go kart help?
I'm considering racing go karts. I'm 15 and wondering what a good beginner kart costs. Where to buy them (online) and what cart. I don't want a shifte...
I’m considering racing go karts. I’m 15 and wondering what a good beginner kart costs. Where to buy them (online) and what cart. I don’t want a shifter kart yet.
The place i want to become a member at is Motorsports Club Of Cincinnati. I asked the owner what a good begginer cart is. Here is his answer.
As far as karts, we (MCC) are a dealer for CRG. This means that we can
sell any new CRG karts, from beginner up to six speed shifters. If you
are looking for something used to begin, then I cannot sell that to you,
but I am certainly happy to discuss and help you into the right direction.
A new beginner kart from MCC will run about ,000. If you are looking
for something used, and would like to talk about it, just let me know.
6,000 IS THAT NORMAL???
Yeah, $6000 is about right.
Now, that is just for the kart.
There is so much more to getting started and you need to be certain before you invest. Aside from a kart consider you need a trailer to haul it to races, which, since you are yet 15 will need you to ask your dad or mom to help; and of course the car will need a tow hitch added if it doesn’t already have one. A decent covered trailer (which you will want to go to races) will almost set you back as much as the kart.
Then you need a helmet, shoes, gloves, overalls, rib protector (not sure if they are mandatory, but I recommend them…), and a neck protector as well.
For a season you will want new tyres for each event, for serious racing you might even want a spare engine, and of course you will also need to have spare sets of wheels (one of them mounted with rain tyres in case of rain). Along the way you will need to have your kart maintained so that it is in top condition.
You can see where I am going. You can spend A LOT of money on this. And I haven’t even mentioned that you will want to be out there practicing as much as you can be, so there will be more sets of tyres, more gas, more maintenance.
I say this not to discourage, but to inform.
Now, if you are not sure about everything, go talk to the guy. Most karting centers offer driver training and during that you will be able to borrow their stuff and use a racing kart. This is a small investment that could help you decide if you want to race or not. Also, look around for someone who might be willing to share their kart (with you of course paying expenses) so you can get some experience in one without putting out a lot of money. Lets face it, if you buy a set of tyres and a few tanks of gas, and decide you don’t want to do it, you haven’t blown much. And if you decide you love it, well, then off you go.
You could start with either a Honda (the "lawnmower" engines), or a Rotax. The latter have a lot more HP, and also cost more to maintain.
Anyway, I hope this is of some help to you.
RP
That’s about right for a new, race ready Kart. You are best off to go hang out at the track during a few race weekends and see what is available used. With a used Kart you can usually get spare parts, pit carts, tools, tires, etc. These things add up quickly if you buy them new, but the are necessary to go racing. There are always good used Karts on the market. Certainly not to discourage you, but in racing speed costs money. Not to mention the fact that things are going to break, you’ll have enrty and pit fees to pay, tires to buy, etc. Racing is expensive at every level, so be prepared. Good luck, I hope you find a way to go racing.
David
http://www.freemanracing.com
First off, forget the Motorsports Country Club. I’m sure it’s nice, but it’s an outrageously expensive place to play for the rich.
Visit http://www.ovka.com This is the home club of G & J Kartway in Camden, Oh and the home to many Cincy-area karters. Be sure to click on the FAQ’s.
You can get into a good used kart complete for around $2400, maybe less if you buy over the winter. The season is coming to an end and the deals are starting now. There’s karts available on the OVKA site and elsewhere, check the classifieds section there. Figure about $500 for a racing suit, ribvest, helmet, gloves, and neck brace.
I highly recommend starting with a Yamaha KT100 can kart. The most common chassis in our area are Arrow, Energy, Birel, Margay.
You don’t have to have a trailer starting out, many of us started out of the back of a pickup truck or van.
I highly recommend you come to a race. We will be racing Sept. 9 & 16th in Camden, then the season is over. $8.00 will get you into the pits, where you’ll find tons of wonderful helpful people.
Email me if you want more info, I’d love to help you get started with a great club! We’ve been members for 3 years, my husband and I and our 11 year old son all race. I’ll point you to the kart shops in our area (don’t buy a kart online until you are educated about them and then only from someone local!!!)