$920 chinese made kart?

Scrolling through fb and saw this…

Author says he’s based out of Canton, Ohio
He says the karts are made in China (kartingstar)

Wonder if this goes anywhere, interesting idea for budget if it stays together after a curb or two😉


Hmm, seems very low cost after considering import\excise taxes and shipping (even on a boat). Might be dropshipping them maybe?

I would not expect much at that price that’s for sure.

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They copied the OTK M10 nassau panel for some reason, because the edges look rough.
Always thought the only way Chinese companies could get into “proper” karting(i.e TaG, OK and KZ) besides rental stuff would be sending spies to OTK, Birel, Emme SAS and so on

We tried the Gator karts as a budget alternative 10-12 years ago and they were abysmal. Have to say at first glance this looks a little better than those. All about the tubing and the welds though so will just take some full sends to see what they can take. :smiley:

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I think this is a scam. Saw the same post about a year ago and it went away. Tried to find from your post and no luck. I could simply be missing it.

If it’s not a scam (probably is) the site for the manufacturer is closed, second issue would be if the components are broken you won’t be able to replace them. If you plan on racing you are better off with a used chassis.

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This is a pretty obvious scam post, to me anyway. Name looks familiar

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I see that there are cheap Chinese karts on alibaba that look like gokarts as opposed to ninebots.

Here’s what looks like a kid kart which might be useful for ridding yourself of those pesky stepkids.

The brake linkage is a bar from pedal across to MC? … odd choice, could get stepped on.

(I’m so sorry, terrible pun and totally tasteless. I grovel for your forgiveness)

The “cheap Chinese kart” idea has been tried time and time again and they always end up being pretty much junk. Stuff breaks, doesn’t perform, build quality sucks.

Dan’s right, the Gator kart thing was in the same vein and they were terrible. Or the SQ Cheetah engine which was a knock off IAME Leopard.

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It’s probably a clone of something well known to be fair. Agree though good used chassis that you can look at, touch and feel is likely a better option.

Which brings up a valid question… other than the Praga “basic” chassis, are there any other quality entry level (limited adjustment) products targeting new racers/club buys?

I see that Shredway in Maine is offering a “package” for new racers in a series that is relatively cheap.

The problem is this is essentially a rental kart without the bumper surround. So it’ll only be race-able and competitive against it’s own class. You couldn’t slap a 206 or KA on this and go run anywhere else. It wouldn’t be competitive.

So sure, you can buy this $2k kart, race it at one track, but as soon as you want to actually get into proper competitive karting you basically have a paperweight on your hands and need to invest in a complete new package. At least with 206 or KA, you can race the package from Junior to Senior, across the country, at nearly any track. Your setup could last you multiple seasons without reinvesting in much.

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The SQ cheetah wasn’t good, but the SQ kart was actually damn fast back then. Had one and it holds fond memories for me. The brakes weren’t great, but it was fast.

The Shredway one? Yah, I get what you are saying. Wondering from a one-off club league perspective. That being said, the T4 and the Ignite fit the bill and are more broadly useful. But, not cheap.

Working for a manufacturer of products (and having been at others in the past), I’m not one to advocate for cheap Chinese products for a multitude of reasons.

But…if I was…I would think the savings would be/could be found in some of the crazy expensive peripheral costs around karting. Reasonably priced kart stands for example. The quality is less of a detriment to your safety and/or enjoyment and the costs quickly add up.

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That post is a scam, I contacted the guys and now it’s gone. The karts are from karting star in China, I think the price is $1950 US, I spoke with Jason Lee about 3 months ago about them. They are there entry level 4 cycle chassis. They also make 2 cycle starting at $2500 US

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That’s a Gator kart right there Dom (Maine kart). Just gave me some flashbacks! :worried: Really just welding flashes, not anything fun or trippy.

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Are they OK to drive?

Karting star. China made. These guy followed me and said hi to me on insta. I would stay away from it.

Compared to not driving a kart at all, it was a toss up. :joy:

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