It's funny that you say I'm a good salesman. I was in sales for years and hated it. I was always selling stuff to people who didn't really want what I was selling. Kites aren't like business equipment or long distance service (back in the day) . You're already hooked for a purchase, its just guiding you to the right choice for you. I was there 10 months ago so I remember the decision process well. Just wait till you see the package sitting on the front door and get to open it all up!

Sounds great! Can't wait to get it! In the process of getting the Beamer III 3m now.

Yeah, I never liked selling either....unless, like you say, it was something that someone really wanted and just needed guidance to know what was the best one for them. I really appreciate the help and advice you, and others, have given!

Another quick question.....can you also hook up the Beamer III to a control bar rather than handles? Being the old man that I am....I've got a shoulder that is starting to scream at me once in a while when moved/pulled the wrong way.

And, I guess, if you have a control bar, you must also buy a harness/seat...or whatever it's called??

Lobo

Sure the Beamer III will fly fine on a Bar. It frees up a hand, but you will loose some of the finesse you can apply with the handles. This is more important in light air.

The harness is an option with the bar, not a requirement. It is not recommended until you are really comfortable with the kite and can predict wat it will do. Since your are attached to the kite, the stakes are higher if your get overpowered. Sure there is a safety release but you have to use it...

I use a harness in the buggy when going up-wind since the strain on the arms is greater then.

To us the harness with the bar, your will need a harness strap or "D-Loop". It has a safety quick release. HQ makes one and sells it seperately from the bar. BTW, the Beamer TSR comes with a D-Loop along with the bar.

Thanks! I've got one ordered!

Lobo :singing:

Congrats on the new Beamer!

Ok guys, another couple questions for you, and I don't really want to make a new thread since I've got your attention here already!

It looks like my original budget just flew out the window, so I have a few more questions for you all:
1: Which would be a better idea- buying a 3m and a 4m Beamer together so my boyfriend and I can both learn at the same time, or buying a 3m to learn and a Blaze or something similar for when we get some practice in?
2: Which is harder to learn- jumping or buggying?'

I forgot my 3rd question, so I'll leave it at that for now. Hooray for unexpected sources of income! I can't wait to finally place an order and get out there and kite.... :tumble:!

Thanks!!

I've been kiting for a little over a year now and i started with a beamer 3.6 TSR. It come with a kite killer wrist strap so no harness needed. and if you want you can fly with handles and still use a harness with the help of a strope line. I started with a control bar but quickly went to handles, I like handles so much better, the just responds better period. After a solid month of flying just about every day I bought a rockville buggy, I didn't find it that hard to learn even without lessons. And I've been buggying ever since, I LOVE IT ALOT!!

Since then Ive bought a beamerII 1.8m(125.00 shipped to my door) for those high wind days...
And I've purchased an Ozone samurai 3m(about 300.00 Windpowersports.com, Awsome kite superb build quality!) and a flexifoil 4.5m bullet.(200.00 delivered Ebay) Again top notch kites. I've since sold the flexifoil to get a 6m samurai( Ebay 285.00 delivered with a cabrihna harness thrown in:D) for them low wind days. love the ozones! I'd have say the 3m samurai gets flown the most. Not to nock on the HQ kites(beamerbob) cause I still own and fly them, but the Ozones and Flexifoils are a step above them in materials, kite lines (coloured) and handles. (neoprene wrapped for comfort) Again just my opinion we all have one.:cool2:

It is going to be easier to learn to jump rather than buggy both are pretty basic but extreme. If that makes sense. The other thing is that you have to learn how to fly before you can do either one. Also different kites for both also at least thats what I do. I can't really buggy with my blade yet but can jump with it. I can't jump with my Blaze but works well in the buggy. Bottom line is you will end up with more kites to be able to do what you want in all conditions. Buy the 3m first Practice with it then decide what you want to do next.

Very well put. Don't buy both kites at the same time, and don't buy two kites so close to the same size. The beamer will be good for learning and the buggy. The blaze is the same type kite (low lift) but cheaper with less refinement. The blaze wouldn't be a bad second kite and neither would an Ace (high lift). But spend some time on the Beamer first. Both of you. You will each learn alot by watching and coaching each other. You will start to anticipate what the kite is about to do and coach the other of what they shoulda/coulda done in the situation. If money isn't such an object anymore, step up to a more reputable brand for your kites. I don't mean to dismiss Pansh but they really fit into things if you want an inexpensive kite and will take what that gives you. They are good to get into the sport with and then you might want to trade them in to upgrade later. That is the path I've taken so far.

I'm not so sure it is easier to learn to jump than to buggy ? I AM SURE it is safer to learn how to buggy than to jump. We seem to get folks going in the buggy pretty fast ?

We have had people around here that only seem to want to static jump but can't ride safely at all. Then we have ME. I can be considered safe on most of my rides but can't jump well at all.

Quote:

Originally posted by Sthrasher38 It is going to be easier to learn to jump rather than buggy both are pretty basic but extreme. If that makes sense.

