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Direct Drive Wheels

For the most realistic racing simulation experience you should seriously consider a direct drive wheel. Direct drive racing wheels are arguably the most realistic sim racing wheels around. This is because there are far fewer mechanical systems involved in producing the force feedback that provide the on-road sensations through the wheel.

Direct drive wheels give you a far more immersive, realistic and involved racing experience. Direct drive wheels hand you more powerful torque and smoother force feedback delivery.

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simucube direct drive wheelbase
This is why direct drive wheels are the first choice for serious sim racers. Don’t get us wrong, there are still some great belt or gear drive models on the market. Some of the higher end Thrustmaster units will still get the job done. But they can’t compare to the superior technology of a direct drive wheel.

What is a direct drive wheel?

When you tap ‘sim racing wheel’ into Google there’s a ton of options to choose from and it’s easy to get confused. If you’re budget conscious, then you’ll most likely look to a belt or gear driven wheel as these wheels are far easier and cheaper to produce and therefore come with a cheaper price tag.

If you really want to squeeze the best performance from your racing rig, you’ll want to opt for a direct drive wheel. But what IS a direct drive wheel?
simagic direct drive wheelTo put it simply, most consumer-grade wheels like the Logitech G923 or the Thrustmaster TS-XW use either a belt or gear system in conjunction with an electric motor. It’s this combination of motor plus gears/belts that deliver in-game force feedback.

When it comes to a direct drive wheel, the steering wheel shaft is bolted directly to the motor – bypassing any need for gears and belts – giving you fuller and smoother force feedback. There are far less components and working pieces in the direct drive system which massively boosts your sim racing immersion.

image of difference between belt drive and direct drive wheels
That’s not the only difference though. The electric motors in a direct drive wheel tend to be much larger and more sophisticated than those in cheaper counterparts. For example, the motor in a bog-standard Logitech or Thrustmaster wheel will spit out around 2 Nm of torque. A high-end direct drive wheel can generate up to 25 Nm.

The result of the larger torque band and direct-to-motor set-up means you can feel even the most subtle handling characteristics of individual vehicles. You’ll also feel intricate road and surface detail changes, inertia shifts when cornering and more. This high level of detail cannot be matched by a gear or belt-driven wheel.

Should you buy a direct drive wheel?

A direct drive wheel won’t necessarily make you a faster driver. It will however make you more consistent in the long run simply because a direct drive wheel is built to provide a more accurate and realistic steering simulation and feel.

direct drive racing wheel
With a direct drive wheel, you can easily detect understeer, oversteer and other handling outputs and as a result avoid mistakes or make faster corrections. A belt or gear drive wheel won’t provide the same level of detail and feedback.

Is a direct drive wheel compatible with PC and consoles?

The only direct drive wheels compatible with PlayStation and Xbox are developed by Fanatec. For the most part, direct drive wheels are compatible with PC only. So, when you’re shopping for a direct drive wheel, it’s important you ensure it is compatible with your chosen platform. You can see our full direct drive wheel range below.

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    Asetek Forte Direct Drive Wheelbase + Wheel Bundle
    Asetek Forte Direct Drive Wheelbase + Wheel Bundle
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    Asetek SimSports Asetek Forte Wheelbase + Wheel Bundle
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    Level up your sim racing with the Asetek Forte wheelbase and wheel bundle Complete your sim racing rig with the Asetek Forte bundle. The Forte ...

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    Moza Racing MOZA R12 Wheelbase
    $947.00
    $899.00
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    Dominate the virtual track with the MOZA R12 wheelbase Step up to the starting line with the MOZA R12 wheelbase and dominate every lap.  With 1...

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    Asetek SimSports Asetek Forte Bundle
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    Upgrade your racing simulator setup with the Asetek Forte bundle Complete your sim racing rig with the Asetek Forte bundle. The Forte direct dr...

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    Asetek SimSports Asetek Invicta Wheelbase
    $2,416.00
    $2,249.00
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    Transform your sim racing with the powerful Asetek Invicta wheelbase The Invicta direct drive wheelbase delivers silky-smooth and super respons...

