Wondering what motor to put in your 1/10 buggy? In 2WD stock, the most popular is the Hobbywing V10 G4R. In 4WD stock, it's the Trinity Slot Machine. In modified, it's the Hobbywing V10 G3. We counted the setups saved in the RC Setup App since January 2024.
The number under each motor is how many racers run it in that section. Check your class rules first, since they usually decide the wind. Counts updated November 2026.
Buy links to AMain may earn us a commission. That doesn't change the order: racers decide that.
Most popular 2WD stock motors
409 racers named a stock motor and wind for a 2WD buggy. 17.5 is the most common at 278 racers, then 21.5 at 100 and 13.5 at 57. Hobbywing leads with 140 racers, followed by R1 at 49, Trinity at 48 and Reedy at 47. This list covers motors with at least 15 racers.
1. Hobbywing XeRun V10 G4R
43 racers
The most popular 2WD stock motor in our count, with 36 of its 43 racers on the 17.5. Across both drivetrains, nearly everyone who named an ESC pairs it with a Hobbywing. AMain sells it as a 17.5 combo with the XR10 Pro G3X ESC, so it's a good buy if you need both.
Buy the 17.5T combo at AMain (opens in new tab)
2. Reedy Sonic 540-SP5
36 racers
The most one-sided wind choice in this list: 32 of 36 racers run the 17.5 and the other 4 run the 21.5. It's also the one stock motor here where Hobbywing isn't the top ESC. Of the 46 racers across both drivetrains who named one, 30 run a Reedy and 16 run a Hobbywing.
Buy the 17.5T at AMain (opens in new tab)
3. Hobbywing XeRun V10 G4
28 racers
Unusual for 2WD, it's nearly even between the 17.5 and the 13.5, 12 racers and 11, with 5 more on the 21.5. We couldn't find the G4 itself at AMain, so the buttons go to the newer V10 G5, which 9 stock racers in our count already run.
Buy the G5 17.5T at AMain (opens in new tab) Buy the G5 13.5T at AMain (opens in new tab)
4. Trinity Slot Machine
23 racers
20 of its 23 racers run the 17.5. Hobbywing is the most common ESC with it across both drivetrains, with Tekin next. This count includes the original and the Slot Machine 2, which is the one AMain sells now.
Buy the SM2 17.5T at AMain (opens in new tab)
5. R1 Wurks V21
23 racers
Tied with the Slot Machine, and more into the 21.5 than most, with 14 racers on the 17.5 and 9 on the 21.5. Hobbywing is the most common ESC with it, ahead of R1's own. AMain doesn't carry R1, so this one goes straight to the maker.
Buy the V21-HD 17.5T at R1 Wurks
6. Hobbywing XeRun Justock 3650 SD
20 racers
The one motor on this list where 21.5 leads, 10 racers to 9 on the 17.5. It nearly always runs with a Hobbywing ESC.
Buy the 17.5T at AMain (opens in new tab)
7. Team Exalt Phoenix
15 racers
10 racers run the 17.5 and 6 run the 21.5, and Hobbywing is the usual ESC with it. AMain lists the Silver Spec as discontinued, so the button goes to the Bronze Spec at 997 RC Raceway.
Buy the Bronze 17.5T at 997 RC RacewayMost popular 4WD stock motors
4WD is a 13.5 class: 134 of the 158 racers here run one, 25 run a 17.5 and only 2 run a 21.5. Hobbywing leads with 55 racers, followed by Trinity at 28 and Reedy at 19. Fewer racers are spread across these motors, so this list covers those with at least 5.
1. Trinity Slot Machine
19 racers
The most popular 4WD stock motor, and all 19 of its racers run the 13.5. AMain was out of the Slot Machine 2 in 13.5 when we checked, so the button goes to Horizon Hobby.
Buy the SM2 13.5T at Horizon2. Reedy Sonic 540-SP5
15 racers
11 of its 15 racers run the 13.5 and 6 run the 17.5, with some running both. That's the most 17.5 use of any motor in this list, so it's worth checking your class rules before you pick a wind.
Buy the 13.5T at AMain (opens in new tab) Buy the 17.5T at AMain (opens in new tab)3. Hobbywing XeRun V10 G4R
14 racers
13 of its 14 racers run the 13.5. AMain's G4R combo only comes in 17.5 and we didn't find a 13.5 there, so the button goes to the newer V10 G5 in 13.5.
Buy the G5 13.5T at AMain (opens in new tab)4. Hobbywing XeRun V10 G4
12 racers
11 of its 12 racers run the 13.5. We couldn't find the G4 itself at AMain, so this button also goes to the V10 G5.
Buy the G5 13.5T at AMain (opens in new tab)
5. Trinity Revtech X Factor
7 racers
Still on plenty of cars, with all 7 racers on the 13.5. We couldn't find a new one at AMain, so if you're buying new, the button goes to Trinity's Slot Machine 2 at Horizon Hobby.
See the SM2 13.5T at Horizon6. R1 Wurks V21
7 racers
5 of its 7 racers run the 13.5. AMain doesn't carry R1, so the button goes to the V21-HD in 13.5 at 997 RC Raceway.
Buy the V21-HD 13.5T at 997 RC Raceway
7. Fantom Helix
5 racers
All 5 racers run the 13.5. Hobbywing is the usual ESC with it across both drivetrains, though a few racers stay with Fantom's own.
Buy the V2.1 Works 13.5T at AMain (opens in new tab)Most popular modified motors
6.5 is the most common modified wind in both drivetrains, at 80 racers in 2WD and 37 in 4WD. Next is 7.5 in 2WD, at 48, and 5.5 in 4WD, at 26. Hobbywing leads with 135 racers, followed by Reedy at 41. This list covers 2WD and 4WD together, since only these four motors reach 10 racers.
1. Hobbywing XeRun V10 G3
63 racers
The clear favorite in modified, with almost three times the racers of anything else. 25 run the 6.5, 10 run the 8.5, and the 5.5 and 7 have 8 each. It leads in both drivetrains, at 43 racers in 2WD and 25 in 4WD, and nearly always runs with a Hobbywing ESC.
Buy the 6.5T at AMain (opens in new tab)
2. Reedy Sonic 540 M-Series
22 racers
Spread across more winds than the G3: 6.5, 7.5, 8.5 and 6.0 all show up. Racers split evenly on the ESC, with 8 on Reedy and 8 on Hobbywing. Some entered only "Sonic," so this count covers the Sonic mod line, and the button goes to the current M4.
Buy the M4 6.5T at AMain (opens in new tab)
3. LRP X22
12 racers
Tied for third, with no single wind in charge: 7 has 4 racers, 6.5 has 3 and 5.5 has 2. Most run it in 2WD, 8 racers to 4 in 4WD. Too few racers named an ESC with it to call a favorite.
Buy the 6.5T at AMain (opens in new tab)
4. SkyRC Ares Pro
12 racers
The most 7.5-heavy motor here, with 7 of its 12 racers on that wind. It's almost entirely 2WD, and Hobbywing is the usual ESC, 8 of the 11 racers who named one. We couldn't find it at AMain or Horizon, so the button goes to Lindinger, a retailer in Austria.
Buy the V2.1 7.5T at LindingerHow we counted
We count anonymous totals from setups saved in the app. A racer counts once per motor no matter how many setups they've saved, and a value only counts if the racer entered it themselves, not if it came along with a copied setup. A wind of 13.5 or higher counts as stock and anything lower as modified. A racer who runs more than one class or drivetrain counts in each. Plenty of racers leave out the model or the wind, so these rankings only cover the ones who entered both.
