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Hello im looking into getting into karting and i dont really know alot about this stuff so i was wondering what would be a good kart to start with and maybe letting me know things that you guys think i should know. Also ive been looking a little at karts and whats the diff between the karts with the radiators on the side and the karts with out them?
lol sorry about that i didnt even think of that ill be 29 in june
Ah, where to begin… Where are you located, so we can give you info appropriate to your area? How mechanically-minded are you? Are you willing to turn some wrenches? Do you have prior motorsport experience, or maybe rode motorcycles in a prior life? Info like this will help us offer suggestions without wasting your time or insulting your intelligence! š
Have you visited and/or driven rentals at the local tracks (see list of links on home page) yet? You can learn a lot by hanging out at the track, and rentals give you at least a small taste of what the action is like. Get to know the local shops, too, to see what they sell and service and to learn what to look for in terms of mechanical bits. You missed a great series of seminars put on last winter by Doug at Shockwave in Arvada.
If you’re starting from square zero, get proficient in the rentals first, then if you’re really hungering for more after that, take the plunge and get a used kart, then get out to the track whenever you can to get seat time. Some people start club racing right away, others (like me) do lots of Test & Tune sessions to try to get lower (and CONSISTENT) lap times.
Everyone will have his own opinion of what class you should enter. Personally, I think the TaG (Touch and Go) single-speed, electric-start karts are a smart place to begin, and this type of kart you can pretty much operate and service solo (my pregnant wife hasn’t expressed a desire to work on the kart). There’s enough to learn without having to worry about shifting, and you learn to carry speed through corners when you don’t have the option to grab a lower gear. Whatever you do, hang out at the tracks, ask lots of questions, and you’ll get a sense of what constitutes a good deal on a used kart. I lucked out and found a great deal on a used Rotax TaG package that serves me quite well. Ownership costs are a world apart from just doing rentals every so often, but a racing kart offers a lot more smiles per mile.
As with other esoteric endeavors, you’ll get out of karting what you put into it, and it takes a lot of self-motivation. I haven’t regretted for a moment getting my own kart, but for me half the fun seems to be working on it. These are not low-maintenance toys! I enjoyed my Saturday morning overhauling my brake caliper, but had a blast at Centennial today. I guess the “afterglow” from that session is what compelled me to write this novel…
Well i live in Ft Collins and yes i am willing to turn some wrenchs and i ride a sportbike and a dirtbike and also drive Nitro RC cars. I have been out to IMI and talked to ppl about karting and got some info and plan on going to watch some races here soon coming up in june and no i have not got a chance to drive a kart
AS Garrick pointed out, a Tag kart is the best place to start. Which engine package is really that important starting out. We could go on and on about which is “best”. One thing that is critical is that you understand that karting is not nearly as simple as it appears. Learning how to drive a kart quickly takes time. You will need assistance. Come to the races, go to the shops, ask a ton of questions. Listen to the answers a bit sceptically. Take your time.
If you think you’re not sure about the sport, a used kart maybe the best choice. But remember, a used $3,500 kart can quickly cost as much as a new if there are problems. Also, be realistic about your budget. If you have barely enough money to buy a used kart, you most likely don’t have enough to race it. Racing, even a go kart, takes time and money. If you do your own work, you will need at least 2 to 3 hours off track for every hour on track.
One huge advantage to buying new is the support you get after the sale. Left to your own skills, it may take a year or two to learn how to drive quickly. With the help of a shop, that time frame can be shortened significantly. While a new kart is expensive, the mistakes you will make on your own are more so.
Ok so if im looking at getting a used kart what stuff should i be looking for on my first kart? ive looked around but theres aot of diff stuff and alot of diff prices and i ive seen alot of diff engines and not really sure which one would be the one for me and i want somthing that will good enuff for racing after i get practice in.
@Franco wrote:
…and i want somthing that will good enuff for racing after i get practice in.
