If you've read our garage page you'll have seen two stations: the ROOKIE (a gear-driven PXN wheel) and the PODIUM (a direct-drive MOZA). That phrase — direct drive — is the single biggest factor in how a sim wheel feels. Here's what it means without the jargon.
Gear-driven: the motor talks through gears
In a gear- or belt-driven wheel, a small motor sends force to the wheel through a set of gears or a belt. It works well and it's how most affordable wheels are built. The trade-off is a little bit of notchiness and a slight softening of the finest details — like hearing music through a good but not great speaker.
Direct drive: the motor is the wheel
In a direct-drive wheel, the wheel is bolted straight onto a powerful motor — no gears, no belt in between. Every input the game generates reaches your hands unfiltered: the exact moment a tyre locks, the texture of a kerb, the weight loading up mid-corner. It's stronger and dramatically more detailed. Once you've felt it, a gear-driven wheel feels like it's whispering by comparison.
Which should you drive?
- First time on a sim? Start on the ROOKIE — it's friendlier and has an H-pattern shifter and clutch to learn manual gears on.
- Chasing lap times or want the real thing? The PODIUM's direct drive is where the serious runs happen and the leaderboard gets decided.
- Not sure? Do both in one visit and feel the difference for yourself.
Both rigs live at our lounge in Guindy, Chennai. Check the pricing to plan a stint, or the game library to pick what you'll drive first.