Brian, I'm not sure of how to take that. LOL

mini, if you gear the 9XL for the same speed as the 8XL, it's going to pull just as much current and will likely still get hot. Personally, I like the 9XL. You get more of a practical gearing range, IMO.

As for the runtime, that doesn't just depend on the batteries. Depending on your driving style and climate, you may very well be having to take a break so that the motor can cool long before the batts go dead.

Also, turning the epa down on the throttle might not be a good idea, again depending on your setup. If you have to turn it down to 50%, the esc might over heat. The esc runs at its greatest efficiency when at full throttle. If you never hit full throttle, it will never see this. It's usually best to setup and gear so that you will be hitting full throttle at least some of the time.