SuperKarts - Page 2

yelodwg · 24 Dec 2002, 16:48 (Ref:456867)

Hey "E", hadn't looked at your profile before to see who you were, er, are! I would surely like to know why the IC/E class is still kicking over here. Maybe you could bring it up on the 250 List. I just lurk there as I don't have a 250, even though I do P1's site.

I wonder if there are some different rules over here (haven't read thru ALL the WSK rules) that help the IC/E reliabilty?

Or is it just us American's with our just go with it and whatever attitude

Tom

IC/E would be my choice, but I wasn't aware of the reliability problems.

Warwick · 24 Dec 2002, 19:46 (Ref:456947)

woodyracing check the website yelodwg posted and look under "about 250 superkarts" it has 0-60,1/4 mile etc.

I weighed in at 224kg at this years nationals with 1/2 a tank of gas,rolling chassis alone must be 140kg,our minimun weight is 205kg altough we may look at changing this to bring us into line with Australia.

woodyracing · 26 Dec 2002, 19:41 (Ref:457753)

I found the weights and a chart somewhere comparing power to weight ratios but I didnt find the 0-60 and 1/4 mile times.

Also, how come superkarts seem to be grouped with bike racing? I know they have bike engines, but so do a lot of other race cars.

Also the British Superkart Association website at http://www.superkart.org.uk/ doesn't contain too much info about the classes and how to get into it. It just mentions the calenders of various championships.

yelodwg · 26 Dec 2002, 22:25 (Ref:457833)

Woodyracing , the link's ("About 250cc Superkarts") there on the left side of Rob Forker's Good Times Racing 250 Superkart Team site . Here's the direct link: http://users.cyberzane.net/rforker/ABOUT250RACING.htm

Scroll down for times.

Grouped with bike racing? Grouped where?

I see what you mean about the B.S.Asso. site and "class"/"how to get into Superkarting" info. But they do have a good # of email addresses and phone #'s at the bottom of the home page. You can have yourself a field day with those!

Also go to our links page at www.kartfinder.com/links.htm and go to the Superkart links. Especially http://www.ozsuperkart.net/ and check out Rob Forker's links.

You may have a tendency to just want to go to British sites, which I normally would understand, but Superkarts are what I would call a World Class. At Laguna Seca's World Superkart Challenge race this past September, the drivers were from all over the world. That's one of the things that's neat about Superkarts!

tassuperkart · 26 Dec 2002, 23:16 (Ref:457874)

Hey Tom
heheheh I have been logged into 10/10ths for quite some time but I had forgotten about it untill I surfed here from god only knows where quite recently and spied the superkart forum, I couldnt resist!!
Umm WSK IC/E karts are not much different from Oz or European stuff really from what i have read from the original drafts of the rules. I havent read the latest copy of the rules sos I will ask J.R if he can mail me a copy yeah?
As far as why the F/E's are going strong here is an economic one and that I just think that us Aussies are grasping and running with the concept that we can build a good F/E machine and run it for a season for the same, if not less money that a good IC/E.
The GP engines are really quite cheap and readily available. As i mentioned before, a good 92-94 RS250, (admittedly a bit old now but still very good), only sets us back about 2000-2500 AUD. This amount of stock horsepower quite easily deals harshly with most of the 256's and will satisfy the majority of punters and only the seriously fast guys bother with the pricey "B" kit stuff and beyond. This is seriously affordable performance.
You just cannot build a decently fast ICE for that amount.
Furthermore, the reliability of a really quick ICE is fearfully bad compared to any F/E including older 256's.
I re-read back my painfully long posts and i feel like I am really pushing the GP bike engine thing but its really just an observation on what is going on in OZ. It wasnt that long ago in Oz that the 125 class was considered dead and most of the twins stayed home but the resurgence of these 2 classes has been spectacular to say the least at the direct expense of ICE and 80cc. Speaking of 80's, there is another money pit at the higher level. Jeezz those guys sink some dough into them.

