Best Go kart?

[Blade]

Well its time i take up a weekend hobby, so i dont have to listen to mum whinge

So ive decided to take up go karting. I need to purchase the best go kart for around 3 to 5k...one which will rape anything...like the GTR of nissans or the V one S of Rc cars. Has to be club spec, because i want to race against others in comps.

I need something which has an awesome reputation and can backit up with blistering performance on the track.

Im not sure on cc's maybe 100 to 125? wats the most common for races?

Also is it better to import one from japan :jk: or buy one 2nd hand or brand new from a reputable dealer?

So any advice would be a great help

[[ABU53]]

Blade, before you go out and buy this 'fully sik' go-kart i suggest you contact the Australian Karting Association first.

Racing is split up into classes. Therefore, all engines must be of the same displacement and usually, the same make.

The Clubman class is probably the best for new drivers.

The costs involved with this class are relatively low but remember, while Go-karting is one of the cheapest forms of motorsport it isn't actually cheap.....

As for a chasis, there are many good makes out there but I would suggest looking at either a Tony Kart, Arrow or a Mike Wilson.

Good luck mate.

[TIMMMAYYY]

The V One S is the cheap version.... there's a few RC Cars better then that out there

[Muz]

Mate, As ABU53 has said, check out some kart meets before you go and spend your dollars. There is a hell of a lot more to it than what you see on the surface. Your best bet is to get into a sealed engine class although I'm not too sure if there is such a thing anymore.

I used to race Rotax 125's and thought it was a great formula but like everything the cheats got involved and ruined the class. If you want to be competitive in Karting it all takes dollars and not a little skill as well. Most classes are governed by weight limits and it is really amazing how much can be gained by shedding (or adding) kilos.

Then you have kart setup which is a bloody science all to itself. Tyre pressure, axle size, axle stiffness, KPI, Camber/Castor, age of your axle bearings, position of your seat, roll bar stiffness. pods tight or loose Ahhhhhhhh used to drive me bloody crazy. Great fun if your content to be a midfielder but bloody frustrating if you want to run up front with the big boys.

Oh yes and don't forget you will need a trailer, quikerect sunshade, race day fees, club joining fees, AKA fees, all the mandatory driving gear and heaps of money for consumables like chains, sprockets, plugs, fuel, oil and tyres and on and on and on. You will probably need some sort of Data logger like an Alfano or similar to record all those splits etc. Oops speaking of splits, almost forgot about the engine rebuilds ummmmm costly buggers they are. And don't let anyone tell you that racing J's or Clubman is cheap either. If you really must do this then buy a good chassis like an Arrow AX-8 that will allow you to do a couple of classes.

So your 3-5 grand for the first year has just become 10 grand in no time at all.

I had a ball but I could have brought an R33 GTR with what I spent on karting.

Muz

Well its time i take up a weekend hobby, so i dont have to listen to mum whinge    

So ive decided to take up go karting. I need to purchase the best go kart for around 3 to 5k...one which will rape anything...like the GTR of nissans or the V one S of Rc cars. Has to be club spec, because i want to race against others in comps.

I need something which has an awesome reputation and can backit up with blistering performance on the track.

Im not sure on cc's maybe 100 to 125? wats the most common for races?

Also is it better to import one from japan  :jk:  or buy one 2nd hand or brand new from a reputable dealer?

So any advice would be a great help

[Blade]

Yeap,

Thanks for the advice guys - Muz and Abuse. and Timmay i was only using the v one s as a metaphor if thats the correct terminology...for starters the v one r is better in the kyosho range lol.

I have heard of Mike Wilson karts before.

Repairing etc is not a problem, as my g'pa = mechanic (sure hell know how to fix a kart when crashed ), he and my dad suggested i get into the sport now that i can afford to have my own kart and pay for running costs, ive always been interested...just never knew what "brand" kart was reputable

Ill take your advice and definately call karting australia tomorrow in regards to the specs and classes etc

And i realise its not a cheap sport lol, but its better i race on the track and leave my car in the garage for the dyno only

The only thing offputting me when i was younger was the price....$45 for 45 minutes lol...but now i can afford to purchase my own kart and run it

Id rather hammer around a race track, and get it all out of my system every weekend then sit in front of the tv and go to drags at night etc

for the info guys much appreciated

[red900ss]

...

... now that i can afford to have my own kart and pay for running costs, ive always been interested...just never knew what "brand" kart was reputable  

Ill take your advice and definately call karting australia tomorrow in regards to the specs and classes etc

And i realise its not a cheap sport lol, but its better i race on the track and leave my car in the garage for the dyno only

Id rather hammer around a race track, and get it all out of my system every weekend then sit in front of the tv and go to drags at night etc

...

Do it Blade.

Research is your friend. When you decide which class to get into look around for a good second hand package. Trailer, kart, spares etc. Let someone else pay for the depreciation.

[NRB]

I spent a day in a Rotax125 and I was very impressed. Electric start, auto clutch, watercooled, nice and quick too. Best kart I've ever been in, and probably the kart I'd buy. I'll eventually get around to buying one and (socially) racing it.

