Queston, I found 800cc through 1200cc Karts on Alibaba, a Chinese manufactures, does anyone know about these Karts, can they run in the USA? ALSO, I am older,bhave all the time in the world to play for I am retired and I love the Shifters. What’s wrong with someone starting off in a Shifter enstead of a TAG? Any ideas or thoughts, suggestions…
Charles, At 48 years of age I had to lose 40lbs and start a regular exercise program to be able to handle the physical stress of x30 engine on medium tires.
I think you’d probably end up regretting going the shifter route. It’s even more brutal than TAG.
Also the Chinese karts aren’t compliant for racing purposes. If it’s cheap, it’s probably dangerous.
1 Like
If you really wanna go down that route…
Personally, if you’re serious about racing karts, this route is a waste of time.
1 Like
Love a shifter? Get one! Leave that other chinese stuff alone (dangerous from a quality, engine choice, balance, brakes etc). A stock honda shifter is definitely maneageable, You won’t be fast at first and it’ll wear you out, but you’ll get used to it. There are plenty of used ones at any price point, depends of what you want to do. You’ll have plenty of fun and opportunities to race at any level. I’m 36, just started with a shifter and I’m having a blast! Take it slow, it will take about 2 or 3 practice days to know what you are doing and stop wrestling with it and start driving…then it’s a learning curve from there
1 Like
Hey Andy
I think Charles is 60+. (I think he has grandkids). Given your first year experience at 35 yrs old, would you change your opinion knowing he’s older?
1 Like
Good point but…no, I don’t think I’d change it! I think at the end it comes down to where your passion is taking you, If he loves shifters, then I think he should get one. Maybe an old one to try it out and have fun. I think a 2008 stock moto shifter is infinitely safer and easier to drive than a chinese thing with a 1,000cc engine on it, and it costs marginally more than a couple of arrive&drive sessions. Then if he likes it he can get fit and maybe get into club races, or continue to enjoy practicing. If it’s too much, at least he tried and he can resell it without losing much…that’s my 0.02 
But maybe I’m partial to shifters
1 Like
Honestly Andy, I think you’re an outlier.
There’s a litany of used (OK basket case) shifters for cheap on craigslist because the people who bought them and didn’t realize what they were getting into.
It’s a little easier to get to grips with road racing, because the though processing speed requirement isn’t as high, but on the other hand it’s not advisable to drive a kart in triple digits until you have some experience under your belt IMO.
Some people do OK starting with a shifter. 80%, or more hoever have a bad time, get scared or hurt themselves then quit.
2 Likes
I’m not going to lie. I never think that suggesting shifters to new karters is ever good advice.
Doesn’t give them a safe space to learn and understand karting, before the kart tries to kill them.
1 Like
@DavinRS, and @Bimodal_Rocket, and @Andy_DiGiusto, @Bimodal_Rocket, and @KartingIsLife, @Maestro, Gentlemen, I am really great ful for your responses, they all have merit! In my mind, I can still do all things as I could when I was spry full of piss and vinegar, like you young racers. In the late 1960’s through mid 1970’s I wore the colors of the L.A. Street Racers and ran a 1956 Chevy and a 1968 Fire:fire:Bird and ran 12’s I was never as fast as the big boys like the founder of the LA Street Racers, Big Whilly’s Corvette. I fell in love with speed and never lost that taste. I am a damn good driver and want to get back in the game. I think I have a lot to weigh and you guys gave me great advice. I am concerned about the pure power of the Kart so low to the ground and sticky tires, shifting and everything else involved, G-Force, Apex, breaking, etc., With that said I really heard @DavinRS and the reality not just the misconception of what it takes to effectively compete. So Thanks guys, I am so pleased with the responses because they were shared in my best interest, 
1 Like
This 1000%. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard “I raced moto so I should get a shifter.” Then moto bro goes out, breaks it, doesn’t know how to fix it, the jetting is fussy, and they sell it.
Used shifters saturate the market and are frustrating to work on if you don’t know a lot about them prior to. Don’t get me wrong, they are awesome machines! But definitely not for beginners…
Thank You for the advice, I believe You are correct and we are reshaping our plans. We are all new, various ages and just coming out. We do not think oh, buy a fast Kart and go out there and race and even win, Not in our plans. We are doing things by the numbers, taking what time is necessary to become competent and then You will see the Stockton Race Team having a blast as a family, weekending it with other folks of like minds…
1 Like