Moza KS vs Moza ES: Is The Upgrade Worth It?

[@roderickkennedy2192]

cracking explanation's on the difference's between the wheels, button feel, feedback etc, as a recent r5 bundle user i am really interested in the foibles involved, thank you for the clear and concise way you explain this stuff to an old newbie.

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@roderickkennedy2192 glad it was helpful!

[@GrowlerMan]

This deserves more views youre such a nice guy

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

Thanks very much @GrowlerMan nice to hear!

[@necrodogs]

I got the ks for the r5 despite warnings about the difference in feel vs the es with formula mod. It's significant but not overly so. I have learned to use a lighter grip and I'm now at a point where I drive smoother and with less effort. My wrists, arms and shoulders thank me after 60 minutes of nordschleife. I highly recommend the KS no matter what base you put it on. Except maybe the R3 👍

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@necrodogs glad to hear it! I agree its perfectly usable... but I recon you will end up upgrading your wheelbase sooner or later :p

[@andysonofbob2599]

Yeah. I upgraded my wheel base. R5 to R12. I have both RS and KS too. I went for the round wheel mod for the RS. I have to set two profiles, one for each wheel so I can swap the wheels on the fly. With Alien Mods load cell mod the SRP-Lite (received yesterday and installed today) and SHHs shifter I feel like I have everything I need. Question: what does ES and KS even stand for?

[@tver]

ES | Entry level Steering wheel KS | K-shaped Steering wheel These are just guesses. ;)

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@andysonofbob2599 Its a great setup! @tver might be right on the names, ill ask when I speak to Moza next!

[@LoserTry]

r9 or r12? whats the best

[@andysonofbob2599]

@@LoserTry I have never tried R9 but I'm pretty sure they're similar apart from R12 having more torque.

[@johnbaillargeon7037]

Great review. I want to save up and get the ks wheel think it will work well with my moza r9.

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@johnbaillargeon7037 yes it will be great with the R9! Watch my previous KS review video is you havnt seen it! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@JoeyBagZ]

Great video. Very enjoyable. I have to say I really do like my KS wheel you should try the formula mod for the ES wheel. That mod has made that ES so good, especially the FFB. It’s a cheap upgrade (about $40) they also make a larger round wheel upgrade for the ES wheel also.

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@JoeyBagZ would you agree that on the R5 better to have the ES with formula mod to maximise FFB rather than KS? I did get used to the KS over time, but I think because I was switching between the wheels like that it made it so noticable...

[@JoeyBagZ]

@@MichaelSmithRaces yes the ES wheel with the formula mod does maximize felt FFB. I even used it on my 6nm PXN wheel base and the FFB was nice and strong, but as soon as I attach my heavier and slightly wider custom wheel I can feel the diminished FFB. Same when I use my custom wheel on my moza R5, it’s the same feeling. I would be very happy if moza redesigned the ES button box and added a RJ port to it like the KS wheel so it could be used on other wheel bases, it’s a very comfortable size and weight. Because of that it really does maximize the felt FFb of a wheel base.

[@TrueBlade-1889]

Do you have the CS V2P ? Wondering how the shifter sounds compare. The KS seems manageable but the ES is too loud for me.

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@TrueBlade-1889 sorry I don't, but I believe everything prior to the KS had the loud shifters. The KS does feel nicer IMO once you get used to not having the loud click.

[@albey1816]

Not everyone wants more force feedback. Many people are satisfied with the Logitech G29 at only 2.2 nm ( The Moza R5 DD @ 5.5 nm is a noticeable upgrade and fine for most novice and intermediate sim racers )

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@albey1816 yep exactly, if you dont feel like the torque is a problem then they are both great wheels. Just depends how much you want to spend at that point for the features!

[@Corndog1]

Great video! have you tried the ES Formula Wheel Mod? I was eyeing it as a potential GT style wheel thats even cheaper.

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@Corndog1 I might have to, for science!

[@boyraaceer111]

Just got the KS wheel and its so much better than the ES wheel. I also have TSW truck wheel which has caused major issues with driving my real car now 😂 everything feels small once you've used the TSW. But i have to say that all Moza wheels have such a premium feel about them. Great review and will help many understand the difference between wheels 👍

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

Cheers @boyraaceer111 I would love the truck wheel, but I would want to mount my wheelbase low down for it, and thats not going to happen in the rig! I agree that KS is a huge improvement over ES, its very nice to use!

