[Peter Zambos]

Oh, as for the rest of your stuff, we’re big fans of the 20 gallon plastic totes. Anything big/heavy gets strapped to the wall via e-track. If you’ve got the budget, I would recommend trailer accessories such as Pit Pal (fuel jug holders, axle holders, trays for cleansers and lube, etc.) as they save time and space.

[Peter Zambos]

The most important thing is to not stress the chassis with the straps. If I had the room inside the trailer, I would use a double stack stand, strapping the kart to that, and then strap the stand to the e-track, but I don’t, which is why my dad made his recommendation above. It’s all about making the trailer you’ve got to work best for you. But again, the key is to NOT stress the frame. You can bend it that way.
Trust me.

[Peter Zambos]

No worries. I’ve never claimed to be an expert at everything :)
In light of that, we still haven’t answered the original question. Any takers?

[Peter Zambos]

CG stands for center of gravity. Sorry if this is stuff you already know, but apart from the weight-jacking effect through caster and scrub radius, the kart’s ability to rotate depends on an appropriate center of gravity to be able to lift the inside rear wheel. Oval and road racers/enduros don’t prioritize CG, and so they often use seats that you mentioned in your initial post. Those seats will get you very, very low in the kart. In most sprint applications, that seat will keep the rear flat causing huge amounts of oversteer (bind). Now, if you’re a bean pole, they might work, but otherwise I would go for a more traditional seat. If it’s the greater support that attracts you,look into seats by Deep Seat or Ribtect.

[Peter Zambos]

Nick,
What kind of racing are you doing?

[Peter Zambos]

I had an older version and sold it after 1 weekend due to the fact that it didn’t breathe at all. AS suits are like Porches, so far as when the price goes up, more stuff gets taken out. So, the KMX1, though it’s the priciest, doesn’t have the bulky inner liner that makes the cheaper suits into sweat boxes. MHO, of course.
This is not to slam AS, as I used to wear, and still have, an ancient KMX3.

[Peter Zambos]

SOLD!!
Thanks, EKN.

[Peter Zambos]

Agreed that the Arai works well, as I’ve used both GP and SK models with the Leatt. Recently I’ve been using a Shoei X12. There’s a little more clearance, and the ventilation is better. However, the x12 feels a little heavier, as Arai isn’t blowing smoke about being able to keep the weight low in the shell. Very little acclimation was needed, though, and I’m very satisfied.  If you go the route of the x12, I can forward the vector file I made for the visor strip.

[Peter Zambos]

I agree that the full-width steel bumper is the way to go.  I will say that, when we have experienced corner staff in road racing, the policing of unnecessary contact is done rather well.  The problem is the having will to do something about it and making the effort and expenditure, so effective control really doesn’t happen too often.  But, if we could do it under those conditions in road racing, I don’t see why it can’t be done in a much smaller sprint setting.

[Peter Zambos]

Even if you did decide to go with it, there are many tracks and organizers that don’t allow it for the safety reasons.

[Peter Zambos]

There are a lot more factors than just ambient temperature, such as the weight of the driver, compound of tire, grip level of the track, stiffness of the chassis, and, most importantly, how the kart feels in the current conditions.  If you can provide this information, there are many here who can offer productive advice, but without it, there’s significantly less likelihood that it will be beneficial to you.

[Peter Zambos]

That’ll work, too.  :)

[Peter Zambos]

Chad, I believe that that event was the only time that seals were broken as a part of regular post race tech.  As you stated, both Dave Larsen and post-tech have been reasonable enough in the past that, unless they feel they have a strong enough reason, they leave the seals well enough alone, so if you bring your position to their attention on a case by case basis, they typically wave the more encompassing tech.  Listen, even though the seals are a good thing, as far as I’m concerned, I still think that breaking them for tech once in a blue moon is a good idea to make sure that each builder is still playing nice.

