[Rod Hawkins]

My advice is to remind you that just because you are driving a faster kart, doesn’t make you a faster driver. I use to have the same thoughts. Coming from motoX background, BMX, cars, etc…..  I always grew up with a dad that use to walk around saying “you can never have enough horsepower”.

My advice is to rent a kt100 or KPV for a regional event and see how you do, but be prepared to be humbled. The power of cars and moto can get you out of mistakes. The 100cc karts are PURE driving. I have learned a ton going down from TAG to f100, including that I still have a lot of work to do.

[Rod Hawkins]

Greg,  karting isn’t big enough to support so many interests.   Are you arguing that karting is heading in the right direction?

[Rod Hawkins]

Mark?

[Rod Hawkins]

There are so many KPV and yamahas out there, why won’t your club adopt those?  Those motors look a lot like the KPV, for a lot more money.

[Rod Hawkins]

Mark, where can I get ahold of some of that stuff?  I can’t seem to find in online

 

[Rod Hawkins]

Supposedly otk doesn’t powder coat their chassis because of the heat involved.

[Rod Hawkins]

Freddy,  there was rain predicted all day yesterday (which we haven’t gotten in forever).  A simple check of my weather app avoided that situation yesterday. An enclosed trailer helps that, but if you are at the track and it is raining the kart is already wet.

I also have a cover for my kart. If it is foggy or light rain, it works well.  I also have a large tarp for my trailer in case it does rain, it’s pretty easy to throw over.  Sure an enclosed trailer is nice, but absolutely NOT a necessity for this sport.

[Rod Hawkins]

In the above image it looks like the kart is much wider than the car, but it isn’t.

[Rod Hawkins]

[Rod Hawkins]

It really depends on what you want and need. For me, space and cost are a huge factor. I don’t have a lot of space. I started with using me foldable utility trailer that I use for my dirt bikes. Worked great, and I could set it up in less than 1/2 hr, but it was still kind of a pain. One race I took off one side of wheels and nerf bar and put it in back of my wife’s SUV (which a lot of people do this or put in back of truck).

Then I got to thinking that my buddy had one of those motorcycle carriers for his hitch. I thought that if this could be done for an upright motor that weighs much more, it should be easy for a kart that is low and flat. I starter looking for a pre manufactured one, and only found one that was well above $500. So i figured I would do something on my own. After all, the karts only weigh between 150-200 lbs.

I ended up buying a simple cargo carrier that has a 500lb wt limit and lining it with rubber hosing (so it doesn’t scratch my frame) and it works great. Feels like I have nothing back on my car.

Before when I had it on my trailer I would lock my kart to trailer and trailer to my car. I never worried too much about it over night, but I have only done it a couple times.

Will post pics in next reply

[Rod Hawkins]

For some magnesium wheels for some reason wd40 doesn’t work well at all, but simple green works like magic.

[Rod Hawkins]

They make street bike and car racing and kart specific helmets. In karting people use any of these depending on what they prefer. You see a lot of street bike helmets being used in karting

[Rod Hawkins]

Updated

[Rod Hawkins]

Bump

 

[Rod Hawkins]

Nick,

Brakes and bearings and carriers sold tis AM. Thank you for your interest.

[Rod Hawkins]

What does this reply mean “I don’t think they would ok that for us because of the kid”?

I would be interested in driving 3 hrs up there to race the big course (something not really offered anywhere else in socalf), but for the sprint course? Nope.

[Rod Hawkins]

This is a great idea hopefully you get some support. My brother and I both have a back up kart that we use when we have problems with the primary, but we also us them to take friends and family to the track and intro them to the sport.

[Rod Hawkins]

Still have one left. Just rebuilt.

[Rod Hawkins]

Bump

[Rod Hawkins]

Updated items sold and added items

[Rod Hawkins]

Brian, you sure? Do a search for v8 atom and then decide. They say the performance is similar to a GP2 car. Pretty damn impressive and much better looking.

[Rod Hawkins]

I assume you mean rear was 54 and now it is 55? That alone with do a lot.

[Rod Hawkins]

Had similar situation in my kart this weekend. A couple things helped and my thought process (I am still learning).

Dropped tire pressure from 11 lbs to 9.5 front and 10.5 rear. ( the fact that it handles well for 5 laps then goes off on a 90 degree day tells me this could be an issue).

More negative camber

I could have widened the rear, but I was already at max.

Also a stiffer front torsion bar (I didn’t have that available).

Also possible to widen front track?
Maybe raise front of chassis?

[Rod Hawkins]

I have driven Porsches, Ferraris, AMG cars, m3s, rs4, rs5, etc. nothing cones close. Car mags brag when a car can pull 1g, while a minivan can pull .8g. A GTR to a minivan is closer in cornering performance than a GTR and a properly set up kart. That tells you all you need to know.

Today we (F100) had a race at willow springs. Next to us the cars were also on the other track. 458, GTR, tons of built vipers, mclarens, 911s, vettes and even nascar street cars. While the juniors were driving we watched the karters enter the straight, go away from us and then brake and turn. We watched the cars on the other side. I made the comment to one of the racers next to me, “watch the karts and then watch the cars and tell me what looks more impressive”. The difference was obvious. It’s one of the reasons I don’t bother to track my m3 and kind of feels like cars are kind of boring now.

[Rod Hawkins]

“Birel are also very good and quick, but I hate their banana brake system, one piston mechanically activated.”

Funny the differing views on this. I just went thru hell modifying my otk to use a birel banana brake. The banana brakes suck, unless you like good brakes.

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