My willingness to wrench on my stuffs an 11/10, and I’m quite handy so Im not going to be paying for a mechanic.
I’ve only gone karting once in a rental with a 206 in it (I’m not counting indoor karting like k1)
I bought a beat up parolin and I want to get it on the track, I’ve had no luck finding a used 206 around me. Should I buy a new 206 or should I get a predator ghost to just get me out there and driving? Thanks.
If you’re just starting out get whatever fits your budget and goals. A predator would be fine but I’ve heard mixed reviews on reliability and overall enjoyment. If you can’t buy a 206 new or used might be your best option….
I can appreciate wanting to start on the cheap, but when you look at the big picture a new 206 would be the better choice. Here are some points to consider;
You said you plan to race in senior class, what motor does your track run? To me, this would be the biggest factor if you plan to race you need to have the motor you will be competing with.
You can’t find a used 206, which is common, so the resale sale value of a 206 is likely going to be much better than a Predator.
There are some other 4 stroke options. Briggs makes a version of 206 called an Animal and Tillotson has some options for motors as well.
I assume your 11/10 statement means you are knowledgeable about wrenching on a kart and the motor. When you look at a new 206’s you usually have 2 options of box stock and blueprinted, which isn’t technically correct. Motor “builders” have given the box stock motor a once over, adjusted the carb and valves, run it on the dyno to break it in and verify its good to go. The cost or value of that depends on how confident you are in your ability to do those tasks.
The thing with the animal is that it’s not sealed so I will isn’t be able to race it in 206. And yeah I’m fine with working on the engine myself. Thanks for the help!
Overall you’ve entered the sport at a rather troubled time for 4 cycle racers where external factors have created massive market scarcity. I’m skeptical you can’t find a used 206 anywhere but in fairness I haven’t looked recently.
That said, there’s no reason a 206 in another region wouldn’t be just fine. With that said I’d suggest broadening your search if haven’t already.
The Predator is and will likely always be a stop gap, but don’t let that deter you from pursuing it with that in mind.
I like other commenters logic as well, there’s really no wrong answer here, the goal is to get you on track
This one is a toughie because you want to get running soon, but also not screw yourself in the long term.
If you can hold out for a 206 I would go that way. The total cost between the 206 and Ghost (when you include clutch, mount etc) is within a couple hundred dollars. But you can take the 206 to almost any track so it has resale value too as well a being more well known for setup etc.
That said, if you just want something to push the kart along, you could look at a Ducar which is under $250 with the carb and exhaust (separate with the Ghost). It already has a safe flywheel and a raised governor RPM.
Get a mount, clutch and a fuel pump and turn laps!
There’s only one go kart track left within ±1.5 hours of me, and that’s my local track, the other one closed during covid. And I’m not really willing to make a small road trip to get an engine.
