You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
want to get started in kart racing.
- Thread starter JDH
- Start date
Steelernation13j
New member
When we started karting we bought older with no adjustments and it was good experience at the start but you are not learning anything with it other than being on the track. With being new the kart is going to be a handful for a beginner to drive and you have limited adjustments to fix. When buying old kart say you keep it for a year most likely you are going to have a hard time to selling if you decide you don't like the sport. This option has less risk because lower start up cost but cold be stuck with the frame. If you are 100% positive that you will stick with the sport for longer than 1 year I would purchase a frame 2011 or newer. Higher start up cost but could sell faster if you don't like the sport. This means you can get help from other people at the track. If someone showed up to the track in a 2002 kart and asked me for help I would give them the basic's and keep concentrated on my own program just because it's so outdated and taking time away from my program. If a person showed up with a newer kart I would help them because of the potential that it has. Most people that buy new stay in the sport longer because they feel competitive right off the bat. If you show up in a non adjustable kart and get lapped in a 8 lap heat you are going to get discourage and most likely sell out because you have a non competitive kart plus having to purchase another kart to become competitive. Save you a headache and buy new if you think you will like the sport enough to stay longer than one year.
I would recommend buying new if you feel that you have the capital to keep it going. We always say buying the kart is the cheap part, keeping it running is the expensive part.
Hope this helps JK Racing
Check out helmet camera videos out on youtube under JK Racing
I would recommend buying new if you feel that you have the capital to keep it going. We always say buying the kart is the cheap part, keeping it running is the expensive part.
Hope this helps JK Racing
Check out helmet camera videos out on youtube under JK Racing
MikeleoneCT
Member
I'll respectfully disagree with buying new. You'll need money for tools, tires, pit karts, safety gear etc. Especially in your first year(s), the kart probably won't make the difference in your results.
Here's what I would do: First, go to the track near you that would be your primary track. Figure out which division gets the best kart count and or has the most people smiling after the feature is over. Ask around if anyone is selling a complete, race ready kart that ran in the top 10 (better top 5) last year. The age doesn't matter if it ran good at that track. In fact the older the cheaper. You don't want a kart that has not been on the track for more than a year or two. Better if you can find someone who is selling out everything and you can pick up the kart specific tools you'll need like scales, tire mounting tools, alignment tools, pit karts, air tanks, saftely gear etc
Here's what I would do: First, go to the track near you that would be your primary track. Figure out which division gets the best kart count and or has the most people smiling after the feature is over. Ask around if anyone is selling a complete, race ready kart that ran in the top 10 (better top 5) last year. The age doesn't matter if it ran good at that track. In fact the older the cheaper. You don't want a kart that has not been on the track for more than a year or two. Better if you can find someone who is selling out everything and you can pick up the kart specific tools you'll need like scales, tire mounting tools, alignment tools, pit karts, air tanks, saftely gear etc
I think an adjustable front end is very important. I'm assuming you'll be running dirt oval and to be honest, I like a bit of a noodle chassis that has some time on it for dirt. Take my advice with a grain of salt however, because I don't have tons of actual dirt kart experience myself. One of the fastest dirt karts that ran locally was an OLD 90's chassis with the front end modified so it could be adjustable.
Dont make the mistake of buying everything new when you are just starting out, have seen so many people do this only to find out kart racing wasn't really for them and they ended up losing a ton of money when they sold out everything. Find yourself a good used chassis, the newer the better, along with some good used equipment and give it a try to see how you like it. Then if you do like it, consider getting better equipment once you get some seat time and get the hang of it. One thing that would really suck would be to buy a new chassis and get caught up in a bad wreck first time out there and bend the chassis, then you are really up the creek without a paddle. Do yourself a favor and look around the classifieds on here and on facebook, you can usually find someone selling a race ready kart or 2 pretty reasonably cheap and see how you like it first before diving in. Brands to look for if your gonna be racing on dirt would be Millenium, Phantom, or Charger, those are the main 3 you see and have the most support out there for them.
One more thing to keep in mind, dont get discouraged If you go out there for the first time and get lapped or get beat pretty bad, you will be racing with people with more experience and you are new, so I wouldn't expect to go out and win races until you at least get the hang of it and get seat time. I always tell people that its best to not even worry about trying to be competitive when you first start out because very few people have that kind of natural talent. Also, try to stay out of the classes that have high kart counts and get into the class with the fewest karts until you get the hang of it, that way you aren't in the way and wont put yourself at risk of getting seriously hurt. I see new guys all the time show up and get into the biggest class out there, get beat pretty badly or get wrecked and come off track frustrated, mad, discouraged and all sorts of things.
One more thing to keep in mind, dont get discouraged If you go out there for the first time and get lapped or get beat pretty bad, you will be racing with people with more experience and you are new, so I wouldn't expect to go out and win races until you at least get the hang of it and get seat time. I always tell people that its best to not even worry about trying to be competitive when you first start out because very few people have that kind of natural talent. Also, try to stay out of the classes that have high kart counts and get into the class with the fewest karts until you get the hang of it, that way you aren't in the way and wont put yourself at risk of getting seriously hurt. I see new guys all the time show up and get into the biggest class out there, get beat pretty badly or get wrecked and come off track frustrated, mad, discouraged and all sorts of things.