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31 minutes ago, steph77 said:

It is 100% normal. Look at the real bike and you will find that the proportions are perfect.

Ducati disk brake to the rear new larger one to the front.

Oh ya really…. My fault…

I was first saw that the front big disk brake is the same part at Ducati and the rear wheel is a new smaller disk brake….

Is that means that there was a new bigger wheel & tyre? 

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The new rear shock absorber (the one with the blue coil) shows exactly what's wrong with the Technic theme in recent years.

 

As I understand from the reviews, the blue coil is decorative. So, the blue coil is not the spring. The actual spring doing the work is hidden inside, apparently.

This proves that Technic has become a cosmetic theme. The focus is not any more on how it works, but how it looks. Functionality is deliberately hidden from sight. Because, in reality, the blue coil is the spring. By not doing the same in the Lego part, Lego Technic has stopped even trying to be educational.

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@Erik Leppen I get your point, but I think I would say function follows form more than in the past where form follows function. I still don't think I would call it a cosmetic theme. Maybe that will change for me.

I certainly like new parts. I now tend to only buy new parts rather than new sets, so I'm excited about the shock and other parts.

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On 12/5/2021 at 5:12 AM, LvdH said:

I really doubt they’ll do an R8. To be completely honest, it’s a boring supercar. Compare that to the Bugatti Chiron and Lamborghini Sian, one of the fastest production cars of all time and one of the craziest Lamborghinis ever. If they want to release something to top the Lamborghini, they either have to choose a non VAG car (Koenigsegg, Pagani, McLaren, Ferrari, Corvette etc), or something within VAG that has not yet been revealed. 

Anyway, toy fairs should start around the end of January, in fact LEGO will be attending the London Toy Fair. That’s where we usually get the first 2H info. 

https://www.brickfanatics.com/lego-is-back-at-the-london-toy-fair-in-2022/

I reckon it will be a Bentley, as the one remaining premium VAG brand. Could be a Bacalar??

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5 hours ago, Erik Leppen said:

The new rear shock absorber (the one with the blue coil) shows exactly what's wrong with the Technic theme in recent years.

 

As I understand from the reviews, the blue coil is decorative. So, the blue coil is not the spring. The actual spring doing the work is hidden inside, apparently.

This proves that Technic has become a cosmetic theme. The focus is not any more on how it works, but how it looks. Functionality is deliberately hidden from sight. Because, in reality, the blue coil is the spring. By not doing the same in the Lego part, Lego Technic has stopped even trying to be educational.

I believe the blue in the coil is important aesthetic aspect, and ignoring that in the Lego model would be kinda bad. So why not have a cosmetic blue spring that will act just like a real spring (=compressing) and hide the steel-coloured part inside? When working, it will look exactly as if the blue part was doing the spring-action so I see no problem there. At least now they have duplicated the workings of the real-life counterpart instead of, dunno, putting 4 old-style springs in its place or something...

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Besides, TLG has been doing it for decades, and people are fine with it: what heavy machinery uses pneumatics instead of hydraulics? (except perhaps excavator-mounted jackhammers)

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7 hours ago, Erik Leppen said:

The new rear shock absorber (the one with the blue coil) shows exactly what's wrong with the Technic theme in recent years.

 

As I understand from the reviews, the blue coil is decorative. So, the blue coil is not the spring. The actual spring doing the work is hidden inside, apparently.

This proves that Technic has become a cosmetic theme. The focus is not any more on how it works, but how it looks. Functionality is deliberately hidden from sight. Because, in reality, the blue coil is the spring. By not doing the same in the Lego part, Lego Technic has stopped even trying to be educational.

I like the springs being hidden from view. Less likely to get caught on nearby pieces. Also less likely to pinch little fingers when compressed. And, should the outer spring get broken, the piece is still functional.

 

TLG is trying to generate new Technic customers. If that means more cosmetic than function, than so be it. But the more Technic sets are bought, the more they will make. There are only so many different construction vehicles you can make. And at their heart, cars are simple.

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5 hours ago, derekthetree said:

I didn't know that. They could do it in salmon pink!

I think a convertible UCS would be a cool addition. And yellow would stand out.

 

 

Honestly real car looks so plastic that is very very suitable for Lego

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4 hours ago, AVCampos said:

what heavy machinery uses pneumatics instead of hydraulics?

Imagine oil in lego sets. Parents would be happy.