I beg to differ. I would not say it is safer to learn how to buggy than to learn how to jump. I was jumping before I ever got into a buggy. And I never got hurt jumping it was in the buggy that I got injured. But I also agree with there is no safe way to jump.You can only hold on to so much power when jumping and you travel mostly up and forward. In the buggy you can power up greater while moving and still get launched up but while in forward motion. Imo. it was easyier to run and jump than to be cruising and get popped out.

Just seen this on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/HQ-Yellow-grey-white-Beamer-3-6-power-ki...
It would make a great first kite and the price is right:singing:

Oh and I beg to differ, yeah jumping easier with a high aspect ratio kite.( A lifty kite) The kind of kite that doesn't make a VERY GOOD beginner kite. Unless you want flying lessons or to discourage someone from kiting on there first day out! After studying a little on the internet I thought learning to buggy was easy! Of course I was smart about it, I used a low AR kite (a pulling kite) and light wind days until I got the hang of it. That and I stayed in a small area doing little circles. I didn't try to rip down the field at full speed with no brakes until I was comfortable with it. And I have yet to be pulled out of my buggy Sthrasher38 so I don't know what you were doing or what kite you were flying. Best thing I can say is, get a lot of kite flying under your belt before trying either. Preferably with a low aspect ratio kite.

Those are pretty gross over-generalizations to say that high aspect ratio kites are lifty kites and that low A/R kites are pulling kites. Those correlations are only anecdotal. There are a lot of other design elements involved.
My Peter Lynn Reactors are high A/R but are designed to pul fast down low in the window and not be lifty overhead like a Blade.

Starting out with a kite 1/2 again as big as the one that just blew to bits is learning how to buggy the HARD WAY for sure :wow: Your accident had less to do with learning how to buggy safely than it did learning how to FLY safely :!:

I think that it's hard to say what's easiest for any given person to learn. It has a lot to do with your desire and training.

Don't go thinking buggies are dangerous just because you made a poor choice of gear ! :wink2:

Quote:

Originally posted by Sthrasher38 I beg to differ. I would not say it is safer to learn how to buggy than to learn how to jump. I was jumping before I ever got into a buggy. And I never got hurt jumping it was in the buggy that I got injured. But I also agree with there is no safe way to jump.You can only hold on to so much power when jumping and you travel mostly up and forward. In the buggy you can power up greater while moving and still get launched up but while in forward motion. Imo. it was easyier to run and jump than to be cruising and get popped out.

They might be gross over-generalization. But I was just keeping it simple for those new to kiting sort of a guideline. But thanx for bringing that up though.

I don't think buggys are dangerous. And your right, I made a poor choice to fly a bigger kite. (Bullet) low a/r. made not much difference in the wrong Conditions. I learned my lesson the hard way. my bad. And I had the desire. just not the training in gusty wind. And sorry but I will continue to push it a little because that is just how I am. Live and learn I guess. To each his own. right? I did learn something from that mistake though. And with almost no other kiters in the area how do you learn? besides practice and just doing it? You can only read so much til you just have to get hands on experience.

I'm sorry Sthrasher38 I didn't mean to all holier than thou on you. I was sort of having a bad day. Now that I've doing awhile the faster the better. I just got a 6m samurai for this summer, can't wait to see how that goes!:D
On another note I just sold a 4.5m Bullet i thought it flew a little sluggish what do you think? And as far as the beamer 1.8 I wouldn't trade mine for nothing...love it!

I belive the bullet is a little wind senstive. It has to be good flat wind or it does turn off and on a bit. As for the beamer I have not got it yet. Wait!!! My wife just called from work. It's here!!!:singing: What is good wind speed for the buggy with that kite? Thanks So much to Deadhead fir a new kite!!

I think my profoil 1.5 would pull me in a buggy at about 18-20 mph, but I haven't tried it yet. I would want clean winds if I used it on a buggy. It can turn off and on if the wind is puffy. It doesn't like the brakes touched if you are swinging across the window with it while the lines are singing.

How about the beamer? Mine is a beamer 2 1.8. I have not flown one yet so I have no idea how they are.

I imagine it is similar to my 1.5 is why I gave my thoughts on mine. I flew a 1.8 last September at the HQ event on Jekyll Island. I remember it being Beamer stable but very fast and it will spin in its tracks. I imagine it would power you by 18 or so. Just guessing though. Maybe I'll have more experience after Masters week vacation. If you live here, you either get tickets or get outa town.

I've had my 1.8 out in 34+mph and was loving every minute of it. But actually it takes at least 12 to even fly it static. And I buggy with it at 22+. Now these are inland winds, I don't know if your on the coast or not. I heard the wind is a lot cleaner so it takes less of it. good luck , it's one of my favorite kites.
Oh and I was going to say that beamer 3.6 on ebay is now down to $85 buy it now. no takers yet at that price it's a steal. If i didn't already have one!:frog:

It's not really that it takes less of it, but that if you size your kite for the gusts, you have to fly less kite inland and can fly more kite coastal since the wind speed range is very small usually on the coast. If you size your kite for the steady wind inland, you will get hammered if you suddenly have a 50% increase in wind speed with a gust. In other words, if the wind is going about 12-14 and then you get a gust every once in a while that is over 20, I can't get the blade or maybe not the Crossfire out in that or I'll get hurt or tear something up. But a steady 12-14 on the coast is still fun even with the Blade.