I’m 31 and new to karting. My uncle races Super modifieds so I am very familiar with racing as a whole, but not with karting. I have run a few practice sessions in karts belonging to other drivers and want to purchase my own for the up coming season. I have some experience with the x30 motors and will probably stick with that, but there seems to be a million chassis options out there. What are your likes and dislikes? How do they differ? Where should I start?
Hi James, thanks for the response. I’m am located in Rochester, NY. There are three tracks here that sponsor events with each other. One is only 20 minutes from my house. That one is Genesee Valley Kart Club, Lafayette Motorsports Park is about an hour away and the the NY race complex in the 1000 Islands. About 3 1/2 hours away
Hey welcome! I’m in Rochester too and running at GVKC this summer, I live about 5 min from the track; but I’m running 4cycle. Hope to see you either at the meeting coming up and/or at the track this year. Coyote is definitely supported around here, but they are known for 4 cycle but here are where the club points people to:
Coyote Motorsports
7 Turner Drive
Spencerport, NY 14559
[(585) 352-0806](tel:(585) 352-0806) or fax [(888) 559-5711](tel:(888) 559-5711)
Hi Joseph! Great to see someone is from my neck of the woods! Unfortunately, because that members meeting is on St. Patty’s Day, and I run a bar/restaurant, I won’t be able to make it. It’s our busiest day of the year and I have to be there. I’m sure I’ll see you there at some point though!
Thanks for dropping that info!
Ollie
As James said, you’ll want to research what brands are supported by your local shops, that’s the most important thing when selecting a chassis. Almost any brand can be fast with the right tuning and driving, it’s more about finding someone who is familiar with the kart, who can help you get parts and setup advice.
The differences between brands is fairly small anyway, so as a newbie you probably wouldn’t be able to decipher the intricacies of each chassis.
For an X30 setup, you’re likely going to settle on a European chassis brand.
Local shop support of the chassis is fairly important but i tend to disregard it and make due. In x30 senior you are looking for most likely a 30mm chassis, maybe 30/32mm. 50mm axle and 25mm spindles is for sure what you will want. There is plenty of great manufacturers out there, its hard to make the wrong choice on the actual manufacturer. They are all capable of winning in the end.
I usually buy whatever i can get 2nd hand for a good deal as long as its a chassis where i can readily order parts. That being said if i had to choose id go with crg since they can take a beating in the long run. Honestly you cant go wrong with any new ones. If you are going new, support your local kartshop/distributor