Take a look @ this and let me know what you think.
Conceptually it is like owning your own rental kart that the general public hasn’t destroyed yet. It solves some of the problems for a certain niche of potential kart owners. I am going to drive it soon and might buy. I am thinking it has a definite place.
Is that CVT on the side of the engine?
Not sure I get it… it’s an lo206 that has somehow be modified to have low end grunt? Outside of a spec series, you wouldn’t be able to race anyone else.
Wait it’s an animal
yes, heven’t seen it in person yet.
Seems cool. But is there a series for it?
Dom, the whole concept is more entry level friendly, less wrenching. Same for any engine class for the most part. If we get a few locally we can have a class.
Here some verbiage one it.
The product. LEVO-SPEC What is it?
100% Sealed Briggs 206 that accelerates as hard as a stock Cr 125cc shifter in the first 30ft while still maintaining current 206 top speeds!
Designed patented C-V system ( ZERO sprocket changes) track size large to small is irrelevant!!!
Specifically designed spec sealed kart chassis with Every component down to bearings being the same: seat strength, size, placement, rims, tires etc.
Extremely low adjustability- the only chassis adjustments that can be made are track width front/rear, Tire psi, weight distribution, and alignment. The only engine adjustments that can be made are valve lash, carburetor float height and needle height. Rules follow latest Briggs rules set!
Ultra LOW MAINTENANCE
Competitive engine life span 5-6 race SEASONS with occasional valve adjustments.
1/2 the investment of a traditional Briggs 206 class.
How and why?
In our case It would fill a void we have of letting someone drive a kart that we own. None of the karts we have are practical for that purpose. It is corporate entertainment in this case. Just like taking a client to any other event.
Well it seems like a great option for rental karts that are “better”. Sorta like jim hall (Iame 100cc) and okc speedy karts (Honda gx 390). I’d drive em for sure if you had a facility that did arrive and drive series! Or even just time attack competing against other patrons.
I always wanted to build an Aixro with a CVT myself…
The LEVO is by Greg Lacoste who I think is behind the pin-it sprocket as well. It’s a 206 with a CVT and some other ideas. It’s a bit “hypey” in some ways, but his heart is in the right place.
Here’s a couple of videos.
https://www.facebook.com/greg.lacoste/posts/2194649790562995
Original facebook post in Briggs 206 racers.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Briggs206Racers/permalink/1673141209430947/
Text from that post:
NEW PRODUCT RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT for 2019
Good evening everyone!
I’m pleased to announce our latest product!!! This product defies what is possible for low cost Karting to new comers instead of accepting the current platform . It was worth all the sleepless nights, 18 hour work days, bloody hands, spending the money I didn’t have and Sacrificing time with my wife and kids. My immense passion for the sport are what drove me to grow karting at its core! I have condensed every personal experience from Karting to open wheels to form a product that is appealing to the new comer and veteran karters alike.
The product. LEVO 206 Spec What is it?
100% Sealed Briggs 206 that accelerates as hard as a stock Cr 125cc shifter in the first 30ft while still maintaining current 206 top speeds!
Designed patented C-V system ( ZERO sprocket changes) track size large to small is irrelevant!!!
Specifically designed spec sealed kart chassis with Every component down to bearings being the same: seat strength, size, placement, rims, tires etc.
Extremely low adjustability- the only chassis adjustments that can be made are track width front/rear, Tire psi, weight distribution, and alignment. The only engine adjustments that can be made are valve lash, carburetor float height and needle height. Rules follow latest Briggs rules set!
Ultra LOW MAINTENANCE
Competitive engine life span 5-6 race SEASONS with occasional valve adjustments.1/2 the investment of a traditional Briggs 206 class.
How and why?
- The C-V system automatically selects the correct corresponding gear ratio to achieve peak performance every millisecond so there is no need to buy front & rear Sprockets, clutches, and chains.
- The variety of tunable parts are no longer necessary since this class and its entirety are sealed.
- Father and son or daughter (12 years and older can now share one kart!) The seat size is XXL. The kart comes with a removable injection foam mold that forms to the contours to his or hers body to the inside of the seat. Gas and brake peddles are on quick release adjusters.
- Only transportation requirements is a Pick-up truck. Let’s face it. Racing is a huge commitment that any new comer is faced with; However, it doesn’t have to be. For any individual that wants to go racing with their family it’s a serious investment to buy a trailer and have a big enough truck or suv to pull it along with FUEL costs and wear and tear on their vehicles to even show up at a race. Spare parts such as rims, axles, bodywork, toolboxes, scales etc are no longer needed. Dealers of the LEVO 206 SPEC and or tracks will provide SPEC parts and support! Tools associated with maintaining the kart will be sold with the kart.
- Necessity vs Staying in front of technology: A Mychron 5 is a wonderful and extremely informative telemetric and timing tool. This is not necessary for the new guys. We supply a lap timer/hour meter. A Lap timer is the biggest tool and the only necessity the new guys should have.
Who needs to thrive for Karting to prosper?
- Tracks and sanctioning organizations!
20 entry’s per Levo spec 206 class for seniors and juniors
40 entry total x $100 per entry= $4000 per race weekend x 12 race weekends = $48,000 per race season.
- The parents of the young!
600 dollars is the average amount spent on family fun per month. Karting cost is now on the same level of cost and fun as baseball, soccer, basketball, fishing, golf, dance or cheerleading.
- Inspiring the young with fun.
