Buying your first kart is best done WITH someone who 'knows' rather than 'on your own'.
So.... start the process the other way round! You have been on this site for quite a while and thus you may already know some karting-folk. But.... if you don't (as you don't seem to)
, simply, post a messagte on here entitled something like:
Whilton, 28th Feb, TKM Intro for Newbie?
..... and explain that you want to get to know more about TKM. Someone will offer to meet you and show you the ropes. You do polishing, cleaning, buying the bacon sarnies and teas and they will spedn some time with you. Do that for about 3 race meetings; by then, you'll know quite a bit about TKM and you will have met people with karts for sale or who know people who have. If you are a 'nice person' you will have made some new friends in that time who may be willing to help you go and see your first, second hand kart.
On specific questions:
1) Don't buy anything TOO good. Buy something old but not TOO tired. You will not feel the benefit of a 'good kart' until you have been RACING for AT LEAST 6 months to a year..... if you are naturally VERY good! In that time, you will have tired and/or damaged your first kart; so buy something that is 'quality' but NOT particularly fast.
2) Ideally, buy the kit of someone who is retiring from karting. You will then get all the small but expensive spares that would cost FAR more if you bought them individually, e.g., tyre pressure gauge, carb tester, stand, sprockets, etc., etc.. You may even get a trailer within the price and THAT is worth its weight in gold
.... unless you already have a van
3) You will do some damage to the kart while learning. Thus buy any old kart (as above). However you are unlikely to do TOO much damage to the engine...... unless you are silly. Thus, you can transfer the engine to the 'next' kart. However, TKM engines are cheap-as-chips anyway so it's NOT that critical
4)_ Engines are mounted on a 'adaptor plate' (engine mount) which USUALLY fits most chassis. However, if you are unlucky enough to buy an engine with an unusual engine mount, you simply buy a cheap replacement engine mount. It's no big deal.
5) ALL TKM and 100cc type motors are DESIGNED to be re-bored! The manufacturers make the replacement piston sizes in a LARGE range of sizes finishing with the largest LEGAL bore size. As the engine is used, the bore develops 'wear'. The engine is then rebored to the point where the 'wear' is bored away. Usually, you will get about 5 rebores from an engine. You MIGHT get less than 5 if you did something DAFT to it. Between rebores, you have it 'honed' which is a VERY light 'rebore' (strictly, it's just being 'polished' with a 'stone file')
Six piston sizes are available (for the 115cc engine size) ranging from 54.25mm to 54.75mm rising by 0.10mm per size.
So...... don't get SO worried about an engine being rebored..... it it HASN'T been rebored, it probably hasn't been well looked after!
6) Every engine that you will EVER see advertised will say 'This is a QUICK engine'
...... yeah..... likely....!
Obviously, very few ARE. Quick people rarely sell their TRULY quick engines: they are NOT DAFT! Most run-of-the-mill engines can be made to work VERY well. In TKM, the differences between a QUICK motor and a well set-up 'standard' motor is probably the SMALLEST in ANY class of karting; probably around 1 bhp whereas the standard quoted range (for example) in Rotax is up to THREE bhp. Thus, in TKM, it does NOT matter SO much if you buy a QUICK one compared to a 'standard' one; you can usually have it 'prepared' to be a damned fine motor anyway!..... So.... don't worry too much about buying a QUICK motor for your first one, it can be MADE into good one!
7) Pistons are NOT the only things which wear: your bearings, con-rod, oil seals etc., need replacing ocasionally. The conrod is just about the most expensive item to replace in the 'wear' category because it will (almost) ALWAYS happen at the same time as a new piston, bearings, rings, oil seals etc., etc.. Sellers (and many amateur) talk about having a 're-build' when they may have had a FULL-rebuild or only mean they have had new piston rings, a hone and new oil seals. Obviously, your next rebuild will be cheaper if the last FULL rebuild (new bearings, piston, conrod, oil seals, gaskets) has only just been done. So.... get them to show you the INVOICE for any 'claimed' rebuild so you can see what it included. The price of the engine should really reflect that. However, a quite SH*GGED engine can be restored to VERY good health by a FULL rebuild. That also should be reflected in the price. How much for a rebuild? It depends; ask you new friends what THEY pay for a FULL rebuild and you should be able to work out if a SH*GGED engine at a cheap price is better value than a pristine-FULLY-rebuilt one at a HIGH price.
Personally, I think I'd rather start with TWO 'tired' (but usable, i.e., not completely SH*GGED) engines. In that way, if you have a problem (while learning) with one motor, you can always simply bolt on the other! While you are learning, we can explain ways of improving the life expectancy of an engine so you will do VERY little harm to your engine during your earliest stage when 'race-power' really ISN'T an advantage to you!
8) Do NOT buy a second hand crash helmet.... EVER! Anything else will be ok, but NOT your helmet! Don't buy a 'fashion statement' helmet; buy one which DOES have kart certification but that is CHEAP! If you are tempted to buy an expensive one or have a (daft) paint-job..... just ask yourself how many seconds per lap will it 'give' you. So.... spend EXACTLY the amount of money on fashion/bling by which it improves your lap-times.......and not a PENNY more! We are NOT a fashion parade, we are RACERS!
Adding that lot together, I'd try to buy an older but lightly used kart with a couple of motors and load of spares and tools for your money.
Oh..... and remember..... it's about having FUN!
Anyway....... that's enough for now!
Ian
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What to look for when buying a kart? by 'ross' (21 Feb 2010 @ 12:59)
