That sim racing can be an expensive hobby is no secret by now. But this, like any hobby, can be made as expensive as you want. But you don't have to! Moza Racing proves with the Moza Racing R5 Bundle that sim racing does not have to be expensive and is more accessible than ever. Even on a tighter budget, you can have a lot of fun with sim racing.

Do you have a lower budget or are you just starting your sim racing journey? Then the Moza Racing R5 Bundle a very interesting choice. In this review, we dive deeper into what the Moza Racing R5 Bundle all it has to offer. We explore everything you need to know about this cheapest direct drive wheelbase so you can properly weigh up whether this set is right for you. It's time to discover why the Moza Racing R5 Bundle is the perfect companion for your first steps into the world of sim racing or the stepping stone to your ultimate simulator. Let's go!

What's in the box?

Time to unpack the Moza R5 Bundle! What immediately stands out is that the box is beautifully designed and everything is well-protected. Moza Racing packs everything in a surprisingly compact box, in which you will find the direct drive wheelbase, the steering wheel and the pre-assembled pedals. Besides the table clamp, power supply and connecting cables, everything is included to mount the set on a sim rig or desk. Because the SR-P Lite Clutch Pedal and Performance Kit can be ordered additionally, these two parts are delivered separately in two boxes.

In summary, you will receive the following:

• Moza R5 Direct Drive Wheelbase (5.5 Nm)
• Moza ES Steering wheel
• Moza SR-P Lite Pedals
• Moza R5 Table clamp
• Moza Racing Stickers
• Power supply & cables
• USB cable
• Moza SR-P Lite Clutch Pedal (additional)
• Moza Performance Kit for R5 Bundle (additional)

Of course, the R5 bundle comes with all necessary screws and fasteners.

Montage & Installation

Now that we have unpacked the Moza R5 bundle, it is time to assemble and connect everything. It comes with a manual, but I didn't need it. Everything is self-explanatory and most of it is already pre-installed, like the pedals. The entire R5 bundle is plug-and-play, which means you'll have everything installed and racing in no time. This whole process took me about 5 to 10 minutes.

I started assembling the table clamp. This was a piece of cake. Then you screw the wheelbase on and you're already done! By the way, later in this review I will explain and describe this accessory in more detail.

Since I also use the additional SR-P Lite clutch pedal for this review, the first thing I had to do was loosen the screws on the brake pedal and move the brake pedal to the centre so that the clutch pedal could be placed on the far left. This whole process was super easy and settled in no time.

Next, connect the clutch pedal to the brake pedal with the pre-installed data cable. Then connect the pedal set to the back of the wheelbase with the confection cable, connect the USB cable between the wheelbase and your PC, and connect the power cable to the wall socket. Thanks to the plug-and-play functionality of the R5 bundle, this whole process is effortless, and you don't really need the manual.

Moza R5 Bundle

Moza Racing has sent us the Moza R5 Bundle, one of the most popular sim racing bundles, to test and review it completely objectively. So this is, also for us, a great opportunity to get acquainted with Moza's ecosystem.

The Moza R5 Bundle symbolises the entry level to the Moza Ecosystem. The R5 Bundle consists of a very compact wheelbase that delivers 5.5 Nm of power, a solid leather steering wheel with all the buttons you need, a two-piece pedal set and a table clamp so you can easily attach the wheel to a desk or simulator. For this review, we also have the additional SR-P Lite Clutch Pedal and the Brake Performance Kit may test. As far as we are concerned, an indispensable add-on in this bundle, but more on that later.

The Moza R5 Bundle normally costs €639 but is now available for only € 509. And that's a very competitive price for what you get in return. For the extra SR-P Lite Clutch Pedal you pay €44 and for the R5 Performance Kit you pay €31.90 extra. The total cost of these Moza R5 Bundle thus amounts to just under €585.

This makes the Moza R5 Bundle more expensive than, say, the Logitech G29/G923 which is also a very popular steering wheel. The big advantage of the R5 bundle is that this is a direct drive and not a belt-driven wheel. If you compare the Moza R5 to a Fanatec Ready2Race bundle then these are pretty much the same, although Fanatec has a wider and better quality range to choose from.

