Getting into "THE" kart

I have seen and read lots of “getting into karting” threads, but I haven’t seen a single mention on how the heck you actually get into the kart once you bought the dern contraption.
I have tried everything, but crawling into the seat but no mounting technique seems to be very fluid in execution. Of all the fears of injury I conjured up when contemplating getting into karting, getting into the kart was not one of the ways I envisioned ending up in the O.R.

Seriously though.
I’m probably just worried about leaning on the wrong piece and breaking something on my fresh new kit, but I haven’t found a comfortable way yet.

Any Tips?

And you young whippersnappers just keep laughing, 40 is coming and she takes no prisoners. :rofl:

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Avoid the skinny metal bits! Sorta step in the space in front of the seat under the steering wheel and then plop down. Avoid stepping on things that can bend. Also, stepping in seat probably isn’t a great idea but so far no damage.

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Good question! There’s a few methods I can think of

Step on seat… Sit on top of seat, then slide in
Hands on steering wheel and top of seat… lower your body across and down.
Step on the frame in front of the seat, sit down and put your feet up front.

I’m with you, in fact many of us are here :smiley:

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Like James said. One smooth motion. Hand on wheel or back of seat.
Step into kart where I said
Sit down fluidly. Or collapse.

The trick is not falling over when you have to get up at the end of race, totally exhausted.

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I usually sit on the top of my seat for a while and pontificate.

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That’s likely to be more dignified. Getting old sucks anyways. Why rush?

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This is the best way to get into the kart:

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Definitely the coolest way… but individual results may vary :smiley:

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And on that note…

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This is one of those times when second is a better gear to start in.

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I read somewhere, and have found it useful, to step on the front of the seat specifically where the seat mount bracket is bolted, then you can place your hands on either side of the seat at the seat strut points and lower yourself down.

It’s important to not step in front of the mount bolt, especially with a soft seat. I’ve seen one crack in front of the washer etc. I was also warned specifically against stepping on the floor tray.

I’ve found that method easy and damage free. I’ve watched many people look very ungainly trying to lower themselves in with their feet in odd spots on the ground. I guess it comes down to personal preference.

I’ll try find a video.

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This is hilarious and informative. It’s also good to hear I’m not the only one doing the cockpit shuffle. Going out to try some of these techniques.

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I’ll shoot some video now that I have a kart in my garage again. If you don’t see a video in the next two weeks, call me out :smiley:

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I recently added some padding to my seat in the form of cutting up a yoga mat I bought at a thrift store. Normally, I step on the seat at the mounting bolts in front, then sit on the top of the seat, and slide down. Sliding doesn’t work so well with the padding, but I kind of lower myself and shimming into place. I like the extra padding and it was super cheap. Like me.

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Stepping on the seats at the mounting bolts is a no go for me. (Horrible creaking sound) I can step in the seat pan(?) (Flat part) but even that seems like it may be approaching tolerance. I’m getting closer to a procedure though.

Enter on the L side. Step your L foot on the L side seat bolt (the bolt on the forward seat edge, not the struts), then do likewise with the R foot on the R side seat bolt. At this point, you’ll be facing forward, & from here, lower down & place your hands on the top edges of the seat back support & continue lowering down & moving your legs/feet to the pedals until you’re seated. Reverse the process to egress.

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With a quarter padded Tillet, I’ve found that I have to step between the chassis and the side pods on the left side then step over to the right side and then sit down on the seat and slide back into it. My problem is trying to get back out after I come in off the track, at 6’-2" and 230# it takes a lot to get up from that low. Oh by the way I’ll be 74 next month and race a IAME X-30 so I don’t care to hear about old from you 40 year old guys, I’ve got kids older than that. :sunglasses:

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I’d strongly discourage racers from stepping in the seat. Yes you can step in it over the front support bolts and maybe it won’t crack, but you can see them bend.

Instead, I’d really recommend straddling the seat, place your feet over the nerf bars with heels on the ground, and lower yourself in using the steering wheel for balance. It isn’t that much longer of a motion and with practice is graceful. I wince often at how a lot of young kids or juniors get in kart seats, knowing once they do that with adult size weight…yikes.

Just my 0.2. To get out of the kart place your hands on top of the top lips of the seat near your ribs, lift straight up, move feet out, and step out.

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Those are the type of questions I have wondered why are seldom approached. Being overweight, knee replacements and a lumbar fusion, that was a definite issue for me. I this it was the book “Everything you need to know about Karting” by Gidley and Grist that had a very good solution. Stepping into your seat with both feet, place hands on back of seat and sliding down along the back of the seat into place. Trying to reverse your action to get out. It is a very good place to begin you own personal method. For me the issue is the Crane they need, to get me out after a long race.

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So for me , I’m Stepping left foot first facing front of course, in between the frame and the nerf bars, stepping over the seat with my right foot to the same space on the right side of the kart. Both arms behind me on the seat and as I lower my self down I can transition my left foot up to the heal plate. then my right foot just as I slide down into the last part of the seat. Then its basically the reverse order getting out using a bit of the steering wheel to get started.
Some repetition here will go along way towards making this more fluid and once I have some muscle memory built up I think I should get the hang of it.
(some yoga may be beneficial as well but, dont tell the rest of the guys im doing yoga) :shushing_face:
Thanks for all the good ideas and tips.

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