So I’ve ran a 206 in a vlr for the last 2 seasons and thinking about getting back to a 2 stroke, possibly the ka100. Would like some suggestions on a chassis that I should be able to get at least 2 competitive seasons, more would be nice. I don’t run Skusa or any other regional/national series. Just a few different club level series here in Ca. I first started on an older margay then a top kart and then a otk. What chassis are out there worth considering that are not as “soft” as a tony kart. Been eyeballing the new compkarts. Anyone have experience with them. I know that sometimes competitive and last a couple seasons don’t always go together but something in the middle would be nice. What about Aluminos? Thanks for and input. Hopefully I am not starting a Chevy vs Fors fight.
If you are worried about the soft aspect of a tonykart I have been running CRG most of my life after the same issue with OTK karts. Their new revamp to their HERON kart has been awesome for the Tag categories running up front in all major karting events. You can also get them for as low as $4k new. That makes them one of the most affordable on the market as well. The compkart 4r is about the same price and a nice chassis that they use in 206/KA100 but doesn’t come with all of the upgrades their more expensive chassis offer. Either way big names: OTK, CRG, BirelArt, and Compkart you cant go wrong.
Why not run the KA on the VLR? Honestly I’d just start there.
I’m still waiting for someone to show actual evidence of certain brands “flexing out” after a period of time vs others.
Well, someone who isn’t selling chassis that is.
If you arrive at a situation where you can’t dial your chassis in for conditions, then I would start to consider replacing it
Left rail sag is very real, but it takes a lot of miles and some hard knocks.
If you really want to change it out, it comes down to running with something that’s supported well in at the races you run.
Anecdotally, I’ve run a few used Tony’s over the years and found them to be very tunable.
I’ve talked to a few and there concerns of the ka on the vlr is the 28mm frame of the vlr. But honestly I do have a good kpv I’ve considered putting on there just to see how it reacts. I would be looking for me and my daughter. She currently runs Jr right now but will be Sr. Next year. I would run a masters class. There is usually around a 25-30lb difference between the 2. She might be able to get away with it but do you think a 28mm chassis could support a kpv/ka at 390?
It was suggested to me by a compkart dealer for a masters weight I might want to consider the 3.0 chassis and my daughter at the Sr. Weight would be ideal for the 4R
I don’t know that the VLR would hold up. The reason the compkart gets away with it is a 30mm cross bar and front bar I believe. Also flexing out was never an issue but if you get in a wreck my OTK chassis was much more fragile than other karts I have driven that took harder hits. And the frames seem to have more fracture issues than the rest
We run the CompKart 4r with the Briggs 206 and KA up here at 390 pounds and it has been flawless. You asked about the different CompKart frames, if you are doing 206 and move up to KA the the 28/30mm 4r would be your go to if you are doing KA and might move up to iame x-30 the go with Covert 3.0. If just KA is your focus either chassis would work at some tracks the 3.0 could be faster at some tracks the 4r would be faster. I do think the 4r will be faster in most situations for KA-100 over the Covert 3.0 especially on the evinco Blue tires. We’ve been running the 4r chassis at 390 pounds, several of us actually and there has been zero change in elasticity. On a huge plus the CompKart chassis actually sits higher than others so it won’t wear out on the bottom. CompKart is softer than some others but not as soft as a Tony.
Any TaG chassis will work although I think they are overkill for KA in many cases.
Hybrid Kart chassis I personally think will handle KA-100 below
CompKart Covert 4r
Intrepid FK4 prior to 2018 version no a bend
Tony Kart SvvK 4 stroke
Praga Dark
Crg FS4
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I don’t the new 2018 intrepid fk4 will work well because it is all 28mm now and the rear bar is the “S” bend design which I personally think will stay too flat in the back.
Vlr for the same reason as the 2018 intrepid FK4
Birel am29 because the front section next to gas tank is so narrow, 40mm axle, and the rear bar is much further forward.
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Design features I think matter for KA:
50mm axle because it will give you a much wider tuning window.
Rear bar not too far forward of axle enough it works for an inner 4 stroke gear but not so far forward. I think when the bar is further forward it doesn’t jack the motor side as well it instead try’s to twist the middle section of the frame.
Caster built into the frame and a decent amount of adjustable caster angle. Take the CompKart 4r for example you put in the CompKart “5” pills in to take 5 degrees caster out and you will be about the same as the Birel am29 at neutral. So an am29 couldn’t get much caster into it. Same would go for the tonykart 4 stroke it has a very flat caster angle built into the frame, much less than the TaG 401. I think the caster will be benificial for KA-100.
Now these are just things my engineering mind thinks of. I haven’t tested The KA-100 on all those chassis but that’s how I’d go into it thinking.
Full disclosure we are a dealer for CompKart / intrepid / vlr / Righetti so you can take that as you may. Yes I personally love the Covert chassis from CompKart but that’s because it handles great and is a great product.
I will actually soon be doing some testing videos soon on this exact subject that I will post here and you can check out kartingconcepts.com for the videos when released.
Thanks Patrick, we actually had a short conversation on a Facebook page. I talked to nick, I think that was his name from Formula works this weekend at a race in Buttonwillow. Told him I chatted with Anthony and was going to talk to him some more this next weekend at the tri-c race. Try and set up a test drive day with a KA for me and my daughter. Do a few sessions to see how I like the kart. They both seemed pretty helpful and also thank you for your input.