Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Go Kart shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Go Kart offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Go Kart at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Go Kart? Wrong! If the Go Kart is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Go Kart then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Go Kart? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Go Kart and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Go Kart wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Go Kart then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Go Kart site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Go Kart, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Go Kart, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.



Davide Fore demonstrates the KF1 chassis and KF1 at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Feb. 2007

Kart racing or karting is a variant of open-wheeler motor sport with simple, small four-wheeled vehicles called karts, go-karts, or gearbox/shifter karts depending on the design. They are usually raced on scaled-down kart circuits. Karting is commonly perceived as the stepping stone to the higher and more expensive ranks of motorsports.

Karts vary in speed and some (Superkart) can reach speeds exceeding 160 mph (250 km/h). A Formula A kart, with a 100 cc 2 stroke engine and an overall weight including the driver of 150 kilograms, can accelerate from 0-60 mph in under 4.5 seconds, and has a top speed of 85 mph (140 km/h). It takes a little more than 3 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph with a 125 cc shifter kart (6 gears), with a top speed of 115 mph (185 km/h) on long circuits.

History Art Ingels is generally accepted to be the father of karting. A veteran hot rodder and a race car builder at Kurtis Kraft, he built the first kart in Southern California in 1956. 50 years of karting 1956-2006 - CIK-FIA Karting has rapidly spread to other countries How the kart was first introduced to Europe - by Burton Reinfrank - June 2004, and currently has a large following in Europe.

Components Chassis The chassis are made of steel tube. There is no suspension (vehicle) therefore chassis have to be flexible enough to work as a suspension and stiff enough not to break or give way on a turn. Kart chassis are classified in the USA as 'Open', 'Caged', 'Straight' or 'Offset'. All CIK-FIA approved chassis are 'Straight' and 'Open'.



The stiffness of the chassis enables different handling characteristics for different circumstances. Typically, for dry conditions a stiffer chassis is preferable, while in wet or other poor traction conditions, a more flexible chassis may work better. Best chassis allow for stiffening bars at the rear, front and side to be added or removed according to race conditions.

Braking is achieved by a disc brake mounted on the rear axle. Front disc brakes are increasingly popular; however, certain classes do not allow them.

Professionally raced karts typically weigh 165 to 175 lb (75 to 80 kg), complete without driver. Avanti Kart, Parolin, Tony Kart, Top Kart, Birel, CRG, Haase and Mach 1 Kart are a few well known examples of the many European manufacturers of race-quality chassis. American companies in the shifter kart market include: GT Race Karts, Trackmagic, Shockwave Karting and Margay Kart. Australia produce the Arrow brand.

Engines Racing karts use small 2-stroke or 4-stroke engines, there is also a kart Wankel engine.





Listen to 2-stroke kart engines - recorded at the 2006 World Championship in Angerville - France

Transmission Karts do not have a differential (mechanics). The lack of a differential means that one rear tire must slide while cornering; this is achieved by designing the chassis so that the inside rear tire lifts up slightly when the kart turns the corner. This allows the tire to lose some of its grip and slide or lift off the ground completely.

Power is transmitted from the engine to the rear axle by way of a chain. Both engine and axle sprockets are removable, their ratio has to be adapted according to track configuration in order to get the most of the engine.

In the early days, karts were direct drive only, but the inconvenience of that setup soon led to the centrifugal clutch for the club level classes. Dry centrifugal clutches are now used in many categories (Rotax Max is one example) and have become the norm as the top international classes have switched to 125 cc clutched engines as of January 2007.

Tires Wheels and tires are much smaller than those used on a normal car. Wheels are made of magnesium alloy or aluminum. Similar to other motorsports, kart tires have different types for use appropriate to track conditions:

Tires are sometimes prepared with special solvents to soften them and increase grip, however this is banned by many racing organizations. These solvents typically affect the behavior of the tire temporarily and are most often destructive to the rubber. The tires can support cornering forces in excess of 2 G (20 m/s²), depending on chassis, engine, and motor Racing setup.

Racing Kart racing is generally accepted as the most economic form of motorsport available. As a free-time activity, it can be performed by almost anybody, and as a motorsport in itself, it is one of the sports regulated by FIA (under the guise of Commission Internationale de Karting), permitting licensed racing for anyone from the age of 8 onward.

In the USA there is not as much FIA involvement, instead many organizations regulate racing, such as the IKF (International Kart Federation), WKA (World Karting Association), IRA (International Racing Association), and KART (Karter's of America Racing Triad).