Current 206 platform is undoubtedly a very slow class with very little acceleration properties. This turns many newcomers away from the conventional 206 class. unfortunately that’s the only option available at that price point! Not anymore!
Fun. Safe. Level. affordable. Maintainable Entry level racing, formatted a more cost effective way.
Valiant goals and bold claims. I’m not convinced all of the issues it’s trying to address are true blockers of participation or just something that could simply be addressed in a conversation.
Hopefully the launch from the CVT will be the hook for this thing. I think he might have a job maintaining parity across the fleet of these with CVTs on there though. Hopefully he’s already got that part figured out.
Not trying to be for or against it - just trying to spot the pros and cons - so far any of the cons are the same as anything in karting. The pros seem there. I don’t know the price though.
I already have an LO206 and am a proponent of the 206 - even those have some critics.
We have some kids coming up that might be able to drive these with very little hassle.
I think I get in one on Aug 25th -can’t wait.
Info on a CVT (Used a lot on snowmobiles). sometimes called a torque converter, not to be confused with the hydraulic torque converter in an auto transmission…
Video of one in action from Cars and Cameras (Skip to 6:30 if you have to)
Something like this would definitely brighten my day. I try to keep my karting down to once a month as nick and I both run x30. That’s just too expensive to run much more than that (I don’t wrench and pay someone for support).
I would totally join a rental league if the karts were good and it was a relatively cheap way to get more track time.
No doubt about Greg’s motives.
I see it from the perspective as an adult who came into the sport. Give a Zero PIA option with relatively known costs. All race car & kart classes have downsides.
I have my concerns about some aspects of it. But the core of it is less hassle, less guru and a kart that is shareable is the draw for me. More of a fun kart than a race situation.
I already talked to the track guy and either the sprint kart series will pick up the class or the track itself will run us an independent series, like their rental league.
I don’t know the reliability of a CVT, but probably if its used extensively on snowmobiles its pretty good. That would be my only concern (except the hype).
I’ve seen CVT’s pop up occasionally but they have never taken off, not sure if its because of complexity or difference in performance from one to another.
I never dealt with the CVT but do remember the Torq-a-verter or some such thing.
One of my big criticisms of karting is it is hard to dabble in. You kind of have to be all in. That and engine packages / tire specs coming and going. If you don’t wear it out it becomes obsolete any way.
Yeah if the CVT goes it probably a heavy bill.
There’s less room for the CVT on a kart so that presents some challenges. I’m finding it hard to understand how a CVT can be less work in either maintenance, or parity (Since this looks primarily rental oriented) compared to a clutch.
Are they testing a fleet of them at Speesportz on an ongoing basis @Mike_Clark?
A good point well made. but that’s also a problem that can be solved without a new kart, transmission and (supposedly) patents. A simple arrive and drive solution would do for 90% of cases.
Examples:
Margay Ignite Arrive and Drive
Calgary Kart Club’s “Try a Kart Day”
I believe @Eric_Gunderson1 is working on something in CO
@KartingConcepts has a “Try a Kart” program as well.
We don’t need to reinvent the wheel, just take what we already have and package it in a way that makes sense for consumers.
Where I think the LEVO might come in is for those who really insist on more umph. But considering there’s over 2,500 people running a 206 across the nation, I’m not sure that’s as big issue with newcomers as some of us seasoned racers seem to think.
No Clue
I live in NOLA and Greg is in the metro area. So I am going to drive it here.
I probably won’t get out of “real race” karts no matter what though.
Arrive & drive seems killer expensive. Housing & transporting yourself allows some cost saving. Then you can amortize without having to turn a profit or the burden of overhead. As long as you ignore the cost of your trailer, garage and all of those cost . . . . .
Maintaining parity is one problem. Putting newbs into karts with full bumpers has its problem. Karts without full bumpers has problems too. Electric seems like it could have a place in the mix somewhere. Potentially Electric is more promising in ways.
Any track that doesn’t tech is going to have issues in any class. I think its not as much about reinventing the wheel as making the wheel a bit dummy proof. One aspect of rental league is I don’t like is kart differences due to abuse/hours/lack of maintenance etc.
James, Irony is some say we didn’t need LO206 or even 4 strokes in karting.
I don’t know what the cost is or if they are for sale yet. I do think Greg is up to speed on what the capabilities are. Some long term problems are potentially there, but that is with anything. On paper, It seems great for one of those days i just want to go run around in circles and not do much else.
Really I’m talking about “try a kart” days as a response to the problem of it being hard to dabble in karting. $100 (ish) or so for a day in a racing kart. Ignite wasn’t a good example to be fair.
Everything has it’s problems and challenges of course, it’s a balance and I value progress over perfection any day. What people say doesnt matter to me, I’m much more interested to hear their rationale behind what they are saying and their basis for it.
Cheap karting days have been not existent here. I do know some of what seems expensive is not, once you realize the cost. Even the rental league here with all the down sides are still a deal. $100 is cheap if you just take out the TnT fee.
By dabbling I mean owning but only karting about 1/4 to 1//2 a season per year. So much learning curve for the amount of seat time and be running around trying not to get lapped. Then physically it is hard to dabble. You need to keep in shape by doing it or replicate doing it.
Everything does have it’s problems. As much as I love formula cars and want to do Club Ford I just don’t want to deal with an older car where parts need to be sough out or made. Same with vintage karts for me, neat but I am not willing to go through it.