Thread: Shifter Carts Anyone?

I have a friend that is going to eventually get me to buy a shifter cart. I have been looking into them more and more and I think it is about the closest thing you can do to F1 realistically and it's pretty easy to get into.
Does anyone here have any experience with these little screamers?

Originally Posted by tbevins

I have a friend that is going to eventually get me to buy a shifter cart. I have been looking into them more and more and I think it is about the closest thing you can do to F1 realistically and it's pretty easy to get into.
Does anyone here have any experience with these little screamers?

Start exercising, eating on a healthy diet, and preparing those neck muscles.

They are extremely fun but really tire you out! It is possible to crash as well so make sure you are in a safe environment (designated track). It IS expensive, just figure after 2-3 races you'll be rebuilding your engine, so that's parts +labor/or your own time. As well as your tires and checking bolts tightness.

Its a fun hobby if you have the time and money, if not you might as well buy a less expensive single gear.

Originally Posted by tbevins

I have a friend that is going to eventually get me to buy a shifter cart. I have been looking into them more and more and I think it is about the closest thing you can do to F1 realistically and it's pretty easy to get into.
Does anyone here have any experience with these little screamers?

Fun hobby that will turn very expensive very fast so keep that in mind. Also 2 stroke motors will need to be rebuilt frequently, and also the gear box.

Get into good shape because this thing will kill you if you dont know what youre doing

As far as motor maintenance and re-builds, look into the 125 Stock Moto class. They use a spec Honda 125 motocross engine. I ran the class for two seasons and had no issues at all with the engine package. I replaced the piston and rings between the first and second season, and the bottom end bearings after the second season. I spent more money on tires than I did maintenance. It's a great class.

Originally Posted by tbevins

I have a friend that is going to eventually get me to buy a shifter cart. I have been looking into them more and more and I think it is about the closest thing you can do to F1 realistically and it's pretty easy to get into.
Does anyone here have any experience with these little screamers?

I raced shifter karts for about 3 seasons. They are great fun, and probably the best bang for your buck in wheel-to-wheel road racing. If I ever have time to get back into racing, I will go back to karting.

Before you buy, go to your local track, talk with people, and make friends with the track/kart shop folks.

The "in thing" can be very regional. Some shops only carry certain brands, so it makes sense to race that brand kart (since you will be able to get parts, help, tips locally). Same goes for motors. When I started racing, we had 10 guys on moto-engined karts. The last season, I was one of 2 motos--everyone else had gone to ICC engines.

Also think about staring in a TaG kart. They are centrifugal clutch spec karts, and are generally alot cheaper to buy/maintian. No shifting/front brakes, but they are still really fast and force technique and fundamentals. If you can win races in a TaG kart, you can be really fast/smooth when you move into a shifter.

when i worked for BMW at a dealer one of the techs used to race bmw's one step below pro, he lost his sponser and started to do shifter carts, he said it's more difficult than racing the bmw. so it must be strenous

For sure go out to the track and see what class is best supported. I raced both 80 and 125 in Nor Cal and did some SKUSA stuff. If you race the big race yes lots of $$$ but local club stuff tends to be alot less because the real fast guys tend to just do the big races. I would also agree with TJ and start in a TAG, by the way right now the TAG class are far and away the biggest. If I were going to go race again I think TAG is what I would do shifters are funner but I want to be in a big field of Karts.

Also somthing I read is everyone told me how hard it was to get into racing I just wish they would have told me how hard it was to stop. There has never been a truer statment than that for me.