Dont let my ravings deter you from an ICE tho Tom, At a saner level of tune the ICE's seem to last and perform very well but when push really comes to shove at the higher end of the sport then the amount of folding stuff necessary to build and keep running the singles seems to exponentially increase! It doesnt seem to matter how hard the Jap twins are hammered, they just keep going. Horses for courses I suppose!
Evan
Just my observations tho yeah?!!!!!

tassuperkart · 26 Dec 2002, 23:24 (Ref:457878)

FE karts quarter miles time into the 9 sec. bracket
0-100kph times: 2.35 Seconds

From the Swedish Superkart Site
www.superkart.nu

Kart only weights usually around 130kg F/E and around 10 to 15 kilos lighter for ICE.
E

woodyracing · 27 Dec 2002, 00:44 (Ref:457907)

thanks for all the info, they sound like amazing machines.

do they have a clutch peddle ?

tassuperkart · 27 Dec 2002, 01:20 (Ref:457913)

Nah, usually the clutch is located on the gearshifter using a simple motorcycle clutch lever.
Some karts are using a "paddle" style of shifter where the gears are shifted by paddles underneath the steering wheel a la F1 style and some guys are going towards power shifters that run from electric servos or compressed air rams and shifted by buttons on the wheel. Verrrry cool stuff!
I have a cobber down here in tasmania that uses a foot shifter just like a bike with a paddle style clutch just under the wheel. he has developed a very ingenious style of throttle/braking with the right foot! I have wheeled this kart and the gears are very easy to use but the throttle and brake so close together like a car is a bit of a pain for me.
I have seen some foot clutch setups but they are extremely rare now.
E

the man · 27 Dec 2002, 10:56 (Ref:458059)

can superkarts have a foot clutch like in a road car?

tassuperkart · 27 Dec 2002, 11:13 (Ref:458073)

See above!

the man · 27 Dec 2002, 11:25 (Ref:458082)

well that answer my question then. thanks tassuperkart

tassuperkart · 27 Dec 2002, 11:35 (Ref:458088)

No dramas dude
If your about on Feb the 8th & 9th, come out to Eastern Creek to the 2003 Superkart Spectacular which is a support event to the Premier 500 Motor vintage bike races.
Last year we had 63 superkarts on the grid from all classes starting together. A fantastic sight.
Penrith is just a stone throw from E. Creek so makje the effort and check us out.
I will be there again International (F/E) class kart #71. Blue/white Zip Eagle HondaRS250.
Say G'day if you make it.
You will get to see most of the quickest karts in Oz there from all the classes.
L8tr dude
E

the man · 27 Dec 2002, 11:41 (Ref:458092)

Yeah i might come if i can make it. So 63 karts in one race is that streching from the 80cc karts to the 250cc f/e class? How long is the race/s

tassuperkart · 27 Dec 2002, 11:50 (Ref:458102)

Yep all classes:
80cc gearbox, 100cc No gearbox, 125 no gearbox, 125 gearbox,250 ICE and 250 F/E all on the one grid!
UYmm, from memory, the races were 6 lap heats with 8 lap finals.
Practice and one race on Sat and the rest on Sunday.
The bike racing is fantastic with the likes of Barry Sheen racing beautiful old 500cc GP race bikes like old Manx Nortons and the like and these guys travel from al;l over the world to race at this event. Brilliant stuff iffen you like bike racing as well.
If you can make it then do so as it is a top meeting from the karts point of view on a brilliant driving track as well.
L8tr dude
E

the man · 27 Dec 2002, 11:53 (Ref:458106)

is it the full circult or the short circult

tassuperkart · 27 Dec 2002, 12:05 (Ref:458109)

Hehehehehehehe only the full circuit dude.
The only circuits in Oz that sometimes run shorter circuits is at Winton and Oran Park AFAIK
E

the man · 27 Dec 2002, 12:10 (Ref:458111)

okay, but I think in 96 when v8's ran the twilight thing they used the shorter circult. So tassuperkart how did u go last year at this meet. this is something different but do u have to wear leathers or a race suit like mark skaife wears. Or is it just what u prefer

tassuperkart · 27 Dec 2002, 12:16 (Ref:458113)

Oh i got eaten alive by the quicker blokes and I mostly ran midfield out of 20 F/E's. I dont race for sheep stations anymore and are there for the pure enjoyment only now and I dont really give a stuff where I finish so long as i actually raced for it!!!
Full leather race suits are mandatory for all 250cc machines but race suits made of "Cordura" or "Cordulon" are suitable for all other classes.

