I noticed several members list JoJo's in their quivers.
I had the opportunity to fly a 3.5RS and a 6.5RS in some pretty light winds (the meter said 3-7mph). I liked the way they handle and was impressed with the amount of pull they generated.

So here are my questions: (for buggying)
How are they in trashy inland wind?
How do the RF's compare to the RS's?
Are they a good choice as a kite to "grow into"?
Are there any downsides of trade off's?
Where can I find a price list?

Thanks for any info.

I bought mine from Troy Gunn who used to distribute for them. He may still be able to hook you up. If not, you can find jojos at in the US at http://www.bestkites.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=jojo

and via Canada at http://skylinewings.com/flash/pages/products/kites/et.htm

I fly the ETs and can't comment on the ones you are looking at but the ETs are pretty stable and predictable inland. I haven't buggied with them but I do board and ski and they have been a treat. I can write more if you're interested in that line of JOJO.

Quote:

Originally posted by B-Roc I bought mine from Troy Gunn who used to distribute for them. He may still be able to hook you up. If not, you can find jojos at in the US at http://www.bestkites.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=jojo and via Canada at http://skylinewings.com/flash/pages/products/kites/et.htm I fly the ETs and can't comment on the ones you are looking at but the ETs are pretty stable and predictable inland. I haven't buggied with them but I do board and ski and they have been a treat. I can write more if you're interested in that line of JOJO.

The JOJO RS series are not being made anymore. they were replaced with the RF's. The RF's are a great kite and handle inland winds much better, in regards to much less lufting/collapsing. Pull is great, with good upwind capabilities. They are a great kite for buggying, ATBing.

Yes, I can still hook up anyone that needs any JOJO or Libre products. Contact me for availability and pricing, at:

TKOGunn@webtv.net or 940-691-8522

BTW - Skyline Wings is no longer the North American Importer for JOJO or Libre products. Jon Ellis took over the distributorship.

Thanks for your input guys!

B-Roc:
I'm looking to use them primarily for a bug, If you have the time, I would like to know how you get along with yours.

Troy:
Missed you on the phone calls, I'll try email.

I haven't flown the RS, but comparing the RM and RM+ to the ET, The RM series will take a little more flying skills to get the most out of them, But it's something that you can get away with growing into. The RM series needs a fair bit of brake input to really wring it out. One thing though with the RM and RM+, these kites are extremely good at going fast, strong, and go like stink upwind. If you have the patients to get familiar with the kite you'll be happy with the performance.

If you're new to racekites and want something a bit more forgiving, the Century's are a great intro to race kites, I don't think they'll keep up with the RM+ for straight out performance, but they make up for it in ease of flight.


As for the messy winds, I'd be suprised if you find any race kite that'll fly good in poor, gusty, swirly winds. It is possible though to learn how to fly a race kite through the junk. Something I haven't mastered yet, but am told is more than possible with enough practice.

Not that I have any skill with racekites, but I do have some experience. I have flown razors for a while, 3 years give or take. It boils down to 2 things:
1: CONSTANT attention
and
2. Brake hard to keep it away from the very edge of the window.

With these 2 points, you should be able to fly the most unforgiving kite in the dirtiest wind and survive. It also helps if you are NOT incredibly overpowered. You can get away flying overpowered in smooth winds, but it is more frustrating and more dangerous in bumpy winds.

Just keep after it and you will get better.

Seany

Troy can tell you better than I since he has flown more of the JOJOs but from my perspective...

The ETs are slow to inflate, move slower through the air (then say a racekite or my blade) but offer solid and progressive pull. I have been jerked off my board but mostly the power delivery is progressive so no real surprises. The 2.5 is actually pretty fast and snappy through the air as compared to the 5.5 or 7.0.

The ETs have limited over head pull so you can park them fairly safely at the zenith. I have been spanked by the 2.5 and lofted by the 7.0 but the 5.5 and 7.0 do have a decent amount of float and they don't yank you off the ground like a blade.

Their lateral pull is great and the vertical pull is good. I think they would be better in the buggy then on the board since you would prefer to fly the kite lower to the ground through the power zone and on a board I like the kite up higher but there it starts to loose some of its power.

They are VERY stable. I fly mostly on a field that is somewhat in a bowl and wringed by trees. The wind is seldom clean and the kites hold up well. Even if they do collapse you can usually pump them hard and they will reinflate (slowly) in the power zone allowing you to gain control without being yanked down field. Rarely do they bowtie to the point I need to set the handles down and do the walk of shame. 90% of the luffs are recoverable before the kite hits the ground. If the winds are clean I challenge you to collapse the kite. It is pretty much that stable, doesn't overlfly the zenith and won't really overfly the edge either.

I like to fly them with some brake tension and they do turn nicely on the brakes but you don't need to crank on the brakes to bring the kite around.

When skiing I had no problem going up wind and could keep the kite at the edge of the window. My landboarding skills aren't as good as my skiing skills so I'm not as proficient in getting the kite and board upwind and find I need to work the kite more on grass then snow. I don't know how that translates to your ability to get upwind in a buggy. I know the upwind ability is good but because the kite has a thicker profile, you will likely get more out of a race kite at the window's edge then you will an ET.

Because they aren't super fast, I prefer to fly them on days when you don't have to work them too much. The 2.5 you can work hard and get a lot out of it. The 5.5 you can work too but the 7.0 is a big kite and best to park and ride with. The 5.5 is similar. You can work it but its best to park and ride and if you want some strong pull dip it lower into the power zone and away you go.

