Starting Karting (Help)

[wi11iamm]

Hi, I'm 17 and wish to start karting. I want to know which is the best class for me to enter (bearing in mind I competed in the Cadet Class when I was young)and how much a basic kart in the class will cost. I would also like to know which kart club I should apply for considering I live near Birmingham.

Thanks

Will

P.S does anyone want to sell a 3 litre fuel tank for a comer S60?

[speedy king]

Rotax Max i would have thought will be the best option, one of the cheaper classes, packed grids and racing for all levels of capability.

starter kart could cost between £1,300 and £2,000 second hand, (Best to go for a second hand kart, you get more gear) but make sure you can test drive it and if possible take someone along who knows what they're looking at, so you know you aren't buying a Bannana

I don't know about clubs around Birmingham. Try out www.karting.co.uk they (i think) have kart clubs listed?

[wi11iamm]

Cheers

[ghinzani]

Rotax - no question - make sure you read the engine manual and adhere to it and you should get 50 hours between rebuilds.

[superbird]

I don't think there's anything in the immediate Birmingham area but have a look at Whilton Mill in Northamptonshire and Sheningston in Oxfordshire, I think those are your nearest

[#15 tkm 4/]

tkm 4/!!

The tyres are grippier, the engine goes to 100hrs till nxt rebuild (obvious cheeper than rotax there) nd the engine will fit onto vertaly any chassis!!

i move from pro-kart to tkm 4/ (tried a few rotax's nd tkm 4/ was the best thing!!

[speedy king]

But they're not as popular as Rotax at many clubs, Beclles only has about 2 4/ TKM's and they are brothers racing them

[wi11iamm]

What about Senior TKM / 2 stroke? Is this cheaper than Rotax max? I had a look on karting.co.uk and it seemed that you could buy a TKM cheaper than a Rotax Max...suggestions please.

Thanks for everyone's comments.

I take it Wheels in Birmingham does not host any races then?

[#15 tkm 4/]

yea tkm 2/ are good but they are alot like rotax's
its like a lucky dip on engines cause they can be tuned nd rebuilt by SO many differnet people it untrue.

where as tkm4/ engines can only be tuned by tal-ko so they are all gonna be equal

you also would wanna try and steer clear from tkm 2/ cause by 2005 or 2006 all air cooled 2/ are being banned, so the future is 4/ anyway

[#15 tkm 4/]

also i think birmingham are a only 4/ track cause they are owned by daytona nd sandown (daytona) is a 4/ only track

[Superliner II]

yea tkm 2/ are good but they are alot like rotax's

What???
How exactly is a TKM 2/ like a Rotax?

[speedy king]

Similarities......????? Ummmmmmmmmmm, hmmmmmmmmm, sound?

They handle totally different,t he engines are just about as different as you can get before adding a gearbox..

[#15 tkm 4/]

ummm well if ya botherd to read on, past that first bit u woulda read that, i said that tkm 2/'s and rotaxs are both lucky dip on who gets the good enignes, even in stars of tomorrow admit that every single enigne is differnet to the others. i.e some may come out the box wit 20hp (or wateva it is) and otha may come out with 18hp. this is also true with the tkm 2/ like i was saying

[Superliner II]

You r talking through the end you sit on.

The rotax is rebuilt to strict standards as laid down by Rotax and approved by JAG. Only approved engine rebuilders are allowed seal the engines. If the rules are being broken and the standards are not being met by an apporved engine rebuilder the right to rebuild and seal the engines for MSA racing is revoked.

The differences in horsepower between engines is directly related to the competance of the driver/mechanic to adjust and tune the carburettor. The Rotax max btw has 28 hp

What other differences are there between Rotax and TKM?

Well one of them is water cooled the other air cooled.
One has a balance shaft the other does not
One has a Dellorto slide carb the other a Walbro butterfly carb.
One revs to 14000 the other can rev to 18000.
O yeah and one is electric start, the other, yes you guessed it, is not.

[#15 tkm 4/]

well geez so are you mate, where did you hear about me going on about the difference in the ways the two karts handle?? you f**king didnt did ya!!

Also if ya would read the text insted of living in your own little bubble you woulda seen me put "20hp(or wateva it is")
that means to most normal people that i was giving an example, not the truth cause i didnt know wat horsepower they are, otha wise i should put "20hp only" or something like that.

and also if you go along to any star's meetings and ask around the pits in which tuners they use THEY ALL, have different opions on which one's are the best, then if you ask to see there dyno sheets(some will let you look)u can see that some tuners get 1 or 2 hp more/less outta there engines than othas do.. so if there is so much differnet between each tuner how are they all going along to the same rules??

