Gearbox Karting Locations

[pspnut]

Okay firstly sorry if this has been covered before im new to the forum.

At 27 i think its about time i got myself a "big boys toy" for some hooning around circuits and have trawled website after website for advice on costings and weighing up the pros and cons of kart over car etc...
Recently i came to the conclusion that a gearbox kart (probably a 250cc because yes i am a little crazy and a Yorkshireman afterall) would be a lot of fun for a pretty minimal outlay considering the performance on offer but my question is this:-
Where could i take this little beastie for a thrashing? I currently live in West Yorkshire (Wakefield) and as far as i can tell the local kart tracks wont let me on with a gearbox kart due to the greatly increased risk of colliding with the slower karts etc.. so is it track days only? and does anyone on here have one/go to regular meets up this way as i dont want to commit to a purchase and have it stuck in my garage 11 months of the year.

Any advice/help would be greatly appreciated lads

Cheers


PsPNuT

[superkartracer]

What experience do you have of fast machines? i drive a Gallardo thats 550bhp and thats slow compared to a 250 GB kart, you will kill yourself or end up with a broken pelvis ( wheelchair )

Any karting background?, another issue is, sharing the track with GB racers who have built experience over years is deadly and you will be spotted a mile off and advised to stop as they will be passing you at serious speeds.

If you really want a go try Whilton Mill on a wes, try a 125 ICC first, that track will only allow the kart to hit 80mph max and theres plenty of runoff. Or you could try Shenington and go down the main straight @ 100mph make a mistake under braking and hit the tires/steel and spend the next few weeks in intensive care.

They really are not toys as you put it, a decent 250 will be around 800 bhp/ton , for ref a Gallardo is around 320 bhp/ton... and most would find that very quick

Edited by superkartracer on Wednesday 25th January 14:03

[kazste]

Please consider the above, I have never driven one but have seen a few races and sweet jebus their quick and not particularly built with safety in mind. Personally would think that as a beginner would be very dangerous as if you were allowed on a car track day then you would he very exposed, and if went on a gearbox kart only session would think that due to the nature of them there would be a very steep learning curve meaning closing speeds would be excessively dangerous.

It's your life and you have to live it how you see fit, but if it were me at a minimum I would first take it on a track when I'm the only one there so I can get up to speed and concentrate fully on learning the kart.

All that's left to say is that if you do go through with the plan then you sir have balls of steel, hope it goes well, and please report back.

[pspnut]

Thanks chaps points taken,

i'm old and responsible enough to know 800/ton is a bloody lot, ive scared myself half to death in the old man's atom 300 a couple of times at croft and silverstone in the past few years so i know that's way too fast to be going inches off the ground! I thought at best they would match the atom giving me something to have a go at taming but that's like formula 3 quick isnt it? are they really that fast!!
125 it is then, i dare say these aren't too shabby either had a couple of hours in a rotax max last year in bradford and that was a little hairy bugger.

Thanks again, you've probably saved my life there lol another dreamer shot down in flames.

[drakart]

Straight to a 250 would be suicide!!! I've driven a long course 125cc and it is completely different to anything I had driven before (esp karts). They have a different sized chassis that doesn't act like a normal kart. They can't be thrown about and require balls of steel. It takes days of practice to learn these things properly and unless you are very talented (you may well be) you will never reach the limit of the kart safely. You can rent 125cc karts at darley moor to see whether you want to take it further. They are great fun, but very serious beasts.

[superkartracer]

pspnut said:

Thanks chaps points taken,

i'm old and responsible enough to know 800/ton is a bloody lot, ive scared myself half to death in the old man's atom 300 a couple of times at croft and silverstone in the past few years so i know that's way too fast to be going inches off the ground! I thought at best they would match the atom giving me something to have a go at taming but that's like formula 3 quick isnt it? are they really that fast!!
125 it is then, i dare say these aren't too shabby either had a couple of hours in a rotax max last year in bradford and that was a little hairy bugger.

Thanks again, you've probably saved my life there lol another dreamer shot down in flames.

125 ICC is still 450 bhp/ton, try a Rotax Max they are still very fast, the prob is the power-band, the power comes in at around 10.000 RMP then from 10,000 - 11,500 to goes from 10 to 50hp, it's hard to control as you need to keep the engine in this band via 6 gears to keep to karts from bogging down and the tire temps up for grip, the back-end will step-out at 100mph in less than a 10th of a second so your reactions need to be very sharp, it's one reason 125 ICC is driven by Champ car and Indy races over in the USA as they are very near to these machines regards whats required to drive them.

125ICC is shorter wheelbase too and harder to control over a longer 250 machine

Regards F3 they are not near the lap times, but will corner faster than f3/F1 on shorter tight corners. ( being such a short wheelbase )

125CC - F3000/champ car regards reactions and acceleration ( top speed 120 mph )
250cc - F3000 but more time to react ( 140mph top speed )
250cc E - F1 type madness with 110bhp engines and over 1000/ton ( top speed around 170mph + )

Have fun

[superkartracer]

And to add they are fking awesome machines to drive ( ICC )

[BBS-LM]

superkartracer said:

What experience do you have of fast machines? i drive a Gallardo thats 550bhp and thats slow compared to a 250 GB kart, you will kill yourself or end up with a broken pelvis ( wheelchair )

Any karting background?, another issue is, sharing the track with GB racers who have built experience over years is deadly and you will be spotted a mile off and advised to stop as they will be passing you at serious speeds.

If you really want a go try Whilton Mill on a wes, try a 125 ICC first, that track will only allow the kart to hit 80mph max and theres plenty of runoff. Or you could try Shenington and go down the main straight @ 100mph make a mistake under braking and hit the tires/steel and spend the next few weeks in intensive care.

They really are not toys as you put it, a decent 250 will be around 800 bhp/ton , for ref a Gallardo is around 320 bhp/ton... and most would find that very quick

Edited by superkartracer on Wednesday 25th January 14:03

What he said, from my memory from a mate who raced in the 125cc national category the 250cc Karts are on the same pace as a F2 car which as we all know is not that mush slower then F1, so definitely not a toy. I would get at least one days training just for peace of mind, and also your life, if you get it wrong in these Karts going 150Mph, they will kill you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z88xJwdtSU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p8MSZ8nqWU&con...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgOLhYj0YWA&fea...

Edited by BBS-LM on Wednesday 25th January 20:55

Edited by BBS-LM on Wednesday 25th January 21:15