No one but the builder who built your FR125 in the first place should reseal it, apart from the tech that broke it down in the first place, as the resealer is vouching for the legality of every last little thing that is close off by the seal. Now Perry knows that he should have a few seals with him.  Of course, you could always have your Rotax built by L.A.D. and you would have no worries about that. :)  If you really think that CES is going to reimburse you for the cost of the seal in the economic climate in which they function, I believe you will be   disappointed.  SKUSA had their own issues on whether or not to honor the seals and there was incessant complaining.  As you may have noticed, SKUSA no longer runs the FR125.  Draw your own conclusions.

[Peter Zambos]

Hey, Lance, are you going to run TAG for both BFRs or just June?  Sadly, I won’t be in action for June, but I’d like to be able to share the track with you at a later date.
Cheers.

[Peter Zambos]

Hey, Oliver.  Make sure that there are actually DD2 fields where you race before you jump in.  There are some pockets of DD2, but they’re not as common as you’d think by just reading national race results.  Of course, if you’ve already done your homework then never mind and enjoy. :)

[Peter Zambos]

Let’s see.  Most karters lament that karts are getting overly complicated.  For the most part, I agree.  So, regardless of whether or not it works, I’d rather not see it gain wide acceptance.

[Peter Zambos]

Nick, you’ve really already answered your question.  Regardless of what the manual states is the optimal range, many karters in sprint applications will be the revs above even what you track mates are stating.   Though it’s true that, as you gain more experience, you will typically be able to run less gear, your ratio still needs to be appropriate for the track.  6k seems a little too low for just about every track.

[Peter Zambos]

Just go to gorotax.com

[Peter Zambos]

Take this for what you will, as I road race my FR125, which keeps the revs down. At the end of our season, we have the top end freshened, which, frankly, is probably overkill for us. Apart from that, we keep it clean and monitor for wear of the RAVE bellows, fuel pump diaphragm and clutch. We’re in the hunt for our regional championship each year.

There are always people who complain. For example, the same people who moan about the diameter of the carb being too big are the same people who would complain if that was ever changed requiring a carb change.  It would be wise that the Rotax you purchase already have the full clutch update (clutch hub, clutch drum, steel water pump/ balance shaft gears), air box and coil, so that you don’t have to incur the cost of the update.

Front brakes are not required for the FR125. Sometimes they are flat-out not allowed: sometimes they’re allowed with a weight penalty. My advise would be that, if you are not going to be road racing or running a shifter within the next three years or so, take off the font brakes and sell them.

[Peter Zambos]

Jason, if you’re going to the Springfield show this Sunday, pm me and we can talk at length about road racing in the midwest at the show.

[Peter Zambos]

Be aware that they are typically not run in TaG classes.  As far as I know, this motor is not approved by WKA, IKF, SKUSA or TAG USA.  As a result, you may find limited opportunity to run it.

[Peter Zambos]

There has not been an official word since the second operation and since his wife asked the media to leave the hospital.  There has been conjecture spurred on by the British press and by Fox Sports, but those who have given their opinions have not actually seen and assessed Michael Schumacher and, therefore, frankly, are shameful attention-getters.  Traumatic brain injuries and the associated induced coma can have numerous permutations of outcomes regardless of the length of time that induced coma lasts, and so we must simply wait.

[Peter Zambos]

Give L.A.D. Specialties a call: 708-430-1588.

They may be able to assist you.

[Peter Zambos]

Grr.  Working.

[Peter Zambos]

I honestly can’t say what the majority of shifter pilots are using.  The overly-simplistic way to think of the difference between 30 and 32mm frames, apart from what I already said, is that a 32mm frame can offer more rear grip.  In higher BP applications, yes, a 32mm frame could very well work better for you.  I’m not talking about lateral grip at the apex, for, if the TAG kart and the shifter are on the same tire compound, that lateral grip is effectively the same.  Where the additional grip comes into play is accelerating out of the turn.

But, as stated earlier, there are a lot of other factors in what makes a chassis work, and so you can’t always just go by the OD of the frame.  I’ve never run a CRG, so I can’t give you a definitive answer, sadly.

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