Kart time!

[pdisme]

Well my kart was ready about a week ago and today was my first opportunity to take it out! I had to take it easy on the motor since it's still in break-in but next time I'll be able to run it all the way up to the 16k rpm red line. Here's a pic of the track before it was finished; no pits, not all the paving done, etc.:

http://www.talklambo.com/pics/data/558/medium/karttrack.jpg

and here's my new Italian-made 2007 Tony Kart Racer EVX with Parilla 125cc TAG engine: (Click the pics for huge version)

http://www.talklambo.com/pics/data/558/medium/2007-08-03_002.jpg (http://www.talklambo.com/pics/data/558/2007-08-03_002.jpg)

http://www.talklambo.com/pics/data/558/medium/2007-08-03_001.jpg (http://www.talklambo.com/pics/data/558/2007-08-03_001.jpg)

http://www.talklambo.com/pics/data/558/medium/2007-08-03_003.jpg (http://www.talklambo.com/pics/data/558/2007-08-03_003.jpg)

http://www.talklambo.com/pics/data/558/medium/2007-08-03_004.jpg (http://www.talklambo.com/pics/data/558/2007-08-03_004.jpg)

http://www.talklambo.com/pics/data/558/medium/2007-08-03_008.jpg (http://www.talklambo.com/pics/data/558/2007-08-03_008.jpg)


So far the kart is a real blast, but I wasn't ready for how intense it was; physically that is, it's very demanding and I'm evidently very out of shape. I did three sessions of about 12 minutes each and by the end of the third I was feeling very fatigued. I definitely need to get used to driving it too. :)

[Shuey2k]

I think you did great for your first time out in a kart, it is much different than most expect. With the heat of the summer it will whip you into shape in no time.

[pdisme]

I neglected to mention that Shuey2k's son had lapped me, well until he spun and then I blew by him. :lol2:

[demetri]

how fast do those carts go? whats the 0-60 time?

[pdisme]

how fast do those carts go? whats the 0-60 time?

Mine is a TAG (touch and go) and not a shifter where you have actual transmission, so its top end is limited by how high the engine can rev, but it goes up to just over 16k rpms which I think translates into somewhere around 50 mph I'd guess based on the speeds down the straights. It reaches speed pretty effortlessly since you've basically got a water cooled high revving 125cc engine in a vehicle that weighs maybe 60 pounds wet. Shifters are a bit faster since they have more optimal gearing but I'd have to guess it could probably top out within a few seconds at most.

[demetri]

i bet thats fun when you get alot of people on the track. i remember when i was younger i had a chance to drive one, i think it was in branson missouri. unfortunatly you needed a driving licence to get in them so i couldnt :cry:

[Seb]

Man that little thing looks like fun, im sooo tempted to buy one now :banghead:

[pdisme]

i bet thats fun when you get alot of people on the track. i remember when i was younger i had a chance to drive one, i think it was in branson missouri. unfortunatly you needed a driving licence to get in them so i couldnt :cry:

It gets a little hairy if you don't watch out, I'm used to driving my track car which has mirrors so on the kart track people were coming around me and I didn't know they were there until they were beside me. :)

[Seb]

Hey I remember seeing a SICK CF Kart in a magazine, I think MLE, a LONG time ago. Anyone remember or know what company it was that makes those?

[pdisme]

You mean the actual frame was CF? I've seen CF axles so I guess it would be possible.

[Seb]

You mean the actual frame was CF? I've seen CF axles so I guess it would be possible.

Hum I don't know about the frame, but the body and other parts we're bare CF. The Kart was sick looking and it had the best of everything on it. Looked very expensive, I had there website at one point but lost it.

[pdisme]

I'm going to pimp my kart out with painted wheels and chrome just to mess with Shuey2k.

[pdisme]

Greg, does Derrick rent karts? i.e. could Zzzzdoc come down there and have one to drive if we talked him into it? :)

[pdisme]

Confirmed, there are rentals available if anyone local to Tampa Bay wants to go down and run with us this coming Saturday morning; let's go! :) To set it up, talk to Derrick at http://dlracing.net/ I think it's in the $150 range for a half day; and these aren't your Malibu Grand Prix karts!

