When I was 12, my parents got me a Carter Bros kart. My life was from then on changed. Drove it for years, then bought a simple clutch to wheel kart and keep it going deep into the college years. Had to cut it in half to make it longer just so I could fit into it. The most fun I have had in any vehicle (and I have owned some nice vehicles).
Now, seems like the old karts are gone. It would appear that sub 200 lb karts are all but gone. Some will say the lack of a role cage was the reason, but I rolled my old karts more than once, and with only 100 pounds to roll over with you, a few bruises is all I suffered.
The buggies are great, but starting around 400 lbs, they have to be transported by trailer and require your whole garage to store. Then there is the price. The old stuff had 5HP engines that worked great and were easy to work on. Everything was simple and cheap. Now, we are dealing with modified motorcycle engines and complex drives.
So what really killed the classic kart, because I think it comes down to profit margin, and simple karts just don't have enough of it.
New Member (so I may have missed this discussion)
Russ Barrow
Personally, I think there's a few factors. I think standards have changed.. in the old days, if it had a motor and wheels, regardless of speed, you were the coolest kid on the block and no one cared about getting a 'nicer" one. As long as they got a ride! Today, people are going for broke right off the bat... cuz it's easy. No torches, welders, mechanical aptitudes, just a wallet and an urge to keep childhood alive.
Then again, the world seems a lot more safety concisous today. As a kid, I had a go-kart built out of a 5hp grain auger engine, bicycle tires, no brakes, no speed control, and a helmet? What's that?
That would't be acceptable today. Yet for some reason, we didn't see the harm back then. _________________ 05' Carter Talon GSX 150 2R
39t rear sprocket
9.5g sliders
NGK Iridium Plug
H.O. Bando Coil
Dr.P Hit clutch (backup)
1500# torque spring (soon...very soon)
125 main jet
42 pilot jet
MRP Air Filter (rednecked)
Drilled out stock exhaust
I think safety and litigation has killed the classic karts. It is no longer acceptable to ride them on neighborhood streets and sidewalks and any injury or damage results in an automatic lawsuit regardless of fault. You never hear people telling someone anymore that they are too stupid or reckless and deserved the situation they created... _________________ 08 Joyner SandViper 250
07 Joyner SandSpider 650
06 Tank Urban Touring 150SE
04 Yerf-Dog Spiderbox 4209 GX150 (SOLD)
04 Yerf-Dog Spiderbox 3206 GX150
81 Honda Passport C70B
No one is ever responsible for their actions, karting is no exception. This is an epidemic in the US.
The role cage does show the intent to try to make the vehicle safer, but also created much heavier vehicle trickling down to engine, brakes, suspension, ect. This does make the vehicle a bit more dangerous however (more time to stop, crushing, high center of gravity). But, GoPed has done well with light vehicles with minimal safety (Quad trail ripper as an example).
Now, you do dring up a good point; street use. This killed the pocket bike. So, perhaps keeping the vehicle off the street is a big part of the equation.
Kids now days don't want go-karts, they want play station 3 and stuff like that, kids aren't like we were back then, they rather be texting somebody at the mall.
LOL. It's a whole diff. generation out there now. _________________ 05 Blade SX-550 Suzuki
07 Sand Viper 250 ( SOLD )
89 Honda Pilot
Kids now days don't want go-karts, they want play station 3 and stuff like that, kids aren't like we were back then, they rather be texting somebody at the mall.
LOL. It's a whole diff. generation out there now.
i heard that eggyhed, don't forget about the big baggy pants hanging down with the crack of there showing.
i grew up with tonka trucks, match box cars and motor bikes the best life a young boy could live ,what happened to those days........................
pud _________________ 2006 sunl 150b
Dr. pulley 10 gram sliders, 1500 torque spring,39 tooth sprocket,2000lb winch, red neck uni filter, 125 main jet at 1,450 elevation, drilled out exhaust,ngk iridium plug,performance intake
trying a set of 10gram rollers now
But what if a lightweight off road go kart existed....... Assuming the power to weight ratio could match these new karts, could it sell?
Russ Barrow
They already exists...
You can get a 70cc or 90cc buggy... _________________ Chris Dierkens
'04 Yerf-Dog 3206 10g Rollers, 1500# Spring, Reverse, SuperTrapp, Uni
'04 KPX Xterro: pumper carb, oil cooling, 10g rollers, Junkies pipe, Uni
'05 Blade 150 DX: 4 Valve head, 10g rollers, East Side pipe, Uni
www.northeastbuggy.com
pud and eggy are right when i was younger(i am only 14 now) but when i was younger we used to have a couple acres and my bro and i would be out in our yard all day playing with tonka trucks in the sand since then we moved and have like a quarter of an acre looking in the neighbors windows at night i mean what the heck but i have to say i would not have rc cars or found buggy news if we had not moved cause i would have been out side
oh and another thing about the old carts i have a manco with a five horse tesmacal engine it was fun but supention is a good thing:D
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,what happened to those days........................
