General When to buy your first kart

[Hudson1984]

Hi all,

So, very new to karting - in fact I’ve only done a few sessions and one open Grand Prix (booked into next months and the open endurance)

I’m keen to progress, but I think long term my racing desires are in cars, that being said, being as I’m 5 minutes from a kart track it’s daft to not use it

Now, my query is when should I buy my own kart? Should I give it a year in the open leagues in hire karts and just do what I can with them? Or do I get a better/faster kart and by learning with that (and getting more track time as testing is cheap) it’ll help with hire kart leagues.

As I’ve said, long term I’d really like to do car racing, probably f1000 or similar, but I want to learn the ropes properly first and probably get a good 5 years of karting under my belt. Additionally I’m keen to get the lad into karting when he’s old enough so I’d like to know my way round a kart before that time comes.

Anyway….

Bîte the bullet, take the plunge and get one?

Or

Don’t bother, use the hire stuff and just progress from there into perhaps club100

 

[LE#99]

If you have the budget get a decent used package and start doing some testing. When you're used to the kart start doing some independent race meetings and go from there.

 

[Hudson1984]

See I've been offered an LN kart, full package, for a cracking price. My issue is all i'm going to use it for is testing - it feels overkill.

Am I better off spending £1500 on something lower down the food chain, learn how to repair it, look after it and I can do testing once a week for a couple of hours in addition to the races in the hire karts.

I can't see myself entering any owner championships next year. I want to spend next year really getting to grips with Karting. So it's a case of spending wisely.

I can afford to spend the money - I can't afford to waste the money

 

[LE#99]

Personally I'd start on something reasonable, a LN kart is from the OTK (Tony kart) factory AFAIK so as long as its not done loads will be OK to start.

Once you are in it id say rather than out money into the corporate karts just get out and test in the LN as its a different driving style, tyres etc etc.

If you're in Suffolk you have Red Lodge, Ellough Park, Fulbeck, Tattershall and even whilton that you can get it and test at.

As I said before the OTK frames do wear out but when starting you won't notice and the time will all be in your driving so done worry about that yet, it'll oy affect you when you're at the front of the likes of WMKC, TVKC and national meetings.

Also, it does depend on the cost of the package of course but taking that out of the equation if the kart is straight, not done loads and loads then it's a reasonable starting point.

HTH, any specific questions DM me....... or for driver coaching I'm available weekends or most Fridays

 

[Hudson1984]

Personally I'd start on something reasonable, a LN kart is from the OTK (Tony kart) factory AFAIK so as long as its not done loads will be OK to start.

Once you are in it id say rather than out money into the corporate karts just get out and test in the LN as its a different driving style, tyres etc etc.

If you're in Suffolk you have Red Lodge, Ellough Park, Fulbeck, Tattershall and even whilton that you can get it and test at.

As I said before the OTK frames do wear out but when starting you won't notice and the time will all be in your driving so done worry about that yet, it'll oy affect you when you're at the front of the likes of WMKC, TVKC and national meetings.

Also, it does depend on the cost of the package of course but taking that out of the equation if the kart is straight, not done loads and loads then it's a reasonable starting point.

HTH, any specific questions DM me....... or for driver coaching I'm available weekends or most Fridays

yeah i'm about 5 mins from Ellough, which is where i'll be doing 99% of my karting.

See i'd get it if it's something that's really going to last - I can't see myself travelling around with it. Not much anyway, long term maybe but probably not in the next 12 months

I'm definitely not going to be at the front of any national meetings so is this kart worth it or should I be looking at spending less on a cheaper kart and get used to it before looking at something more expensive and newer in a year or two?

the package was really good value, no worries there, but I could get something for £1500 and it'll still be capable of more than me at this stage

 

[LE#99]

yeah i'm about 5 mins from Ellough, which is where i'll be doing 99% of my karting.

See i'd get it if it's something that's really going to last - I can't see myself travelling around with it. Not much anyway, long term maybe but probably not in the next 12 months

I'm definitely not going to be at the front of any national meetings so is this kart worth it or should I be looking at spending less on a cheaper kart and get used to it before looking at something more expensive and newer in a year or two?

the package was really good value, no worries there, but I could get something for £1500 and it'll still be capable of more than me at this stage

How long it lasts depends on how much you do and if you crash much.
The newer the better basically and you'll be able to get spares easily.

I run MS Karts which I feel have a much longer lifespan than the OTKs but that's irrelevant if your only out say once a month. Keep the kart clean, prepped and lubed and get it flatbedded occasionally or after you have a crash and it will probably see you for a while.

 

[Hudson1984]

that's the issue I have really, I don't have a great idea of where I want to go as for me, it'll largely depend on how well I can do - no point going off around the country racing if I can't even compete against local people.

The Kart itself will be used once a week, my plan would be to do 2 hour testing every friday afternoon.

Then my racing will be limited to hire kart stuff unless I do very well then i'll look into what series to jump into, which of course would be handy if the kart can race in that series.

So yes, unsure which route to take as yet, but being as i've no where to store the kart immediately it's not too much of a worry. I think i'll look for something in the new year.

 

[LE#99]

that's the issue I have really, I don't have a great idea of where I want to go as for me, it'll largely depend on how well I can do - no point going off around the country racing if I can't even compete against local people.

The Kart itself will be used once a week, my plan would be to do 2 hour testing every friday afternoon.

Then my racing will be limited to hire kart stuff unless I do very well then i'll look into what series to jump into, which of course would be handy if the kart can race in that series.

So yes, unsure which route to take as yet, but being as i've no where to store the kart immediately it's not too much of a worry. I think i'll look for something in the new year.

Why not do some testing then do Club2000 1st Saturday of the month at red Lodge or fulbeck sprint on 3rd weekend and its very cheap. Imho much better than wasting money on hire racing when you have the kit as it will be more fun and will bring you on quicker than having to change between driving styles.

 

[Hudson1984]

yeah club2000 is appealing for sure, think that's probably a good route to take.... just need to get a kart now

 

[LE#99]

yeah club2000 is appealing for sure, think that's probably a good route to take.... just need to get a kart now

Or come over to whilton and try a MSKART one Wednesday or Friday