[superbird]

Don't swear at him you little tart. Learn to write clearly and people MIGHT get what you mean.

Don't post rubbish like this either

you also would wanna try and steer clear from tkm 2/ cause by 2005 or 2006 all air cooled 2/ are being banned, so the future is 4/ anyway

You may like four strokes but don't lie to advertise them. The real story, if you even care, is that the FIA is allowing 4 strokes in European and World Formula A in 2005. The next homologation period they will be compulsory. This has no effect on what people race in MSA racing and no effect on Rotax and TKM. It probably doesn't even have much of an effect on international racing because the manufacturers will boycott it and a new organisation is being formed!

With regard to Rotaxes all being different. Of course people will say that, they want an excuse when they get beaten or they want to shoot the bullsh!t. They are a bit different because they are mass produced but not to the extent you can buy an advantage through anything other than hard work. Why you think TKM 4/ are any different beats me. Do you think you are on the same engines as Beanie? Don't make me laugh.

[superbird]

Here m8 if your going to post anything like that poorly informed ,illegible bull**** and abuse you already have and expect to get away with it, then you r gonna get people putting you right. If you cant handle it then P*** Off you fool. lol

I did'nt even talk about how the karts handle did I???
I was talking about the fundamental differences between the design of the engines. You dont even know how a 2/ works or what i was talking about do you?

[Superliner II]

Sorry above post was me

[wi11iamm]

Chill out guys! Lets agree to disagree hey

Again thanks for your comments!

Keep ur opinions comming

[Superliner II]

Wi11iam.

A second hand Rotax Max engine and a chassis of your choice will cost between £1200-£2000. New £3000-£4000. Rebuilds cost about £350 every 50 hours or thereabout. Thats about every two years if you go to the track 12 times a year on average.

4/ strokes like the Biland and TKM 4/ are a lot more expensive to buy (£3000 just for the Biland engine!), cheaper to run in the short term but once a 4/ engine needs a rebuild its very expensive. They are good fun dont get me wrong but i love my 2/. There are not a lot of Bilands about and i cant remember seeing a grid of TKM 4/'s anywhere but at a Super 2 championship meeting. They sound nice though. Ive never seen more than one Biland going round a track anywhere ive been. A full grid of 20 or 30 must shake the ground!

TKM 2/ is a very popular class. I do'nt own one so i can't really tell you accuratly what they cost to run. The chassis are all British made as are the engines. Engines are rebuilt every 10 hours or thereabout. Not a lot of adjustments allowed on the chassis as there are in other classes which might help you to concentrate on getting the best out of your driving. Personally i love fiddleing with my chassis, adjusting castor/camber and making it stiffer of looser to see if it makes me faster. Not everybody does so they either get their Dad to do it (or pay for it) or go and do club 100.

As far as clubs go you have got 3 sisters to your north in Wigan, Shennington to your south near Banbury and Wilton Mill over east somewhere beside the M1. All are big clubs with good tracks and facilities. I'm a member at Shenington.

If you can get yourself in the position to test what you are interested in buying go for it. Try at least a Rotax and TKM 2/. Rotax is faster. Go to a club and see what classes are there. Talk to some people if they dont look too busy. You wil get a good reception because there is nothing Karters love more than talking about their karts.

Also check out NKRA classes or www.clubmankarting.co.uk to see if what they run suits you. I fancy one anyway.

[#15 tkm 4/]

superliner,

i agree there are not oftern very full grids for tkm 4/ or biland but if you go to any formula 6 meetings (if your around when there is one) they very oftern have bout 15+ bilands all racing at once and about 10+ tkms 4/.They sound fantastic, just imagine the sound of one bilands times it by 15 and add a circuit like lydd or sandown with the straight's nd its not very oftern u'll hear bettr (only 250cc)btw there is a formula 6 meeting tomorrow at sandown park

[Superliner II]

Well m8 i'd love to see the 4/'s racing at Sandown but unfortunatly i am p***ed at the mo and will probably be over the limit to drive tomorrow so if you r racing have fun and tell us how you get on. Ta Ra

[#15 tkm 4/]

fair enuf,

ummm well in first heat i finished 10th which was kinda ****, 2nd heat i started 13th got to second 2nd then the race was red flagged so i had to restart again in 13th, nd in the end i got to 7th nd in the final i was up with leaders then i got pushed off twice in 2 corners, and then got stuck behing a weaving novice!!(he changed sides of the track bout 4 times!!)