UK Karting - Notice Board (General Karting) : Time, Money, Enjoyment....

Notice Board (General Karting)

Time, Money, Enjoyment....
Posted by 'Pauldalgarno' on 23 Feb 2015 @ 10:58

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PauldalgarnoJoined: October 2012
Total Posts: 1
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An open question first : Why do people go karting in the first place? I personally go for the challenge of improving, and the thrill of racing wheel to wheel, and have pretty much accepted I'll never win outright. I suspect most fall within this category, so are these the people we need to make up the higher numbers rather than the people with the talent to make a living from their skills in the future (who are a very small minority)?

My short summary before the detail : The MSA needs to become a dictatorship and limit classes to one cadet, one junior for younger/lighter drivers, one full fat junior, one senior DD, and one Gearbox class. Maximum retail costs should be dictated regarding chassis, engine and tyres. These classes would then be protected for a minimum period of say 5 years. This couldn't be done overnight, so there would have to be a start point set - say 2 years from now where the classes would be reduced - this would allow people time to get use out of their existing equipment and pass it down to IKR.

I also question whether sealed engines are the way to go - look at the silly prices charged for "fast" coils, exhausts, carbs, etc to get around this.

The reduced number of classes will play havoc with the traders and companies involved in the sport, and would lead to a significant loss of some of these people to the sport, and in truth is the major downside of what I propose. However, reading the MSA magazine it seems like we're heading in the opposite direction and having more classes, and homologation periods that are way too short.

Time - I agree with most that people's time is shorter these days. Race meetings go on longer than they could because of the number of classes. Maybe if Sundays allowed a couple of decent length practice sessions to iron out kart problems and get handling sorted this would help (in conjunction with less classes)?

Money : Some costs are out of control. The costs to enter the sport are too high - MSA pack, ARKS, specific kart helmet, suit, boots, medicals, etc will run from at least Ł500 to Ł1000. Let clubs do a basic starter session with the local CoC signing off any new driver against flags, rules, and driving standards. Safety should be No.1, but at least let us use properly stickered motorcycle helmets?

Then there's meeting costs. The highest part for clubmen is tyres at around Ł130 to Ł160 for slicks, and similar for wets. In truth wets aren't so much of an issue as the majority of meetings are dry, but slicks are both too expensive and too short lasting. Needs to be more commercial pressure on the tyre suppliers - maybe go radical and go to one UK supplier/manufacturer for all UK MSA classes to force the price down (oh and don't go to the lesser brands as I've found them ridiculously variable to the extent they can ruin a weekend).

The next cost is entry fees - chicken and egg here with lower entries to cover higher and higher costs.

Other major karting costs are down the route of sealed or non-sealed engines, and having moved into KZ2 I can see definite advantages to doing routine maintenance yourself for cost reasons.

Also on cost is parts : There are some daft expensive materials and parts used. Magnesium parts should be banned, silly expensive pedals such as used by Tonykart, etc. Wheels should probably be standardised to save complexity and cost, or at least a maximum retail price mandated to drive these silly materials out.

Enjoyment : Second last on the list here, but should be top of the list for why you're doing it. The kart should be good (no, great!) to drive, and challenge you. This comes back to grid size, the more people to race against the more likely you'll find a battle with people of your own level (only the most skilled will typically win, so the rest of us should be there to have fun). Now that I'm in KZ2 I find the challenge of driving it properly far more rewarding than Snr Max for example where you were doing all you could to avoid the kart bogging down in the slow stuff. I know, smooth is best in any class...... Less classes could also mean longer races, or more heats in the one day.

Confusion : New entrants are presented with a bewildering choice of classes at some tracks. How many wade in and spend a fortune on something that won't give them what they wanted in the first place? And how many are put off in the first place by the number of classes?

Message Thread:

decline in kart racing by 'gaz47' (16 Feb 2015 @ 17:51)

Re: decline in kart racing by 'AgedRacer' (17 Feb 2015 @ 10:03)

Re: decline in kart racing by 'd-i-y71' (17 Feb 2015 @ 10:10)

Re: decline in kart racing by 'emmajack2014' (17 Feb 2015 @ 11:51)

Re: decline in kart racing by 'gaz47' (17 Feb 2015 @ 13:40)

Re: decline in kart racing by 'd-i-y71' (17 Feb 2015 @ 13:55)

Re: decline in kart racing by 'Novicekart65' (17 Feb 2015 @ 15:02)

Re: decline in kart racing by 'emmajack2014' (17 Feb 2015 @ 15:08)

Re: decline in kart racing by 'karter212000' (17 Feb 2015 @ 15:28)

Re: decline in kart racing by 'BanzaiBoy' (17 Feb 2015 @ 17:04)

Re: decline in kart racing by 'brierleys' (18 Feb 2015 @ 9:10)

Re: decline in kart racing by 'TiredDad' (18 Feb 2015 @ 9:27)

decline in kart racing go dads and lad racing by 'PortlandBill' (18 Feb 2015 @ 9:44)

Re: decline in kart racing by 'richpudd2003' (18 Feb 2015 @ 9:49)

Re: decline in kart racing by 'BanzaiBoy' (18 Feb 2015 @ 11:13)

Richpudd is 100% correct (nt) by 'iant' (18 Feb 2015 @ 15:02)

Re: decline in kart racing by 'pegassuss22' (18 Feb 2015 @ 19:08)

