toader32

Hi All,

I have just received my used, but excellent, Ricky R/C motorcycle. This is my first motorcycle and I am excited about this hobby. I want to install my Futaba receiver and Novak brushed speed control. I am left handed and my old trusty Futaba FP-T3PG has a swivel head. My question is regarding the stock electronics in the Ricky. It appears to me that the receiver (at the rear under seat) only has one set of wires going to it. It appears that only the Speed Control is going to the receiver. Secondly it appears the steering servo has alot of wires going into/out of it. These wires also go into what I believe is the speed control. What are all the wires going into the steering servo, and why are they going to the speed control and not the receiver? Can I just wire up my Futaba and Novak and still use the Ricky steering servo? If so, what do I do with all the wires coming out of the servo?

Any help will be appreciated.


Thanks,
Bill

bluebirdrc

I'm doing the same thing. I am going to install a regular servo for the steering.
The receiver will go over the rear tire in the original case.
The speed controller will go in the old radio battery box. It's open so there will be air to the ESC.
Don't know what all the wires were for.
Good luck

toader32

Thanks for your reply bluebird. Let us know if all goes well. I will probably go ahead and do the same. I am still curious about the wiring to the servo. I looks like there is alot of capacitors tied into it for some reason. I also just read that the stock speed control is also the receiver which makes sense because it looks like everything is tied into it. Just wundering why the speed control has wires going into what I thought was the receiver under the rear fender. That's where the antenna leads to. Anyway.....let me know if you run into any problems.....like glitching from the motor arcing. Also let me know if you replace the motor with a more conventional type 540 type motor. The stock motor is larger and that tells me a smaller motor may not handle the load.

The Ricky is an awesome machine. I didnt know RC motorcycles even existed until 2 weeks ago. I have been reading forums and watching youtube and gathering info on rc motorcycles ever since. When I discovered Ricky.....well....that was it for me. AWESOME. Much heavier than I expected. I would love to see 6 or 7 of these in a race. It will happen. I got mine for $45 but I see they can go much higher.....still worth it I think. Wouldn't sell mine for twice what I paid.

Regards,
Bill

bluebirdrc

I picked of 2 when they were being closed out for $29 each.
When I striped mine down, the receiver is above the rear tire, but I don't know why the speed controller is so big.
My biggest concern is getting it to steer better. I will get it running with a new radio, esc and probable motor to.
Then I will concentrate on the steering.
I will get some pictures up.

bluebirdrc

OK I have more on your wire question. The circuit board that is in a normal servo is in the speed controller box.
Just for fun I opened up an old Futaba Servo and took out the circuit board and hooked it up to the Radio shack servo and it works.
If you want to try it, I have attached a diagram and some pictures. Works fine with the Traxxas receiver.

toader32

Wow...Thanks Bluebird. That was very nice of you to do that. I just spent the afternoon removing all the electronics and replacing with my Novak and Futaba receiver. I could not figure out that stock steering servo so I dug up an old (28 year old) large servo that fit inside the frame. I had to take the servo apart and do some trickery to get the output shaft to be square in the neutral position and then file it to get the stock horn to fit square. Took me a while but its on there and I think all will be good. I just got it all back together and a quick bench test and all seems good. I did shorten the spring on the steering in hopes of maybe a little better response. I will test tomorrow.

Again...I am new to the motorcycle. I only ran it once before doing the electronics swap. I know I will like using my old left handed Futaba and now I can get down to making test runs and making improvements. Do you run the stock steering spring, or have you made a direct link? I read a direct link works great and I think that will be my next mod.

Thanks again for your help.

I will be back with more questions I'm sure.

Regards,
Bill

bluebirdrc

I went to the local ACE Hardware store and got a stronger spring. I think it was about 50 cents. Steering is better but not good enough.
I think I will try the direct steering set up once I get every thing els working the way I want.

bigtreds

hey guys glad to see someone else has one of these. ive got one off ebay a few years back. play with it every once in awhile alot of fun its all stock so kinda slow but still fun. then i got one at a yard sale for $3 dollors no contoller and the anttena was riped of so it was only 4 in. i solderd new wire on it and the bike works great. it is mising the front fender it was busted off. but i hoping to do a little work to this one to make it atlest a tad faster.