Racing sim center

I’m currently writing up a business model that would offer motion sims to the masses. I’m creating this thread for a couple reasons.

1. I’m doing my homework on what type of sim to offer. 2DOF is plenty in my opinion for a novice racer. I have been wowed by CXC Motion pro 2, but I do not believe it is a wise choose to start a new business with such a expensive piece of hardware. So please give me your two cents on what type of sim you would believe would work for the masses.

2. I understand most of you on here, have built your own or pieced together from “off the shelf items” if I built my own rigs, what is a respectable price range am I working with. Mind you, the motion pro 2 starts at $50K! I would like to be half that.

Sorry for that, new but very interested. I hope my thread can gain some traction and be informative for all. Entrepreneurs alike.

Just wondering if you have ever tried anything else for comparison purposes. A 2DOF is pretty basic imo and I don't see anything special about the Motion pro.

Besides the costs of equipment I hope you've included the licensing fees required too as most game titles are only for home use without a commercial use license.

That’s why I’ve brought this subject up. License fees are a cost that I need to include into my model.

You made the comment that the motion pro is basic. Can you give me some examples that would be a better buy?

And no I have yet to test drive anything other then a 2DOF

I have continued to do my research and I have found that SimXperiance has a turn key rig for half the price of a CXC motion pro 2. I really dont want to start my business with a easy $50k-$75k in debt. Can anyone suggest any foolproof builds? I have no problem welding and bolting together framework, but all of the electronic aspect of the build is not my strong suite.

While making your homework, you surely saw the thread of @Radioproffi who builds and offers commercial rigs for sale, right?
https://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/low-cost-2dof-3dof-motion-simulator-dof-reality.8570/

And you also know about the provider SimuKit who offers parts and construction kits for motion simulators?
https://simukit.com/

When you use the word „masses“, what numbers do you have in mind?

Yes I have seen @Radioproffi product, I doesn't all that sturdy and I have looked through that thread and someone had to rebuild the rig almost from the ground up. I need a solid unit, and when I say to the masses, I mean having a business that anyone can get seat time. I could probably offer a non-motion units and still be successful but I want to give them something to talk about. And if that is just a 2DOF then so be it.

There is a lot to these things. I started lurking and reading a year ago and just now "completed" a 2 dof build. Through the build a lot of stuff came up that I simply did not have the background to anticipate. It meant design changes, time wasted, and money spent.

Your have only said you want to sell to the masses. Driving or flying or others or all of the above? VR or monitor? Your market will help to make some design choices for you. Also, in selling to the public, you will need to pet-, child-, and idiot-proof the design. Moving parts will have to be shielded and you may even need to apply for some sort of certifications depending on design choices and local laws where you sell.

You mention the electronics not being a strong suit. You will either need to build a bulletproof design or learn how to troubleshoot since most people will expect prompt service if there is any trouble after the sale. You may even have to travel to troubleshoot on site. Maybe you can just ship parts for the customers to swap but your design will need to allow for that and make it as easy as possible and foolproof.

Not trying to discourage you but before I ever considered selling motion rigs, I’d build at least one to learn from the process. Abuse the hell out of it and make sure it holds up. These things are simple in some ways but complex in others. If you read through threads here you will see stories of smoked electronics, overheated motors, not enough motion force, other failures of various sorts, etc. The motors throwing riders around are powerful and if they run away, they can bend and break things. You don’t want units in the field that aren’t rock solid or else expect service calls and unhappy customers. Only some will be willing or know how to rebuild your platform if it is problematic. You'll also need to know your motion software inside and out because you will be your customers' resource for technical help.

I only bring this up since it sounds like you don’t have much experience. If you do and this isn’t new to you, then just ignore it. Only trying to help. But if this is new and you don’t have experience, I’d really recommend that you build one even before doing a business plan.

I do not want sell simulators to the masses, I want to create my own Sim center using already produced hardware/software and offer the experience to the public, that is why I started off with the CXC sim. But that thing is way over priced, I currently have found many more rigs are sold for a commercial application that are considerably cheaper. Now I have to figure out which one to go with.

My demographic will primarily be racing simulation for ages 12 and up, I haven't even considered flight sims yet. I want to start off in a enclosed trailer and bring my rigs to motorsport venues, car shows, etc.. then when I have created enough interest in my area I can invest in a home space with more rigs, but still have the option of being mobile.

I really appreciate your input, I hope you have more input regarding this business idea.

When you said you wanted to offer them to the masses it sounded like you were going to design and sell. I got nothing on a trailer-mounted demo/ride setup.

Hahaha, simply put. I have found only a handful of sim racing centers. Most are mostly located on the other side of the world. I understand this site is mainly geared to the home built DIYers. But I want to learn as much as I can about the industry and product, in order to offer the best and most professional experience to a novice driver. That is why I think a 2DOF is plenty for the masses, not every person out there wants a 6DOF experience.

Maybe start out with 2DOF units then if/when you gather enough interest to open a center you can add some with more DOF's and then charge more accordingly.

I believe I have found a good rig to go with, but it does not come with any peripherals. Can you anyone give me some rock solid hardware options.

I feel like fanatec is a good option for steering wheel, pedals and shifter. I can find a good race seat, but what I am having a issue with is the screens and PC.

My research shows that monitors are a better buy and a 27"-32" triple screen setup. What is the communities input about that.

The PC is what I am having real issues with, can anyone give me tips or maybe even a link.

Thank you in advance