Bison,

There was a huge fail on Big Kid's buggy, the person that I had helping me build the Ivanpah buggies at that time screwed up cutting one of the side rails and did a half-assed attempt at patching it back together without my knowledge. Had I known he did this, i would have never let it out of the shop and would have insisted on replacing the rails with new ones. I now build all of the Ivanpah buggies myself to insure they are built properly and things like this will never happen again.

As soon as I found out about the issue with Jeff's buggy, I built a completely new set of side rails and shipped them to him 100% free of charge to replace the bad ones.

To this date, that is the only failure on any Ivanpah buggy... including the first thee prototypes that are still in operation today.

I stand by my statements....and I am very proud (or should I say passionate) about the Ivanpah.

Its always the help that hurts the business. I hate to hear that!

I am now the proud owner of the buggy Kent and Bison refer to.

I was aware of the history and KNOWING that Kent will stand by his product only made me more comfortable in buying !

The "Taxi" shall get it's 1st real tests this weekend. :wee:

Lets not let one buggy incident put a bad image on the rest of Kent's work. You learn and you improve. My first buggy I built broke in half on me. That's what you get for using super thin tubing from around the house!!! I've learn from that and now use minimum 1/8" tubing for everything. I don't have an official warranty on my buggies since they are not production ready. I still make them custom for anyone that wants one but if they break 10 years down the road due to a bad weld, I don't have a problem with replacing the parts. I don't believe that any company out there can make an indestructible buggy. The Apexx buggy is on the high end but its got its share of broken axles.

there is a buggy for everyone and everyone's budget. you just have to find it.

if you are in it for the long run, spend the money now to get "race style" buggy than going cheap and selling it later because you have seen something better.

best buggies is personal opinion, why because it suits you. its the enjoyable that it brings you and only you.

i drive an ApeXX, this is my 3rd one, I'm probably the only person that sells his. yes, its a little more than most other buggies but its custom. you get what you paid for.

the normal is now coming Heel straps and Curved Side rails. One thing many of you don't know is it all started from XXtreme. Ruudje designed the idea of the Curved Side Rails to keep riders in place. The Heel Straps were originally intend for Ozzy (one legged dutchman who i call a BRO). with heel straps you can turn the buggy with one leg in any direction.
other things included items like the Weight bar, 3D Fender. today this day we still have the only Asymmetric Adjustable in the back, many have tried to copy this.

with curved side rails, you want to go custom and not just standard sizing. unless you don't mind added foam later because it didn't fit right the first time.
you're going to say that CBE and I added extra foam and its custom, when we first made them they fit, and if you took all 3 of my ApeXX its getting smaller and smaller. I have to change my diet to McDonald's I guess. my 3rd ApeXX fits like a glove as with the others did too.

not to put XXtreme spotlight, but when you get a buggy from him, you're speaking to him, ozzy or myself. he imagines to build you a buggy just off of pictures and measurements to fit. Im slowly learning this, since I had to put both ToxicBob and Daskirts into Arie's and Ozzy's buggies after NABX.

whatever you get, its all about you.

Peter Lynn - ST, XR+, Folding, BF+
Flexifoil - SS, Scout
VTT - Black Widow
Windspeed - Ivanpah
XXtreme - BaSiXX, ApeXX custom
Libre - Sprint, Dragster, Full Race, V-MaxII, Supertruck II, Truck II, Protask, Magik, Majestic
PTW - Custom
BBS - Concept C2, Booster XT, Cruiser
MG - Aero
GT - Ultralite, Full Option
Zebra - Zebra
Trikbitz - custom
RS - no info
Parastorm - Typhoon
Viper - Evo
Sysmic - S1, S2

... and it continues

Yes I also saw what happened to BigKid and talked to Kent about it and he was furious about the mistake that was made. I don't think Kent will let his friend help ever again LOL. To date I have not seen nor heard of any problems with the Ivanpah buggies and I hear good reports from customers that own one.
Kent and I talked the other day about carrying the Ivanpah in my shop and I am proud to say we now offer another great buggy here at KBSS.

I have spoken with Jellis and he has really helped me in deciphering the differences between all of the buggies. I must say that I agree with ripsession in the fact you get what you pay for. While competing in motocross, I always go new as well as loading it up with aftermarket parts. Yes you can get a bike that cost $3000, but in the long run It cost you more, where the new bikes after the parts installed run $11000. Ripsession hit the mark when ha said, spend the money now if you are in it for the long run, which I am. Silly to mess around with building one up from older parts and sinking 1/2 to 3/4 of what a new one would cost. I race and have for many years and what a lot of people dont think about is that metal fatigues, bearings wear out and tolerances aren't the same. I will always spend more and get the best I can.

