History

The first ‘off road’ kart is usually accredited to Honda who produced the Odyssey in 1977. A kart with a 250 cc two stroke engine and CVT transmission it had larger tires than the racing karts to give better traction and ground clearance and a roll cage. proving popular Honda released two more karts in 1985 and 1989 with substantial improvements, including electric start engines and full front and back suspension. Disappointedly sales were low as the price was high and Honda ceased production in 1990. Since that time the lead has been taken by Chinese manufacturers who produce much cheaper machines but they have a reputation for poor reliability.

Features

Karts are intended for off road use only, not for registration on roads, so they are distinct from a buggy or a dune buggy in this respect. They are also distinguished from buggies by the lack of a differential and are purpose built specifically for off road use. In the US however the names kart and buggy is often used interchangeably.

Off road karts are designed to be light and have larger tires than racing karts for better traction. Some have top speeds around 50 MPH and full suspension to give a more comfortable ride. Engines are usually four stroke, either water or air cooled and dual wheel brake systems allow fast stopping.

As more and more off road karts are produced they are rapidly growing in popularity as they offer safety advantages and better pricing than many ATV’s. We expect that in the near future competition will drive the prices down further and karts with even more features will be produced.

A 2 seater off road kart with a 150cc 4 stroke engine the ACE Sports Go Kart has received excellent reviews.

Features

Keep both hands on the wheel with the automatic with reverse gear. Two wheel drive and full dual front and rear swingarm rear suspension with shocks and double coil rear shocks. The rack and pinion disc brake system is great for fast stopping and the kart comes with a full set of lights. There is a 12v power outlet for your radio or GPS and comfy bucket seats with four point seat belts for increased safety..
Fenders on all the wheels help keep the mud down and the kart comes complete with a one inch trailer hitch, utility rack and toolkit. Minimal maintenace, only regular oil changes required.

Safety Feaures

There is an engine stop switch next to the steering wheel for quick stopping in emergencies. The throttle control is adjustable, perfect for teaching kids to drive. Side guards and brush bars protect driver and passengers and the four point seat belts are an added safety feature. a wide wheel track area keps mud from spashing on passengers. Good size rubber tires. Stump guard underneath the drive chain.

Frame

The frame is manufactured from durable 12 gauge tubular steel and painted with automotive grade UV protection paint. Many manufacturers use the inferior 14 or 16 gauge steel or even the much thinner 18 gauge.

Speed

The Ace Sports can achieve speeds of up to 35MPH

Overall

Fun family, off road vehicle with many safety features making it ideal for young people learning to drive as well as fun for more experienced drivers. Good reviews and reportedly reliable and durable.

Although originally all go karts were gas powered the popularity of electric go karts has increased substantially in the last few years and there are now many purpose built tracks especially for electric kart racing. An electric go kart has many advantages over a gas powered kart and are much more suitable for youngsters.

Environment

Gas two stroke engines are notoriously dirty, emitting fumes and smoke and are very noisy. An electric kart emits no fumes and is quiet. You can operate an electric kart inside safely and many new inside circuits are springing up so that karting can take place year round despite bad weather outside.

Safety

For youngsters electric karts are much safer. No longer do you need to carry cans of petrol around. Recharge the batteries of your kart, turn the key and drive! Youngsters can practice safely in an inside controlled environment.

Easier Maintenance

Gasoline engines need a good deal of maintenance, spark plugs need to be cleaned regulalry, oil needs to be changed etc. An electric kart is almost maintenance free. Quick swap battery packs allow the range and riding time to be extended.

Running Costs

Electric go karts are cheaper to run. The price of petrol, as we all are aware, is rising daily! Electric karts are substantially cheaper to run than gas powered karts and maintanence is cheaper too.
They are also cheaper to purchase initially.

Performance

Electric go karts can be as powerful as their gas powered counterparts and even exceed them. See MythBuster: Why Electric Vehicles Beat Gas in 5 Extreme Tests (video below!)if you’re not convinced.

Overall electric motor sports is the way to go. Firstly to protect the environment but equally as important, they are safer, much more pleasant to ride, almost maintainence free and cheaper all round.

