kwillmorth

Yup! Power jumped from 13.8hp @13,500rpm to 19.2hp @ 14,800 rpm! Yeah baby!

Sorry, couldn't resist... :lol: :lol: :cheers:

TooManyIDs

:cool: Gotta get one of those.

pridnjoy

I've heard that feels like an open wheel car...fast and awesome on the curves.

kwillmorth

Check this out:

One day of road race track school, 2.5 mile road course, 9 turns, 1 minute 30 second laps: 6 x 20 minute sessions = 12 full laps x 9 turns x 6 sessions = 648 turns executed. Mean time between turns is 10 seconds.

One day of kart practice, .7 mile sprint track (road course), 14 turns, 50 second laps: 6 x 20 minute sessions = 24 laps x 14 turns x 6 sessions = 2016 turns executed (my arms hurt just thinking about it!) Mean time between turns is just 3.57 seconds! :smash:

Karting really packs a lot of seat time into a short period of time. It also teaches you to be smooth and react very quickly to the car. I generally run on the order of 50 to 75 laps per outing, in 4 or 5 run sessions, taking only a half day of actual time 3 times a month. However, at 14 turns a lap, I am executing more turns (700-1050) in that half day, than an entire day of road track school! This means I can work on driving skills while having a life! Some weekends, I really need a big fix and will hammer out 100 or more laps in a day, before my neck is so tired I can't hold my helmet up in the big G corners and I call it quits. :cool: I also will run an occasional race to add some excitement, but don't intend to get deep into that whole scene.

I kart between driving schools, because there is always a track available somewhere to run open practice. The costs are not as cheap as I had anticipated, but are far less than running the car as much as we run the kart (3 times a month). The skills gained are definitely transferable to cars. The costs of making big mistakes is a LOT lower. I lost it and hit a fence once doing 54mph, that totalled the kart chassis and axle. Total repair cost was $1,400. Try hitting a fence in the ZO6 at 54 mph, and see how much THAT would cost!

Best of all, karts are just a lot of fun! I also really like the gadgetry in them, making them fun to work on.

If anyone is at all interested, my web site has quite a little on the subject, from the perspective of a car owner wanting to build driving skills using karts as a tool. Warning: These things are highly addictive!

http://www.lumenique.com/Karts/karts%20p1.htm

:cheers:

jerryv

Very :cool:

Dreamin

AND you get a plastic jug full of gasoline sitting between your legs!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

mqqn

Cool Cart!

I need another hobby - just convince my wife!

I get my workouts on the dirt-bikes - I have an old YZ490 that I rebuilt - forged piston, on 2nd bore, crank kit etc. Scary fast for a dirt bike. And you wanna talk sore arms? My KTM is a lot more civilized, but not nearly the power for a heavy guy.

I had better not ride one of those carts - I just know I would love it!

best regards -

mqqn

Roy Romano

Very cool. I enjoyed reading the info on your site. How big are these carts? Will they fit someone who is 6'6" tall, or would that be really cramped?

-RR

kwillmorth

Check kart dealers. They now have several karts made with extended "porches" (area in front of the front axle where the pedals are mounted) to provide more room for taller drivers. I know several taller folks driving karts now. Some just drive a standard kart with their knees a little more bent than the rest of us under 72"ers, doesn't seem to be a big issue for most. You can also have a standard kart worked over at dealers, who extend to front end to add leg room, for not a lot of $$. Best advice I can offer is to make sure you scale the kart when setting it up to make sure that your extra height is not too far aft, upsetting weight distribution (43% front, 57% rear seems to be the hot setup in sprints now.) :cheers:

Racer

That is cool! :cool: :cheers:

mattf2's99SS

I figured you were talking about a go ped:)

Bink

Karts are too much fun!!!I have a 125cc shifterkart(6spd) we take out on the weekends.Play with it on a 1/2 mile asphalt sprint course.We kid that we beat it..not the case..it thrashes us!! 0-60~4.0 sec, pulls alittle better than 1.0G in turns...70-75 mph on straights with your butt 3/4 in. off the ground.!1/2 mile ,8 turns,30-34 seconds.TOO much FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kwillmorth

I love it, another "old guy" hammering his ribcage into steak tartar with a kart! :cool: I usually quit when my kneck can't hold the helmet up in the hard corners, or my ribs are so sore I can't sit in the seat any longer... :smash: :cheers: