For as long as I can remember, Tamiya's always had an entry in the 4wd buggy class. For the most part, their offerings have been in the middle-range; that is, not super novice, and yet not quite up to par with pro-level machines. Of course, this all changed with the introduction of their TRF 501X last year. Their newest "middle range" buggy is the machine you're looking at right now – the Durga. Slotted below the world-class 501X and above the entry-level Dark Impact, the Durga is almost like a child of the two. You've got molded components, stick pack capability, and a tub chassis like the Dark Impact, but you've also got the suspension geometry, twin-belt drive, and middle motor location of the 501X. Is the Durga just one step ahead of entry level, or one step away from competing with the best?

 Sealed Deal • The Durga uses an equal-length dual belt drive system, with ball differentials, metal 2-piece outdrives, and tension cams; however, the highlight here is the sealed drive system. Front and rear bulkhead covers stretch toward the center of the chassis to cover 2/3 of the belts. A center cover protects the spur gear and layshaft. When all are bolted in place, the three covers completely protect the belt-drive system from debris.

501X Roots • When you look at the Durga's front and rear suspension, it looks like a perfect "in-between" made of molded plastic pieces - like the entry-level Dark Impact - that are identical in geometry and appearance to the high end TRF 501X. They are so close, in fact, that the main suspension pieces look like they came from the same mold. Even the upper mounting positions for the shocks are identical to the 501X. Theoretically this means that the Durga should have the same handling characteristics as its top-of-the-line TRF brother.

Leaning Aft • The Durga's steering system is also identical to the 501X, except that it's made of plastic instead of FRP. Even the angle of the steering arms looks similar, though bronze bushings are used instead of ball bearings. Notice the molded insert surrounding the center link that keeps dirt away from the drive belts.

More Features
1. No Foam – The Durga kit tires include molded inserts, not foam donuts.
2. Stick It – Unlike its TRF 501X counterpart, the Durga uses a standard 6-cell configuration.
3. Jolt Saver – The optional slipper clutch is accessible and easily adjustable.
4. Seal The Deck – The one-piece molded tub chassis has no holes underneath to allow dirt to make its way above.
5. Shock Absorber - Molded but oil-filled dampers are found on all four corners.

Testing
Since this buggy fits right in the middle of Tamiya's buggy lineup, I equipped the Durga with something in the middle, namely a Castle Creations Sidewinder brushless system with a 5700kV motor. After about a week of off and on rain, the skies cleared up, and I went to Pegasus Hobbies in Montclair, CA. Although the rain was over, the track had some muddy spots, and the dry sections had a thin layer of loose dirt/dust. Traction conditions, safe to say, were not optimal.

Acceleration and Speed • At first punch I discovered that the slipper clutch wasn't tight enough, so after adjustment I had the Durga moving. The kit tires and their hard compound kicked up dirt every time I pulled on the trigger, but had enough grip to get going after a few feet. The suspension was on the soft side, so the chassis tended to squat under full acceleration, but once it hit top speed the Durga was pretty stable, even if the straightaway wasn't smooth like asphalt.
Rating: 9/9

Braking • When it came to stopping, the Durga's soft suspension dipped the front end every time I jammed the brakes. However, going from full speed to full stop did not jolt the chassis balance. With all the cells on one side and the motor biased toward the rear, The Durga still slowed down in a straight line, the rear end lifting slightly during deceleration. If I hit the brake while turning, the rear end kicked out slightly, but not uncontrollably (probably because of the hard compound tires.) When I switched to race-compounds, the rear end stayed planted.
Rating: 8

Low-Speed Handling • The Durga handled tighter sections of the track, regardless of the terrain or elevation change. Changing directions was easy, especially when I swapped to race compound tires. In fact, the tire change alone gave the Durga a nice, neutral feel. The Durga still made it around with the kit tires, and the slight understeer caused by the harder compound tires actually made the buggy more forgiving when switching between left to right turns.
Rating: 8

High-Speed Handling • High speed feel is always affected by weight balance, especially on a low-traction, uneven surface like dirt. The soft suspension caused the Durga to react slower during high speed maneuvers; when I say "slow," I don't mean that it reacted late, but more like the buggy wasn't twitchy. The Durga tracked well around the uneven high-speed sweeper, with abundant but not super-sensitive steering response. The soft suspension also did a good job soaking up the bumps and ruts scattered across the curves. The Durga shined in the dirt, feeling at times like a pro-level buggy under a swooping body.
Rating: 8

Rough-Track Handling • The soft suspension was a plus in the rough track sections, same as it was in high-speed handling. In fact, I felt that the suspension was possibly a tad too soft, as on the deeper dips and higher-angle bumps, the molded tub chassis scraped the surface of the track as the shocks worked up and down, absorbing as much of the rough as it could. During assembly I thought that the front dampers were a little short on the stroke measurement, but after testing they held up well.
Rating: 8

Jumping • Jumping the Durga was felt different compared to previous buggies I've driven with the motor biased to the rear. With most of the weight centered instead of leaning to one axle, the airborne Durga rotated right in the middle of the chassis. Jabbing the brake while the buggy was in the air caused the Durga to go from take-off to nose-dive mode in an instant. The right way to get the Durga to downside jumps was to hit the jump at the right speed, ease off the trigger while mid air, and time it so that the trigger was at neutral when the rear tires touched dirt upon landing; otherwise the chassis slapped the landing. Sometimes it slapped hard enough to fully compress the suspension, sending the tail of the Durga up in the air, but once I got the technique down I was jumping like a pro.
Rating: 8

Wrenching
Maintenance • The open tub chassis makes access to electronic components trouble-free. Working on the suspension is easy as well. However, getting to the diffs or layshaft takes a lot of work. It's not difficult; it just requires removing a lot of stuff. One thing I find tedious was the fact that you have to remove eight screws and the center cover in order to adjust gear mesh or access the pinion gear. I guess this is a byproduct of a sealed drive system, but it can end up being a pain if you're pressed for time.
Rating: 7

Wear and Tear • If you read the jumping section of my testing, you know that I figured out how to jump the Durga in the most efficient manner. You also noticed that I didn't get it down the first time – which means all my failed attempts were crash landings! I landed topside or ended up with the Durga on its lid more than I can count on my hands. Other than a wing that kept "jumping" off the mounts (longer wing screws solved the problem), no damage was done by the end of the day. Front and rear outdrives and the axles (the only exposed drivetrain elements) showed no premature wear or tear. I had equipped the Durga with Tamiya's optional slipper clutch because I was running brushless, and it worked as expected, protecting the Durga's drive system from the jarring jolts and landings.
Rating: 8

Tuning • With a suspension very similar to the 501X's design, the Durga gives the racer a lot to tinker with. Multiple mounting points abound; anti-dive and anti-squat adjustment is as easy as adding or subtracting mount spacers. A lot of the 501X parts can be used on this platform, opening up TRF's catalog to your disposal. I only wish that the Durga came with a slipper clutch as standard equipment (although I installed one for testing), but as is you have a machine that can be easily tuned to your liking.
Rating: 8

Conclusion
Sometimes it's not bad to be "in-between," as you offer the best of both worlds. The Tamiya Durga fits that bill. It's equipped with the 501X's suspension design but is priced closer to their entry-level Dark Impact. It accepts standard stick packs and leaves the door open for upgrades as your driving skill progresses. Although I didn't like the tedious chore of removing the center cover in order to get to the motor screws, the trade-off was clean, dirt-free belts and pulleys. It handled pretty well out of the box, and with the 501X suspension, you can make the same adjustments as the factory ride. Not bad for $200, right?