KA100 questions

It’s not about speed per se. The difference between 4 and 2 is how the power is delivered and what that translates into as far as driving is concerned. Watch some YouTube vids of folks racing 4 stroke. You will see that it appears to be all about maintaining momentum and any little mistake costs you dearly, not in that moment, but a few turns later. It really requires a controlled and thoughtful driving style.
2 stroke is a lot more “let er rip”. You can cover up small mistakes (to a point) with throttle.
Soooo… if you have ambition to be a good racer, you will be better served learning how to drive well in 4 and then taking those skills to 2 and being the guy that is fast and controlled.
I started karting in 2 stroke and I can safely say that I would likely be a better, more strategic driver if I had started in 4.
But to answer your question… at etown I hit 63 on the straight and 72 at NJMP. Last I rode a 4 was at OKC (fun!!!) and I think in the fast bits I was in the 50’s.

Do not underestimate how much you need to spend in 2 vs 4 as well. 100cc 2-stroke seems more economical than 125cc TAG but it’s probably way more costly in a variety of ways than 4 stroke sealed engines that get literally thrown away after a few seasons.

Here’s an example of 4 stroke racing by the son of one of our own. Notice the general lack of drama.

Generally speaking the chassis you get for your 206 will be just fine for the KA. In fact I think some brands have the same chassis put forward as a solution for both. The only difference is with the KA you’ll move your sprocket carrier for your chain drive to the outside of the axle, and add a cradle to support the exhaust pipe.

“probably”. Depends what they mean by a shifter chassis. One thing about shifter chassis is they typically have front brakes which you cannot use with a 206 or KA. Sometimes they can be a little harder to tune for a lower power kart, but it varies. Since you have a good budget, I think I’d go for something that’s intended for single gear classes.

Well you’re definitely at the right place, I know that much. Theres a lot of super knowledgeable guys that can and have been helping you out.

We’ve been running the KA at our club this year and it’s been pretty solid all year long. I don’t think i’ve seen anyone run into issues with their motors.

Being from Utah I know MSquared is nearby, I’d recommend getting a kart from them as they’ll have support for whatever you need, and they’ll know what to set you up with.

Maintenance wise I would say rebuild the top end every 8 or so hours if you’re going to be competitive, but while you’re starting out I would just run the motor and get as much time as you can on it. The rebuild is only worth probably a half second and at first that money can be put towards more permanent costs in developing your driving. You could probably go all year before rebuilding when you’re starting out.

Blueprinting isn’t super critical, it’s essentially a little carb and timing work. Once again, for starting out in racing I really wouldn’t go for it. The only reason I did it is because I wanted to be very competitive this year and don’t know anything about motors so I paid the money so I can trust my engine isn’t going to be a problem competitively.

$4,000 should be plenty to get you started. I think I was maybe half that for my first kart, so you’ve budgeted very well for yourself.

In terms of setup, I gear my kart for 16,000 RPM depending on the track. Longer tracks like New Castle the maximum RPM will be lower, but I’m not sure what’s around Utah to race at.

Also, a couple things to think about between 206 and KA100.

First, 206 will definitely be easier on tires. I’ve run whole seasons on a set of tires before but I’d never be able to do that with the KA. There’s definitely a higher maintenance cost that is coming from the KA and 2-stroke racing in general.

The KA is a very tough motor for new drivers. It has an aggressive torque curve and is a handful to drive at first. The 206 will be much gentler and easier to learn on. You can then take what you learn from 206 racing and apply it to the KA (carrying momentum at least) and be at the same point after a few days as you would have been on just the KA, but without spending the same amount of money.

You could pick up a used 206, run it for a year or two, and probably sell it for what you bought it for after rebuilding it.

Just a couple thoughts on cost effectiveness for you since that’s a consideration for just about every driver in America.

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I would generally agree with what James is saying here. I ran 206 cup this year with a DR M99 Chassis which is generally regarded as a high HP shifter chassis. I was able to run competitively (https://youtu.be/wtt6QC1CWFM), however, because of the added caster that 2 cycle chassis have built into them, I struggled with the 206 on corner exit. Most 4 cycle chassis come built with less caster which allow for better rolling exit speeds. If you purchased a used low hp specific chassis, it would likely be your best bet since you can choose either class without sacrificing too much.

From an economical standpoint, I believe the 206 is cheaper and will allow you to get your feet wet. If you don’t end up liking karting, it would be easier to get out knowing you didn’t spend all your money whereas with the ka100 it will likely cost your entire budget once all things are said and done. Since you will likely be purchasing a used kart regardless, the depreciation will not be too bad. If you were to buy new, that is where depreciation hits the hardest.

From a skill standpoint, I would recommend starting in either ka or 206, whichever has more competitors. The more people you run with, the more you can learn from and improve from. I would agree mostly with what @Aaron_Hachmeister_13 said above me as well.

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Connor I live in Utah and my son has been racing the UKC for the last 10 years. We have a 2014 TonyKart w/ a Briggs LO206 motor we can let you have for 1250$

Admin ask - That we keep any sales conversations in DMs, please. :slight_smile:

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