I have a little extra money lying around and I am wondering if I should get a 206 engine to mess around with, or just get a back up KA engine. I feel like most would recommend a backup KA, but here is why I am leaning towards 206, feel free to convince me otherwise.
-More seat time with 206; with it being such low cost I would get way more seat time out of the engine and allow me to get more laps with the same chassis
-Cost; I could buy almost 4 206 motors for the same price as one new KA, and save the rest of the money for more karting trips, tires, fuel, extra KA parts etc…
And then one question I have is how beneficial is buying a 2nd KA engine vs just buying parts as needed? I don’t have an unlimited budget as this is just a small side hobby, but I just want to maximize track time. Thanks for any advice
I’m glad you posted this and I’m interested to see what advice you get. I’m trying to decide if I wanna switch from KA to LO206 or not, and my main motivation to switch is that I can barely afford to keep 2 KA engines running. I love the racing in KA and I’m worried that it will be harder to learn proper braking technique in 206 because the braking events are so short that you have to be on and off the brakes very quickly, but switching to 206 would give me more money for lessons.
Don’t know if you are going to have the easy swap you want? Definitely much much cheaper to operate though!
206 and KA are different driving styles and will require slightly different setups.
You will also need different rear axles unless your manufacturer keys axles for shifter and single speed drive. 206 uses inboard sprocket location like a shifter.
Driver seating position is usually different also. 206 often seats to the left for sprocket clearance and better weight distribution. KA is more centered.
Will also need different sprocket sizes for gear ratios. We typically ran 65-72 rears with 206 and now run 75-82 rears with KA.
Similar to what Chuck mentioned, I’ll offer that managing a KA and 206 on the same chassis isn’t as easy as you may expect. Seat position, axle, setup, etc.
I swapped my son’s Mini Rok for a 206 at the beginning of the year. Before doing it, I thought I may swap back and forth this season for club racing, but after doing it, I realized it’ll make more sense to keep him in 206 for the whole season. it takes time swapping things out and getting it set-up properly.
Not opposed to the idea of having a 206 for more laps and cross-training, though. If you have the funds left-over after buying the 206, I would recommend considering another chassis for it.
So every time I want to switch from ka to 206 I have to move the seat, change the rear axle, change rear sprocket? (Correct me if I’m wrong) That doesn’t seem too insanely bad, just a couple hours of work or so. I wouldn’t be switching that often, maybe once/twice a month.
I would probably just keep the KA setup as far as camber/castor, could I get away with the same seat position, or would it not clear the sprocket? Again 206 is not for competition, just for fun, not worried about lap times. KA would be for competition.
You can mount the 206 more outboard and maybe keep the seat centered. It will depend on chassis brand. The location of the chain relative to the right side seat strut impacts where you have to locate the motor.
If you mount more outboard, just know it will bias weight to the right side and start to impact L vs R cornering.
You may well be able to leave the front the same. So much of it is impacted by chassis, your physical size, driving style, and track grip and layout.
The 206 has less entry speed/energy than the KA. So it often takes some setup differences to generate inside tire lift.
I wouldn’t go as far to say you have to, but not changing certain things may leave you with a
suboptimal setup. If it’s just to turn laps you can keep the inboard sprocket on, have two throttle
Cables, use 219 chains on both. That’s what I’ve done when swapping between 2t and 4t for practice.
Another option is to get a second ka and don’t spin it as hard as your race engine.
. 18 months racing LO206, placed 7th in TSRS regional series last year. Jumped to KA this year. Braking, cornering, and throttle application are indeed different, requiring different setup and cornering techniques.
The entry and exit speeds are definitely different. Low speed corners are quite comparable mid corner. Middle and high speed corners can vary quite a bit on corner speed, depending on corner.
Yeah probably. You could play around with where the engine/clutch is mounted and find a spot that provides clearance and keeps the seat in a decent spot for weight distribution.
I saw you asked about how long the swap takes. I’m no master mechanic, but it took me a few hours to get things dialed in properly. You have to pull the axle to in order to move the sprocket carrier inboard for the 206. Plus, the throttle cable routing, zip-tying cables back to the frame/seat, etc. Don’t forget about draining fuel from the KA.
We pulled and swapped an axle in 15 minutes this weekend. Felt like 30.
I would think a clean, not bent, oiled axle, you should be able to pull and swap everything in 90 minutes. With some practice it is a 45-60 minute job.
Don’t overthink it. Generally speaking my customer 206 and KA karts (OTK) are nearly interchangeable. Axle, seat position, width, caster, camber, toe, bar, ride height… particularly if you are just pounding laps in the 206 it’s largely immaterial.
Get a dual keyed axle, a second sprocket carrier, an extra throttle cable and 3’ of sheathing and you can make the change in under 30 minutes easily after you do it the first time.
And adjusting your driving is a good developmental exercise anyway. You never drive a kart the same from morning warmup to the final without adjusting so may as well make that skill a tool in your toolbox rather than a liability.
Personally, I would go with a second KA. It looks like the price of used motors is coming down a little, especially if you don’t need a complete motor (battery, starter switch, pipe). Keep one either just for practice or an alternate motor while the other motor is being worked on. If you want to have a 206 for practice I would suggest finding another kart and putting a 206 on that. I think after 1 or 2 change overs you will regret the decision.
You should be able to find an older complete kart with either a 206 or an older TAG for under 1K. I sold an older Arrow kart with an older but running Leopard motor for $800 last year.
. 18 months racing LO206, placed 7th in TSRS regional series last year. Jumped to KA this year. Braking, cornering, and throttle application are indeed different, requiring different setup and cornering techniques.