I’ll see what Justin has. I think he has a very gently used KZ chassis sitting around. Maybe @Muskabeatz will have a rocket ship engine to rent. What’s preferred in STARS? KZ or ROK? I think maybe last year the class was split up a bit?
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This year they aren’t scoring the KZs and Roks separately. KZ is going to be the preferred engine choice.
Okay well I got my gears spinning. I’ll see what I can get coordinated. I certainly want to give it a go. Local track is a bit small and tight for shifters. K1 in Cali and Spring Mountain near Vegas look like good shifter tracks.
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Let me know if/when you decide. I have a spare kart in the garage at the moment.
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Hit the track yesterday, for a shakedown of the new 2025 OK1 with a special Iame Screamer 125 KZ in it. Two sister karts, two drivers, a ton of fun.
Track was very green after the rain so it was super hard to keep them within track limits in turn one as the engines were pulling a whopping 5 km/h over the LKE and TMs, on same gearing, same mychrons and on attempt #2 with jetting. Once we dialed in the jetting somehow (plenty of room to work with), the things were literally screaming on the straights, to the point we had a small crowd gather around them to see what was up.
Speed difference vs other shifters on track (we had few FZ’s and other KZs) was pretty obvious. Off to a good start for 2025!
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Might need to coordinate a trip to do some testing then. It’s been so long since I was in a shifter. Did a couple test days way back in late 2000s in a Honda shifter.
Is that the big 175 IAME? Absolutely flying!
no, it’s a special Screamer 125cc - KZ spec 
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Has much changed on the new IPK stuff from your last kart? All the hardware on them looks so nice. I always ran their rear bumper bolt system on my OTK stuff since it was so much nicer on install and strength.
Got everything back together after running everything through the ultrasonic cleaner over the winter.
Trying out a new camera mount concept with some custom parts i designed.
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Digging the ‘retro’ wrap. I am thinking of LED-style numbers for mine.
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I think you’re going to need some vertical support but give it a go. Sometimes camera stabilization can work wonders.
Yes and no. Same philosophy (high quality, crazy brakes, all components are incredibly well made and engineered). Chassis setup requires wrenches and that’s it, no need for special axles, hubs etc…it’s very responsive to the basics, so very wide adjustability spectrum with what’s in the box already - all that is still the same.
But, compared to the prior years of super subtle changes, this year’s chassis has different measurements, more planted/front postive paired with stronger (if even possible) front brakes. I’ll post some examples from last weekend, crazy stopping power while retaining same progression and feel. Then they modified details like exhaust hangers, chain tensioner, front bar (plastic to hollow/lightened metal) and few other minor but thoughtful ones.
So quite a few changes, but all within the same boundaries they’ve been operating within in the past
Swapping an axle after my son’s first outing in his new chassis.
New kid karter unfortunately parked in the middle of the track at the apex of our fastest corner. By the time I could wave my son off, he was already foot-down and just about to turn in. Thankfully, he missed the kid, but the rear kicked out and spun him into the barriers. He hit pretty hard, had some whiplash, but I’m thankful he’s good. Just a bit sore. Bent his axle, which he was pretty upset about, but this just turned into another lesson that he’s learned from karting. He’s safe, the other kids are safe, and he was right back at it working on his kart to get it ready for the next track day.
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Nice pic! 20 symbols
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Isn’t your local track PKRA? That’s small and tight? I’ve only run there in a 206, but that track is huge and fast compared to anything in the NW. We throw the KZ’s around some pretty tight tracks around here.
Tire day here. Definitely a struggle trying to mount and dismount 6 sets of tires in 50 degree weather. Needed to get done though as 1) i hate mounting tires so may as well do a bunch at once and 2) planning a trip to either new castle or g and j for some testing on saturday. Stoked to get back in the seat!
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I’ve ran my shifter around East Lansing Kart Track which is a suuuuper tight track. Lap times are in the 35ish second range. I feel what you’re saying on another level
Yes. I think it’s a really great 125cc track. Haven’t ran 4 cycle there. Today I ripped it in a DD2 and even that small of a jump had me feeling like I had more HP than track. I didn’t check times in the DD2, but my regular Rotax I was turning 38 second laps with the configuration we were running.
Yeah the smallest and tightest (also oldest) track in our area the shifters are 34 second laps. Super narrow track, I love it though as it has a ton of elevation change and character.
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