Using pneumatics instead of hydraulics is really reasonable. Insted, putting some fake spring just for looks, that just pure marketing. I really expected something really new for set in this size. Ducati was really progress, this is just something big, with bigger parts. Then, after two years, they will make just another big motorcycle. Of course, it will also sell good. And that's all.Just a bussiness.

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10 hours ago, Thirdwigg said:

@Erik Leppen I get your point, but I think I would say function follows form more than in the past where form follows function. I still don't think I would call it a cosmetic theme. Maybe that will change for me.

I certainly like new parts. I now tend to only buy new parts rather than new sets, so I'm excited about the shock and other parts. 

Looks and function can go together very well, but in this case not so much. We see that Lego can't replicate such a complex shaped template even in 1:5, worst part are the front spoilers and the front fender. Even the lights look like a tinkered solution.

Also: The new parts are not so exciting imho. I'd rather have newer clutch gears or a mikro PU-motor suitable for engaging the bigger linear actuators. Especially the windshield ist a unique part for just this set. The strange angle of the pin holes makes it nearly unusable for other models coming from TLG.

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I personally like the look of the new BMW bike and will definitely be adding it to my collection.

I see a lot of complaints with new sets "not enough new parts", "too many new parts", "form over function", "function over form" etc and i'm probably not the best to comment on this as the majority of my sets are shelf queens.

I feel it's probably not an easy job for Lego to try and satisfy all the different builders out there so I'm sure there are compromises made. For me, I like the functions but it also has to look like the real thing (for licenced sets anyway).

 

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2 hours ago, Jundis said:

Looks and function can go together very well, but in this case not so much. We see that Lego can't replicate such a complex shaped template even in 1:5, worst part are the front spoilers and the front fender. Even the lights look like a tinkered solution.

Also: The new parts are not so exciting imho. I'd rather have newer clutch gears or a mikro PU-motor suitable for engaging the bigger linear actuators. Especially the windshield ist a unique part for just this set. The strange angle of the pin holes makes it nearly unusable for other models coming from TLG.

I don't think the windshield is much different from excavator buckets or the catamaran hulls. Single-use part surely, but necessary for the purpose. (And I'm sure the space-guys are happy to use it in their ship cockpits).

There are tons of things I'd rather have than the new shock absorbers, but I'll take what I'm getting. New gears and a micro motor would be awesome too, but especially the hard springs are far too expensive in the secondary market. And let's not forget that this set also gives as many important recolours.

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7 hours ago, AVCampos said:

what heavy machinery uses pneumatics instead of hydraulics? (except perhaps excavator-mounted jackhammers)

I bring out linear actuator. It is absolutely different with real heavy machinery more than pneumatic.

 

About blue shock - it looks very good for some kind of buggy car. Maybe TLG will make giant C+ buggy with that shock?

Edited by msk6003

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8 hours ago, AVCampos said:

Besides, TLG has been doing it for decades, and people are fine with it: what heavy machinery uses pneumatics instead of hydraulics? (except perhaps excavator-mounted jackhammers)

This is not the same. Pneumatics dont give the illusion that they are something they aren't. A blue coil that does nothing, gives the impression it's something it isn't. That's what I have problems with, because it breaks the educational aspect. If kids tinker with the part and discover the blue coil does nothing, they may catch up a misconception about how springs work, because the working part is hidden from view so they cannot investigate it. This is what I mean with hiding functionality.

Pneumatics work exactly the way they are advertised. I don't care whether it's the same as a real excavator, everybody understand that can't work, I care whether it is what it suggests to be.

 

58 minutes ago, msk6003 said:

I bring out linear actuator. It is absolutely different with real heavy machinery more than pneumatic.

Linear actuators have a very clear technical purpose (fine adjustment, and holding their position when not driven), so I'm fine with those as well. Yes, they also hide functionality from sight, but there's not really an alternative.

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22 minutes ago, Erik Leppen said:

If kids tinker with the part and discover the blue coil does nothing, they may catch up a misconception about how springs work, because the working part is hidden from view so they cannot investigate it.

I completely disagree. This piece begs investigation because it's confusing. It hides away the solution and forces a child to brainstorm ideas about how it could actually work. Furthermore, any child playing with this spring that gives a shit will at some point realise that they can compress the blue spring fairly easily, upon which:

"I know how springs work, but this big blue one isn't actually what's causing it to work. I wonder what's going on here".