In the US the World Karting Association regulates and promotes jart racing at 120 tracks nationwide. Established in 1971 it is the largest body for sanctioning karting in the US and one of the largest in the world.

Kart racing began in the late 1950’s using parking lots as racing tracks but it rapidly grew into a more organised sport with it’s own purpose built circuits. Today it is a recreational activity enjoyed by around 100,000 Americans. In Britain The Association of British Kart Clubs regulates kart racing under the auspices of the MTA. More than thirty kart associations are members and hold race meetings using the regulations set out by the ABKC.

Types of Kart Racing

Sprint

Dedicated circuits with lengths from 400m to 1600m are used for sprint kart racing. The format is a series of short races over a small number of laps to qualify for a final. The races typically last up to 15 minutes and the emphasis is on speed and successful passing. The Karting World Championship and the FIA championships are of the sprint format.

Endurance

As the name implies endurance races are for longer periods, from 30 minutes up to 24 hours or even longer, using a number of drivers for each kart. In this form of kart racing reliability of equipment and pit strategy are of utmost importance. The most famous race of the endurance type is the 24 hour event at the Formula One racer Alain Prost’s kart circuit at Le Mans in France. Taking place since 1986 winners include Formula One racing driver Toro Rosso and Sébastien Bourdais, multiple times Car Champ Champion.

Other, less famous, endurance races include Enduro racing in the US which usually last for 30 minutes or 45 mins and do not include pit stops. These events are usually held on road racing circuits of between one and a half and four miles in length.

Speedway

Asphalt or clay tracks are used for speedway racing with tracks between one sixth and one quarter miles in length. The tracks are usually asymmetrical with two straight and four left turning corners. The off set chassis type of kart is used in these races which has been developed for the left turns on these tracks. Races may be between four and twenty laps of these circuits.

Formats
Timed laps are used by The World Karting Association. Karts compete in groups of about five to achieve the fastest lap time. Qualifying in the preliminary races gains entry to the twenty lap featured event.

Heat Races, used by The International Kart Federation, consist of two laps followed by a twenty lap final. Good starting positions in the final are achieved by the winners of the heats.

Classifying Go Karts
In the US go karts are classified as follows:

Closed karts have roll cages to protect the driver and are usually used on dirt tracks
Open Karts do not have roll cages
Straight Chassis in which the driver sits in the center. They are usually used for sprint racing

Offset Chassis in which the driver sits on the left side. These karts are usually used for ‘left turn only’ speedway racing.

Components

Chassis
As go karts have no suspension the chassis must be flexible enough to substitute and rigid enough to stand up to sharp turns. For this reason the chassis is made of tubular steel.

The stiffness of the chassis dictates the best conditions for racing the go kart. A stiff chassis will be better under dry conditions. In wetter conditions or when the traction is poor a more flexible chassis is preferable. A chassis that allows the addition of stiffening bars is preferable as the kart can then be adapted to suit the conditions.

Brakes
Disc brakes mounted on the rear axle are used in most go karts. Although front brakes are gaining in popularity some race classes prohibit them.

Engine
Small 2 stroke or 4 stroke engines, both single cylinder and twin cylinder, are used in racing karts. A single cylinder 2 stroke engine will provide between 4 and 7 hp and a twin cylinder about 90hp. Most engines are water cooled although older go karts may be air cooled. Smaller 4 stroke engines from manufacturers like Tecumseh, Briggs & Stratton, Robin, Kohler, and Honda develop about 5 to 20hp More powerful engines, specifically developed for go kart racing, from Yamaha, or Aizro develop between 15 and 48 hp.

Transmission
Go karts lack a differential so the chassis is designed to allow the inside rear tire to lift slightly when cornering.
A chain transmits power to the rear axle. The axle and engine sprockets must be adjusted to the track to get the best performance.

Clutch
Karts are increasingly moving away from direct drive to the use of dry centrifugal clutches which is now used for all the top international classes.

Tires
Smaller than a normal car wheel, go kart wheels are made from aluminium or magnesium alloy. A range of tires is available for use in different conditions.