[@kylemillsy]

Great review and comparison! I currently have the R5 bundle with the ES wheel and am considering the KS as my next upgrade. The rotary dials, magnetic shifters, better shift lights, and GT shape are very appealing to me. Is the change in FFB really *that* noticeable? The ES and R5 5.5 NM FFB is enough to rattle my desk and everything on it, which disturbs my housemates. I’m curious if the more dampened effect of the KS due to its size would help reduce this. Also, how much nicer are the buttons and materials on the KS? It’s definitely an upgrade I’d like to make, but I just want to make sure I can justify it for myself :)

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@kylemillsy yes your use case is a very good one. If you are racing on a desk then getting a more powerful wheelbase wont help you at all, you will feel its a bit weaker, but you get used to it. The quality difference is very significant. Its feels great next to the ES. You wont regret it, but I warn you that you will then be considering getting off your desk and getting a rid so you can get an R12 :D

[@tver]

That’s an interesting comparison. Will you be selling the R5 + ES (+SRP Lites) once you receive your new wheelbase? What would be your advice for those wanting to dip into simracing a bit more seriously after having used a T150/TMX/G27~923? For example, get: 1) a rig or wheelstand 2) proper loadcell pedals 3) a wheelbase between 9 ~ 12 Nm Would that advice differ for a casual user (1~3 hours a week) vs a more invested user ( >5 hrs a week)?

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@tver thats an interesting question, and I happened to get a very similar question from my friend yesterday who also uses a logitech G29... sounds like a video idea :) Finding a space to race is the key factor and as you say amount of time available is so important. I think if its just casual an occasional few hours then stick with a wheelstand at a desk that you can stick in the cupboard, otherwise, I would suggest what I did: Find a dedicated space, get a solid rig Get the best loadcell pedals you can after that its personal preference, but that will make such a big difference to your driving. Regards to wheelbase I would go alpha mini (10nm) / R12 minimum if you are coming from an existing wheel, but then you will probably start thinking what ifs you went 15 or 20! But wheelbase was the last thing I upgraded, will let you know down the line if it makes me any faster :)

[@maxsports9548]

Top de mais uma dia compro um se Deus quiser

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

Qual é a sua configuração atual? @maxsports9548

[@maxsports9548]

@@MichaelSmithRaces eu tenho um G29 da Logitech

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@maxsports9548 você é muito rápido no Logitech G29!

[@lordeross4870]

I think the word you're looking for about the buttons on the es wheel is "mushy" 🤣

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@lordeross4870 yeah thats a good one, need to work on my vocabulary! :)

[@ihavealife002]

The formula mod wants to whack your fingers in hard crashes with the hard edges. That's my only complaint. It's not enough to cause damage, but more like a punishment for messing up.

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@ihavealife002 yeah I have done that on the formula mod and also on my new wheel! I think after the second time I have learned my lesson!

[@reviewforthetube6485]

Imo round wheels do not work with the torque calculations. It has more material due to it. Usually grip to grip is calculated with similar wheels. When making it a round wheel the wheel imo feels weaker not strong. Due to the extra material and the wheel being so much more overall. Round wheels imo feel weaker and allow for me to turn the bade easier then gt style or f1 wheels do even if it's the same diameter from grip end to grip end. You throw those calculations out thw windows when comparing round vs not round. Also weight matters to. That could be maybe the difference you feel.

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@reviewforthetube6485 I guarantee that the ES feels stronger in the hand than the KS when used on the R5. Its very noticeable. I agree with you that calculation is not the whole story as the wheels are different. Interestingly the ES weighs 300 grams more than the KS, which you would think would counteract the extra width. I cut a section of the video on that because it was getting very boring. Ultimately I’m not trying to claim I’m a physics genius or a mathematician, but just trying to explain it feels significantly weaker using the KS with the R5, and it is not the perfect combo, for me, because of that. Others might be fine with it.

[@lordeross4870]

Recently got into sim racing so in turn watching more european content, slowly learning the metric system lol.

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@lordeross4870 welcome to the sim racing community! I make videos just to document my own journey in learning about all of this stuff! Its such a fun hobby!

[@brentonedwards]

Completely different wheels

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@brentonedwards yep that is why this is a separate video / part 2 to my previous KS review video as I agree different use case and price segment. But lots of people like me are in a position of owning an ES on an R5, so thats why I am sharing my thoughts on the upgrade.

[@KarazP]

I'm looking for my first sim racing rig. I'm starting with the R12 Wheel Base but the steering wheel is pretty complicated because of the weight and the force feedback sent into my hand. But now I'm looking forward to the KS steering wheel instead but the other way I'm still thinking of adding more than 100 USD for GS V2P because it looks so premium and I don't want to buy any GT wheel soon in 3-5 years. So I think maybe GS is worth the price but on the other way I want to save my 100 bucks to do something else 🥲

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@KarazP I've not personally used the GS, I think the KS is a good wheel and pairs nicely with the R12 in terms of specs & price, im sure the GS would be even nicer!

[@KarazP]

@@MichaelSmithRaces Thank you for your advice. I want to buy everything for long-term use and I don't want to spend my money on more wheels just to upgrade them and get more wheels in the same shape. That's why I'm aiming for GS now 😅 But at the start, I don't know about the weight that can affect the FFB and driving experience I think it just spending on more premium material 🥲

[@MichaelSmithRaces]

@KarazP yeah I had the same thought process, thats why I went for the ascher! In my use its exactly the same functionally as the KS which is 1/4 of the price! While I would not go back to the KS now for general use, as the ascher is nicer in every way, there is no benefit in terms of laptime from the upgrade. So it depends if the cost is worth it to you just for a "nicer" rim!