Greetings! New family getting in to Karting!

ZeroClient

New member
Hello, Name is Eric. I have 5 kids. 3 boys and 2 girls. Ages are 1 through 7. My 5 year old is ready for karting! I think my 7 year old might try it out for fun also, and the 3-year old, well we shall see. Its my 5 year old boy who has the nack for it. He has been riding bicycles since he was 2 without training wheels, and has more recently been in love with a very old beat up Razor Krazy Kart! He's really fast on it, can drive it sideways and is pretty much always on the charger ready for him just about every day. We also play Mario Kart on the SNES and the kids are getting the new Mario Kart on Switch for Christmas. The kids love going to the local dirt track to watch the races, and my 5-year old absolutely wants to be a race car driver when he grows up.. Why wait?

Last week I purchased a slightly used very nice condition Birel B25 Kid Kart with a Comer C51 engine. Everything looks great. Engine started first pull and the tires look practically new. Along with it, I got him a new Vega Snell K2010 helmet, neck brace, shoulder/torso brace, gloves, and a 1-piece race suit. Still need shoes - I'm guessing small high-top wrestling shoes should be perfect. I also have a larger kid/cadet seat, spare clutch, and spare 2-stroke oil.

The one thing this kart is lacking is in the "short leg" department. The pedals are all the way forward. There are mounts to push them about 4" back but that causes feet position interference with the steering components. My 5-year guy is only 43" and so pedal position just isn't going to work out on this kart next season.

To solve the issue, I purchased a Noonan Kid Kart Foot Box, which by the pictures looks to be very nice - from having a heal slot for better control, and lots of adjustable positioning for any/all short little ones. Hope I'm right.

While I have my 'own' power toys (Dirtbikes, street bike, ATVs, FL350r, FL400 dune buggies, jetskis) - I plan on making Karting all about the family first. I don't even intend on buying my own kart at this point in time... I need to see/feel how the little one<s> and the wife like it. More on that, my wife says I'll need to start the little dudes out slow IE limiting the throttle for about 10mph at first.


Also, I'm very inept and in-tune with building 2-strokes, rebuilding and tuning carbs etc. I've rebuilt dozens of 2-stroke engines over the years - from 30cc lawnmower engines to 1200cc power valve triples. The craziest engine I have is a Twin 850cc stock stroke DASA 2-stroke jetski motor probably putting out about 140hp.
 
You'll need all your experience to keep the Comer running. ;)
 
Ha. Lets hope not. The motor passed pressure test and pulls 160psi of compression. Carb is clean and ready to go. Gas, oil, spark plugs, and go. Maybe next age group we'll get something more modern like a Briggs LO206. The comer looks to be my simplest 2-stroke engine in the stable.
 
i race with my kids & grand kids. My brother has never driven a racing kart, but he takes his kids to the track and tells them what he thinks they are doing wrong. i tell him to get in the kart, and show them how's it's done.
 
Kart have to be setup, caster, camber, cross, tire compounds, VGC, both mechanical and dynamic weight transfer, etc
We dont just buy them throw them down jump in and win, we spend hours on the scales adjusting and tweaking, until we achieve faster lap times than the rest of the field.
And the Comer? you do know some parents spend thousands on just that engine?
Jimbo was right above.
I think you're in for a big surprise, karting is way more than big horsepower, and being able to ride a play kart sideway, you have a set of rules to go by for every part of the chassis and engine.
You have alot to learn.
 
Don't worry about all the naysayers just yet.
Yes, the Comer is an overpriced weed trimmer motor - we all know that.
Parents and builders cheat them up to the moon - we all know that.
Yes, chassis tuning is paramount to big horsepower - we all know that.
No one mentioned tires? - Just wait!

For sprint racing, you'll be just fine to go out and start making laps.
The Comer fouls plugs readily and is tuned with different mixes of oil. It's quirky, but learnable.
Team up with another parent in the class that has some experience. That'll be the best advice.
Start getting laps. LOTS of them!
Take advantage of every practice day you can get to.
Practice laps are CHEAP schooling.
After making enough laps that he's using full throttle...then ff you have the means, you may want to get hooked up with a driving coach. Most tracks have one or can recommend one.

I'll agree that as soon as you can, you'll want to move to an L206 class -- unfortunately, not all tracks offer it.

For now, make lots of laps, learn, and enjoy time with your family.
Speed will come later.


-----
Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cutz
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com
Carlson Motorsports on Facebook
29 years of service to the karting industry
Linden, IN
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com

Again, one afternoon spent with a good instructor can be
 
Briggs LO 206 about 1/3 that price and they run forever.
 
And the same motor can be used for kid karting through adults with just a change of a $20 slide.
 
We run ours for two seasons without a refresh and took championships both years. Use ethanol free fuel, R50 Klotz at 40:1 and keep clean air filters on it. We occasionally messed with plug heat ranges and carb clocking to help with performance in different air but all in all it is great fun and super reliable.
 
your main focus will be getting your driver comfortable behind the wheel and hooked up (but not to hooked up) then getting him/her to realize lifting is not an option. head on a swivel and plan your next move a turn before. momentum is king and will win you lots of races
 
Appreciate the advice guys! On this Birel B25, I'm not too sure things like camber/caster are adjustable. Seems components are hard fixed to the frame. Unless I change our spindles I'm really not sure how thats done. Now, Toe adjustment is easy.

THis kart came from a racing family before us. Not to say the kart is ready to race, no thats not what I'm saying... but I do believe the previous owners knew what they were doing as they had 3 karts.


Can anyone recommend any books on Karting?


Funny someone mentioned Klotz R50 at 40:1. I run exactly that in ALL my 2-strokes.


Also most of my club seems to be running with Briggs at this point. If we decide Karting is for us after the first ~season, an LO206 kart will be the next big purchase for us.
 
The briggs is faster and soooo much less hassle but just get him out there on some practice days first.
You don't want some experienced kid to run over him and scare him off.
I've seen it happen more than once.
 
Absolutely. I'm planning to enroll him in a few hours of instructional training as the very first step. Afterwards the local club, that is GSKA, has their own track with plenty of practice events. I want him to spend 100 laps out there alone and before any other karts get near him.

My club's leadership mentioned that he actually may be one of the only, if not the only, Kid in the KidKarting classes next year as a few of the current Kid Karters are moving up. So; he may be alone for his races. I'm sure he will still enjoy it!
 
The advice above is spot on. There is no replacement for seat time. We started with a Honda then bought a Briggs a month later. It was the best thing we ever did. My son has over 100 hours on a used motor with nothing but a few oil changes. I left him on an adult slide even though he is only 5 because he seems to be able drive within his limits. We bought a season pass for our local track and have just been getting practice time. Keep your eyes open for a used Briggs if you have a class to run it or even if you just want to practice. Half the time we go to the track I don't even bother to load my tool box...
 
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Anyone know if the Noonan foot box bolts to the floor pan, through holes you drill in it? I just got one for my kid's kart but it didn't come with instructions.
 
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