Discovering the MOZA R12: Redefining Direct Drive
Wheelbase options have seen a significant expansion, thanks to MOZA’s diverse offerings in the past year. Spanning from a light 5 Nm to a hefty 21 Nm, with prices ranging from €349 to €1,199 plus VAT, they’ve catered to a broad spectrum of users.
However, MOZA identified an unmet need for a balanced power option and introduced the MOZA R12. With 12 Nm, it fills the gap between a too-weak 5 Nm and an overwhelming 21 Nm. It strikes the right balance, promising to fit seamlessly into the setups of many sim racers.
Today, we’ll delve into the good and bad points of the MOZA R12.
First Look at MOZA R12
Key features include a cutting-edge slanted-pole motor design derived from the R21 base, which significantly reduces cogging torque, torque ripple, electromagnetic vibration, and noise levels. Furthermore, the R12 motor boasts an ultra-low torque ripple and wide high-torque speed range, thanks to an 18-slot, 16-pole high-slot design and a low back-electromotive force design, providing seamless steering.
The MOZA R12 also offers an ultra-low force feedback latency and steering response, due to its 280MHz processor chip and optimized algorithms, along with a new generation force feedback filtering algorithm, providing enhanced dynamic feedback.
Made from aviation-grade aluminum, the R12 offers unrivaled quality and durability. An intelligent temperature control system ensures stable and reliable performance, while the industrial conductive slip ring ensures high stability and infinite high-speed rotation.
With its compact design, the R12 can be easily installed on the majority of dedicated rigs and wheelstands. It also comes with the MOZA Pit House Control Software, which allows full customization and fine-tuning of the devices.
Additionally, MOZA provides a cloud-based mobile app control, hand-off protection, and one-click updating, enhancing user experience and safety. Key specifications include a peak torque of 12 Nm, a peak power of 216W, an input voltage of 110V~220V AC —>36V DC, and a USB refresh rate of 1000 Hz.
Power and Performance
One of the critical factors that sets the MOZA R12 apart from other bases is its robust 12Nm DD Power and Direct Drive Servo Motor. The tailor-made 12Nm servo direct drive system provides a stable and realistic torque output, mimicking the steering force of a racing car with astonishing precision. Moreover, its ultra-low force feedback latency, along with the optimized steering response, ensures a highly immersive and responsive driving experience.
Unmatched Quality and Design
The MOZA R12 doesn’t compromise on durability. It’s housed entirely in aviation-grade aluminum alloy, renowned for its superior strength and resilience. The compact design integrates the motor, resulting in a neat, space-saving device that fits seamlessly in both large and small spaces. This convenient structure makes it perfect for living rooms and gaming rooms alike, enhancing your gaming setup without requiring too much room.
Mounting holes
The MOZA R12 doesn’t compromise on durability. It’s housed entirely in aviation-grade aluminum alloy, renowned for its superior strength and resilience. The compact design integrates the motor, resulting in a neat, space-saving device that fits seamlessly in both large and small spaces. This convenient structure makes it perfect for living rooms and gaming rooms alike, enhancing your gaming setup without requiring too much room.
When it comes to hard mounting I had a pretty simple mission to mount it on my GT OMEGA Prime rig, and the only downside was that MOZA only included four bolts that were just not long enough to fit on the rig, so I had to use my own bolts. This wasn’t a big deal but just make sure to have a few more bolts for your own rig.
After mounting the base had no movement whatsoever, even while using all 12 nm of torque.
Intelligent Features for a Seamless Experience
The MOZA R12 boasts a range of smart features like the Intelligent Temperature Control System and Hand-off Protection. It monitors the temperature of the motor and electronic components in real-time, using advanced algorithms to maintain stable and reliable performance. The Hand-off Protection feature is another thoughtful addition, designed to reduce the risk of injury by promptly stopping any oscillation and centering the wheel when hands are off it.
Customization and Connectivity
The MOZA R12 further sets itself apart with its extensive customization options and superb connectivity. The MOZA Pit House Control Suite and the Cloud-based Mobile App Control give you the freedom to tailor your racing experience to your liking. You can easily adjust settings like maximum turn angle, force feedback, pedal travel, and more. It also offers wireless and wired communication modes, ensuring compatibility with all MOZA wheels.
The R12’s rear panel hosts a total of 7 ports for power, USB, pedals, dash, shifter, handbrake, and an emergency-stop. This setup mirrors the design found on other MOZA wheelbases, maintaining a sense of continuity across the range. One slight drawback is the placement of the power button on the back of the base, which can make it somewhat hard to reach.
Compatibility
First one is the compatibility, MOZA R12 is only compatible with PC, which means if you want to use it on Playstation or Xbox that won’t be possible.
But, to use MOZA’s products there is a possibility of using an external third party hardware like Brook Ras1ution 2, which can make MOZA’s products compatible with Playstation. I’ve had some positive feedback that it works but haven’t had the chance to test it myself.
The other downside is that R12 does not have wireless communication functionality and will only support conductive slip ring communication. Therefore, the R12 base will not support wheels like RS V1, GS V1, and CS V1 wheels. But all other wheels are supported, so before you make a decision to buy the R12 make sure that it is compatible with your wheel.
MOZA R12 Price
And now the price, which should be a considerable point depending heavily on your location and differences are considerable. I always give an example on this point since it varies a lot.
In the US California where the sales tax rate is 7,25% the base in the end costs = $589 * 107.25% = $631,70 + shipping (usually 15$).
While in Croatia where I live the tax is 25% and the wheelbase for EU is at base cost of $708.66 (€649) plus the VAT which adds up to a total of $885,83, which is a considerable difference.
Conclusion
The MOZA R12 Direct Drive Wheelbase offers a solid mid-range sim racing experience with a balanced 12 Nm of power. Its standout features include secure mounting, easy-to-reach ports, and extensive customizability via MOZA Pit House software. However, it’s limited by native PC-only compatibility and lacks wireless communication, limiting some wheel options. Pricing can vary significantly based on location due to tax rates. Despite these cons, the R12 offers good value for its features and is a strong choice for sim racers seeking a blend of power, quality, and price.