[GTRgeoff]

Rotax is the answer, what was the question? The class is not completely chockers yet. I looked into getting back into karts but a meet would run from 0700 to 1900 and you spent all day just waiting.

Try some quick ones at Somerton. If not raining I may be there tonight to catch up with kevwrx from the skidpan sessions.

Look at the DPE site as well http://www.dpeng.com.au/Arrow_Karts.html

If you want really fast go 250cc superkarts that race on the big tracks like PI and Winton

[NRB]

What's on at Somerton today? What time?

[GTRgeoff]

Somerton track just north of truck city on the east (Inbound) side. They have J class and S class hire karts that are good fun and faster than anything else for hire in Melb. Kev is usually there with his own kart as they allow private users on.

No idea of time. I'll PM Kev to see.

[drifto]

What Murray Said!

You could be in the best KART in the world but a bloke who knows how to set one up and actually drive will make you look silly!

Good Luck anyway

[franks]

i've just come back from my first go-kart "racing" experience and it was really fun & competitive!!!

2 of my friends have bought karts but are now in the process of selling them because they have hooked up with this competition Aaron McGill runs (and him and his 2 sons also compete in) down at Kembla Grange, NSW every 6 weeks or so.....(sorry for the non NSW subscribers interested in this)

the format is as follows:

* 3 people per team, the race track facilities supplies the go-kart and overalls/helmet where need be.

* each team member gets a 10 minute qualifyer

* each team member races a 20 lap race in the position they qualified for, but being a team event, the 3rd race is in reverse order startup.

* the team does a 1 hour enduro where every 10 mins there is a mandatory driver change.

* there is a team and individual driver points system.

* each week trophies and prizes

they are looking for new teams, currently there are 9 teams committed but obviously more would make it more interesting

total cost per team per race is $270. so for a team of 3 its $90 per head.

top way to spend the night out! racing starts at about 6:30pm and finishes up at around 10:00pm, lots of fun racing

[HKS-R33]

hey blade, one of your best options for a chassis would probably be a arrow ax8, and a rotax 125 for an engine. I used to have a 100s air cooled, then a 100s watercooled...but u have to many problems with em. With the rotax 125 you dont have to adjust fuel mixtures or anything. A rotax might cost u more but in the end u'll probably save yourself money from not having to rebuild the 100s and plus the rotax is way more fun to drive. If your considering racing u should think about joining Geelong kart club, they're one of the better clubs around vic.

[GTRgeoff]

This may be of interest from the latest Race Car Engineering magazine

http://geoffwill.ozforces.com.au/Kart - RC Engineering.pdf

[MegaGTS4]

Funny you should ask for the "one that will rape anything" and the "GTR of nissan's", well here it is:

Its 14mb but well worth a download if your into gocarts.

Its the Gixxerkart!!!! Drifting anyone......

http://dfm.nathue.dk/bogsxr/gsxR1100%20gocart.wmv

Though I don't think they would let you race others with this one.

MEGA

[Serious-Seven]

Kart of KARTS ?

ROTAX 125 ARROW AX8 125 .

if you look hard you can prob get one for around 6k. there is a few models of the AX* 125cc ROtAX.

check out www.arrowkarts.com

[Serious-Seven]

Funny you should ask for the "one that will rape anything" and the "GTR of nissan's", well here it is:

Its 14mb but well worth a download if your into gocarts.

Its the Gixxerkart!!!!  Drifting anyone......

http://dfm.nathue.dk/bogsxr/gsxR1100%20gocart.wmv

Though I don't think they would let you race others with this one.

MEGA

thats not a kart lol...

the handling is not as good as a proper race kart. and im sure around a track a ax8 125 would destroy it around the bends etc

[MegaGTS4]

Yes it is a bit of a handful in the corners I agree, but with 6 gears and a nearly equal power to weight ratio (not including the driver) it's a monster on the straights and the top speed would make the ax8 125 look like its going backwards.

MEGA

[kevwrx]

Yes it is a bit of a handful in the corners I agree, but with 6 gears and a nearly equal power to weight ratio (not including the driver) it's a monster on the straights and the top speed would make the ax8 125 look like its going backwards.

MEGA

I used to race in Rotax Max Class, the only frustrating thing about the 125 Max engine is that it has absolutely no low down power, and they are so heavy that it's like driving a truck. Much happier with my Rotax Rotary, heaps of power, little on the tempremental side though.

[barbs]

I stopped racing last year. But I have Raced in J (10HP) ,S (15HP) , Rotax (25-30HP) Powered karts and I would recommend the J 4 a beginner who really wants two hone his driving skill to the enth degree, It is the least powerful of the three mentioned but it is also the cheapest to perches and the cheapest to run. You could do for a S but it is almost a J motor but at a much higher state of tune and needs rebuilds more often. The Rotax is the cream of the crop having completely CNC machined boors and having an exhaust valve. 4 what you can pick up a complete Kart and J you can get a new Rotax engine (only). And to make things more complicated there are two series of Rotax Engines, The later one being Far superior. If you wont good Advice Call Brian Kelleher @ Stable Karting & Engineering (02 62140446) A Rotay being Driven by Brian I like Watching F1.