Bashing

Bashing or backyard bashing is the operation of a radio-controlled model in a casual, non-competitive environment outside of organized racing. Bashing an RC car means driving it on any type of terrain and without limit on how fast to go or how high to jump while testing the limit of the car.

Non-racing model cars and trucks such as the Tamiya Blackfoot were among the earliest bashing radio-controlled vehicles available. Models of this type remain popular today. Some are slightly detuned racers such as on-road sedans by Team Losi and Team Associated while some nitro-powered monster trucks such as the Traxxas Revo and HPI Savage 25 are specifically geared toward "fun running."

For the general public and RC enthusiasts alike, bashing can be considered racing without rules or regulations and may include making jumps while trying to control the vehicle in the air to master the landing and avoid breaking parts which often happen while bashing.

Bashing can take place in a backyard or any other place that offers bump or long straight lines such as:

Skate parks: an ideal place to jump with ramps, quarter-pipes and vertical sections
Industrial parking lots: flat asphalt surfaces perfect for high speed runs
AVT trails: big trucks heaven with tracks with lots of turns, climbs, and jumps
Beaches: with sand tires, beaches offer vast areas of fun free of obstacles
Reservoir dams: flat large spaces perfect for obstacle speed runs

For the purpose of bashing, drivers will look for a car with the following abilities:

A 1/8th RC car bashing

Sturdiness: a car designed for bashing should make it easy to turn, spin and jump while remaining whole. It should allow for rough handling and safe high jump landings.
Durability: because bashing cars are sturdy they are also heavy. A durable bashing car should have strong reinforced parts to prevent breaks on landing.
Ground clearance: the diversity of landscapes on which bashing RC cars run makes it mandatory to favor cars with high ground clearance since high rocks can easily bend a rod in the steering system and frontal accidents can bend the entire chassis.
Low maintenance: bashing is by definition an activity during which cars are at the most risk of being broken. The chassis of a bashing car should be easy to maintain and parts easy to remove and replace.

In order to provide this set of abilities, several manufacturers offer specific bashing-oriented reinforced cars and trucks.

Bashing dedicated vehicles[edit | edit source]

Example of a bashing chassis in 7075 T6 aluminum for the Arrma Kraton EXB

Brands often add acronyms to the original name of a vehicle to specify its bashing abilities such as EXB for "EXtreme Bashing" for Arrma vehicles or XTR for "Extreme" for Team Corally vehicles. Such vehicles will come with ligther and reinforced parts using stronger materials such as 7075 T6 aluminum or woven carbon fibers. The following parts may be improved on vehicles designed specifically for bashing:

Chassis plate(s)
Reinforced front and rear triangles support
Reinforced front and rear triangles
High tensile steel connecting rods
Reinforced chassis
Reinforced shock mounts
Limited slip center and front differentials
Stiffer and lighter servo mount
Waterproof receiver box
Larger front bumper
Reinforced wing mount

Notable bashing RC cars[edit | edit source]

Let's Talk Bashing[edit source]

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