We continue testing part of the Moza ecosystem. In this case, it’s time to see and test the formula steering wheel called Moza Racing KS . Chronicle by Mariano B.
Moza brings us its proposal for a formula steering wheel called KS this time. A piece intended to cover the noticeable gap in their range of formula wheels between the ES ring with the open-wheel kit and the Moza Racing GS steering wheel.
Packaging and Presentation
The packaging reminds us, both in dimensions and finishes, of the one used for the GS steering wheel. Familiar with Moza’s packaging, the packaging of this Moza Racing KS follows the same trend as previous products analyzed on this platform. The available space is maximized.
At first sight, we find a zip plastic bag with small stickers that Moza includes to label our buttons as personalized as possible, as well as small clamps to place them with precision. In this bag, there is a brief manual in Chinese and English explaining the placement and first steps of the wheel once installed on our Moza base.
Underneath, we find the familiar dust bag that Moza uses for all its products. Inside it, the piece object of this analysis. Once we remove the wheel from the bag, we find a sober and minimalist design, with a combination of buttons that is not intended to confuse us with their arrangement. Following this trend, no visible screws are noticeable from the front, and the design used for the wheel is that of a standard carbon fiber without embellishments, mixed with parts where the buttons and rotarys are located. Presiding in the center is the Moza Racing logo. It is worth noting that the only part where a different chromatic range than black and gray is used is in the central rotary.
Features
At first glance, we see a 30 cm diameter wheel from its furthest ends and 11.5 cm in its central vertical part. The first impression when holding it is its light weight, 1,221g, and the grip provided by the grips. These grips are made of TPE, a thermoplastic elastomer also known as soft rubber, extremely pleasant to the touch. We always recommend using gloves, but for those who prefer driving with bare hands, this wheel will delight you.
On the front side, we have 10 buttons with customizable RGB LED lighting with up to 8 independent colors. Their position is completely accessible from the wheel’s grips, without the need to make efforts to press them. The hardness of the buttons stands out, and they all have a small raised surrounding that helps prevent accidental presses.
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Around our thumbs, at the top of the grips, there are two accessible encoders that are already labeled for brake bias distribution on the left side and differential adjustment on the right side. They do not have any push function, but they have well-marked positions to prevent accidental activation during abrupt or emergency maneuvers.
In the central part, there are three 12-position rotary switches. The one on the left is associated with traction control (TC). The one on the right is associated with ABS. The central one indicates positions for the turbo. It is worth noting that the latter has two indicative scales, one ranging from 1 to 12, and another marked by colors and values in increments of three.
Similar to the thumb encoders, the activation of the central rotary switches should be deliberate due to their stiffness, which prevents accidental presses.
Above the Moza Racing logo, there are 10 RPM indicator LEDs that can be fully configured using Moza Pithouse.
Moving to the back of the wheel, we can see four paddle shifters at first glance, with the lower two being analog and simple, featuring two small perforations for better grip, and the upper two being magnetic.
Focusing on the magnetic paddles, they have a pleasant feel with a smooth, textured surface, and the central perforation allows for easy activation without posing a challenge. To avoid annoying noise levels, Moza has included rubber pads both in the magnet support areas and on the rear side of the carbon fiber rim to help dampen the sound.
At the back, you can see all the screw holes.
In the center, there’s the familiar Moza Quick Release, although in this case, it’s smaller in size compared to what the brand has typically offered. Presumably, this reduction in size aims to make the overall setup lighter and minimize its visual impact on this smaller-sized wheel.
It should be noted that due to being mounted on the base and having less space than previous Quick Releases, removing the wheel can be a bit more difficult.
At the bottom, somewhat hidden, there’s an RJ11 connector for directly connecting the wheel to the PC’s USB.
Installation and Configuration
Installing the wheel on Moza bases (in our case, the R9) is as simple as with any other Moza wheel. It’s worth mentioning that, although the rear pins for connection may appear arranged differently (more specifically, for V2 bases), they are fully compatible with V1 bases.
As always, we align the wheel with the base, with the base in its natural 0° position, and firmly attach the wheel until we hear the satisfying sound of everything fitting perfectly.
Our next step will be to check for updates for both Moza Pithouse and the base and rim. Let’s never forget that when applying a new update to our Moza base, it’s important to recalibrate the system from the “Recovery and Reset” menu and the “Wheel Base Recovery and Reset” option. For those who have it in a language other than English, it would be the second tab in the menu with the user symbol:
Once this is done, in the same window, on the right side, we calibrate the paddle shifters so that the software recognizes the analog input.
From now on, we should have our Moza Racing KS fully functional and proceed to customize it to our liking.
From the software, we can configure the behavior of buttons and RPM LEDs, including brightness, colors, activation time, and the percentage of revolutions per LED. We can also configure the analog input of the paddle shifters, whether as a button, independent axes per paddle, or the well-known combined axes to use them with defined bite parameters from 0-100% in 1% increments.
Furthermore, in recent updates, if we hover the mouse pointer over the image of the rim, certain buttons (such as the analog sticks) show alternative button combinations. These combinations may vary depending on the firmware version we have.
On the other hand, to configure the color of the front buttons, this cannot be done from Moza Pithouse. Instead, we have to enter the debug menu of the rim. To do this, we move the analog sticks toward the center of the wheel until the RPM lights flash in yellow, indicating that we are in the configuration menu. Then, by pressing each button, its color will change. To exit this menu, we follow the same pattern with the analog sticks until we see the RPM lights flash again in yellow.
Tests, Sensations, and Conclusions
The wheel has been primarily tested with GTs and Formula cars, as its geometry is ideal for these categories due to its low steering ratio. As mentioned earlier, being
a lightweight wheel with only a 30cm diameter in the grip area, the sensations and feedback transmitted by the base are heightened. It may be advisable to slightly lower the FFB values for this rim if coming from larger and heavier wheels.
Although it may seem otherwise due to its light weight, the wheel feels sturdy and of high quality, largely because the bottom grips are closed and do not flex at any time.
The wheel has been tested both with gloves and bare hands, and in both cases, the grip is excellent. The feel of the elastomer with bare hands is quite pleasant. During several hours of intensive use, there were no signs of fatigue or discomfort in the hands, as the gripping position was very comfortable throughout.
The buttons were easily accessible at all times, and even during moments of high tension, accidental button presses were not possible. It should be noted that we see this rim as being more suitable for relatively small hands. For people with larger hands, especially the paddle shifters’ operation can become uncomfortable.
At first glance, it doesn’t make a strong impression due to its minimalist appearance and light weight, but once assembled and tested, the robustness and well-designed nature of the unit are evident.
Moza has released a wheel focused on Formula and GT racing, with a real position that falls between the Moza Racing GS and the replaceable rim for the Moza ES. Considering its price, it is highly recommended if you want to make the leap to these categories with a rim exclusively designed for them.
Prices and Availability
All Moza Racing products, with a 2% discount using our links, can be found on the Simufy website. In this case, the Moza Racing KS is priced at 309.99 euros and is currently in stock.