That depends on what classes are offered at the track(s) where you would be racing. You’d need to buy a kart that was capable of meeting the class requirements. If you’re looking at TAG, then basically you have a handful of engines from which to choose (go to tagracing.net for the complete list… the Parilla Leopard and Rotax FR125 are the most common in these parts, with some Motori Sevens and PRD Fireballs as well, plus there’s a lot of talk about the new crop of 4-stroke TAG engines), and the tech rules for club racing and the CSC are at coloradokartracing.com. The bigger task is getting the driver/mechanic “good enuff for racing.”
The trick about telling you “what to look for” is that every kart is a slightly different package. My advice would be to get whatever fits your budget and learn how to drive and maintain it. Many modern chassis have most of their basic features in common. The main thing is to avoid getting an “ugly duckling” chassis that you can’t get certain parts for, but there are a lot of parts that are pretty much interchangeable. You’d probably want a 50 mm axle. You’d probably have to replace some parts off the bat, like the chain and sprockets, and find a seat that fits you.
Karts were meant to be driven hard, and no two used karts have the same history. Even a new-looking, shiny kart can be crashed or bent. On a used kart, look for cracked welds, tubing that’s flat-spotted on the bottom or bent, and signs of neglect. Pick up the front end of the kart by the center of the front bumper, and the front tires should lift off the ground at about the same time if the chassis isn’t twisted. Spin the rear axle to see if it turns smoothly (binding could indicate a bent axle or toasted bearings). See if the seller would be willing to meet you at the track for a test drive… At the very least he should start the engine for you!
There are plenty of n00bs besides me who have gone through this exercise recently and posted questions here. You’ll need a means for transporting a kart, tools, spares, safety equipment, the list goes on and on. Still, for getting into honest-to-goodness 4-wheeled motorsport, karting has got to be the best bang for the buck.
Well i would be driving at IMI and probably the The Track and are what are the diff prices of tag engines? what would be the best one to get all the way to the lowest end one? I want to get a good kart but dont want to go broke buying one anf then i dont want to get one thats crap you know so i guess what im asking is maybe a list of what karts to get and then not to get and i have looked up this stuff but you guys know aot more on whats good and whats not
The outlaw class is a great way to get into karting because it is cheaper than tag and it is fun. I started in the outlaw class with a yamaha kt100 but there are some other engines in the class as well, such as briggs and the tkm.
Do they race at imi? what is the price diff and how fast do they go?
yes the outlaw class does race at imi. They will do about a 1minute lap compared to a tag wich will do a 0:55 or a 0:54 second lap. Yamaha kt100s are about a $1000-$2500 kart but the engine alone is about $750. My Margay chassis with out a motor is at imi right now for $900. It has a 35mm axel and worked great with a yamaha kt100. Compared to a tag wich is about a $3000-$5000 kart. A new tag motor is about $2900. I have found that there are a lot of tags in the $4000 range ready to race.
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/464/0/home.aspx
that is the yamaha kt100 page
If you chose to buy a yamaha kt100 new there will be some changes you will need to make such as the pipe and clutch.thanks
fletcherI stoped off today and looked at a couple diff karts one was the tag kart $3000 (Leopard) and the other was the outlaw $1400 obo (Margay kt100) and in the long run how is the maintenance between the 2 going to be? how often do you have to work on the outlaw compared to the tag and what would the price cost be for parts between the 2
@Franco wrote:
I stoped off today and looked at a couple diff karts one was the tag kart $3000 (Leopard) and the other was the outlaw $1400 obo (Margay kt100) and in the long run how is the maintenance between the 2 going to be? how often do you have to work on the outlaw compared to the tag and what would the price cost be for parts between the 2
You do have to work on the outlaw more. The yamaha kt100 does not last as long as the leopard but rebuilds are usualy cheaper. My yamaha kt100 would last about 6-8 hours compared to my leopard wich will last about 18-20 hours before i need it rebuilt. However my outlaw kart was very old and had been sitting for ten years before i bought it. The other thing i had to work on a lot on the yamaha kt100 was the clutch. I had an L&t wet clutch and I would have to fill it up with clutch oil after every testing or race day. On my leopard there is a dry clutch and i have not had to do much work to it. On the other hand tires do not last near as long on the tag.My kt100 would be done with a set of tires after about 140-150 laps. My tag is done with tires after about 80 laps. I would usually buy tires new. The tag also uses a lot more gas.
thanks
fletcher
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