go-kart shopping

[gmpower6]

My son wants a go-kart for x-mas. He is 9 and was needing to know what size other people have gone with. Must have a roll bar, or cage. Safty

Let me know Sean

 

[SFITurbo]

Yerf Dogs are pretty cool, not alot of speed and pretty safe.(unless you jack with the throttle ) Not real good on trails though, more of a level ground type. Pulls my fat azz with no problem. 100cc 2 stroke,I believe they have 4 stroke also. Run around 1200 at sports stores and sometimes wally world.Caged,harnessed,and lights.

 

[gmpower6]

Thanks Sean

 

[tjthorson]

I bought my son one of those cheapy china ones last Christmas. My 200lb brother rides the thing up and down the street no problem. You would have to fab up your own roll cage - but for something to ride around on, it can't be beat.

Not really for off-road though - one wheel drive and one-wheel disc brake.

With his little 70lb body on it, he can get the thing sideways under full throttle...


When i fab up an Limited slip - ill let you know....

His is like this one - but silver.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-...itemZ4581671337QQcategoryZ90986QQcmdZViewItem

 

[DCEPTCN]

I know a guy wh sells these for around $1500-ish. 150cc, electric start, yada yada.

 

[bishir]

I know a guy wh sells these for around $1500-ish. 150cc, electric start, yada yada.

That was what I was going to suggest, I've seen them at the track and they seem pretty safe, plus you can ride along!

 

[jpratt]

I used to be a Authorized Service center for Yerf-Dog. THEY SUCK. I will not even change the oil in one of those things. The parent company does not care about the customer, they take months to ship parts that wil just break in a few days anyway. I would recommend a Manco kart over other ones that I have seen, yes they are cheap. They have common engines that any small engine knowledgable mechanic can repair.

 

[tommynos]

this is a nice one for your kid and he wont grow out of it ...for 6k it could be yours..fly down and drive it home legally :biggrin:...stay away from yerf dawg,the tubing is junk and will always have to be welded..the other one in the pics is nicer,and worth the money...

 

[gmpower6]

Yeah Tommy i would not even grow out ot that one, nice piece. I am still checking the wife left it up to me. Great if he get's hurt the blame goes on me.

So i would like to have control of the throttle turn it down or turn it up when he get' more used to it. I also have a 7 year old and i know he would want to ride it also.

Thanks Sean

Any good website to check out?

 

[tommynos]

ebay...rail buggy /dune buggy/go cart...

 

[KansasCity-T]

I had a BKS Groundhawg and i loved it. I beat the sh*t out of it and the only thing I had to replace was the axle. To this day I still haven't figured out how i bent the thing. It has a roll cage and seat belt. I think you could roll the thing down a mountain and nothing would happen to it. The thing will go anywhere off road too. Great in the snow in Kansas, I would pass all the other kids on their go-carts. My Friend had a Manco go-cart too, it was nice but the tubing was a little small. We had to weld it back up a few times. There is also a few tricks you can do to the BKS to make it fun for you to ride too. :biggrin:

Deron L.

 

[FlyinGN]

I looked at that one too Todd and wondered how safe it was with no floor?? Where does the kids feet go? and whats stopping em from hitting the ground???

F

I bought my son one of those cheapy china ones last Christmas. My 200lb brother rides the thing up and down the street no problem. You would have to fab up your own roll cage - but for something to ride around on, it can't be beat.

Not really for off-road though - one wheel drive and one-wheel disc brake.

With his little 70lb body on it, he can get the thing sideways under full throttle...


When i fab up an Limited slip - ill let you know....

His is like this one - but silver.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-...itemZ4581671337QQcategoryZ90986QQcmdZViewItem

 

[RobsIron]

I just bought this for my 13 yr. old stepson. We had a yerfdog that we beat the hell out of and it held up well. Manco is a good cart. I'd recommend buying one locally in case it breaks so repairs are easier. Get 5-6 h.p. Briggs or Tecumseh engine. Anybody can work on those.

 

[TT/Ameasap]

I have an older Indy style kart that I am selling. $350

It will be worth that much when you decide to sell. 3hp and goes about 35mph!

Lemme know if interested and I will get pics.

PS.
I am located in IL also.
Bo

 

[Bob Avellar]

Here is mine. 5 HP. We used to have a blast racing these on a dirt track. LOL A bunch of middle aged guys bumping and pushing each other around the track. They used to go like he!! through the turns. Felt like 70mph but we were probably only going 35-38 mph.

 

[tjthorson]

I looked at that one too Todd and wondered how safe it was with no floor?? Where does the kids feet go? and whats stopping em from hitting the ground???

F

Well, it certainly is not as safe or as sturdy as any of those other carts - but for $250 shipped, it certainly is a good bang for the buck. Now, one thing is, he only gets to ride it between the neighbors driveways, so he never gets it above 15-20. So, a roll cage and safety stuff isn't too big a concern. Furthermore, he is never on it unless I am out there watching him since its a residential neighborhood. It runs pretty quiet so the neighbors don't seem to care.

His feet sit inside of the front bars. When adults ride, they stick their feet straight out the front. My brother took it out on the street - he was doing over 30 with the thing wound out.

So, yeah, there is a safety factor there - ESPECIALLY if he had it out with friends where they might try stupid stuff like jumping or going too fast.

You could easily weld on a floor, sides, and a roll cage however....

The big thing for him is that he wears out the drive tire pretty fast. I already replaced it once with a wider, stiffer tire off a wheelchair - scooter website...

I had him run it today and made a small video with my digital camera.

its about 2.8mb....

http://www.geocities.com/tjthorsonhome@sbcglobal.net/AlKart1.avi

 

[gn4u2c]

Find him an older Honda oddesy !!! they are almost impossible to break and you can keep adding power as he get older and move the seat around. This way you are not buying him a bigger bettr one every 2 years . 350 cc will do ya

 

[FlyinGN]

thanks Todd. That thing looks fun