Types of Karts

The original go-kart, built by Art Ingels in 1957, has evolved considerably in the last fifty years and more, thereby establishing go-karting as a serious sport and an accepted training tool for aspiring racers.

The world of Karting today, can be broadly divided into road racing and oval-track racing. There a different types of karts used under these categories, that are chosen based on the age and experience of the driver, the type and size of the engine, and whether or not the kart uses a centrifugal clutch or has a gearbox.

The engines can be classified into two-stroke and four-stroke categories, and there are three basic systems by which the engines drive the rear axle.

Clutch Karts
These karts have a centrifugal clutch that provides drive to the axle once the kart hits a particular engine speed. The typical rental karts, employ this drive system.

Direct-drive karts
Here, the engines drive the axle through a chain, and there is no form of clutch to disengage the engine drive from the axle. There is just a sprocket on the engine and the rear axle and the chain connects the two.

Shifter Karts
These karts use an engine (60, 80, 125 0r 250 cc) and transmission unit from or derived from a motor-cross bike. These karts also have a five or six speed gear box .

Super Karts
The word Super Kart was used to refer to the 250 cc engine karts, the fastest category in Kart racing. The most striking difference between a Super Kart and any other type of kart is that it has a full aerodynamic body kit and can race on car circuits over 1,500 metres in length.

Drivers are often advised to learn the dynamics of karting on non-shifter karts, before graduating to shifter-karts, since it’s considered difficult enough mastering the basics of karting such as the cornering line, being smooth and learning proper braking techniques, without having to worry about shifting gears about 15- 20 times, during every 30 sec lap in a shifter-kart.

Once the fundamentals have been mastered, racers often stick to practicing on shifter-karts, since they are closest in design to the actual race cars and cost a whole lot less.

Meet the Machine at AKC

The Chassis – AE-EVO 1
he Chassis is designed to fit both 4 stroke Subaru and 2 stroke Rotax kart engines. It allows suspension adjustment such as height, castor, camber, toe, front and rear track.

Engine Specs:

• Overhead cam Subaru 4 stroke kart engine from Japan
• Power output – 9 bhp