My introduction to LEGO RC, and an easy build. Up and going in 2 hours, except for 6 AA and 3 AAA batteries (not included).

The fun factor outweighs the price. The possibilities with this little runabout are endless.

Pros

Excellent play time

Easy build

Cons:

No speed control. Single speed.

Price? $99

Batteries! Time to invest in rechargeables.

Had been waiting for this set to become available in Canada for some time so I practically tripped over myself clicking 'Buy' when I happened to notice it for sale on LEGO.com.

Box / Instructions

The box sells the Ripsaw-like tracked racer well with a nice action shot on a dirt track. The rear of the box includes a few more racer pics along with a kind of Baha-style tracked truck alternate build that also looks very cool. The instruction book is a nice large format which made following the steps easy. The box contained 4 bags that are opened all at once rather than in sequence. The alternate build instructions have to be downloaded and I have yet to try it - we're just having too much fun with the racer. I'll try to get back on and write an edit later.

Edit: We had so much fun with the tracked racer that I bought a second set. I've added comments re: the alternate model, the RC Off-Road Truck.

Parts

Pretty standard parts and building technique and that's fine - I bought it because it's a freaking RC tracked racer! I'm very happy to add the large track elements to my collection. The Technic 40th anniversary badge is located at the rear of the "passenger-side" track.

Edit: the 40th anniversary badge is featured prominently above the cab on the alt build.

Build

The build is pretty standard as far as Technic sets go with nothing really unusual or complicated. There are 9 stickers to apply and all went on very easily and cleanly. Building the tracks was not as tedious as I feared. The whole thing came together in about an hour and that included some help from my little guy.

Edit: the build for the alt model was similar and went off without a hitch.

This was my first experience with the current-generation RC power module and I really like how simple everything is. The range is pretty decent and the IR signal stays strong even with minor obstacles in the line of sight. The transmitter takes 3 AAA batteries and the receiver takes 6 AAs. I spent about 10 minutes trying to figure out why the motors weren't working before my 5 year-old pointed out that I had only put in half the batteries - there's a second compartment on the underside. I think he lost a little respect for me.

Model / Playability

The model looks great. The colour pallette and sticker design combined with the downward slant of the body give it a nice aggressive look befitting an extreme racing machine. The body connects to the chassis via a hinge just under and behind the nose of the racer which makes it easy to get inside and change batteries. This makes the overall model a little fragile for play by young kids but not to any major degree. A little care is required when swinging the body down in order to get the rear wing properly positioned behind the frequency selector but, again, no big deal.

The two motors were synced almost perfectly out of the box meaning surprisingly straight travel. Speed is a little on the slow side for my liking (not that I had any real expectations) but that's probably for the best - I'm sure the dog and the furniture appreciate it. The model is quite torquey and can climb obstacles 1-2 inches high with ease. Slippery surfaces can be an issue given the smooth finish of the tracks but I think I actually managed to drift it around a corner once or twice.

We're building all kinds of ramps, off-road challenges and other obstacles to test the racer and so far it's taken it like a champ. I had to re-seat the motor connections the day after the build when one of the motors stopped responding but that's as simple as pressing a brick down.

Edit: The alt build looks similarly great and runs like a charm. The more rounded track profile results in less friction along the length of the track. This makes the Off-Road Truck build more agile than the Off-Road Racer - it spins in place a lot faster and you can roll it if you get it racking back and forth enough. The Racer definitely has the torque advantage and can push the Truck quite easily, even on carpet and other rough surfaces.

Overall

Great fun! The controls are simple, the model is very responsive, and it's fun for adults and kids. The price seemed a little steep at $129.99 CDN on LEGO.com but I've convinced myself that's not bad when you look at the price of regular low-mid range RC toys - and this gets you two different official models along with whatever else you can dream up.

Edit: Having one set was fun but having the second so we can have both the primary and alt builds at once is fantastic! My little guy and I have lots of fun racing and doing stunts together.

This set was a very pleasing afternoon build, and the finished product did not disappoint. This is my first remote control Lego and have to say it is a blast to build and to use. I have been chasing our LabraDoodle around the house since it has been completed. I think he may like it as much as I do. Absolutely, by far, the best Lego build in quite awhile. If you get the opportunity to purchase it don't hesitate it is that good.

I have been wanting a Lego RC set for a while, but the models that contain it are usually quite complex and therefore expensive. With this set, LEGO finally provides a bare-bones and thus quite affordable RC set.

