I am thinking about getting rid of my hatch and just getting a kart. I have heard that these are cheaper and the spec classes make for farily equal racing. I have been getting bored with the normal autox/track day stuff. What exactly is a must have? Is it really that much cheaper? I run at the kart tracks, here but those are 5hp karts. Just want some educated opinons. Thank you

 

Uhhh well I have been out of the karting game for a bit here but everything depends on your experience level and your pocket book. Karting can get expensive too!

If you never driven a real kart I would not suggest buying anything over 80cc for your first kart. There is a pretty good learning curve to driving karts they do not drive like a car.
I am assuming you want a shifter although there are TAG karts (touch and go)
They are more a less an automatic but still offer a good time, and performance.

I have known even some seasoned racers who have shyed away from a 125 cc shifter after taking one out for a spin. Bottom line on these karts is they are devilishly fast and require more skill to drive them.

Mario_D is the board Kartmaster and currently races out here in Cali.
He can give you a better 411 since I have been out of the loop for a bit on what to start out with ,and guide you in the right direction.

 

Thanks. I was thinking more along the lines of an 80-100cc nothing shifter. Every story that I have heard of an individual getting a 125cc shifter as their first resulted in them selling for a smaller kart. I am just trying to keep costs down and fun up. My car isn't really street legal so it has to be towed, I have to have a truck capable of towing it and a trailer in which to tow the car, and gas for both vehicles, tires etc. I think the kart will be expensive intially but will later result in it being cheaper down the road.

 

I'm in the same boat. I've been doing Sykart here in Washington for a little while now but with Pacific Raceways opening up a new kart track in the near future, I'd like a bit more info on how to get started and what a good route would be if I wanted to do some wheel to wheel karting.

 

-three words....

Rotax Direct-Drive.


-its a 125cc mated a 2 speed gearbox....no chains, no clutch, no shifter(paddles). anything less than a 100cc is going to be boring on long courses, over 1 mile. do you have a good outdoor facility? one that is open to public for open sessions?

-costs for equipment are generally moot, the cost to RUN the equipment can become just as expensive as a weekend racing car. i know of several tracks that have open test days once a week, while the rest of the week is closed for instruction/rentals/practice for drivers in a series. the costs for one day were almost $250 for the day, granted they had shop space and concessions. shop around and more than one location is needed, it gets boring running the same facility/same track layout over and over and over, week after week....

 

Here in portland, Pats Acres and McMinville would be your best bets. Check out the forums and all the info at portlandkarting.com