has only been flying for less than a year, can get a couple of loops out it in a 300m tack. I think they are pretty happy Weldngod bought the ReactorII too.

S

skycountry.ca

BeamerBob - 9-6-2010 at 08:52 PM

Those big reactors don't turn well with just push/pull input. But brake turns make it spin right around. Even in light winds this is the case for me. I know you are more advanced than for me to be teaching you kite flying tips though WG. :embarrased:

ripsessionkites - 10-6-2010 at 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BeamerBob
Those big reactors don't turn well with just push/pull input. But brake turns make it spin right around. Even in light winds this is the case for me. I know you are more advanced than for me to be teaching you kite flying tips though WG. :embarrased:

there are few tuning tips ... not everyone likes them one way out of the bag. i have mine setup to be a little faster forward + less brake tension

i also flew the 10.8 on 15m lines as well. the 8.6 is a good size to have over the 10.8.

like BB said, brake turning helps, and also holding the handles under the Strop line makes turning fast.

cheezycheese - 10-6-2010 at 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ripsessionkites
there are few tuning tips ...

what are they....? you mentioned holding the handles lower, any others...? :puzzled:

RonH - 10-6-2010 at 08:37 AM

I have a Reactor II that I did not get along with at first... All my other kites like just a bit of tension on the brake lines. The Reactors do not. You have to let them run and only use brake input to help turn or land.

I put knots in the power line leaders on the handles so there was no chance of putting the brakes on unless you meant to.

Ron

BeamerBob - 10-6-2010 at 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RonH
I have a Reactor II that I did not get along with at first... All my other kites like just a bit of tension on the brake lines. The Reactors do not. You have to let them run and only use brake input to help turn or land.

I put knots in the power line leaders on the handles so there was no chance of putting the brakes on unless you meant to.

Ron

Wow, the Reactors were the kites that taught me the benefits of a little brake tension. Something might be tuned different on your kite. My reactors and RIIs like brake tension for an extra boost. They say to NOT use brake tension on the dry lake bed but I didn't hear that till after nabx this year. I'll give it a try next time I'm there.

newtokiting - 10-6-2010 at 11:52 AM

these reactors sound nice--you can jump with them too?

Drewculous - 10-6-2010 at 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by newtokiting
these reactors sound nice--you can jump with them too?

you can jump with any kite... given the right/wrong winds... these are more buggy engines... blades, twisters, and crossfires are your big jumping kites

RonH - 10-6-2010 at 03:14 PM

@BB

The Reactor II will give boost with a little brake tension but maybe something is up with my bridle compared to others... ( I have flown 3.5, 5.5 & 10.8 and this happens with all.)

Some of the problem is we fly in a small park and do not have the space to let er rip. Any brake tension while trying to turn up to sine the kite will cause it to stall or slide instead of going up. This does go away after you have gained speed. (my guess is when you are at or above the current wind speed.)

Ron

WELDNGOD - 10-6-2010 at 04:52 PM

BB, not to worry dude. I just meant that it is slower turning (even w/ brake input) than say my 4.7 rage and that is a sloth compared to a2.5 rage. My primary turning input is w/ brakes ,the push/pull is the extra boost for me. I use adjustable leaders for both power and brake , so I can fly different kites w/ 1 handleset. Works great, but I need to finish my pulley handles to give a little more turning power over the 8.6 RII.

BeamerBob - 10-6-2010 at 09:44 PM

Ron and WG we are agreed on all points. The brake input will hurt you if you are underpowered enough that you are sining the kite. That kicks in after you are rolling and getting all she's got, then want that little bit extra. That's when I get the boost from tapping the brakes.

ripsessionkites - 10-6-2010 at 11:28 PM

The RII are near full race kites and meant to be driven fast. Less brake tension on the playa equals more forward speed for the kite. In some cases we have added a few knots to the bridle to increase the angle on certain cells.

Ron's bridles are same out of the bag and probably had some time to stretch out and set. I can tune it a different way if you like.

BB had his bridle tuned by Michel.

I'll post tuning in the day so youre all well informed

RonH - 11-6-2010 at 08:15 AM

I am fine with the way it flys... Just different than the coopers and it took me a while to get used to it. I have the line length adjusted to my liking and it's all good now:singing:

In our sometimes really gusty NW winds, the RII is the kite to fly. It does not punish you in the gusts like some kites can.

Ron

WELDNGOD - 12-6-2010 at 05:07 AM

You are right RonH, I have noticed it is not as "snatchy" as some kites in gusts. Which kinda suprised me, given its size.

BB , I call that brake turbo. I do it w/ all my foils.They all seem to respond to it but the "sweet spot" is different on all of em. If I go a little too much it will backstall. But I'm sure tuning could make turbo happen all the time,then ANY brake input would create backstall.

Rip, I wanna hear about this RII tuning