In the UK the MSA (Motor Sports Association) regulate Karting. Some associations, such as Natska (National Schools Karting Association), organize race meetings throughout the country under the authority of the MSA.

A variety of kart circuits permit the sport to be practiced, although only homologated tracks can have official races in Europe (see Kart circuits).

Racing classes start at age 7 or 8 (5 in the US with "Kid Karts") and generally run in 3-year age groupings or weight divisions until “senior” status is reached at age 15 or 16, depending on the series.

Racing formats Typically, race formats are one of the following:

Sprint Sprint racing takes place on dedicated kart circuits resembling small road courses, with left and right turns. Tracks go from 1/4 mile (400 m) to over 1 mile (1,600 meters) in length.

The sprint format is a series of short-duration races, normally for a small number of laps, that qualify for a final, with a variety of point scoring calculations to determine the event's overall winner. Typical duration does not normally exceed 15 minutes. Here, speed and successful passing is of the most importance. It normally occurs in the format of three qualifying heats and a final race for trophy positions.

The FIA championships, including the Karting World Championship, take place in this format.

Endurance Endurance races last for an extended period, from 30 minutes up to 24 hours or more, for one or more drivers. In general, consistency, reliability, and pit strategy is of greater importance than all out speed.

Called "Enduro" racing in the USA, most World Karting Association & International Kart Federation sanctioned events typically last 30 minutes (Sprint Enduro) or 45 minutes (Laydown Enduro) and are run continuous without pit stops. Enduro events are held on full-size road racing circuits that are usually between 1.5 & 4 miles in length.

As well as the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race for automobiles there is also a 24 hours event for karts which takes place at the kart circuit Alain Prost at Le Mans, France. Kart circuit Alain Prost - 24 hours This race has taken place since 1986 and its winners include Sébastien Bourdais (in 1996), three times Champ Car champion and soon to be Formula 1 driver with Scuderia Toro Rosso.

Speedway Speedway racing takes place on asphalt or clay oval (geometry) tracks which are normally between 1/6 mile and 1/4 mile long. Tracks primarily consist of two straight and four left-turn corners, few tracks are symmetric and often the shape parallels that of an egg or a tri-oval.

'Offset' kart chassis have been developed for precise handling and adjustability in left-turn-only racing competition taking place on oval and tri-oval tracks.

Speedway kart races range in length from 4 laps for a trophy dash, to 20 laps for a main event.

The two chief racing formats used in dirt speedway karting are heat races and timed laps qualification :





Racing categories There are many different classes or formulae in karting. The Commission Internationale de Karting sanctions international championships in Formula A, Intercontinental A, JICA, Super ICC, Intercontinental C and Superkart. These are regarded as the top levels of karting and are also raced in national championships. The Karting World Championship is also decided here. The current 2007 World Champion is Marco Ardigo from Italy. 2007 CIK-FIA Karting World Championship - Timetable and Results

FIA regulations changes for 2007:





The most celebrated karting series in the UK is the National karting series, also known as Super 1. There are 3 types of Super 1 championships:



Natska is a budget karting association set up for schools and youth groups in the UK, with 13 classes.

In the United States, the biggest proportion of racers are in the dirt oval classes which often use Briggs & Stratton industrial engines.

In Australia, classes include Midget, Rookie, Junior and Senior.

Many people race worldwide in Spec series such as Rotax Max (a TaG class) or those using the KT100 engine.

Karting as a learning tool Kart racing is usually used as a low-cost and relatively safe way to introduce drivers to motor racing. Many people associate it with young drivers but adults are also very active in karting. Karting is considered the first step in any serious racer's career. It can prepare the driver for high-speed wheel-to-wheel racing by helping develop quick reflexes, precision car control, and decision-making skills. In addition, it brings an awareness of the various parameters that can be altered to try to improve the competitiveness of the kart (examples being tire pressure, gearing, seat position, chassis stiffness) that also exist in other forms of motor racing.

Many current and former Formula One racers grew up racing karts, most prominent among them Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Räikkönen, Lewis Hamilton, Jarno Trulli, or Robert Kubica. Many NASCAR drivers also got their start in racing from karts, such as Darrell Waltrip, Lake Speed, Ricky Rudd, Juan Pablo Montoya, Tony Stewart, and Jeff Gordon.

Concession Karts As well as "serious" competitive kart racing, many commercial enterprises offer casual hire of karts known as "Concession" karts. Such karts are usually powered by small, detuned four-stroke engines and are far slower than the fully-fledged competitive versions. These karts are built and set to be drivable by anyone.