I expected the build to be quite repetitive because it is a very symmetrical model with tracks. The actual build was so fast, though, that I simply had no time to become bored.

Next, I expected to be bored quickly while driving around with it, but it was a lot more fun than I expected. It controls really well and is strong enough to maneuver over small obstacles. I will keep the model intact for much longer than I anticipated, but that only gives me more time to figure out what to build around the RC controls.

All in all, the set is low on actual functions, but very much worth the price. I am very happy to own it.

Overview:

This is probably one of the cheapest and most compact 'Full Radio Control' sets Lego has ever released. It's also a really neat design - what kid (or big kid) doesn't love a 'Rip Saw' style performance tracked vehicle? Sariels youtube review on this set was overwhelmingly positive and I wanted to try it out for myself. I will admit though I cheated: I have all the parts for this set in stock, so I built it without buying a boxed version. Besides a colour scheme change and substituting a few pins so I didn't have to dismantle more of my other sets, I built it exactly as instructed.

Parts:

This set is somewhat unusual in that you get a full set of R/C gear, 2 M Motors, a load of those lovely heavyweight track links, and not much else! It's clear where the bulk of your money goes on this set. There aren't many unique parts here, there are 2 short curved panels I haven't seen before which are purely cosmetic, and a multitude of blank end axles. If you're short of 5L blank end axles a good number in this build can be substituted for 4L Axles with no negative impact. It also uses 12 pulley wheels!

What's missing is as important as what's there though: This set has NO gears at all. It has precious few functional pieces. The mechanical design is very simple (and all the better for that) but it does mean that in isolation that this set is a poor introduction to the Technic brand. You won't be building much except variations on '2 tracked skid steer vehicles'. Tanks, basically! Not that there's anything wrong with that...

Build:

This build is really deceptively simple. I built it in around an hour, with help from a 5 year old. There's very little to confuse or get wrong and only the channel set up and control reversal could trip up the unwary - along with perhaps the cable routing which has to be kept neat to prevent fouling the tracks or potentially severing/abrading a cable. Lego missed a trick because there's a nice cable management solution under the receiver - a hole which you can pass cables through to keep them trapped at the centre of the chassis, but the instructions just get you to wrap them around. Other than that the instructions are very easy to follow and follow the trend of adding just a few parts each step. The body is also very simple to construct.
I'd happily let younger or novice builders have a crack at this model and it should be rewarding to build for them as the model comes to life. More experienced builders however, might be disappointed by the lack of building challenge and engineering flair on display for a relatively expensive set.

Completed model:

The model looks great: It has nice proportions and the colour scheme suits it. It's another model where the stickers really help the look. You can see how my structurally identical parts bin effort looks drab by comparison: The vibrant colours of the full model really help it pop.

I'm in two minds about the engineering on display: In some respects, it's the epitome of fine Lego design: Less is more is a very valid engineering principle after all. Both motors are direct drive onto their respective tracks, one at the front, one at the rear (remember how I said there are no gears at all?). The chassis is remarkably lightweight in construction, but is suitably rigid: I have a habit of over engineering these things when I make them myself. The electronics do all the 'work', along with the internal gearing of the M motors meaning they can comfortably move this lightweight model. In some ways it's reminiscent of the Volvo L350-F in that the motors and RC control mean that you don't need complex gearboxes or transmissions - everything is direct drive. The battery case is slung low providing a good centre of gravity. It's a well thought out model, but I can't help feeling a little bit disappointed by the mechanical simplicity of it. I'm sure that feeling would be somewhat deeper if I'd actually paid £75 for it.

Playability:

This is really where this model shines. There's also a very nicely balanced philosophy to the whole thing: It's speed is just right for its weight, the chassis and body are just the right strength for the speed: Because believe me this thing WILL be getting driven at full speed into skirting boards! The controls are responsive and the M motors provide sufficient power for good climbing ability. It runs nicely either on short carpet or polished floors. I highly recommend rechargeable batteries for this: It will be seeing constant use! It's great fun to drive.

Conclusion:

This model is a great concept and wonderful fun to play with as a completed toy. My only qualms are that at £75 it feels a little expensive considering the number of parts and complexity of the build. I'd happily recommend it to younger builders or people new to Technic, but you'll need additional sets to really help that RC gear come to life in MOC's. Discounted to £55 or so this set will be a must have.