Newbie! Lotsa questions!

[BoulderG]

I’m very interested in Karting. Lotsa questions…
I’ve done autocrossing, track days, time trials, etc. Most recently in a turbo Miata. Karting is attractive because of high fun factor, relatively low cost, and easy access to Erie and Bandimere. I’m in Boulder.

Shifter Karts seem incredibly cool, but do other classes have cheaper entry and easier learning curve that would be better for a first year?

I’m 180 lbs, 6’1″, 34-36″ waist, 40 years old. I want to have fun and be competitive, but I’m unlikely to spend enough or work hard enough to win (too many other fun things to do!).

Any great resources for picking a class, etc., and for information on the local scene? Lotsa good web activity about the different classes, but I’m looking to see what is happening locally.

Also, I may have a line on a used Kart. Any good resources or pointers on how to buy a used Kart? I know cars, but not Karts. How do I know what kind of Kart I am looking at?

Where to get a Kart suit and rib protector, etc., locally?

Thanks in advance… BoulderG

[Doug Welch]

Welcome to the funny farm. Karting is way cool and with you being what we call a “Master”, you won’t find a better nor more fun loving group in karting. For new karters and others who just want to go fast without speding the kids inheritance, TaG offers the best bang for the effort.

In Tag, the intent of the engines are to be low maintenance yet high performance. At your weight, you can use any of the Tag packages and be competitive. The Rotax is king of the 2 cycles when it comes to low maintenance closely followed by the Leopard. The 4 cycle Biland is also very low maintenance. The main advantage of hte Rotax is that you can run either Tag or RMax Challenge races. All the others you can only run Tag. Do a quick search of Rotax Challenge and you will see what I mean.

Shifters are without the bad boys. They are great fun to drive and the thrill can’t be beat. They do require significantly more maintenance. While running a top flight ICc engine is not forhte budget racer, a rgowing class is stock moto. The engines a basically stock 125 Honda engines and they last all season with little or no maintenance.

Tag karts will set you back $5,000 to $6,500 new while shifters go from $6,500 to $12,000 for all the best bells and whistles. Used Tag karts can be had for as little as $3,000 to $4,000, sometimes less. Shifters start usually around $3,500 and go up from there.

When looking at a used kart, look at the underside. There will always be flat spoting of the tubes but excessive flat spoting means the kart frame is worn out. One of the best sources of karts is right here on this site. The classifieds often feature good karts at fair prices.

Feel free to give us a call and we will try to get you pointed in the right direction. 303-781-7829

[Anonymous]

Boulder G,

Welcome to Colorado Karting.

I suggest:

*do a search on this website as to “newbie” or “new karter”

*do the same search on e-karting news forms (General discussion, Rotax and TAG); a lot of infor here

*get a mentor and you will come up to speed much faster

*Doug is great source of info above

I was out practicing today at IMI for the 2006 season, while all the Tag Masters are done for the year. 8)

Mike, you better get on the ball you still owe the Masters 120 laps before the start of the 2006 season! :argue

[Mike Jansen]

Hey Rich,

I am at the gym 4-5 days a week getting back to the shape I was in 2004 so there. Then perhaps I can handle those missed laps at speed!

Kart is down to the frame right now and going over all nuts and bolts. Engine checkout comes next weekend so be gentle, I’ll be out there soon!

And I’m keeping away from the junk food Ben!

[BoulderG]

Wow! I’d like to say thank you to everyone who responded – the posts, PMs, and EMails offered great information, opinions, and resources. Very encouraging!

One of the things I’ve loved about car motorsports is the camaraderie and support. It sure looks like Karting in Colorado has all of that, too!

Now, to decide which class to run:
TaG Rotax? Stock moto? RMax Challenge? EasyKarts?
It seems wise to start more modestly.

Thanks everyone for the info, and I look forward to learning lots and lots more.

BoulderG

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