Notes

See also Related :

External links Governing Bodies



Davide Fore demonstrates the KF1 chassis and KF1 at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Feb. 2007

Kart racing or karting is a variant of open-wheeler motor sport with simple, small four-wheeled vehicles called karts, go-karts, or gearbox/shifter karts depending on the design. They are usually raced on scaled-down kart circuits. Karting is commonly perceived as the stepping stone to the higher and more expensive ranks of motorsports.

Karts vary in speed and some (Superkart) can reach speeds exceeding 160 mph (250 km/h). A Formula A kart, with a 100 cc 2 stroke engine and an overall weight including the driver of 150 kilograms, can accelerate from 0-60 mph in under 4.5 seconds, and has a top speed of 85 mph (140 km/h). It takes a little more than 3 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph with a 125 cc shifter kart (6 gears), with a top speed of 115 mph (185 km/h) on long circuits.

History Art Ingels is generally accepted to be the father of karting. A veteran hot rodder and a race car builder at Kurtis Kraft, he built the first kart in Southern California in 1956. 50 years of karting 1956-2006 - CIK-FIA Karting has rapidly spread to other countries How the kart was first introduced to Europe - by Burton Reinfrank - June 2004, and currently has a large following in Europe.

Components Chassis The chassis are made of steel tube. There is no suspension (vehicle) therefore chassis have to be flexible enough to work as a suspension and stiff enough not to break or give way on a turn. Kart chassis are classified in the USA as 'Open', 'Caged', 'Straight' or 'Offset'. All CIK-FIA approved chassis are 'Straight' and 'Open'.



The stiffness of the chassis enables different handling characteristics for different circumstances. Typically, for dry conditions a stiffer chassis is preferable, while in wet or other poor traction conditions, a more flexible chassis may work better. Best chassis allow for stiffening bars at the rear, front and side to be added or removed according to race conditions.

Braking is achieved by a disc brake mounted on the rear axle. Front disc brakes are increasingly popular; however, certain classes do not allow them.

Professionally raced karts typically weigh 165 to 175 lb (75 to 80 kg), complete without driver. Avanti Kart, Parolin, Tony Kart, Top Kart, Birel, CRG, Haase and Mach 1 Kart are a few well known examples of the many European manufacturers of race-quality chassis. American companies in the shifter kart market include: GT Race Karts, Trackmagic, Shockwave Karting and Margay Kart. Australia produce the Arrow brand.

Engines Racing karts use small 2-stroke or 4-stroke engines, there is also a kart Wankel engine.





Listen to 2-stroke kart engines - recorded at the 2006 World Championship in Angerville - France

Transmission Karts do not have a differential (mechanics). The lack of a differential means that one rear tire must slide while cornering; this is achieved by designing the chassis so that the inside rear tire lifts up slightly when the kart turns the corner. This allows the tire to lose some of its grip and slide or lift off the ground completely.

Power is transmitted from the engine to the rear axle by way of a chain. Both engine and axle sprockets are removable, their ratio has to be adapted according to track configuration in order to get the most of the engine.

In the early days, karts were direct drive only, but the inconvenience of that setup soon led to the centrifugal clutch for the club level classes. Dry centrifugal clutches are now used in many categories (Rotax Max is one example) and have become the norm as the top international classes have switched to 125 cc clutched engines as of January 2007.

Tires Wheels and tires are much smaller than those used on a normal car. Wheels are made of magnesium alloy or aluminum. Similar to other motorsports, kart tires have different types for use appropriate to track conditions:

Tires are sometimes prepared with special solvents to soften them and increase grip, however this is banned by many racing organizations. These solvents typically affect the behavior of the tire temporarily and are most often destructive to the rubber. The tires can support cornering forces in excess of 2 G (20 m/s²), depending on chassis, engine, and motor Racing setup.

Racing Kart racing is generally accepted as the most economic form of motorsport available. As a free-time activity, it can be performed by almost anybody, and as a motorsport in itself, it is one of the sports regulated by FIA (under the guise of Commission Internationale de Karting), permitting licensed racing for anyone from the age of 8 onward.

In the USA there is not as much FIA involvement, instead many organizations regulate racing, such as the IKF (International Kart Federation), WKA (World Karting Association), IRA (International Racing Association), and KART (Karter's of America Racing Triad).

In the UK the MSA (Motor Sports Association) regulate Karting. Some associations, such as Natska (National Schools Karting Association), organize race meetings throughout the country under the authority of the MSA.

