Hi I am looking at doing some kart racing this season & i know there are quite a few karters out there who play LFS & I was hoping you could help me out with some noob advice.

Obviously the most important factor to consider is cost, so what am I looking at here? Entry fees seem reasonable at tracks near me. I only have £1000 budget to get me a kart/spares/etc. I have a suit/helmet & tools.

I am looking at doing club/noob level racing in & around the midlands area. What championships are open to me.

Shennington (on the cotswolds) is my nearest circuit.
I have also considered club 100 birel racing but it's a heck of a lot of traveling.

YOYO

Ok First things first

DO NOT BUY ANYTHING UNTIL YOU'VE BEEN TOO AT LEAST 2-3 CLUB MEETINGS.

If your budget is only £1000 for a kart + spares the class most available to you would be Formula TKM. The only over class they run at Shenington for Seniors would be Rotax MAX. But decent second hand packages in Rotax start at £1000. Also, arguably, TKM is the better class. the karts are simpler, and more fun to drive and very cheap to get into.

Also, helmets and suits HAVE to fit the standard set by the MSA. You might find your suit and helmet do not fit these requirements. That is something you need to check.

This is quick budget for you

Ready to go TKM Kart - £600-800
Licence fees in ARKS test - £150-200
Suit and Helmet - £300-450
Spares are other stuff - £200+

Also you will want to do several test days before you enter a race weekend. Testing fees start from around £35 for the day depending on availability of the circuit.

These are you local tracks in the MIdlands

Shenington
Whilton
Kimbolton

Whilton has a meeting this weekend, so you should pop down.http://www.whiltonmillkartclub.co.uk/

im testing at whilton on the saturday so if u wanna come n chat my kart will have a red and white number 12 on and im the bandit with the yellow helmet!

Thanks for the advice.

I was hoping to race locally but if Rotax is to expensive then where can I race TKM's in the midlands?

What do you think of this for a first kart?

There seems to be an abundance of 2nd hand TKM's on ebay.
What should I look for when buying?
What will i learn from attending a meeting?

the bodywork on that kart is out of homologation, and the motor isn't the right spec. As i said don't even think abut buying yet... that shouldn't be i your mind at the moment. I have had SO MANY people come to me with the wrong kart having spent 1k. One guy I knew wasted over £5k

TKM is a Midlands based class and has grids at Shenington, WHilton, and Kimbolton.

What you will learn from attending a meeting is how the day runs, what classes are available, and what you should look for in second hand karts. You also need to talk to people, get a feel for what it is all about. You'll get a realistic idea about how much it really costs as well.

Of course 90% of just sales talk. no doubt people will try to get you into Rotax... don't!!! they are horrific! lol Come down on Saturday. Will will be there in TKM as he has stated....

well hate to drop this in but hey i was going to advertise this on karting.co.uk but i have a rotax max kart with a 2004 tonykart venox i was looking for around £1650 but i will take £1500 now i know this was over your budget but its everything you need to race and if you wanted it id be happy to take a 1000 and you take the engine and whatever then the rest when you have the other 500 got pictures if your interested and log book with the engine.

Tom

well ant if you ever pop down to kent to race you will probably go to bayford meadows or buckmore park, my uncle is the manager and coc(clark of course) at bayford, and i live in the same town so i may well pop down to meet a felow lfser

with the greatest respect I wouldn't recommend BUYING ANYTHING until your fully aware of the options and implications of each class. If your on a tight budget doing Rotax is almost pointless when compared to TKM. Well doing Rotax MAX is pointless anyway!

Quote from james12s :

well ant if you ever pop down to kent to race you will probably go to bayford meadows or buckmore park, my uncle is the manager and coc(clark of course) at bayford, and i live in the same town so i may well pop down to meet a felow lfser

Nice to see a fellow Sittingbourne LFS racer

Been to Bayford Meadow's once, went Karting with my Mum's work. Was good fun - really enjoyed it, although i gave a it a bit to much throttle on the first lap and had a mini spin lol. (Was about 8pm i think, pretty damp track.) Got 3rd fastest lap too, which was quite good. Im sure i will go again soon but it's pretty expensive for me, as i don't have much money :/

