General Honda classification?

[rodderz54]

Hi all,

New to karting, but reading and digesting as much as I can. My general quandary is around Honda or Rotax. We've been a number of test days with rotax engines and no doubt they're a lot of fun and sound mega. A lot of what I read about Rotax suggest they are cheaper and cost effective, yet you can find a complete Honda GX200 engine for a third of the price of a Rotax Inter so it doesn't seem the most cost effective engine option. Am I missing something?

My lad is 10 in October, so he could get two good years out of a Honda class before having to move to Rotax really. I'm not averse to spending money on the boy if he's keen and half decent, but it seems to me the most cost effective way to get into karting would be to participate in a Honda class for the next two years until we have to swap to Rotax, and I could see how he develops too?

Any advice, much appreciated.

 

[LE#99]

Honda is by far the cheapest cadet formula. As for how long you can stay in the class this is all down to driver weight and height.
If he is larger build you'd be better looking at the mini class as he will outgrow cadets and you'll struggle for pace. Just test for 6 months then look to what you can do next year.

Also look at the different circuits that you will consider visiting and look at their race meeting results to see what classes they run there as this may dictate what to look at.

 

[rodderz54]

Honda is by far the cheapest cadet formula. As for how long you can stay in the class this is all down to driver weight and height.
If he is larger build you'd be better looking at the mini class as he will outgrow cadets and you'll struggle for pace. Just test for 6 months then look to what you can do next year.

Also look at the different circuits that you will consider visiting and look at their race meeting results to see what classes they run there as this may dictate what to look at.

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated. He's fairly slender at the moment so who knows if that will change.
Thanks for confirming my thoughts about Honda. I get it they're more purpose built and they are alot of fun. The dwindling support for this class at so many circuits is also a concern. But I think I can get a couple of years out of a decent chassis before we have to move class, and that will be long enough to work out if this something he's going to stick at and be competitive.

Thanks