A variety of kart circuits permit the sport to be practiced, although only homologated tracks can have official races in Europe (see Kart circuits).

Racing classes start at age 7 or 8 (5 in the US with "Kid Karts") and generally run in 3-year age groupings or weight divisions until “senior” status is reached at age 15 or 16, depending on the series.

Racing formats Typically, race formats are one of the following:

Sprint Sprint racing takes place on dedicated kart circuits resembling small road courses, with left and right turns. Tracks go from 1/4 mile (400 m) to over 1 mile (1,600 meters) in length.

The sprint format is a series of short-duration races, normally for a small number of laps, that qualify for a final, with a variety of point scoring calculations to determine the event's overall winner. Typical duration does not normally exceed 15 minutes. Here, speed and successful passing is of the most importance. It normally occurs in the format of three qualifying heats and a final race for trophy positions.

The FIA championships, including the Karting World Championship, take place in this format.

Endurance Endurance races last for an extended period, from 30 minutes up to 24 hours or more, for one or more drivers. In general, consistency, reliability, and pit strategy is of greater importance than all out speed.

Called "Enduro" racing in the USA, most World Karting Association & International Kart Federation sanctioned events typically last 30 minutes (Sprint Enduro) or 45 minutes (Laydown Enduro) and are run continuous without pit stops. Enduro events are held on full-size road racing circuits that are usually between 1.5 & 4 miles in length.

As well as the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race for automobiles there is also a 24 hours event for karts which takes place at the kart circuit Alain Prost at Le Mans, France. Kart circuit Alain Prost - 24 hours This race has taken place since 1986 and its winners include Sébastien Bourdais (in 1996), three times Champ Car champion and soon to be Formula 1 driver with Scuderia Toro Rosso.

Speedway Speedway racing takes place on asphalt or clay oval (geometry) tracks which are normally between 1/6 mile and 1/4 mile long. Tracks primarily consist of two straight and four left-turn corners, few tracks are symmetric and often the shape parallels that of an egg or a tri-oval.

'Offset' kart chassis have been developed for precise handling and adjustability in left-turn-only racing competition taking place on oval and tri-oval tracks.

Speedway kart races range in length from 4 laps for a trophy dash, to 20 laps for a main event.

The two chief racing formats used in dirt speedway karting are heat races and timed laps qualification :





Racing categories There are many different classes or formulae in karting. The Commission Internationale de Karting sanctions international championships in Formula A, Intercontinental A, JICA, Super ICC, Intercontinental C and Superkart. These are regarded as the top levels of karting and are also raced in national championships. The Karting World Championship is also decided here. The current 2007 World Champion is Marco Ardigo from Italy. 2007 CIK-FIA Karting World Championship - Timetable and Results

FIA regulations changes for 2007:





The most celebrated karting series in the UK is the National karting series, also known as Super 1. There are 3 types of Super 1 championships:



Natska is a budget karting association set up for schools and youth groups in the UK, with 13 classes.

In the United States, the biggest proportion of racers are in the dirt oval classes which often use Briggs & Stratton industrial engines.

In Australia, classes include Midget, Rookie, Junior and Senior.

Many people race worldwide in Spec series such as Rotax Max (a TaG class) or those using the KT100 engine.

Karting as a learning tool Kart racing is usually used as a low-cost and relatively safe way to introduce drivers to motor racing. Many people associate it with young drivers but adults are also very active in karting. Karting is considered the first step in any serious racer's career. It can prepare the driver for high-speed wheel-to-wheel racing by helping develop quick reflexes, precision car control, and decision-making skills. In addition, it brings an awareness of the various parameters that can be altered to try to improve the competitiveness of the kart (examples being tire pressure, gearing, seat position, chassis stiffness) that also exist in other forms of motor racing.

Many current and former Formula One racers grew up racing karts, most prominent among them Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Räikkönen, Lewis Hamilton, Jarno Trulli, or Robert Kubica. Many NASCAR drivers also got their start in racing from karts, such as Darrell Waltrip, Lake Speed, Ricky Rudd, Juan Pablo Montoya, Tony Stewart, and Jeff Gordon.

Concession Karts As well as "serious" competitive kart racing, many commercial enterprises offer casual hire of karts known as "Concession" karts. Such karts are usually powered by small, detuned four-stroke engines and are far slower than the fully-fledged competitive versions. These karts are built and set to be drivable by anyone.

Notes

See also Related :

External links Governing Bodies



 

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