Thanks for the feedback, guys! I think what I’m looking for is just a bunch of cheap laps. I have no illusions of being competitive, nor do I have the time to make a commitment to running a season’s worth of races. (Twin 3 year old boys tend to suck up a LOT of time!) Could the kids eventually have a future in the sport? Wouldn’t be the WORST thing to happen! 😀
So far, I’ve liked the 4 stroke motor at Bandimere for the torque out of the corners, but I can’t honestly say I gave the leopard a fair test (due to rain). The rentals at IMI were a hoot (IIRC, there were maybe thee corners where I had to lift off the throttle), but again, I’m still working with carts that I don’t fit very well in.
Further, since I don’t plan on being competitive, I don’t plan on falling into the racing through pocketbook trap. Hey, if I’m turning better and better times against myself, and the kart is responding to my tuning, I’m happy.
I’ve been shying away from the sealed motor as I like wrenching on stuff. I’v also heard that a motor’ll go 65-70 hours before a teardown, with headwork at half that interval, but I haven’t heard what those costs are…anybody got a ballpark?
All this said, I’ve got a sizeable financial commitment or two I’ve gotta handle before taking the leap. Which means this is the fact-finding phase of the hobbby…but I’d much rather wear out a kart’s parts than my hotrods’!