so ive been flying whoops and a prebuilt toothpick for about a year now and i think im ready to do a proper 5 inch build. the problem is every time i start reading about motor kv i end up going down a rabbit hole and coming out more confused than when i started.

my plan is mostly freestyle, maybe the occasional race with friends but nothing serious. i was looking at 2306 or 2207 stators, and from what i can tell 1750-1950kv on 4s is the sweet spot for freestyle but then someone on reddit said just go 6s and get lower kv motors and honestly now i have no idea. budget isnt huge, probably trying to keep motors under $80 total for the set.

also havent picked a frame yet. was eyeing the TBS Source One mostly because its cheap and replaceable but open to other suggestions. running Betaflight obviously, probably gonna grab a used FC stack if i can find one locally.

for what you're describing honestly just stay on 4s for your first proper build, the 1800-1950kv range on a 2306 is totally fine for freestyle and you wont be fighting the tune as much when youre still dialing things in. 6s is great but the ESC requirements get pricier and if you crash and burn something its a more expensive lesson.

motors under $80 for a set is doable, look at Xing2 2306 or the Emax Eco 2306, both punch well above their price. Source One is fine, a bit flexy but people tune around it all the time. if you can stretch a little the ImpulseRC Apex or even a used Armattan frame holds up way better on crashes and the arm replacements arent that bad cost wise.

biggest thing people sleep on for first builds is spending a little more on a decent VTX and camera combo instead of dumping everything into motors. bad video feed makes flying so much more frustrating than slightly less punchy motors.

i did almost the exact same build last spring, Source One with some budget motors and it was fine to learn on tbh. my only regret was going cheap on the ESC stack, had a FET blow after like 3 months and replacing it was almost as much as just buying a better stack to begin with so maybe factor that in.