XL Power Nimbus 550 V2

[@rchelihead2157]

Thanks for your response Bert, appreciate you taking the time. Wish you all the very best for all your upcoming endeavours 👍

[@kajuta240]

Its raining today. Bored so I cracked open my Nimbus and am laying out the build on the work table. Really impressed with the quality of the canopy when I compared it to the Gemini as I also peeked inside that box as well. Both are great looking, but team XL has a more robust design that doesn't feel flimsy like the Tron. Both had impeccable paint jobs, unfortunately the Gemini label sticker on the front was canted to the side and now it's just an eyesore to me knowing its not centered. That was my one disappointment aside from it feeling more flimsy. Whoever placed the sticker on before the clearcoat...they should have eyeballed it better and re-applied. Both kits are going to be awesome, working on Nimbus first tho.

[@kajuta240]

Update on the nimbus build....no. Just no. I had several issues that I was willing to grumble and move along. Parts not fitting proper and needing to be shimmed, sanded, ground to fit. I can work around that. But two critical pieces were poorly milled and now I need to put the build on hold while replacements come in the mail. First issue the tail-boom clamp had a tread milled so bad...my screw spun freely when I put it in...when I back the bold out, the threads shot out like a coiled spring. Ok thats a machining issue that needs to be re-calibrated at the plant. But my other big beef....the engine mount came with the screws pre-assembled. Cool...3 came out with fingers, 4th was forced in so bad I thought maybe it was threadlock by accident. NOPE! someone at the factory hatefully drove the screw into what was clearly not a threaded hole. Shavings and dust came out and the tip of the screw was just mangled. That's not an accident. XL is done in my book. My plans for Spectre 700 next summer are ash. They did not step up their game, this kit had many other issues that I was able to work around so far with some creativity. But to let improperly milled parts into the batch, not cool. To have a worker angrily force a screw into a non threaded hole...unacceptable. Im starting my Gemini build while I wait, Tron better be on their A-game because I need to wash the bitterness of this XL junk heap out of my mouth.

[@cortezjenkins9195]

Good info BK 💪🏾

[@rchelihead2157]

Hi Bert, a big fan from India ! Love all your videos right from way back 15 yrs ago ! Just wanted to know when will BK Hobbies will start shipping to India as well 🙂, thanks in advance!

[@BertKammerer]

Thank you 😀 The issue with shipping to India is the very high shipping costs, we can open sales to India, but I am sure the shipping costs will be very high unfortunately.

[@ThePlanefixr]

@bert What X Nova motor are you running?

[@BinderDundat]

You said it. All these things are good for is beaters. I love my Specter 700s but the Nimbus 550 was a huge disappointment. The new Tron 5.5 Gemini and Orion are the way to go.

[@JustPlaneChris]

I haven't had a Nimbus 550, but my original XL 550's are continuing to delight. I've converted them to the Nimbus boom and tail, so they are hybrids. Once they are beaten beyond logical repair, I'll likely replace with the Nimbus. I looked at the Tron Orion and Gemini, but they have priced themselves well outside the "beater" category, IMO.

[@BinderDundat]

@ The V1 Nimbus was very close to the same price as the Tron 5.5, so now I am wondering what cost cutting measures were taken to be able to slash the price on the V2 in a world where the price of everything is going up. Having both machines I can assure you the Tron is superior in quality. But it still comes down to love what you fly and fly what you love.🚁🚁

[@kajuta240]

I just ordered a Nimbus and a Gemini for this exact same reason. Nimbus is intended to be my go to for aggressive learning risk and the Gemini as my pampered flier. I got a lot people try to steer me away from the Tron and go for XL, so I did both and will settle it for myself.

[@BertKammerer]

I respectfully disagree. Can’t compare though, two different designs and styles. The Nimbus V2 is solid, perhaps not to the level of quality and finish of the new Tron 5.5 series, but still a durable and reliable machine if setup and treated right. It’s come a long way since its first release.

[@kajuta240]

@@BertKammerer I'm really looking forward to both. I kept waffling over the two choices now for a month and finally it was Jeff who passed along your positive impression of the Nimbus the other day that finally won me over; so I committed to both. I've talked to people who have built the new V2 and 'like a tank' has been used to describe it. For sure tho, as a new Pilot to the hobby and these being my first 500 class to the fledgling fleet....I will feel a lot more comfortable taking the Nimbus to my more aggressive learning experiences due to the cost in parts comparison to the Gemini. Im excited about building both and wrapping up my first year of RC with these two before bumping up to my first 700 size next summer.

[@tjuan7]

Will an upgrade kit be sold for those that want to convert their nimbus V1 to a V2?

[@BertKammerer]

Unfortunately not. Parts must be purchased separately, they’re cheap enough though.

[@kajuta240]

One of the fliers at my local club had a Specter and when the upgraded version came along, he couldn't bear to tear it apart after having it tuned to his own perfection. So he got a 2nd spectre (the upgraded version) and loves and flies both now. Might be something you too will regret if you tear your V1 apart.

[@BertKammerer]

@@kajuta240 Agreed. I would simply upgrade as crashes happen, easiest way to do it. No need to upgrade if it works fine for you.