[Matt]

Confirmed, there are rentals available if anyone local to Tampa Bay wants to go down and run with us this coming Saturday morning; let's go! :) To set it up, talk to Derrick at http://dlracing.net/ I think it's in the $150 range for a half day; and these aren't your Malibu Grand Prix karts!

sweet, I'd probably be interested in this. That way we could all rip it up together rather than taking turns :grinning-smiley-003

[pdisme]

Greg's friend Scott will be bringing out his shifter so there's already three of us.

[Matt]

Are you just going for the "half day"? I'll come out and rent. Are the rentals 125cc?

[pdisme]

Yeah, too hot to do all day, last weekend was there from about 10 to 12 but Greg got there at 9 and I plan to get there about the same time this weekend.

[Matt]

Makes sense. Do I need to make arrangements before hand? Because I don't like making arrangements...

[Shuey2k]

Yes, you will need to contact Derek this week and let him know so he can get the kart set up for your height and weight. It is not a walk up type of rental.

[Matt]

Great, email sent. I'm out for the day now, let you all know what he says. Going to clearwater with the little cousin then John Mayer at Ford amphitheater tonight!

[artherd]

Way cool, after driving art's shifter for a few laps, I'm totally hooked.

I'm one of those slow prats on a shifter, nothing else will do now that I've tasted it! Anything that can accelerate hard enough to crack your ribs (w/o rib protector) is aces in my book!

[pdisme]

Way cool, after driving art's shifter for a few laps, I'm totally hooked.

I'm one of those slow prats on a shifter, nothing else will do now that I've tasted it! Anything that can accelerate hard enough to crack your ribs (w/o rib protector) is aces in my book!

Welcome to the board! :beerchug:

Funny you mention the broken rib thing; I just ordered my rib protection. :)

[zzzzdoc]

Greg, does Derrick rent karts? i.e. could Zzzzdoc come down there and have one to drive if we talked him into it? :)

Hmmmm.. What date are we talking about?

Also, are all of you other jockeys going to carry some extra weight for handicap?:lol2:

[pdisme]

Hmmmm.. What date are we talking about?

Also, are all of you other jockeys going to carry some extra weight for handicap?:lol2:

I think Greg and I are going most weekends we're in town. I'll be there this Saturday but next (18) I'm stuck in town and following that (25) I'm at Sebring so it will three weeks before next kart outing.

No ballast on my kart! :lol2:

[Matt]

Yeah, I'm not going to be going. $250 for a rental is a bit more than I'm willing to spend.

[zzzzdoc]

I just ordered my rib protection. :)
Rib Protection?????:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[pdisme]

Rib Protection?????:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Oh man, I shouldn't have mentioned that around you, you'll probably buy a suit of armor before going now. :lol2: :lol2:

Yes, evidently if you work up to driving karts very fast, rib injuries or even fractures are possible if you do not wear protection. It happens from bumping around in the tightly fitting seats and having the side bolsters hit you in the wrong manner where you can end up with separation & bruising or even a fracture if you come up out of the seat enough for it to hit with significant force. Unless you're going to be really pushing, it shouldn't be an issue (provided you're not trying to pass people in corners, etc. where you could tangle up).

[zzzzdoc]

Oh man, I shouldn't have mentioned that around you, you'll probably buy a suit of armor before going now. :lol2: :lol2:

Yes, evidently if you work up to driving karts very fast, rib injuries or even fractures are possible if you do not wear protection. It happens from bumping around in the tightly fitting seats and having the side bolsters hit you in the wrong manner where you can end up with separation & bruising or even a fracture if you come up out of the seat enough for it to hit with significant force. Unless you're going to be really pushing, it shouldn't be an issue (provided you're not trying to pass people in corners, etc. where you could tangle up).
Check, please.:wave: Just seen more badness than you have, I guess. Do they make suits of armor with Hans devices?

This weekend is my wife's birthday. Considering that Sebring was our anniversary, if I joined you I'll likely have FAR more free time on my hands, and 1/2 a Lambo.

So, at least for Saturday, I'll pass. Thanks.

[pdisme]

I was going to make a funny image for this thread after you mentioned "rib protection" but I'm without Photoshop today. :)

[Shuey2k]

We aren't racing - just driving so I would be wiling to bet you have a better chance of injury in your drive to the track than you ever would on the track. Live a little!

[zzzzdoc]

We aren't racing - just driving so I would be wiling to bet you have a better chance of injury in your drive to the track than you ever would on the track. Live a little!
LOL.

Yeah, I will. Just not this weekend.

[pdisme]

LOL.

Yeah, I will. Just not this weekend.