I am now going to describe the different components of this Moza R5 Bundle and explain my personal experience with it. We start with the steering wheel followed by the R5 Direct Drive Wheelbase, the SR-P Lite Pedals with accessories and finally the Moza table clamp.

Moza ES Steering Wheel

The Moza ES Steering Wheel is the heart of the R5 bundle. The ES Steering Wheel is a good mix of quality, functionality and affordability, making it an excellent choice for a steering wheel in this price category. At 280 mm in diameter, it is on the small side. The steering wheel features hand-stitched leather grips that offer comfort and luxury. The steering wheel sits surprisingly well in the hand and the synthetic leather feels soft and smooth.

The aluminium alloy frame ensures durability and a sleek appearance. The quick release system is simple and intuitive and makes it easy to change steering wheels, while the RGB lighting adds a dynamic and colourful touch to your setup. The all-aluminium designed rear shifters are ergnomically designed and easily accessible. However, they produce a relatively high and weird noise. However, I don't find this disturbing.

With no less than 22 programmable buttons, you have full control and more than enough possibilities to assign buttons. Because the wheel is relatively narrow, all buttons are easily accessible. What I find remarkable is that while this R5 bundle is PC exclusive, the choice was made to add controller-like buttons. The buttons feel cheap and I personally would have preferred some encoders to easily control brake balance, traction control or ABS. This is a shame, but for a low-budget steering wheel in this price category, this choice is absolutely understandable. The steering wheel does what it is supposed to do and is certainly not bad, but I expected more from it.

Moza Direct Drive

I have been racing the Fanatec DD2 with 25 Nm torque and recently I switched to The Simucube 2 Pro, also with a whopping 25 Nm. In all honesty, then, I had little faith in and was very sceptical about the Moza R5 direct drive wheelbase that delivers 'only' 5.5 Nm torque. Jesus, how deceived I was! When I tested out the Moza R5 bundle for the first time with Assetto Corsa Competizione I was hugely surprised and amazed!

The force feedback that this small and compact direct drive wheelbase produces is surprisingly good and many times better than I expected. The Moza R5 is absolutely not inferior to a Fanatec CSL DD (with or without boost kit). Especially if you use the R5 direct drive on a desk, the 5.5 Nm wheelbase produces enough power to feel every detail on the track. If you use the wheelbase on a (lightweight) cockpit, I can imagine that this wheelbase is rather at its limit. Unfortunately, I was only able to test this bundle on a desk table.

The Moza R5 Wheel Base has a sturdy and durable aluminium housing and a 15-bit encoder which ensures precise steering response. Due to its small and compact dimensions, this wheelbase weighs only 3.45 kg. The design is small, compact and beautifully finished. This makes the R5 a strong all-rounder that has exceeded my expectations in all areas.

Moza SR-P Lite PedalsMoza SR-P Lite Pedals

The SR-P Lite pedals in the Moza R5 Bundle are a solid choice for beginners. They are made of strong steel and have a non-slip design, so they stay - reasonably - well in place. If you put them on the ground, I still recommend putting an extra non-slip mat underneath or against a wall so they don't slip. While they perform well for their price range, they definitely lack the accuracy and realism of load-cell pedals. Which I personally think is a shame and a missed opportunity. Load-cell pedals, like a direct drive wheelbase, are the absolute standard these days, so I find it a shame that concessions and savings are being made in this area, as good brakes and technology really do make the difference on the track.

Hall-sensors work fine for the accelerator and clutch pedals, but for the brake pedal they do not give the same feedback as load-cell pedals. The big difference between hall-sensors and load-cell pedals is that a load-cell measures brake pressure instead of just the (magnetic) movement with a hall-sensor. For a beginner or more casual racer, these SR-P Lite pedals are fine, but they are unfortunately less suitable for the more advanced sim racer.

By the way, what I really like about these pedals is the degree of flexibility in which you can position the different pedals individually from each other. This gives a lot of freedom, which makes for more comfort while racing. All in all, I appreciate these pedals for their excellent value for money. Therefore, these pedals offer a solid foundation and good starting point for novice sim racers. The lack of load-cell is definitely a shortcoming as far as I am concerned, but for the target audience of this R5 bundle, the type of games and their play intensity, it is certainly not a show-stopper.