the man · 27 Dec 2002, 12:23 (Ref:458119)

So if you get beaten by a 250cc i/e superkart u don't care

the man · 27 Dec 2002, 12:34 (Ref:458128)

with the leathers is that because they are so fast if u get thrown out u will slide along the ground and nothing will tear to much. but if u had the cordura or the cordulan suits they would tear and u will have massive skin grazing

yelodwg · 28 Dec 2002, 15:32 (Ref:458922)

Hey, E, I was checking out the posts the other day, but was way too busy to post again then! Thanks for the all the F/E, IC/E engine-blowing-up-comparison-info! I would love to hear what some others over here have to say about that issue.

The Man, I think E meant 63 Superkarts, NOT including the other classes(???). That's amazing, I wasn't aware you guys had so many over there. The Man, if you haven't seen them race, and you are thinking of possibly getting one, DO NOT take E up on his mention of seeing that race..it'll make you want one even more

You'd think they were the same as watching a 125, only faster, but to me, they are wayyy different and very exciting to watch!

Over in the States, we don't have the leather-only rule, probably not smart at those speeds.

Tom

Warwick · 28 Dec 2002, 20:11 (Ref:459091)

In NZ we don't have the leather only rule either and I think in the UK its only on tracks longer than 1 mile.

63 karts! we think its a good day if we get half of that and that includes KT and MAX karts,we have only 6 250 F/E with another 2 on the way,altough 4 years ago there were only 2.

Road Racing doesn't seem to have the same amount of contact as sprint racing and despite the speed being considerably higher I see far less "racing incidents" in a year of roadracing than a day of sprint and I haven't seen a injury accident in 5-6 years.

tassuperkart · 28 Dec 2002, 22:08 (Ref:459144)

Tom
I hope I dont sound like I am bagging ICE's too much bwahhhahahaha!! I read back thru my posts and I come across as anti-single a bit.;-) Not at all!!
Speaking of good grids, here a a couple of pix of Eastern Creek last year showing what over 60 karts of all classes looks like on the grid:
http://www.ozsuperkart.net/images/EasternCreekGrid.jpg
http://www.ozsuperkart.net/images/Ec...idrearview.jpg
http://www.ozsuperkart.net/images/Ecreekdummygrid.JPG

The Man, yeah it doesnt bother me being cleaned up by an IC/E! Last year at Eastern Creek, I got nailed by Anthony Zulian in a 125!! This guy can seriously drive a seriously fast 125 and just staying with him for a lap or two after he passed me was an education believe me!
Leather suits are really the last word in safety as far as abrasion protection is concerned but can be just as much a difficulty in hot and humid weather and contribute to de-hydration and fatigue in longer races during summer. Im not too bothered down here in Tassie as I, like Warwick, live in the high latitudes and humidity is never an issue so I wear leathers all year round.

yelodwg · 29 Dec 2002, 01:27 (Ref:459302)

E, damn, I wish you wouldn't have done that, show me all those photos. WOW!!!!!!!!!! Every time I think I don't need to get interested in getting a Superkart, something like this happens

I just don't know what it is about them, I don't have much if any desire to drive an 80 nor a 125cc, but when I see a Superkart, I lose my mind!!! Maybe it's the wings, maybe they look the closest to Champ race cars, but much more affordable.

I don't mind your opinions in any way in regards to the IC/E class. I find it very informative and I will be checking more over here as to how the engines hold up. Shouldn't be any difference, I would think.

Do you think it's impractical (or maybe not very smart) to go from 100cc clutch kart to a Superkart?

Thanks again for the photos

Warwick · 29 Dec 2002, 02:33 (Ref:459320)

Yelodwg at the South island champs we had a guy who came from a non gearbox class Kt and Max and he just about cleaned me up,although he's been racing about 4 times longer than I have.

In saying that it is a reasonably big step,you just have to take it a bit easy for a start,we have two guys starting this year who haven't even raced anything before,but they are going out and hring the track to get driving experience before doing their first meeting.

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