[Chuck hurlbert]

This is not the forum to be asking about driving a kart any where but a race track. The reason being your poor choices to disrupt the public reflect poorly on the rest of us.

[Tom Grisham]

Hi Ian.  Karts can be set up for dirt although most on this forum are more familiar with their use on asphalt.  This site regularly does stories on the So Cal Oval Karters who run on dirt and I am sure there are other organizations as well.  Perhaps you could get in touch with folks there for recommendations.

I would say the biggest issues are lack of a differential and, more importantly, safety.  Karts are low to the ground and hard to see by persons in cars, especially around turns, etc.  If noise is an issue in your neighborhood then I would suggest a 4-stroke engine such as the Briggs LO206.

That said, have fun.  Welcome to the sport!  And please don’t get the impression karters are a bunch of cranky naysayers!

[Greg Wright]

The OP never mentioned dirt tracks, he said dirt roads. I can’t possibly say that’s OK, it’s not.

[Tom Grisham]

Hi Ian, again, safety is the main issue.  I would not tell someone not to ride a dirt bike or Razor on dirt roads, and will not lecture to you either.  You may want to put a warning flag on the kart such as they do in the dunes if there is much traffic in your area.

I will assume you have some common sense and don’t need a bunch of know-it-all racers to limit what size soda you can drink….

[Walt Gifford]

I have much experience running karts through the woods, dirt trails and fields. Make sure you don’t develop more than about 35 mph as you can easily lose control on uneven ground. I’ve had a few trees jump out in front of me. You need at least 4″ of ground clearance. You can’t just put knobby tires on a racing kart. Inspect the frame regularly for cracks. You also need a low gear ratio and a heavy duty clutch along with at least 5 hp. Briggs raptor (flathead) is not good for bumpy trails as the carb will break off. Honda Clone is your best bet. Cross country karting is great fun in the right area. Whatever you do stay off the roadways.

Gif

[Author]

Posts