It took me a relatively long time to get used to these hall-sensor pedals. I was not completely at ease and had to adjust my braking technique to these new pedals. That's not a bad thing, by the way, but it made me somewhat reluctant to use them in competitive games like iRacing, as I didn't want to risk my iRating for this. For the more casual games, such as BeamNG or even F1 23, that matters much less and these pedals perform more than enough to enjoy gaming and, above all, have a lot of fun. And that's exactly what this R5 bundle is for: fun.

What I really appreciate about these pedals is their excellent value for money. As part of the R5 bundle, they provide a solid foundation for novice sim racers and deliver more than satisfactory performance for the price. The whole set is technically very respectable for this price point - enough, in my opinion, to worry other manufacturers in the lower price segment.

SR-P Brake Pedal Performance Kit

In my opinion, the SR-P Brake Pedal Performance Kit is an absolute must-have if you opt for the Moza R5 Bundle. Designed to enhance the braking performance of the SR-P Lite pedals in the R5 Bundle, the SR-P Lite Performance Kit more or less mimics a load-cell pedal. This kit is similar to the TrueBrake mod For Logitech pedals.

This kit includes sturdy and durable springs and damping blocks that increase braking resistance and provide a more realistic pedal feel. Installation is super easy and can be secured with just a few screws. For just under €32, this performance kit offers an affordable way to upgrade your braking experience, especially if you're looking for a more responsive and progressive braking experience. It makes the overall braking experience a lot more enjoyable, accurate and realistic. Is it similar to a load-cell brake pedal? No, it isn't. They do their best to mimic it, but no more than that. But for a brake pedal in this price category, the performance kit makes the whole thing many times better than if you didn't use it. And for the money of just €32, you certainly don't have to leave it at that. So as far as we are concerned, the SR-P Brake Pedal Performance Kit is definitely recommended.

SR-P Lite Clutch Pedal

The SR-P Lite Clutch Pedal is available as an option and costs around €44, which is not a lot of money, but you don't really need it. Like the SR-P Lite Pedals included in this R5 bundle, the pedal is great, high-quality and built to last. But in all honesty, I wouldn't buy it myself. Unless you plan to also add the manual shifter and race in cars that don't have automatic clutch. Almost all modern cars have automatic clutch, so I see no reason why I would use this pedal. In short; nice to leave it aside and save the money!

Moza Table Clamp

The included table clamp is simple and does what it is supposed to do. In fact, I have little to comment on this. With just 4 screws, you attach the wheelbase to the table clamp and with two large screw heads you screw the table clamp to your desktop. Super simple and sturdy. The table clamp is equipped with a protective foam that prevents damage when tightening the screws. Super! What I found to be a disadvantage is that you cannot adjust the angle of the direct drive wheelbase. Too bad!

Moza Pit House Software

To configure and update your Moza R5 bundle with the latest software and firmware, you need the Moza Pit House software download. The Moza Pit House software offers extensive customisation options for all your Moza equipment.

I must honestly confess that I am positively surprised by the Moza Pit House software. The software looks beautiful and in terms of user experience is just good, clear but above all very user-friendly. All functionalities are in the application and are well ordered and logically positioned. The software application is packed with features. For instance, you can easily load, save and fine-tune profiles per game type. But you can also adjust many details, such as the force feedback equaliser, pedal output curves and the RPM indicator.

Cloud-Based App Control

It also supports cloud control, allowing you to adjust settings via the Moza app and perform firmware updates with a single click. Super convenient! What really sets Moza Pit House apart from competitors is its seamless integration with Moza hardware and cloud functionality. Settings and profiles can be synced via the cloud, making them easily accessible and secure. This works super well.

User experience

I have been using the Moza R5 Bundle for a while now and I am positively surprised by this small and compact bundle. Whereas at first I thought this wheelbase would have far too little power, the opposite is true. The 5.5 Nm wheelbase feels good where you can feel all the details of being on the track. The simple and intuitive quick-release system works well and despite the small size of the direct drive wheelbase and steering wheel, I have no flex! And that's impressive. After several hours of gaming, I find the leather of the steering wheel too soft, which means you don't always have the same grip and occasionally the wheel slips under you. Good sim racing gloves are definitely recommended as far as I am concerned for extra grip during intensive races. No superfluous luxury then!

