[Patrick Roth]

Welcome to the kart world! While I don’t know anything about the specific model you bought I will throw some info out there to hopefully help you along.
1) Do you know what class you are planning to run? You posted in the shifter kart forum and mention a “125”. This leads me to believe you have a 125cc shifter kart package. Is this correct? If so, what brand of motor do you have? The most popular is the stock Honda 125cc but there are several other 125cc motors out there.
2) When you say “rear dual caliper brakes” do you mean you have two calipers on the rear rotor? I believe this was common to satisfy a dual braking system requirement in certain organizations. SKUSA is one of the big names when it comes to shifter karts and they require 4 wheel braking which means you need to have 3 calipers (1 for each front wheel and 1 for the rear axle).
3) The kart itself doesn’t require much maintenance. The only item that I would consider requires monitoring and maintenance are the rear axle bearings. Some people like to wash them out with brake cleaner and apply a light lubricant (Tri-Flow is a popular name) every outing, while others won’t touch them so as not to introduce any dirt and debris into the system. Either way works, it’s just what makes you more comfortable. Personally I run SKF bearings and pull them out every 3-6 months and clean them really good (they are serviceable unlike most kart axle bearing) and apply a heavy grease. I don’t do anything else to them.
4) The motor maintenance is the most work but it depends on what you have. Give us some more details so we can help.

Patrick

[Jim Derrig]

Matt,

I have a 2015 Rapido and race at Italkart’s home track, so I’m familiar with that kart brand, but we need some details as stated above.  Specifically, does it have front brakes and what engine does it have?  I’m assuming when you said “dual caliper” you meant dual pistons on both sides of the caliper on a single rear axle brake?

[Matt duncan]

Hi thank you for the response!

there are brakes in the front with single calipers per roter, the rotor on the back apears to be floating and has two caliper on in front and one behind it.

I belive its a 30 frame

and the motor is a rotax 125

Ive done a little bit of research and found out the brakes are a evo4 hydraulic setup

I want to change the pads just to have new ones is the nessisary

the tread on The tires also seam to be in good condition

[Patrick Roth]

It doesn’t sound like you have a shifter as a Rotax 125 is used either for TaG (Touch and Go which means it has an onboard electric starter) or the Rotax specific series (Rotax Max). Any questions specific to the motor would be best posted in the “TaG” or “Rotax Max” forums. I used a Rotax in TaG several years ago and it was a solid engine package with longer rebuild intervals when compared to its competition.

If you are looking to run road racing (larger, higher speed tracks that are typically used for full sized cars) then the front brakes make be allowed; however, if you are planning to do sprint racing (typical sprint tracks will be around 3/4 miles or less in length) the front brakes will likely need to be disconnected. To confirm this, find the rules for the track/series you’ll be running and under the “Brakes” section it will clarify this. For what its worth, in sprint racing, I think most people prefer rear only brakes (except for shifters) for TaG/Rotax so if you disconnect them it will be one less headache/cost to deal with.

Where are you located?

[Juan David Gomez]

May be a DD2

[Patrick Roth]

Good point Juan!

Matt, if what you have is a DD2 the rear axle will go through the motor case and there won’t be a chain connecting the drive gear to the axle gear. You would also have paddles on the steering wheel for changing between gears.

[Matt duncan]

I belive its a 6 speed

 

[Jim Derrig]

If it’s a 6 speed then it ain’t a Rotax.  I’m thinking you need to post a pic or two ’cause something ain’t adding up.

The double-calipers-on-one-disc was used for a bit, though I think it was gone by 2010.  Might be a retrofit but the chassis might not be a 2010.

Matt, as far a parts go you’re best bet may be to deal with Italian Motors as they are Italkart.  They have an online store and free shipping. http://www.italianmotorsusa.com If you can’t find it there, give them a call.

Fastect near Monterey also has a lot of Italkart stuff and Jon is super helpful

http://www.fastech-racing.com

[Matt duncan]

Well I’ve act never raced karts before expecte for k1 or gokart land that’s about it but a buddy of mine gave me a pretty sweet deal he gave me the italkart chasis with wheels brakes etc. i don’t have the motor yet but fersure its a rotax I got it all for 1200 I’ve always wanted one and I know there a pretty penny. I’m really familiar with 80cc motorised bikes and building them up so I’m very confidant in maintaining this machine I’m just not quite to sure were to start leaning about this all

[Jim Derrig]

Matt, rotax doesn’t make a 6-speed kart motor.  All rotax’s are single speed with the exception of the DD2, which is quite rare and has 2 speeds.

My Skip Barber instructor said that the next step up from a shifter kart is an indy car, so you’re probably not going to want to start with a shifter.  Tell us what your budget is for a motor and we’ll try to point you in the right direction.  You have a lot of options and you’ve got a good chassis to start with.  Where do you plan to race it?

[Matt duncan]

[Matt duncan]

Jim your right I’ve done some calling around and they said the same thing about the 6 speed thing

I’m not sure yet what kind of motor it is then cause I still need to pick it up from the guy I bought it from but he said it was a rotax brand motor

 

[Matt duncan]

[Rich Hays]

I have seen and driven a Rotax shifter motor with 6 gears. It was quite a few years ago at Moran. The guy had it on a Tonykart. I am pretty sure that it had electric start and a rave valve like a Rotax kart motor . It wasnt as fast as a Stock Honda but pretty close. I have seen another one on Craigs list a while back as well. maybee the same kart … So they do exist.

-rh

[Dave Holstein]

I also seen Rotax twin 250s with a full gear box for the super road guys..

[Matt duncan]

I finally got my motor and it is a rotax 128 I guess there kinda outa style but there are people out there who rebuild them up to current standerds

I still have a lot to learn about it

has any one heard of it or know about the rotax 128?

[Jim Derrig]

Well, that helps explain the price.   The downside of getting that “great deal” on the front end is there’s a ton of work on the back end.

You’re about to teach yourself swimming by jumping into the deep end of the pool–a kart fast enough to challenge a pro driver’s skills and an odd-duck motor that nobody else runs and will be able to help you with.  If I were you I’d seriously think of selling the motor on ebay to somebody who wants it for an old Aprilla 125 and converting the kart to a Briggs LO206 or, if that seems to slow, a  KT100 or TaG package (I’m assuming a spec Honda or ICC shifter motor would cost way more than you’d want to spend).

I say this as someone who started in a similar position and almost walked away from karting on more than one occasion simply from being frustrated and overwhelmed.  And I was running a modified Honda that I could get all kinds of track-side help/support for.

I think 90% of the people I see in your/our position quit because they started out with too much kart that required too much work.  50% of them finally got their shifter in running condition, took it to the track once, said “holy shi*t” ’cause the thing was way more scary fast than they had even imagined, and never came back.  I’d see the kart on Craiglist a few months later.  Heck, that’s what happened to the guy I sold my old shifter to.  I’ve seen in on Craigs twice in the past two years.

On the other hand, you could step in and be awesome.  I’ve seen that too.  Have fun.

 

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