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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
April 2004
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Go cart racing
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Mon, 28 March 2005 09:32
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Sorry if this should be in outhouse, anyways I am really interested in getting into a cheap form of racing somthing and have decided go carts is the go...What I want to know is what I am up for in the way of costs,and the type of cart i should buy,there seems to be alot in the bracket of 2-3k but my nextdoor neighbor has one with a 3k frame parts etc for 2.5k,what are the best brands etc etc I have about 10k to spend if that helps..
thanks
Nath
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
February 2004
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Re: Go cart racing
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Mon, 28 March 2005 15:24
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hi. first thing you need to do is join a club.
secondly you need to decide on a class. there is j, clubman, rotax, 125 gearbox etc. i race j class which is the cheapest but isn't really that much slower than the others. it is also the easiest to set up, has the simplest engine/carbie for tuning etc.
the best brands are arrow and top kart. personally i like top kart. a good j will set you back 2-3 grand second hand or about 5 grand new. you will also have to check if the engine has been blue printed or not. it has to be done so if it hasnt it will cost between $800 and $1000. also tyres are about $500 a set. that does it for a basic cart set up to race.
you will also need a helmet, gloves, suit, boots. the helmet you can get any one you like but the rest will cost about $800
your license will set you back i think $350. it costs me $282 to renew it so it will cost you a bit more than that to get it the first time.
all up just for a second hand kart and equipment (excluding helmet) and license you are looking at between $5000 to $5500. and for a new kart between $7000 and $7500. on top of this there will be the fees for your club membership etc. there are also other small amounts here and there but this is the big chunk of cash needed (as long as i haven't forgotten anything).
the last thing you have to consider is how you are going to transport it around. they don't quite fit in the back of a ute unless you take off the back tares so most people just get e cheap trailer.
if you have any other questions feel free to ask away. if i think of anything i have forgotten i will add it later.
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: Go cart racing
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Mon, 28 March 2005 15:52
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good stuff... iv been thinking bout doing this too... i was considering increasing the budget a little though to bout $15000 to get extras, ie, couple sets of tyres and maybe another motor as well...
can you give any info on races? just a rough run down on how they work, amount of laps on average? etc?
how are you doing in it all? and what club you in?
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Location:
Perth
Registered:
August 2003
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Location:
Melbourne
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: Go cart racing
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Tue, 29 March 2005 04:07
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I race Clubman light & heavy, with the Yamaha kt100s motor. Forget the J motor straight away - that's what the kids use. the S motor is more expensive to maintain though, because it needs rebuilding more often - a new piston ring and a light hone every 10 hours is the accepted rule. ($120+)
I paid $2700 for my 2002 Arrow AX-6 in 2004, when it was 2 years old (with the motor on it). It came with a stand and a push-trolley. I also still have my first Go-Kart, a '95 PCR also with a yamaha kt100s motor. I paid $1800 for it in 2000 (i think) and it came with a stand, tools, toolbox, racing suit, gloves, boots and 2 spare sets of rear wheels. I dragged it out of retirement this year, and it's ok, but it's only got a 30mm rear axle, which is too soft for the grippy tyres we're running now. New karts (for adults) all run 40mm rear axles, which my Arrow has.
I personally wouldn't spend much over $3000 on a second hand kart & 100s motor, since you may want to go a more powerful class once you've learned the sport anyway. You'll get more speed by spending money keeping yourself in new tyres, than splashing $6k on a brand new kart and motor.
Oh - a new set of clubman tyres is $240, which will last at least 3 race meets if you're ultra serious, or up to 18months if you're at a more relaxed club, where people don't get into spending wars to win.
Chains are $40ish, depending on where you buy,
Sprockets are $20ish,
you'll also go through around 5L of fuel per race meet, some chain lube, some hardkore 2-stroke oil (20:1 ratio), umm... can't think of anything else right now, but the odd expense does crop up from time to time.
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Location:
ballarat
Registered:
April 2003
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Re: Go cart racing
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Tue, 29 March 2005 06:17
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i do a-grade indoor go karting, costs $12 a fortnight, we get to race against the the top indoor karters and some of the club karters and we dont have to maintain the karts or anything, we just show up. fucking cheap taste of circuit racing 
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Location:
melbourne
Registered:
February 2005
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Re: Go cart racing
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Tue, 29 March 2005 06:22
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yeah that links kinda old but yeah still great....
have u seen the gixxerkart.. some german crazy dude.. ill see if i can find the link again
the only thing with that is its a turbo which i reckon is abit stupid i reckon he coulda been better off with just a stanrd 13b or 12a!
well good luck with it all boys hope u find wat ur looking for.