Fun and Fun-Factor

What I especially love is how much endless fun I had with this Moza R5 bundle! Where I normally race seriously and at a high level in my high-end simulator, the R5 bundle surprisingly delivers and brings back much more of the fun-factor to casual racing. Delicious! While reviewen, I enjoyed racing titles like BeamNG, F1 23, Forza Horizon and even Assetto Corsa (Competizione) immensely. And that's something I missed anyway: nice relaxed racing without any real competition or iRating. Also, this Moza R5 bundle brings me back to where it once started for me: nice casual racing with - at the time - my Logitech G29 with MVH Mod wedged on my desk and an office chair that rolls backwards ad nauseam. Truly a delightful experience that puts a big smile on my face.

Ideal for Beginners

And no, the Moza R5 can far from match the high-end sim racing gear I normally use, but that's not what this bundle is for either. The Moza R5 bundle is a fantastic entry-level bundle to start sim racing relatively cheaply. But even if you want to enjoy casual racing and enjoy sim racing from time to time, the Moza R5 bundle is undoubtedly a good choice.

Surprisingly Good Quality

The quality of this bundle is really surprisingly good. The metal pedals are strong, solid and built to last. Though I do think the lack of a load-cell brake pedal is a missed opportunity. The force feedback of the compact R5 Direct Drive Wheelbase is above expectations and performs well in all areas, feeling every bump and kerb. It really is fantastic and offers enormous fun.

Build quality and expandability

The build quality of the included ES racing wheel is a (cautious) sufficient. This is partly because I am somewhat bothered by the cheap plastic buttons and click of the shifters at the back. I also find the soft leather and lack of grip somewhat disturbing, but I take that for granted. Because overall, the Moza R5 bundle ticks all the boxes that a good bundle should meet. If you choose this entry-level and plug-and-play bundle, you can always expand it with additional Moza steering wheels and accessories.

Exclusive to PC: A Missed Opportunity

By the way, it is a pity that the Moza R5 bundle (but really the entire Moza eco-system) is intended exclusively for PC. Racing on console (Playstation or Xbox) is thus sadly not in the cards! Too bad, because for my personal situation and setup, this setup would have been perfect for occasional casual racing on the console again with classic titles like Gran Turismo or Project Cars 2.

The pros and cons

Now that we have been using the Moza R5 Bundle for a while, it is time to take stock with the pros and cons of this surprising sim racing bundle.

Conclusion

The Moza R5 Bundle excels as an excellent choice as an 'entry wheel'. The R5 is affordable, making it a good choice for beginners with sim racing Or the more casual sim racer who just wants to enjoy his laps and settle for less.

The R5 Bundle is not just another affordable racing bundle; but it is a stepping stone into the sim racing world and the now extensive Moza eco-system. Amid a sea of expensive options, the Moza R5 Bundle offers a refreshing dose of accessibility without compromising on quality. Also, why spend a fortune on super expensive equipment when you can also enjoy quality without raiding your bank account? And so it is. The Moza R5 makes sim racing accessible and offers huge lot of joy. I genuinely loved sitting at my desk the old-fashioned way again with the steering wheel clamped on. Fantastic!

The R5 presents itself as a budget option and definitely does not underperform Fanatec's budget bundles. While the bundle is not perfect, given the price, the R5 is an attractive option for novice sim racers who want to get introduced to collaborative racing or just enjoy casual racing with some regularity. My first taste of the Moza eco-system was a good one, and in all honesty, I also can't wait to test more from Moza in the future and share my findings with you.

Surprisingly Good!

Moza R5 Bundle

Endless Racing Fun

The Moza R5 bundle is a surprisingly good choice for novice sim racers. This set offers above-expectation fun thanks to its realistic feedback and high-quality construction. The 5.5 Nm direct drive wheelbase provides a detailed driving experience, while the sturdy pedals and comfortable steering wheel provide a solid foundation. Ideal for those looking to get introduced to sim racing without spending a fortune right away. The Moza R5 bundle delivers great value for money and ensures hours of racing fun.

Buy now

More information

I hope this review helped you in making a choice! If you like this review now, or have any comments, feel free to let us know! Send us a message or DM via Instagram. That only helps us 🙂