I see my local track (GoPro Motorpolex, Mooresville, NC) is offering “IAME Sr.” which is X30 and Leopard both, at single weight of 365#. I’m assuming the X30 will walk all over the Leopard… What’s your assessment? I can pick up Leopards for a song, but that’s no good if you can’t be competitive… If a Leopard will be close, I’d try it out, otherwise, probably going back to KA100 / LO206 combo,
They can be as fast as an x30 I think. Certainly we run em mixed in club races. They rev to 18k I think but vibrate a lot.
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At GoPro the X30 will be better. They ran 5-10 lbs heavier on X30 when it was in WKA against the Leopard and it was reasonably balanced. The X30 will be more reliable though, and with the stronger mid-range compared to the Leopard, it should be the better bet at GoPro.
The Leopard might be close but I doubt it would be the prime choice. The issue is race-ability. The X30 is going to yank the Leopard from turn 1 to the bowl. Really the only place the Leopard would be stronger would be off the hairpin, and you can’t pass into the double-rights, so that’s useless.
@Bimodal_Rocket 17k on the old style Leopards, 16,5 on the MY09+ Leopards.
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The leopard is arguably less reliable because it doesn’t have a balance shaft, something to consider. Not necessarily the engine itself, but it’s peripherals… electrics, starter.
At the right price, a leopard could a competent practice motor.
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Thanks for the input…TJ – if y’all pros weren’t cherrypicking the KA100 class, I’d go that way!! LOL Really, every class at GoPro is like a National practice day…not 100% kill, but close. Good for seeing where the bar is, but harder to step (claw!) over it. Anyhow, I’m rehabbing this 1998 Birel, and have about $500 into it…a used Leopard can be had for another $600. Rotax’s same. So, conceivably, I can run mid-to-back of pack for 1/2 the cost of just one X30 engine…lol. I may do that until I’m no longer the limiting factor. If I could find a good used KA-100, I’d get back into that class, as I think it would be a better learning experience. Sold mine at the end of the 2017 USPKS season for $1400, and should’ve kept it. Oh well. Again, thanks for the input.
Side note: KA-100 doubly appealing now that WKA RR is running them… but the LO206 will be cheap to run, and have good field sizes. I may add some castor to the fuel on practice days so I can at least get the proper smell.
Yep, I’ve run old leaded shifter mix in mine.