22 minutes ago, Erik Leppen said:

Linear actuators have a very clear technical purpose (fine adjustment, and holding their position when not driven), so I'm fine with those as well. Yes, they also hide functionality from sight, but there's not really an alternative.

Yes there is, they could be transparent to allow us to see the worm mechanism.

Edited by Bartybum

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5 hours ago, Erik Leppen said:

This is not the same. Pneumatics dont give the illusion that they are something they aren't. A blue coil that does nothing, gives the impression it's something it isn't. That's what I have problems with, because it breaks the educational aspect. If kids tinker with the part and discover the blue coil does nothing, they may catch up a misconception about how springs work, because the working part is hidden from view so they cannot investigate it. This is what I mean with hiding functionality.

Pneumatics work exactly the way they are advertised. I don't care whether it's the same as a real excavator, everybody understand that can't work, I care whether it is what it suggests to be.

 

Linear actuators have a very clear technical purpose (fine adjustment, and holding their position when not driven), so I'm fine with those as well. Yes, they also hide functionality from sight, but there's not really an alternative.

Fake engines also do whole a lot of nothing, they just give the illusion of being something that they aren't. But they are still very much an essential part of a Technic car, not having a fake engine would remove the need of transmission by extension too (which, also is itself completely pointless from practical point of view, you can push a car around and play with it even without transmission) and make the entire theme (at least as far as cars are concerned) pointless. The blue coil also suggests a spring the same way a fake engine suggests ICE or pneumatics suggest hydraulics. Also, there are lots of other sets with traditional springs where one can see easily the action happening. On the other hand, neither the new front shock absorbers nor the Ducati ones show how a spring works, with their functionality being entirely hidden. With the blue coil the kids at least get the idea of how it should work.

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I do find the blue plastic fake spring to be off putting. Others have raised valid points about pneumatics and fake engines. But for me I think it might be just that having an inner real spring and an outer fake spring is not how the real one is. Lego can't make a real ICE and as for working hydraulics, I would actually argue that is possible using stainless steel shafts and plain old tap water for 18+ sets, but it's more understandable if they don't want to go to that expense. But the only reason they have done this fake outer spring is to have the outer spring be blue. So it's more of a direct example if sacrificing mechanical accuracy for looks, which strikes a nerve for those of us noticing this seems to be Technics overall direction. They could have easily had a real metal spring on the outside, but this fake blue plastic spring really does scream little kids toy rather than model kit/toy for adults/big kids!

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4 minutes ago, allanp said:

I do find the blue plastic fake spring to be off putting. Others have raised valid points about pneumatics and fake engines. But for me I think it might be just that having an inner real spring and an outer fake spring is not how the real one is. Lego can't make a real ICE and as for working hydraulics, I would actually argue that is possible using stainless steel shafts and plain old tap water for 18+ sets, but it's more understandable if they don't want to go to that expense. But the only reason they have done this fake outer spring is to have the outer spring be blue. So it's more of a direct example if sacrificing mechanical accuracy for looks, which strikes a nerve for those of us noticing this seems to be Technics overall direction. They could have easily had a real metal spring on the outside, but this fake blue plastic spring really does scream little kids toy rather than model kit/toy for adults/big kids!

The real bike also has a blue spring, does it not? But I'm guessing it's coated with blue plastic for protection, and while similar solution would've probably been possible for Lego, it would make the manufacturing more complicated and increase price, so we got a shock absorber that looks just like the real one but hides the actual functional part inside. I'm entirely OK with this kind of approach.

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22 hours ago, derekthetree said:

I didn't know that. They could do it in salmon pink!

I think a convertible UCS would be a cool addition. And yellow would stand out.

Ooh, the Bacalar would be great. It's yellow and it's a convertible so that's enough for me for a damn incredible Technic flagship car.

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5 hours ago, howitzer said:

The real bike also has a blue spring, does it not? But I'm guessing it's coated with blue plastic for protection, and while similar solution would've probably been possible for Lego, it would make the manufacturing more complicated and increase price, so we got a shock absorber that looks just like the real one but hides the actual functional part inside. I'm entirely OK with this kind of approach.

They could just anodise a spring

Edited by Bartybum

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8 hours ago, howitzer said:

Doesn't produce the same effect.

Not a gloss finish but a metallic one would be just as cool. Granted it is something entirely different so BMW could very well reject it

Edited by Bartybum

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12 minutes ago, Bartybum said:

Not a gloss finish but a metallic one would be just as cool. Granted it is something entirely different so BMW could very well reject it

Indeed.

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