If you like it, I found a chest protector that has ice pack inserts so you not only prevent injuries but it acts like that vest you wore at Sebring to keep cool. I'll post up a review once it gets here and I see how well it works; won't make it for this weekend so next time.

[pdisme]

Looks like just jeans again this weekend, Wine Country didn't tell me they were out of the kart suit and gloves so they haven't shipped yet.

[zzzzdoc]

How is a Kart suit different from your normal racing suit and gloves?

Why not just wear your normal Nomex stuff?

[pdisme]

How is a Kart suit different from your normal racing suit and gloves?

Why not just wear your normal Nomex stuff?

Kart suit has padding in the places you would normally take a fall and venting which you would not want in a fire suit. :) The gloves have padding and protection like motorcycle gloves to protect your palms, etc. if you were thrown and used your hands to break your fall or stop a slide where car gloves would just shred and let your skin help out.

Sparco mentions in the manual that your warranty is void if you use the race suits for karting; I'm not sure if that's just so they can make more money selling you two suits or if there is logic behind it. The car suits may be stressed in places they were not designed for in karting so it might be valid.

[zzzzdoc]

Ah, road rash. This just sounds more and more tempting by the minute.

[pdisme]

Unless you plan on driving someone on the handle bars who might hit the gas, you only have to go as fast as you choose to. :)

[pdisme]

Ugh, the kart day that wasn't to be. I woke up early, went and changed clothes and grabbed the Lambo, 45 minutes closer to the track I realized I forgot my helmet and gloves. :banghead:

[Matt]

d'oh!

[ErikV10]

Ugh, the kart day that wasn't to be. I woke up early, went and changed clothes and grabbed the Lambo, 45 minutes closer to the track I realized I forgot my helmet and gloves. :banghead:

:stupid:

By the way, when you got the kart, did that include everything or is it just the chasis and you have to put your own engine?

[pdisme]

It came as pieces but I just paid one price to DL Racing to deliver me a finished product so they did all the assembly of the kart, engine, race seat, digital dash and timing system, wheels & tires, etc. They do arrive & drive for people that don't even want to see their karts until they're getting in them to drive, I'm going to do some of the minor maintenance myself but will leave the difficult things to them.

[artherd]

Ah, road rash. This just sounds more and more tempting by the minute.

“There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.” -Ernest Hemingway

[Seb]

“There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.” -Ernest Hemingway

Cool, I like that quote :grinning-smiley-003

[pdisme]

Hemingway wasn't around for Flugtag! :lol2:

[artherd]

Hemingway wasn't around for Flugtag! :lol2:
When we starting our own leauge?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Flying_pub_flugtag_2003.jpg

[pdisme]

When we starting our own leauge?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Flying_pub_flugtag_2003.jpg

We've already got a thread on it. :) Matt and I were kicking around some ideas, and Carlos said he'd be in for whatever we come up with since he's an unofficial Red Bull spokesperson.

http://www.talklambo.com/showthread.php?t=973

[artherd]

We've already got a thread on it. :) Matt and I were kicking around some ideas, and Carlos said he'd be in for whatever we come up with since he's an unofficial Red Bull spokesperson.

http://www.talklambo.com/showthread.php?t=973

Muwahahah! Of course you do! ;) I'm in if I make it out to FL anytime soon. You guys live too far away. a flying G or Murci would be pretty sweet. We'd need controll surfaces to actually get to 100m (but who cares? it'll be a bright green car!)

[pdisme]

I think the closest flugtag will probably be Texas or mid-West/north-East, so we may have to haul our big Lambo to it. :)

[artherd]

I think the closest flugtag will probably be Texas or mid-West/north-East, so we may have to haul our big Lambo to it. :)

I'll meet ya in the middle!

[pdisme]

Kart time this weekend, Saturday and Monday! Zoooommmm...

[Heffner Performance]

Any of you guys in the area should definitely give this a try. I've got the same kart as Dave with the exception that my chassis is an 05 instead of an 07 and I try to get out there every week. It's great excersize. For those who asked about speed, I strapped a V Box to mine this weekend and it reached a maximum speed of 59 mph through the turns ans 69.1 mph on the front straight. Needless to say it feels a lot faster when you're an inch off of the ground.

[pdisme]

I am going to definitely get some video this weekend, I probably won't be motivated enough to pull the traqmate out of the Radical to get speed/g-force data but maybe later in the month.