Martin Keene Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Gearbox karts rule... I spent years in 100 Nationals and the first time I tried a gearbox kart it was something truely special to behold. Best bit was changing up to second, nailing it and feeling the back squat down and squirm around under power... impressive for something with no suspension! Overall it scared the sh!te out of me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geofff Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Hmmm, I was looking at Rotax Max if I stayed in karts - good power + arrive & drive racing. But two strokes are under pressure from the EU and I didn't want to buy into a dying class. Same with gearbox. Anyway next year I'm doing Westfield racing so every story has a happy ending! Ta Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan Coombes Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 I used to be in to the 100cc seen before I got my Westfield and Fluke still run one Kart in TKM. I was lucky to have a go in a rotax max and it was just like a 100cc really chuckable, but with out the high running cost. But gearbox karts are just something else.... You just have to give respect to the guys that race 250's I think they have a race on street circuit in them, I would love to see video of that.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adhawkins Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 I'll be at Reading a week on Saturday Reading as in the Trail Park? Is that still open? Will you get out of 1st gear there? What sort of times will you be there? We have plans for the evening, but I might pop over to take a look-see (no intention of buying, just interested to see the performance...) Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geofff Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Hi, Reading would be way too short I would have thought but what the heck. Whilton Mill was exiting on a Club 100 TKM a few weeks ago let alone a gearbox but way better than Reading. What speed do you reckon on at the top of the hill? Ta Geoff P.S. Andy - In a prokart at Reading you throw and catch on the corner exiting the back straight. No braking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adhawkins Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Andy - In a prokart at Reading you throw and catch on the corner exiting the back straight. No braking. I'm sure you're right. However, our kart was never one of the best there, and that corner at the end of the straight was one I never really got right. Went through with just a lift a few times, but it always felt slower as I was chasing the kart through the bend trying to make sure I came out the other end still pointing in the right direction. Still, all that's history now Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geofff Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Still, all that's history now Yep sold both my karts at the start of the year. They looked pretty when they left. Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adhawkins Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Our pro-kart went a couple of years back (about 6 months before I got the Westfield I think). Was a shame to see it go, but we just weren't getting the use out of it (it was co-owned, and finding weekends where we were both free was getting difficult). Shame, cos now I've perhaps found where that last 1/2 a second of lap time was going Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee_fin Posted September 16, 2004 Author Share Posted September 16, 2004 The 250N is currently geared short, about 130mph. We get into mid third at Reading Trial Park (~90/95mph) so it's a bit of a mickey mouse circuit. However, it's a right laugh, it's like the Monaco (not scenery-wise) of kart circuits. If you can handle a gearbox kart round there, you can handle it anywhere. You're constantly turning one way or the other, I got down to a 34.7s there on old shot rubber last week so we're still shifting pretty damn quickly. The only time you get to relax is for about three seconds down the 'straight'. But the beauty is, it's always quiet, they're quite (understatement) relaxed and a friend has just bought a 125RotaxMax we want to try out. Whilton Mill is very nice, still a little short for the 250N (we get to top out in 4th ~120mph) but it's a lot quicker. The only thing there is they session you (ie. 15mins cadets+ProKarts, 15mins Juniors, 15mins Seniors, 15mins 125Max and us etc) which means you don't get as much time and it's a lot more pressured. They only test one day a week too... Either way, we've got the kart handling like a Initial D drift machine right now so I don't mind where we take it as long as I get a go in it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geofff Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 I get high 39 second laps in a prokart round Reading. I would have thought 90mph would be very scary going into that back corner at the end of the straight. I'll bet you'll be able to make the Rotax go quicker than the gearbox at Reading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adhawkins Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 High 39s? Blimey, we weren't doing too bad then Best I ever got was a 38.5 or so I think, but that was a good .5 or 1 second behind the 'good' guys in pro-karts. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geofff Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 And there was I thinking I was one of the 'good' guys Pride makes me ask if the Cheltenham & Glos area will be doing another karting tournament? Is it possible to redeem myself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adhawkins Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 And there was I thinking I was one of the 'good' guys Pride makes me ask if the Cheltenham & Glos area will be doing another karting tournament? Is it possible to redeem myself? I wouldn't worry too much. We were never brave enough to do any of the races there. We just went there on a Sunday and banged in a load of laps. I'm sure there will be more karting to come. The Bath and Bristol guys usually organise Ice Karting around this time of year, not sure if it's happening this year (or it may already have happened?). Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee_fin Posted September 16, 2004 Author Share Posted September 16, 2004 A well driven race prepped Rotax Max should give us/the 250N a run for our money round Reading..however...I aint seen one yet and we haven't been troubled With sticky tyres on there there's another second to come which is getting on down to lap record territory.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studbuckle Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Shame, cos now I've perhaps found where that last 1/2 a second of lap time was going Didn't realise you'd lost that much weight Si (who just loves being lapped by Andy EVERY time we go karting ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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