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Location:
Perth
Registered:
August 2003
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Re: Go cart racing
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Tue, 29 March 2005 06:28
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| h3ff44 wrote on Tue, 29 March 2005 14:22 |
yeah that links kinda old but yeah still great....
have u seen the gixxerkart.. some german crazy dude.. ill see if i can find the link again
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yeah i've got that video, can't remember where i got it from tho
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
February 2004
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Re: Go cart racing
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Tue, 29 March 2005 06:36
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fade e i am part of the north shore kart club who race at eastern creek once a month. i don't know how other clubs run there race meetings but we have two heats (8 laps) a pre-final (10 laps) and a final (12 laps). you can also race at lithgow, oran park, newcastle, wakefield park etc.
the last few years i haven't been really serious but this year i will be entering the state championships. i went to go last year but my class got cancelled cause not enough people entered.
hey st184 sillycar what club are you part of?
and don't knock the j motor so quickly cause for all the extra money you have to spend on the clubman it isn't really all that much quicker. and yes before you ask i have raced both. i was thinking about going to clubman for a while but then personally thought it wasn't worth it for the amount of time i am going to stay in karts. i plan on moving to formula ford within the next two years and am already planning and making deals now. but thats a whole different story.
but anyone who is interested in getting into karting should find out when the next race near them is on and go along to have a look and ask some questions. if anyone is really interested they are welcome to come along when i go to my next race meeting, to have a look and see how it all works and what is involved in kart racing.
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Location:
sydney
Registered:
July 2004
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Re: Go cart racing
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Tue, 29 March 2005 09:15
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if you get serious it will cost a heap my girlfriends dad raced superbikes years ago and went to carts because he thought it would be cheaper and safer. cost him $60000 in his first season (which he won international class) and he ended up having a different chassis tuned to each track.
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Location:
Melbourne
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: Go cart racing
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Tue, 29 March 2005 09:46
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| rb20det wrote on Tue, 29 March 2005 19:15 |
went to carts because he thought it would be cheaper and safer. cost him $60000 in his first season (which he won international class) and he ended up having a different chassis tuned to each track.
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That's INSANE !
I'll admit the top couple of classes are heller-expensive, just coz of the constant need to buy new tyres, but $60,000 is absolutely ludicrous! You could run a Formula Ford or Formula 3 nationally for half that !
I was a member at oakleigh last year, and I'm back at Rochester (in the middle of Victoria) this year. I buy 1 set of tyres per year, and rebuild the engine once a year too. I clean out the chain and sprockets in petrol between each race meet, and hopefully get 4 race meets out of a chain and sprockets. Always replace chain and sprockets together, 'coz if one's worn, it'll chew the other new component out straight away.
Licence + insurance + club membership is $350+ per year.
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Location:
cambo
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Go cart racing
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Wed, 30 March 2005 10:51
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my old boy races carts, well not really races just once a month his club, (organised by trevor ashby and steve reed) goes out to usually oran park, eastern creek or picton. they arent crazy serious but it can get competitive. this is the way to start i reckon, you pay something like $150 for the day, they supply fuel lunch etc.
i also agree dont bother with the J (kids) motor, they are slow, but you find the J people get into an S cart and are damn quick, cause with the J's you really have to take perfect lines to get a good lap.
rotax is another good option, quicker than an S clubman, good for someone who just wants fun all day. they are water cooled, have a starter and run a clutch so they can go all day, when you spin out you dont need a push to start. and ive got a freshly rebuilt rotax at my work now if your interested, $3500 and its yours 
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
April 2004
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Re: Go cart racing
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Wed, 30 March 2005 11:35
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all great info guys,thanks alot..Im going this weekend to check price stuff out and will work out from there what to do,leaning towards getting my neighbours set up and having a thrash,from there ill see how far I want to take it..thanks again essays!
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
February 2005
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Re: Go cart racing
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Wed, 30 March 2005 12:15
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Minto has off the hook powah go carts...... 
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Location:
Campbelltown, NSW
Registered:
November 2004
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Re: Go cart racing
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Wed, 30 March 2005 12:30
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| unforgiven wrote on Wed, 30 March 2005 22:15 |
Minto has off the hook powah go carts......
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fastlane go karts...
$11 for 10 minutes of pure adrenaline rush WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoo
bahaha
CHEERS
NOLAN
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Location:
Melbourne
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: Go cart racing
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Wed, 30 March 2005 23:35
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Compared to a kt100s powered Clubman, Hire karts weigh twice as much, have half the power and 2/3rds the grip. Go figure! 
Half the reason I said forget the J motor, is I've NEVER seen an adult class run for it. Maybe bigger clubs run a "cheapskate" class, but I've never seen anyone older than 16 in one. I don't think you're allowed to run anything quicker than a clubman on your P-plates, so that automatically puts Rotax and Leopards out of reach for the first year anyway!
Anywhere I've raced at, Clubmans are within 1sec/lap of the more powerful leopards and rotax's. This is coz they don't have to lug a battery, starter motor, water, radiator etc around, as well as having tyres near-on as grippy.
That is all
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