This is my review of the crossover BUSTER BAR that PKD makes for use w/ the Buster Soulfly. The kite I tried it with was a 3.3m BUSTER SOULFLY.
At first look,it had alot going on, with several lines going here and there.And pulleys as well.
But a quick look at the enclosed diagram and it was all sorted.


The bar is 56cm long and covered w/ cushy foam.You have a Kite killer leash that runs from the reverse launch strap to your wrist.The strap can also be used to land the kite.But you can't just pull it ,you gotta finesse it w/ the strap AND the bar. Get it right, and down she comes ,nice and easy.Get it wrong, and it will start trying to fly backwards and spinning.It Wasn't hard to do once I found the "sweet" spot though.

Or you could deploy the safety.

The only Safety on it, is the KK leash I mentioned.All you do is LET GO OF THE BAR! I did it just to see how well it worked. And it worked just like I knew it would. It didn't yank my arm off or anything.It just lost all it's air and flapped about,completely limp.
I hardly ever fly w/ a bar,because I feel it takes away the independent brake control. I got the kite launched rather easily,and took it to zenith.Then proceeded to fly it about.Did some aggressive flying too.Scudding as far as I wanted by doin figure 8s.
It seemed to control the kite very well,alot like flying a 2 liner.But as you pull harder ,you can make it turn on a dime and propeller spin.Just like steering by brakes on handles. And when you do,get ready for the power!

Next step the buggy.

Seems really strange to have a bar in my hands while buggying. But ,it worked like a charm. I could see how this could be beneficial when first starting out.It was really easy to sine the kite to make power. After a while it started hurtin my "new" shoulder,so it was time for the strop and harness.As the buster bar has no hook in option,I had to go back to handles.

Next mission was to see if a PKD Combat 2.4 would fly on it. It took some shortening of the power lines to get the brake input dialed in just right. But once it was tweeked, the little combat flew great.I had lost all of the hardpack by now ,so no buggying w/the combat on it. I will have to try that next time.Nothing to do but wrap it up now.

Wrapping up was quick too ,it has ears on each end for the lines to wind on. I just disconnect the kite lines and wind them on the bar. To set up I just wind them out and then separate and attach to the kite.

If you are looking for a not-overpriced X-OVER bar for your Fixed bridal kite,look no more.

:wee:

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Get one of those "D" loop with quick release that PL or HQ makes(maybe PKD has them, too?) That way you can use the bar with your harness. Nice looking kit! Thanks for your review. Get vid!

That's what I was thinkin about,cause I just can't take the pull on the arm like that for long periods of time.So ,a D loop would be sweet.

This may sound lame but I'm not sure what I'm looking at.

Does the xover enable you to pull both lines per side on a FB? Is that what I'm looking at here?

Just curious. I don't really fly FB so I don't have a clue.

Feyd short answer yes. :-)

The 2 center lines in the picture are the brake lines. They are linked thru the pulleys to the opposite front lines. When you pull the bar to make a turn it also pulls on the brake line to induce a brake turn affect as well as normal power line turn.

Same idea as pulling a quad handle and adding brake on the same side.. This works really well on larger FB to get them redirected QUICKLY.:Ange09:

Hmmm...sure of that? You're still pulling the powerlines on the outer bar ends, but the pulleys pull to the center brake line in...what proportion?

The Ozone Turbo Bar had the lines in the opposite arrangement - brakes on the outside - getting more pull distance.

I'm wonder how either bar compensates for the occasional "added brake" most racekites need - as there's no way you'd not be pulling in the powerlines some too..

Ahhhh I see. It makes sense to me.

But now the Ozone Turbo thing is throwing me. The rear lines are on the OUTSIDE? Like on a depow?

First of all and for clearence, my crossover bar isn't this one but a Eolo (Radsails):
..::: Crossover Manual :::..

@ lad and Feyd

lamrith is spot-on, as you turn (let's say right), the crossover release tension in the left side leaders (both front an back), making a more aggressive turn on the kite (FB of course).
This is great for kites that just like front line turn (my Twister IIR 5.6m is exceptional with this).
As a guess, I would say it pull's 70% front, 30% back.


@ lad


The Turbo Bar, on the other hand, works as a pseudo-depower for FBs.



The front lines go to the center and the back lines to the tips of the bar (like a depower) and you have a throw on the bar.
It behaves just like a depower bar without beeing able to change the angle of attack of the FB, only pulling/releasing brake line on them.
Unfortunately, and I'm saying this as my personal experience, not all FBs like this.
My Beamer V 4m loves it, but the Twister was a real flop. (see John Holgate's videos and he uses is Turbo Bar with several of is FBs, Beamer, Method, Flow, etc)
Unlike the Crossover, the Turbo turns (wild guess) 70% back line, 30% front.

I'm not familiar, or ever flown a racekite, but if they need brake input, it all comes to "how much they need" and "how well will I race with a bar instead of handles"...


@ WELDNGOD
+1 for the d-loop thing.
The X-Over that I have has it and it's sweet joy to not have to hold the bar for ever (or at least, while I'm flying the kite, :D )


Regards
João

The PKD bar is a lot like what I made .

I found that some kites loved it , my 7m Bullet . Some flew awful , my 4.5 Bullet . Too little effect on my 9m Blade . The extra weight of the pulleys played on the brakes of my 3m Brooza until it was well powered. Same with larger kites but in a less obvious way.

Things I learned : Not all kites like a bar such as this. I was delaying my progression in learning on FB kites. It was once I embraced handles that I really learned how to control FB properly.

If your kite is 2 line biased it won't like it. It is just like steering by brake w/ handles . Some kites like it,while others don't.

I have the turbo bar as well ,And does NOT Depower in any way.The throw in the bar is to enable you to add that touch of brake turbo you get when flying on handles(hence the name turbobar).If you pull too hard it will backstall the kite. But it has nada to do w/ AOA.

Hmmmm...conversely, could you switch the the lines around on a PKD or Turbo Bar's leaders to switch to the preferred steering bias?

not on the turbo bar

I purchased a PKD Buster Bar to use on my Core 6.7. Unfortunately, I've only had a limited time to try it but the first test indicated that the brake lines were just a tad too tight and I believe if I add pig tails it will fix it.

Tony

Quote:

Originally posted by SFCWood I purchased a PKD Buster Bar to use on my Core 6.7. Unfortunately, I've only had a limited time to try it but the first test indicated that the brake lines were just a tad too tight and I believe if I add pig tails it will fix it. Tony

You can shorten up the power lines a bit with a 2nd knot about an inch or 2 closer to the bar. You will have to play with the adjustment a bit to get it dialed in, just don't make the knot real tight so you can move it a bit up or down.

I had to do that with my 2.4 Combat.Since it was made for use with the buster soulfly,it may have length issues with other kites. Easily fixed ,as Jeff pointed out,by tying adjustment knots on the power leads. I've been doin that for years,I like to fly different kites on the same handleset.:wee:

Thanks for the tip Jeff and Weldngod! Gonna try it this weekend.