It’s actually a pretty good article. I’d give it a read.
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So it’t been about half a season with the KA100, what’s the feeling on the engine at the moment? It looks like field sizes are pretty consistent at GoPro and USPKS, and racing still looks close.
Any common issues with the motors?
How is maintenance/rebuilds?
Are you planning on running KA100 next year?
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I have had zero issues so far.
I believe we are rebuilding it for the next event just because we ran in the rain at USPKS @ Pitt, otherwise we were going to run it again without a rebuild.
If I race next year, I would definitely run it again. It’s a ton of fun, the racing is super close, and the engine has been trouble-free so far.
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I’d love to see some more tech videos and etc about the KA100. No one in my area knows about this engine, and I’ve just been pointing them to this forum thread about it.
I haven’t seen any of the field sizes. About how many folks are racing in the class? Trying to decide if I want to swap from a KPV, or move up/down engines (X30/206) depending on field sizes. Christmas is coming… lol
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Clearly one of us needs one to test 
I think the main places it’s being run are in USPKS and at GoPro Motorplex. I didn’t dig a whole lot, so this is just a single sample, but there’s 34 of them at NCMP this weekend.
Many of these racers probably availed of that tasty introductory pricing, but nonetheless, the series is a few races in to it’s season and that’s a decent number IMO.
Strong field this weekend. KA was moved to the end of the race order at USPKS as it’s now the “feature” class, with the most entries and the tightest racing throughout the field. 
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I saw the margin that you had over the weekend. It seems like an intense field.
It’s interesting that this engine is getting so much talk from being in only one series (east of the Mississippi at least). I think if the regional series pick up the engine there may be a good club turnout following closely behind. I know if at least two guys at the club that have already picked up an engine or two to play with.
I’d grab one myself if it wasn’t so expensive now and didn’t require me to get another frame. Maybe if there happen to be a couple used in the near future and a decent group of guys at the club to run with I will.
Speaking of cost, actually, how important are blueprinting these? I think I remember people saying X30’s don’t have to be blueprinted, is that the same for a KA? And also, what has the rebuild window/price been looking like for these? I didn’t see anything in here for that yet, unless I missed in my quick skim over while I’m at work.
I think this engine was getting a lot of talk before USPKS adopted it thanks to the exposure it received from ekartingnews and kart360. I think it would be more accurate to say that USPKS started running it because of the attention it was getting?
Anyways I don’t know the answer to the blueprinting question or the cost question (although I can’t imagine rebuild prices being more expensive than KPV prices), I did find this on the IAME East website:
I don’t remember seeing much about the KA100 stateside until it became a thing with USPKS. There was a little about it’s introduction in oz back in 14/15, but that’s all I recall. Opinions were very mixed from our buddies down under, but the karting political climate down there is arguably more turbulent than the US.
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Blueprinting is pretty straightforward so not too expensive.
I think I mentioned before I was running on the stock engine the first two races, and we were competitive for the win in all events. We only rebuilt for this past weekend’s event as a precaution because we raced in the rain in Pitt.
On the reliability front, I know @XanderClements had an issue this weekend, but other than that it’s been smooth sailing for the rest of the field I believe.
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I’m hoping that Route 66 goes the way of KA for next year, as much as I opposed it initially. The remaining two big issues with the Yamaha still really bug me (clutches, production variance), so if Rt 66 makes the move, and is there are any drivers who just run the KA for one season…
Oh I could rant for days about the engine/clutch stuff. My friend and I were at the track a while ago, and I noticed no matter how good of a run I got on him off the expansion, he’d pull 3 karts down the front straight. The differences? I run a Patriot, he’s got an L&T. We know the engine is at the very least okay. It’s won Route races before, but the clutch killed me down the straight
I don’t mind production variance as much, but knowing it’s an issue is still irritating
Hi Guys.
Bad news KA100 is a shocking motor. I seized mine over the weekend which was totally unexpected, the previous race the engine was running great, I’ve just changed chassis and finally had the thing dialed back in to my best lap times, then nothing.
Everything was spot on, jets, tuning, oil mix. So definitely the engines fault.
It only had 30 hrs on it!
I had never changed the ring, piston, or done anything other than clean it and change the carburetor diaphragms and spark plug.
It was a little amusing actually, I was at a club day here in Aus, and all the other competitors were coming up sympathizing about the fact it had seized, but really 30 hrs between rebuilds - I cant be to unhappy. And it has only picked up the ring, I should be able to just give it a clean up and away it will go again.
For sure, if you are wanting to be at the pointy end of the field at any regional or state level event you should change the piston and ring at way less hours than that (around 8-10 I’ve heard). But I’m not, I’m racing for fun and as a goal to loose weight, and if it had lost any power, I couldn’t pick it up from my lap times.
It has been a great investment, all the top guys in my class are all with in a few tenths, which is down to driver and setup not differences in engine parity. AND you don’t have to push start the thing like with the old Yamaha’s!!
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As an update to the Route 66 part, my dad was talking to Mark Coats, and they are definitely adding KA100 next year. Yamaha is staying, but KA100 will be coming in. He hinted that there will not be an incentive program, though, so you may want to decide what you’re running fairly soon
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A KA Sr class in 2018 for Route 66 was the secret that everyone knew 
What was different on my end of the grape vine was that the incentive was just undetermined. Sadly, a total lack of an incentive program could surely effect my plans. Hopefully, that is not the case.
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I know of at least one person selling their KA they bought at the beginning of the year, due to their own changing plans for next season. He got it at the incentive price I think, so his asking price was pretty reasonable. I’ll ask about it and let him know there are possibly interested parties.
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Is there anything negative that has come out about the engines? Obviously no engine is perfect, but we have made no mention of any drawbacks that may have come about