The way mine are set up you can get a slight turbo boost by applying some brake as you sweep through the power zone but they kill nicely when hitting the brakes hard so if things get hairy you can gain control pretty quick.

The ETs are fun to fly static, the 5.5 and above are good for jumping (not high but high enough for me for now and their float is good). As I said earlier, I think they are a better buggy kite then a boarder kite but that is because they offer more pull then lift. They do have a 3.8 A/R but still, their power delivery comes best when putting the kite right through the power zone as opposed to maybe 45 - 60 degrees up. Not to say they are bad on a board - they aren't but I think they are better for a buggier.

They have been great kites to learn and progess with and really help you gain your confidence. I don't think you'd necessarily outgrow them. You may look for something faster or more aggressive but don't be fooled by the ET label. They are beginner friendly but not limited to beginners. Their's something to be said about a kite that's easy to fly and delivers the goods in crap conditions. In the winter I fly on large frozen lakes with much smoother winds and the kites are real nice in those enviroments but winter is short so mostly I fly in crap and although my blade has better up wind performance and lift, it is not nearly as stable (making it more scary) to fly then the ETs

One aspect I most enjoy about the ETs are their predictability. No real surprises. Sure you can get caught out but the kite will still respond predictably.

I could write more if you've got specific questions but talk to Troy. He's a straight shooter and he knows his kites. Hooked me up with pretty good deal too.

Brian,
Great JOJO ET review! I couldn't have said it any better myself!
: )

Ron,
I replied to your e-mails. Let me know if you received them.

Between Jon Ellis and myself, we can hook you up too, when you're ready. I think the JOJO ET may be a better choice for you for your area's wind conditions in SW Idaho. Can't Beat flying on those Beet fields! LOL

Quote:

Originally posted by B-Roc Troy can tell you better than I since he has flown more of the JOJOs but from my perspective... The ETs are slow to inflate, move slower through the air (then say a racekite or my blade) but offer solid and progressive pull. I have been jerked off my board but mostly the power delivery is progressive so no real surprises. The 2.5 is actually pretty fast and snappy through the air as compared to the 5.5 or 7.0. The ETs have limited over head pull so you can park them fairly safely at the zenith. I have been spanked by the 2.5 and lofted by the 7.0 but the 5.5 and 7.0 do have a decent amount of float and they don't yank you off the ground like a blade. Their lateral pull is great and the vertical pull is good. I think they would be better in the buggy then on the board since you would prefer to fly the kite lower to the ground through the power zone and on a board I like the kite up higher but there it starts to loose some of its power. They are VERY stable. I fly mostly on a field that is somewhat in a bowl and wringed by trees. The wind is seldom clean and the kites hold up well. Even if they do collapse you can usually pump them hard and they will reinflate (slowly) in the power zone allowing you to gain control without being yanked down field. Rarely do they bowtie to the point I need to set the handles down and do the walk of shame. 90% of the luffs are recoverable before the kite hits the ground. If the winds are clean I challenge you to collapse the kite. It is pretty much that stable, doesn't overlfly the zenith and won't really overfly the edge either. I like to fly them with some brake tension and they do turn nicely on the brakes but you don't need to crank on the brakes to bring the kite around. When skiing I had no problem going up wind and could keep the kite at the edge of the window. My landboarding skills aren't as good as my skiing skills so I'm not as proficient in getting the kite and board upwind and find I need to work the kite more on grass then snow. I don't know how that translates to your ability to get upwind in a buggy. I know the upwind ability is good but because the kite has a thicker profile, you will likely get more out of a race kite at the window's edge then you will an ET. Because they aren't super fast, I prefer to fly them on days when you don't have to work them too much. The 2.5 you can work hard and get a lot out of it. The 5.5 you can work too but the 7.0 is a big kite and best to park and ride with. The 5.5 is similar. You can work it but its best to park and ride and if you want some strong pull dip it lower into the power zone and away you go. The way mine are set up you can get a slight turbo boost by applying some brake as you sweep through the power zone but they kill nicely when hitting the brakes hard so if things get hairy you can gain control pretty quick. The ETs are fun to fly static, the 5.5 and above are good for jumping (not high but high enough for me for now and their float is good). As I said earlier, I think they are a better buggy kite then a boarder kite but that is because they offer more pull then lift. They do have a 3.8 A/R but still, their power delivery comes best when putting the kite right through the power zone as opposed to maybe 45 - 60 degrees up. Not to say they are bad on a board - they aren't but I think they are better for a buggier. They have been great kites to learn and progess with and really help you gain your confidence. I don't think you'd necessarily outgrow them. You may look for something faster or more aggressive but don't be fooled by the ET label. They are beginner friendly but not limited to beginners. Their's something to be said about a kite that's easy to fly and delivers the goods in crap conditions. In the winter I fly on large frozen lakes with much smoother winds and the kites are real nice in those enviroments but winter is short so mostly I fly in crap and although my blade has better up wind performance and lift, it is not nearly as stable (making it more scary) to fly then the ETs One aspect I most enjoy about the ETs are their predictability. No real surprises. Sure you can get caught out but the kite will still respond predictably. I could write more if you've got specific questions but talk to Troy. He's a straight shooter and he knows his kites. Hooked me up with pretty good deal too.

Thanks you guys for taking the time to tap out so much info! It really helps.

Here is yet another source of info on JoJo's from a new site that Jon just put up.

Happy Hunting

OOOOPs, I forgot to copy the link... Where's my head at... smile

http://kitebuggyspeedshop.com

Thanks Jim,
I heard the site was going to be up soon, I'll check it out!