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SVTPerformance's Chain of Restaurants
Road Side Pub
Anyone into shifter karts?
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<blockquote data-quote="Blown 89" data-source="post: 14229754" data-attributes="member: 45161"><p>I race them. My advice....buy a World Formula. </p><p></p><p>Shifter karts are a thrill but they're difficult to drive on smaller sprint tracks, and the maintenance on them is impossible to tackle alone. In an 8 hour track day we have 4 20 minute sessions and I spend nearly every minute in between working on the kart. If you don't have a group of experienced karters willing to help you wrench, tune, and loan you parts it's an impossible task to tackle without experience. It would be easier if there were guides or a chilton's manual on how to run them but it's all some sort of black art voodoo crap and it's very easy to get something like jetting wrong and blow a $4,000 - $7,000 motor. To put things in perspective a Briggs and Straton world formula motor is $1,000k and the shelf life is indefinite. High string shifter engines don't last nearly as long.</p><p></p><p>If they're popular where you are I recommend a World Formula (they're huge here in Phoenix) for the following reasons:</p><p>- more people race them</p><p>- you'll only go through 1-2 sets of tires a year (shifters will blow a set of tires in a few sessions...I bring one new set and an old set every weekend. A set of tires is $200.</p><p>- they have a lower cost of entry</p><p>- No maintenance</p><p>- No on track tuning needed</p><p>- fewer parts to break</p><p>- concentrating on lines and momentum is crucial because you can't power out of mistakes so you'll become a better driver MUCH faster</p><p>- the racing is WAY better because it's basically a spec class. The only thing you need to worry about is gearing. That's it. </p><p></p><p>World Formulas offer awesome racing. The drafting is similar to super speedways in NASCAR and because the karts are spec they stay in huge packs together so they are constantly passing, bump drafting, diving in on each other, etc. It's nuts. If you barf up a few corners and the pack disappears all it takes to catch back up is hook bumpers up with another kart and push each other back to the front. It's not uncommon to be within a few feet (if not touching) another kart for the entire race. The shifters tend to spread out, especially in road racing, and you'll spend the entire day driving by yourself. It's much more exciting to fight for positions or have a chance to catch up when you fall behind. Not to mention that because the shifters are on a different planet when it comes to speed they stay much further away from each other where as the world formulas go wheel to wheel all race.</p><p></p><p>Expect to buy the following:</p><p>- Trailer</p><p>- Kart specific racing suit. Nomex shreds so kart suits are skid proof/non flame retardant. </p><p>- Helmet (either motorcycle or kart specific)</p><p>- Gloves</p><p>- Racing shoes</p><p>- Rib Protector </p><p>- Stand</p><p>- Gears</p><p>- Tire pressure gauge</p><p></p><p>Optional things you'll end up buying:</p><p>- Tire changing tools (bead breaker, tyre pryer, tire spoons). Not common with World Formula</p><p>- Gas cans</p><p>- Data logger and a host of sensors (not as common on World Formulas but essential for a shifter)</p><p>- Enough spare parts to build another kart (if you buy a shifter).</p><p>- Air tank</p><p></p><p>Once you get everything running and ready to go expect to spend a little more on specialty tools and the like. The upfront cost is significant. It was the nickle and dime things that killed me. Compared to racing cars it costs nothing though.</p><p></p><p>I'm not saying shifter karts aren't fun because holy hell they're mind blowing fast (you'll be miles faster than a supercar on a medium sized road course) but the maintenance and tuning is a lot to tackle for a beginner. A lot of guys get in them and don't have the skill or lack of self preservation to operate them either.</p><p></p><p>Finally, a good read:</p><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/introduction+to+karting/" target="_blank">http://www.autoblog.com/tag/introduction+to+karting/</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Blown 89, post: 14229754, member: 45161"] I race them. My advice....buy a World Formula. Shifter karts are a thrill but they're difficult to drive on smaller sprint tracks, and the maintenance on them is impossible to tackle alone. In an 8 hour track day we have 4 20 minute sessions and I spend nearly every minute in between working on the kart. If you don't have a group of experienced karters willing to help you wrench, tune, and loan you parts it's an impossible task to tackle without experience. It would be easier if there were guides or a chilton's manual on how to run them but it's all some sort of black art voodoo crap and it's very easy to get something like jetting wrong and blow a $4,000 - $7,000 motor. To put things in perspective a Briggs and Straton world formula motor is $1,000k and the shelf life is indefinite. High string shifter engines don't last nearly as long. If they're popular where you are I recommend a World Formula (they're huge here in Phoenix) for the following reasons: - more people race them - you'll only go through 1-2 sets of tires a year (shifters will blow a set of tires in a few sessions...I bring one new set and an old set every weekend. A set of tires is $200. - they have a lower cost of entry - No maintenance - No on track tuning needed - fewer parts to break - concentrating on lines and momentum is crucial because you can't power out of mistakes so you'll become a better driver MUCH faster - the racing is WAY better because it's basically a spec class. The only thing you need to worry about is gearing. That's it. World Formulas offer awesome racing. The drafting is similar to super speedways in NASCAR and because the karts are spec they stay in huge packs together so they are constantly passing, bump drafting, diving in on each other, etc. It's nuts. If you barf up a few corners and the pack disappears all it takes to catch back up is hook bumpers up with another kart and push each other back to the front. It's not uncommon to be within a few feet (if not touching) another kart for the entire race. The shifters tend to spread out, especially in road racing, and you'll spend the entire day driving by yourself. It's much more exciting to fight for positions or have a chance to catch up when you fall behind. Not to mention that because the shifters are on a different planet when it comes to speed they stay much further away from each other where as the world formulas go wheel to wheel all race. Expect to buy the following: - Trailer - Kart specific racing suit. Nomex shreds so kart suits are skid proof/non flame retardant. - Helmet (either motorcycle or kart specific) - Gloves - Racing shoes - Rib Protector - Stand - Gears - Tire pressure gauge Optional things you'll end up buying: - Tire changing tools (bead breaker, tyre pryer, tire spoons). Not common with World Formula - Gas cans - Data logger and a host of sensors (not as common on World Formulas but essential for a shifter) - Enough spare parts to build another kart (if you buy a shifter). - Air tank Once you get everything running and ready to go expect to spend a little more on specialty tools and the like. The upfront cost is significant. It was the nickle and dime things that killed me. Compared to racing cars it costs nothing though. I'm not saying shifter karts aren't fun because holy hell they're mind blowing fast (you'll be miles faster than a supercar on a medium sized road course) but the maintenance and tuning is a lot to tackle for a beginner. A lot of guys get in them and don't have the skill or lack of self preservation to operate them either. Finally, a good read: [url]http://www.autoblog.com/tag/introduction+to+karting/[/url] [/QUOTE]
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Anyone into shifter karts?
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