Now on the other hand I spoke with Jellis and he has a point too. If I were going to learn to sail, Would I go buy a 20 foot $40000.00 boat or learn on a dingy? The dingy will teach you the feel of the boat and how it acts where a larger boat, while more stable, would mask some of the feelings. It's all about feel and how you perfect the technique. I would have to say I'm all about quality, close tolerances, design build, lots of adjustments, and of course performance. I'm in it for the long haul and really want something thats going to last. I will be going the route of spending more and getting a better, bigger, more race like buggy, especially after seeing what a big buggy can do. Like the MG Aero video that Ihatework sent me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehSirVU7XGk&feature=youtu...

Awesome, and I will be here! Now I just need to find a buggy. I would love to find an awesome buggy that is like new with very very new with few hours on it for a good price, a demo that hasn't been pushed to the limits for failure testing. I'm getting the itch so bad, I may pull the trigger prior to WWBB. I have the money right now and want to get busy! Anyone know of an Apexx, MG Aero, Sysmic S1, Ivanpah, or a Libre super truck II that I can buy right? Must be in great condition! I'm so happy to have narrowed it down!

I too can vouch for the strength and robust build quality in the Ivanpah. I'm 230 lbs and could jump up and down on the joint between the siderails and downtube. It seemed like any bouncing that happened came from the tires. I exceeded my personal best speed on my Ivanpah at NABX this year, bumping it up to 50.4 mph. The straight tracking and stability from the rigid and heavy construction meant I was not near the buggie's limit just hit the limit of what the kite/lines could give me with that wind. I know that Kent will stand behind his product because the Ivanpah is a part of him.

No one has really spoken of the Sysmic S1? Anyone driven one, is it priced too high, or is it not up to par with the others? Just curious because it look bulletproof!

Buggy Kite Shop in France makes those and KBSS carries the S1. It is a stainless steel buggy that is on a very large platform. A very deep seat is comfortable and keeps you secure. The footpegs are unique and are very long and wide enough for your complete foot to fit comfortably for the long bumpy runs.The frame rails are rounded and wider in the leg area to provide you with the ability to spread your legs outwards and hold yourself in the buggy. The SI comes with 8" rims in the back and a 4" rim on the front with grooved beach racer tires.
At this time I have one demo S1 in stock.

Quote:

Originally posted by Powerws Anyone know of an Apexx, MG Aero, Sysmic S1, Ivanpah, or a Libre super truck II that I can buy right? Must be in great condition! I'm so happy to have narrowed it down!

I hate to bust your bubble. :P Those are all top of the line buggys no doubt. But they are not your "dingy". They are all awesome rides, but not exactly smaller, lighter. They are more of your "yacht". Something more along the lines (but not necessarily) of the vmax. Just something that is lighter yet can take a beating and that you can get the feel of what's going on just like Jon was explaining.

The Sysmic buggy is still pretty new, especially to us over here in the U.S. It's cost is a bit high after doing the exchange rate which is probably why there are not more of them running around over here. I have looked over the Sysmic buggy and it appears to be a very top notch buggy. I haven't had the chance to run around in one yet so can't comment on that but it looks pretty good. It is a very sharp looking buggy.

I kinda where ripsessions is. That is buying a race like buggy that is great quality, that will last, and that is comfortable.

Sunset, what I was saying is that I want the yacht more than I want the dingy. With all due respect to everyone here especially to Jellis, I do pick up things very well and while you may have more feel with a smaller buggy, I'm in it for the long haul, so the way I see it, I will aquire the feel and touch no matter which buggy I'm on.

Powerws:

Check with Chad here on the forum. I know he had an Ivanpah for sale that was in great condition, and the color scheme was worthy of a healthy drool! I dont know if he has sold it or not, but worth a shot. The Ivanpah sounds like just the ticket for your wants and needs. I have had the pleasure of piloting Angus' Ivanpah on 2 occasions and the thing is exactly like he says, "A Lay-z-boy on train tracks". It took all the power I fed it, and comfort was great. Thing seems bulletproof. I would buy Chads Ivanpah if I could right now. If he does still have it, do NOT miss out on this deal. Good luck bro!

http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=18047

One thing to keep in mind, race buggies are huge! They take much more to haul them around, they take a ton of time to break them down and put them back together again....usually it is not recommended to break them down all the time. More of a set-it and forget-it type of thing. If you have a large truck or trailer then no problem, if you have a truck with a shell / bed cover or a smaller sized truck, you may have major problems hauling a big race buggy around.

Race buggies need a lot of room to really get the use out of them. If you don't have a huge place to ride, you may find a race buggy is not optimal.

