Bobby, you're getting real good advise from these folks.
My Son and I road race (sports car tracks, half hour races). We have both run nearly every type of kart except dirt ovals. 250 Superkarts down to 206's. Sprint and road racing. My Son Clark Jr for 30 years, me at 57 years. That said:
Currently Jr. runs a DR kart with a IAME X30 Tag and a CIK style Margay Ignite Briggs LO206. I also run a Margay Ignite LO206. I'm 70, so the 206's have kept me in it. I can still drive a 206, where an X30 or shifter has become a bit too much.
X30. to be truly competitive, new tires at each event (two day events). Engine, top to bottom rebuild every 8 -12 hours. Price $800 to $1000. If you wait too long and it breaks something...keep your head down!!! Engine package $4K. Clutch friction hub replacement $180, 2 or 3 a season. Onboard battery which MUST be keep healthy and charged, or it will not start...or external starter which must be charged as well. Various lengths of flex for pipe adjustments. It eats sprockets and chains. Carb adjustment done on the fly, and you need to know what you're doing or you will seize it. High quality gauge for exhaust temp, water temp and RPM critical! 32+ HP, no joke for a newbe. They are a handfull. Note: NEVER under any circumstance let ANYONE talk you into a shifter of any sort for your first kart!!! They are an absolute hoot, but they won't be fun for very long! Maybe years down the road, but not now!!
206. clutch $120-130? Hilliard's we've both had for 3 seasons. Take off, clean, lub, reinstall. I have no idea how long they'll last! We MIGHT just change them or buy a spare for no good reason. Tires, once a season and not because they're worn out. It just seems like the right thing to do! My son runs his take off MG's from the X30 on his 206 AND they work GREAT! Freshen motor (head and carb) once a season...Brian/Jim/others? $100 and a bit, plus parts!!! WOW. Not sure how long sprockets and chains last. They don't have enough HP to top heat them up and wear them out. Maybe 2, 3 seasons? Pump gas if fine. (X30 needs 98 ish octane to be reliable, plus VERY high end oils). Briggs 4T oil, not that pricey and change it a lot. No big deal. Does not require high end Euro chassis to work. You'll spend MUCH more time on the track and messing with your driving and chassis adjustments, then mother henning a motor! Motor package about $1000, including high end engine mount, pipe, chain guard, clutch, air cleaner, etc. (worth every penny I might add on the engine mount. Jim, just saw one of yours last weekend..neat! We already have Odenthal's). For $600 you can have a spare motor!!! Geeez.
At a typical event we spend most of our 206 time (which isn't much) monkeying with front end, tread width, seat position, and tire pressures adjustments. Then going out in practice with a few other friends and see what our crazy adjustments did! MOTOR is NOT an issue or a worry!! Put them aside and WORK on the X30!! All the same stuff we do with the 206's, we do with the X30...but we ALWAYS are double and triple checking the motor. It's also very handy that our engine builder is at most of our road race events. Constant plug, piston and pipe readings. Temp checks on the gauge to correlate gauge vs plug readings. Water check. And NEVER forget to check and oil the chain between every track session. Check it's reeds between events, rebuild card a couple times a season. Plugs that are stupid expensive, at least one or two per event.
Getting then picture? Go with the 206 1st. You'll have way more fun and learn more then any X30/Rotax could ever do. Watch the Tag's and shifter's for future reference. Also watch the air cooled 100cc Tag's. They are the next big thing. (ref: IAME KA100 or Vortex equivalent. Really neat packages. We're watching them very closely in WKA road racing land. They're already there in sprint racing).
BUT, if you really insist---go with the X30. They are more popular Nation wide. And you have Brian Fisher (Fisherracingengines) in Texas to help!
There are a lot of very experienced and helpful folks on this site. Do your research, go to your local tracks, look around, ask questions, learn. There is NO hurry! Buy what you need the first time. Not what you think you want now! I have seen too many times someone buy a shifter because they are so cool>>>and be out of karting in two season, totally frustrated, with a lot less money and pissed at themselves for buying such a stupid thing. Take your time.
Good luck, enjoy the research, have fun, and welcome to karting.
Clark Gaynor Sr.
WKA NRRC Member.
WKC Board Member.