The Big Problem with cheap Can Motors is they are not all the same. Mabuchi cranks them out by the Millions (per week). Most guys who fly Speed 400 Events will buy them by the Bagful and break in and test each one. The Best ones they keep and the rest they sell off to a less than fussy buyer. So how much do they actually spend per motor? If you "push" a can motor you can expect 10-15 flights before you cook it, or at least burn the brushes/commutator. Aveox figures the Bearing Life on their Brushless Motors at 30,000 hours, which is the only part that can "wear-out". All this means is the only time you will ever need to replace a Brushless Motor is if you "cook" it or Crash it Hard and bend the shaft.

Two other things. At last weeks WRAM Show Northeast Sailplane was selling a Brushless Motor/Ballbearing Gearbox setup ( like 480 size) for $49.00 . So prices are coming down. The other one is that Brushless Motor Setups are much more efficient at less than full throttle than the Brushed counterparts. I'm not sure whether this is due to the Brushless being more efficient or it's due to the way that a Sensorless Motor controls the speed. ( or Both ?)

Jim B