Smaller buggies like the PL Comp XR+ may not handle the high speeds like a race buggy, but they are by no means a trainer or childs toy. The smaller buggies are more designed for smaller fields, parks and parking lots. they are also the only logical choice for freestyle, jumping, two wheeling, 360's, etc... Things that are very difficult or even impossible to do in a full race buggy.

I carry two PL buggies and my Ivanpah with me all the time in my trailer, reason is because sometimes I just want to freestyle in the PL instead of cruising. The PL buggies also break down in a about a minute, without the need for any tools. They can fit in the back seat of a Honda without the use of a wrench. They are super light and a blast to ride in. They work great in parks and short areas where the big race buggies are almost worthless.

From your posts, you seem to be under the impression that the PL buggies are a stepping stone to get into the race buggies. This is far from accurate. Each buggy is optimal for what it is designed for and in most cases, you may find the PL buggy much more user friendly and much more fun than the full Race Buggies....especially when it comes to hauling them around. To continue the similarities to boats.... a race buggy would be like a high performance ocean racer and the PL buggies are more like jet ski's. It would be silly to put the ocean racer in your local state lake while the Jet Ski would be simple to throw in the water and would be a total blast - on the other hand, the ocean racer is perfect out in the wide open ocean at speeds cracking 100+ mph where a Jet Ski is a little scary.

Hope that helps you in your quest.

Kent, Awesome! Thank you for taking the time to write that. Makes sense! My beaches are not huge by any means, and to be quite honest while I do have a trailer, it would be nice to have a smaller buggy for ease of moving around. This helps!

I agree with what Kent is saying and it is what I was trying to say.

I will probably only get to put my race buggy to use 1/2 dozen times a year. I will have to pay to ship it to events. Being 100lbs it isn't cheap.

I thought I would sell my smaller buggy but the easy transport + set-up mean it is still very useful to me.

I can fit the Ivanpah in my car but must break it down for storage. NOT an ideal situation !

Just like having more than one kite having more than one buggy is nice. With a hitch you have a tandem set-up and instant Karma !!!!

Thanks Blade, With all of the advice you kinda forget what was said sometimes. This does make sense! Thanks again!

Quote:

Originally posted by awindofchange ...the Ivanpah the best production buggy on the planet...

Quote:

Originally posted by awindofchange ...the person that I had helping me build the Ivanpah buggies at that time screwed up cutting one of the side rails and did a half-assed attempt at patching it back together without my knowledge...

Production Quality is only as good as those who produce it. The fact that this happened is evidence to the contrary of your original statement above. LIBRE has had a few problems over the years and thousands of buggies they have produced. They have done the same as you and replaced parts as necessary. I just take exception to your original statement "best production buggy on the planet." That's a bold statement to make, just waiting to be challenged.

Yes Bison, Great catch and point! I spoke with KBSS and he was the original guy speaking of LIBER. I went to a VMAX II, then to a truckII but now possibly a hardcore. Still great buggy but smaller. I also heard the Exxtreme Basixx is supposed to be the deal. I hope they have one at WW. Fast and stable but smaller for tricks. Right in between.:cool2:

Quote:

Originally posted by awindofchange From your posts, you seem to be under the impression that the PL buggies are a stepping stone to get into the race buggies. This is far from accurate. Each buggy is optimal for what it is designed for and in most cases, you may find the PL buggy much more user friendly and much more fun than the full Race Buggies....especially when it comes to hauling them around.

Although you make some good points here, even the boat comparison is valid, I believe the point really is that a new pilot should spend some time, a season or two, with a smaller buggy and kites (pending their propensity to learning it). This allows the pilot to become increasingly proficent with those kites and buggies in general. Then once a pilot has mastered them. Jumping into a larger, task specific, buggy and utilizing larger kites becomes a challenge instead of a set back. Starting with a race buggy or bigfoot can hamper a new pilots advancement. Spending some time really learning the FEEL will help considerably in future endevors.

That said, I do believe that this process can be sidestepped, somewhat, when it comes to desert riding. I used to have quite a few problems coming from the beach to the desert for obvious reasons. Although this is not a problem anymore. The difference in terrain and winds can be intimidating when one rides mostly in one area or the other. A desert rider will have troubles in turns and lighter winds at the beach.

REALLY solidifying the basics are the best things a new pilot can do!

my custom stainless buggy/ KYTBYK conversion

my custom aluminum buggy.

My custom KYTBYK conversion

I think this Exxtreme Basixx buggy will be the force to reckoned with in this class. I called to get more info on them and Rocco told me the it should be out of prototype in about 30-60 days. He did tell me that he would have one at WWBB. Order one there and he said 2 week delivery, provided its out of prototype, which he thinks it will. FYI. Time is counting down. My wife agreed to join me! It's gonna be a party!

Been trying to catch up with Jellis on the Majestic. I need a little more info, Jellis...............you around? I've called you a few times?