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    $2,416.00
    $2,249.00
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    Asetek SimSports Asetek Forte Wheelbase
    $1,647.00
    $1,549.00
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    Level up your sim racing with the Asetek Forte wheelbase The Forte direct drive wheelbase delivers silky-smooth and super responsive feedback, ...

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    $1,647.00
    $1,549.00
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    Asetek SimSports Asetek Invicta Bundle
    from $4,299.00

    Upgrade your racing simulator setup with the Asetek Invicta bundle Complete your sim racing rig with the Asetek Invicta bundle. The Invicta dir...

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    Asetek SimSports Asetek La Prima Wheelbase
    $1,299.00
    $1,199.00
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    Start your sim racing journey with the Asetek La Prima direct drive wheelbase Kick off your sim racing adventure with the 12Nm La Prima direct ...

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    $1,299.00
    $1,199.00
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    Asetek SimSports Asetek La Prima Wheel Base + Wheel Bundle
    from $1,948.00
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    Master every virtual track with the Asetek La Prima wheel base + wheel bundle Complete your sim racing rig with the La Prima bundle from Asetek...

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    Asetek SimSports Asetek La Prima Bundle
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    Master every virtual track with the Asetek La Prima bundle Complete your sim racing rig with the La Prima bundle from Asetek. When Asetek set o...

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    MOZA Racing R3 Bundle image with wheelbase, wheel and pedals and table clamp
    MOZA Racing R3 Bundle image with wheelbase, wheel and pedals and table clamp
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    Moza Racing MOZA R3 Bundle
    $799.00
    $729.00
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    Say hello to the R3 - MOZA's first Xbox licensed sim racing bundle Kick your racing into high gear with the MOZA R3, the f...

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    $729.00
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    MOZA Racing R5 Bundle
    MOZA Racing R5 Bundle
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    Moza Racing MOZA R5 Bundle
    $899.00
    $829.00
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    Unleash your inner racer with the MOZA R5 bundle Step onto the track with the MOZA R5 bundle and feel the adrenaline of sim racing like never b...

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    Moza Racing MOZA R9 V2 Wheelbase
    $787.00
    $729.00
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    Race to win with the MOZA R9 V2 wheelbase Dive into the ultimate sim racing experience with the MOZA R9 V2, a wheelbase designed for those who ...

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    Moza Racing MOZA R9 V2 Bundle
    from $978.00
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    Level up your sim racing with the MOZA R9 bundle Dive into the ultimate sim racing experience with the MOZA R9 V2 wheelbase and wheel bundle.  ...

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    Moza Racing MOZA R12 Bundle
    from $1,148.00
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    Level up your sim racing with the MOZA R12 bundle Dive into the ultimate sim racing experience with the MOZA R12 wheelbase and wheel bundle.  O...

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    MOZA Racing R16 Direct Drive Wheelbase
    MOZA Racing R16 Direct Drive Wheelbase
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    Moza Racing MOZA R16 Wheelbase
    $1,779.00
    $1,699.00
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    Finish first with the MOZA R16 wheelbase Step into the future of sim racing with the MOZA R16, a marvel of engineering des...

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    $1,699.00
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    MOZA Racing R21 Direct Drive Wheelbase
    MOZA Racing R21 Direct Drive Wheelbase
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    Moza Racing MOZA R21 Wheelbase
    $2,087.00
    $1,999.00
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    Race to the chequered flag with the MOZA R21 wheelbase Step into the future of sim racing with the MOZA R21, a marvel of e...

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    $1,999.00
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    Moza Racing MOZA R9 V2 + CRP2 Pedals Bundle
    from $1,599.00

    Upgrade your sim setup with the MOZA R9 + CRP2 bundle Take your sim racing setup to the next level with the MOZA R9 wheelbase and CRP2 pedals b...

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    Moza Racing MOZA R12 + CRP2 Pedals Bundle
    from $1,799.00

    Upgrade your sim setup with the MOZA R12 + CRP2 bundle Take your sim racing setup to the next level with the MOZA R12 wheelbase and CRP2 pedals...

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