Quote from Intrepid :

with the greatest respect I wouldn't recommend BUYING ANYTHING until your fully aware of the options and implications of each class. If your on a tight budget doing Rotax is almost pointless when compared to TKM. Well doing Rotax MAX is pointless anyway!

tkm is no cheaper than rotax max for running cost's its just the initial cost, tkm engine rebuilds are more frequent, and rotax will be more reliable tires cost the same as well as fuel and race entry fees, (rotax is faster

Quote from andybarsblade :

tkm is no cheaper than rotax max for running cost's its just the initial cost, tkm engine rebuilds are more frequent, and rotax will be more reliable tires cost the same as well as fuel and race entry fees, (rotax is faster

rotax isn't 'faster'. The much softer compound tyres make the lap times quicker, but in terms of raw pace there isn;t a huge difference. And a Rotax is just the most incredible dull thing to drive... sound rubbish, is rubbish, too much grip, not enough power BORING! At least a TKM is a little fun to drive

The carbs are more expensive in Rotax, and you need to have a lap top and software just to get the jetting right. TKMs carbs are cheaper, and only need manual jetting changes. Then you have clutch maintance, battery maintance, starter maintance..... all adding to the cost of Rotax

The rebuild costs are also very large in Rotax, and they HAVE to be done by a sealing agent. In TKM you don't need this.

You can do VERY well in TKm with a modest budget... just ask Ayrton Senna 87 who was seeded in this years national TKM series. In Rotax.... well with decent motors going for 2-3x RRP its no where near as affordable.

If your just starting out I would recommend Pro Karting. They teach you how to keep good corner speed as the power is not massive (they do about 55mph but it's fast enough to start off in)

Just incase you don't know, prokarts have 2x Honda engines (can't remember which) Also, they are very cheap to maintain etc, they don't use vast amounts of tyres like the faster classes.

I would advise a slow class like pro karting or World Formula (mainly at Warden Law) to start off in as it teaches you the basics of driving.

Quote from Intrepid :

rotax isn't 'faster'. The much softer compound tyres make the lap times quicker, but in terms of raw pace there isn;t a huge difference. And a Rotax is just the most incredible dull thing to drive... sound rubbish, is rubbish, too much grip, not enough power BORING! At least a TKM is a little fun to drive

The carbs are more expensive in Rotax, and you need to have a lap top and software just to get the jetting right. TKMs carbs are cheaper, and only need manual jetting changes. Then you have clutch maintance, battery maintance, starter maintance..... all adding to the cost of Rotax

The rebuild costs are also very large in Rotax, and they HAVE to be done by a sealing agent. In TKM you don't need this.

You can do VERY well in TKm with a modest budget... just ask Ayrton Senna 87 who was seeded in this years national TKM series. In Rotax.... well with decent motors going for 2-3x RRP its no where near as affordable.

Yes engine rebuilds cost more but you have to do them alot less often so its works out around the same and as i (andybarsblade) said earlier they are incredibly reliable and the only parts ive ever had to pay for is stuff ive broke

but hey each to their own and all that

Quote from jaws99 :

If your just starting out I would recommend Pro Karting. They teach you how to keep good corner speed as the power is not massive (they do about 55mph but it's fast enough to start off in)

Just incase you don't know, prokarts have 2x Honda engines (can't remember which) Also, they are very cheap to maintain etc, they don't use vast amounts of tyres like the faster classes.

I would advise a slow class like pro karting or World Formula (mainly at Warden Law) to start off in as it teaches you the basics of driving.

Yeah i've driven them before many times. I know how to drive a kart but would have to up my game a bit with proper karts (which I have also driven before). I am not a noob to motorsport either I have sprints, hillclimbs & rallycross under my belt.
I'm sure i will adapt to the driving techniques needed.

Quote from tombarlin :

Yes engine rebuilds cost more but you have to do them alot less often so its works out around the same and as i (andybarsblade) said earlier they are incredibly reliable and the only parts ive ever had to pay for is stuff ive broke

but hey each to their own and all that

OK put it is this way. to be competitive in MAX it costs a whole lot more, and isn't fun to drive! Zero bottom end.... and no top end.... it's absolute misery...

it is reliable tho.... reliably horrible!

dont do MAX

or do MAX, then in a year or 2s time u can realise your mistake

anything happening at whilton tomorrow?

yes there is a club race meeting