MOZA Racing unveiled its R5 bundle and we can certainly say that MOZA Racing is making a name for itself on the market right now.
Moza R5 Bundle Video Review
MOZA ES Steering Wheel
ES Steering Wheel is the first thing that comes out of the box. Just at that first glance you already know what to expect in the rest of the box.
It’s obviously a design that caters to beginners dipping their first toe into sim racing, measuring in at a much more sensible 280mm and sporting a button array that more closely mimics a controller. Although the absence of rotary encoders may turn some people off this included wheel, the inputs will work just fine if you prefer to simply jump into a game and start driving.
The wheel has been modified to reduce the cost of the R5 Simulator bundle. For example, “normal” buttons have replaced the absolutely amazing mechanical switches found on wheels like the GS Wheel, the rev strip has been simplified, there are no rotary encoders (making it more difficult to adjust your brake balance or traction control on the fly), and the shifter paddles are not magnetic, though they do feel fine in use.
MOZA ES Steering Wheel - Shifters
Having said that, each shifter has a significant amount of extra travel after the click point. After the shifter clicks, you can still move it another 10 millimeters or so before it stops. If this had been more precisely adjusted to stop close to the activation point, it would have been a little nicer.
MOZA ES Steering Wheel - Quick Release System
Although the shifters do need a little more work, the quick-release system is one of the best I have ever seen, if not the best one. You can quickly replace the steering wheel thanks to its simple action for removing and reattaching any Moza wheel.
MOZA R5 - Wheel Base
5.5 Nm of Torque from Direct Drive Power
When I first opened the package containing this wheel, one of my main worries was that it would overheat. Due to the lack of cooling fans inside these tiny direct drive bases, the bigger R9 wheelbase does become heated over prolonged usage. However, it never became so hot that I would have to quit using it.
As I indicated previously, there is a discernible difference between the R5 wheel base’s force feedback strength and the R9’s. Compared to the R9, everything has a little softer feel. And that is evident due to the torque being reduced to just 5.5Nm.
But again, as a driver, I found out that 5.5 Nm was just enough for longer drives. If you use too much force there is a possibility that fatigue may cause an unwanted drop in performance.
With this R5 Wheelbase that wasn’t the case, it has pretty nice overall feedback while going over the kerbs and even losing control of the car.
MOZA R5 vs. Fanatec GT DD Pro
In order to deliver a fair and comprehensive assessment, I placed two wheelbase units side by side for an in-depth comparison. Considering their similar price points, the Fanatec GT DD Pro and MOZA R5 are direct market competitors, inevitably inviting comparison. Each of the bases presents a very distinctive and unique design, making an immediate visual impact.
One crucial aspect to address when evaluating these wheelbases is the force feedback each offers. The Fanatec GT DD Pro, with its solid and punchy 5Nm of torque, delivers a notable level of power even without the supplemental boost kit. This aspect alone is substantial when it comes to the overall sim racing experience.
However, when juxtaposed with the MOZA R5, an interesting difference comes to light. The MOZA R5 steps up the game by offering a torque value of 5.5 Nm, which is a 10% increase over the Fanatec model. This enhanced level of torque not only enriches the force feedback but also contributes to a more immersive and authentic racing experience.
This comparison of the force feedback between these two market competitors paints a clear picture of their respective strengths. Both units, with their distinctive designs and varying levels of torque, present robust choices for any serious sim racing enthusiast.
MOZA SR-P Lite Pedals
At the first glance, SR-P Lite pedals are almost identical to the SR-P Pedals we reviewed a while ago. Followed by the same design principal as the SR-P pedals I had very high expectations. But as soon as I got my foot on the brake the feeling wasn’t quite there. But the feeling was almost the same as the Fanatec CSL Pedals but MOZA uses springs rather than foam.
Moza SR-P Lite Springs
Personally, I prefer springs since the density of the foam can vary after heavy use while springs stay the same and perform almost the same to day 1 of use.
Still, the pedals have a nice design, but the brake pedal was still too soft. Luckily, MOZA was kind enough to send me the Brake Performance Kit which you can find later in the text.
SR-P Lite Brake Pedal Performance Kit
I had very little hopes for this kit when I opened it. The brake pedals is an ordinary pedal without Loadcell so I really didn’t think it would make any significant difference.
But, when I actually tried the performance kit the feeling was much closer to what I normally have while using loadcell brakes. Don’t get me wrong, this is not the same as the loadcell but the feeling is much better than with the standard pedals and I do highly recommend ordering this kit.
- Realistic Pedal Feel – The spring and damping block combination provides higher braking resistance and gives a more progressive and realistic pedal feel.
- Sturdy & Durable – The springs and damping blocks are sturdy and durable and designed to withstand thousands of hours of use.
- Easy to Fix – The installation process is quick and simple. Just fix the top two screws and push the bottom pivots into the groove.
This product is not applicable to SR-P Pedal.
MOZA Wheel Settings - Pit House
When it comes to the settings for the wheel MOZA Pit House is the first thing you’re looking for. You can adjust anything from Steering Wheel rotation to very fine setting adjustments like wheel inertia.
I never had a problem running MOZA Pit House and almost immediately found the right settings. For the wheelbase, there is a preloaded set for each wheel and base. So, I just slightly had to change my profile that added more force and road effect but apart from that, I was good to go.
One very interesting thing about the MOZA Pithouse is that it allows you to make custom pedal profiles depending on what level of travel on the force you prefer. A nice touch, since not all sims have the same brake performance. That would mean that with every sim you always have to slightly change your approach to braking and accelerating. With this feature, you can save settings for each sim that in the end make your transitions smoother.
Price
The R5 Bundle starts at EUR €639.0 VAT excluded.
That means that on top of this price you should include the taxes and customs fees. Also, shipping costs to Europe (Croatia in my case) is €124,80EUR.
Here is the breakdown of my total expenses:
- R5 Bundle Base Cost: €639.0
- Shipping cost (Croatia): €124.8
- Tax and customs (depends on the country) 25%: €159,75
- TOTAL (R5 Bundle, Shipping, Tax & Customs) = €923,55
If you’re buying this product you have to calculate the total cost. And I strongly recommend getting the new SR-Lite Brake Performance Kit for €31.9 VAT excluded.
Conclusion
The direct drive wheel base, in my opinion, does, however, really redeem this complete package. Other low-cost sim racing wheels cannot equal the 5.5Nm wheel base’s amazing value and a high degree of performance.
On one side we only have PC compatibility but my guess would be that MOZA primarily focuses on developing the best PC sim racing experience and only then move to other projects. With that said, MOZA has built a very distinctive design and overall user base and ecosystem.
Also, one notable thing is that you can upgrade this setup with a better wheel or SR-P pedals in the future and don’t have to stick to just one product that is not fully customizable. The overall build of the product makes you think that this is not an entry-level wheel but a premium product.
Moza has a very affordable base cost but depending on your location the overall price can be increased with the shipping costs and taxes. And I really hope MOZA is considering building a couple of distribution centers over the world to decrease the cost of their product.
Solid foundations are provided by the wheel base. And because of that, I would happily suggest this package.
Let us know what you think about the MOZA R5 bundle in the comments 🙂
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