Pegassuss - another person who's 100% correct (nt) by 'iant' (18 Feb 2015 @ 20:07)

Re: Pegassuss - another person who's 100% correct by 'faster' (18 Feb 2015 @ 20:29)

Re: Pegassuss - another person who's 100% correct by 'pegassuss22' (18 Feb 2015 @ 21:00)

Re: Pegassuss - another person who's 100% correct by 'christkm' (18 Feb 2015 @ 21:56)

Re: Pegassuss - another person who's 100% correct by 'pegassuss22' (18 Feb 2015 @ 22:13)

Re: Pegassuss - another person who's 100% correct by 'christkm' (18 Feb 2015 @ 23:05)

Re: Pegassuss - another person who's 100% correct by 'pegassuss22' (18 Feb 2015 @ 23:20)

Car racing is cheaper by 'MattCortes' (19 Feb 2015 @ 8:20)

Car racing isn't cheaper by 'nitch' (19 Feb 2015 @ 8:34)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'MattCortes' (19 Feb 2015 @ 8:49)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'nitch' (19 Feb 2015 @ 9:09)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'colin' (19 Feb 2015 @ 9:39)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'kai' (19 Feb 2015 @ 10:07)

Re: IKR & MSA Fulbeck by 'TeamPoor' (19 Feb 2015 @ 10:33)

Re: IKR & MSA Fulbeck by 'SkintFather' (19 Feb 2015 @ 11:11)

Re: IKR & MSA Fulbeck by 'TeamPoor' (20 Feb 2015 @ 13:52)

Re: IKR & MSA Fulbeck by 'SkintFather' (20 Feb 2015 @ 18:14)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'pegassuss22' (19 Feb 2015 @ 18:04)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'SimonS' (19 Feb 2015 @ 9:49)

simon S by 'BanzaiBoy' (19 Feb 2015 @ 11:37)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'itpro' (20 Feb 2015 @ 2:15)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'cjm2009' (19 Feb 2015 @ 13:59)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'colin' (19 Feb 2015 @ 17:03)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'pegassuss22' (19 Feb 2015 @ 18:08)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'PaulMRotax' (19 Feb 2015 @ 18:29)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'alanrr' (19 Feb 2015 @ 18:46)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'SkintFather' (19 Feb 2015 @ 18:51)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'christkm' (19 Feb 2015 @ 19:04)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'BanzaiBoy' (19 Feb 2015 @ 19:13)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'PaulMRotax' (19 Feb 2015 @ 19:59)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'pegassuss22' (19 Feb 2015 @ 20:05)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'alanrr' (23 Feb 2015 @ 23:31)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'BanzaiBoy' (19 Feb 2015 @ 19:09)

Re: intelligent measured post banzai by 'pegassuss22' (19 Feb 2015 @ 19:20)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'itpro' (19 Feb 2015 @ 23:29)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'alanrr' (19 Feb 2015 @ 23:48)

Re: Car racing isn't cheaper by 'itpro' (20 Feb 2015 @ 2:06)

Re: Errr Banzai..... by 'Bassman' (21 Feb 2015 @ 17:11)

Re: Errr Banzai..... by 'WWKarter' (21 Feb 2015 @ 22:01)

Re: Errr Banzai..... by 'alanrr' (21 Feb 2015 @ 22:09)

Re: Errr Banzai..... by 'SimonS' (22 Feb 2015 @ 10:09)

Re: Errr Banzai..... by 'alanrr' (21 Feb 2015 @ 22:15)

Re: Errr Banzai..... by 'dynamax' (22 Feb 2015 @ 10:59)

Re: the paddock atmosphere............ by 'pegassuss22' (22 Feb 2015 @ 13:26)

Re: the paddock atmosphere............ by 'kai' (22 Feb 2015 @ 14:12)

Technical problem by 'Minisueg' (22 Feb 2015 @ 17:36)

Re: Technical problem by 'TiredDad' (25 Feb 2015 @ 16:01)

Time, Money, and Enjoyment by 'Pauldalgarno' (23 Feb 2015 @ 10:56)

Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'Pauldalgarno' << You are here!

Re: Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'alanrr' (23 Feb 2015 @ 16:06)

Re: Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'PaulMRotax' (23 Feb 2015 @ 16:17)

Re: Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'alanrr' (23 Feb 2015 @ 20:07)

Re: Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'SimonS' (23 Feb 2015 @ 21:07)

Re: Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'MaxRacewear' (23 Feb 2015 @ 23:01)

Re: Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'christkm' (24 Feb 2015 @ 9:26)

Re: Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'brierleys' (24 Feb 2015 @ 12:04)

Re: Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'SimonS' (24 Feb 2015 @ 18:40)

Re: Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'SimonS' (24 Feb 2015 @ 18:51)

Re: Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'christkm' (24 Feb 2015 @ 20:24)

Re: Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'SimonS' (24 Feb 2015 @ 18:42)

Re: Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'pegassuss22' (24 Feb 2015 @ 20:57)

Re: Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'Pauldalgarno' (24 Feb 2015 @ 21:44)

Re: Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'MaxRacewear' (24 Feb 2015 @ 22:21)

Re: max racewear by 'pegassuss22' (24 Feb 2015 @ 22:38)

Re: max racewear by 'christkm' (24 Feb 2015 @ 22:43)

Re: max racewear by 'pegassuss22' (24 Feb 2015 @ 22:59)

Re: Time, Money, Enjoyment.... by 'SimonS' (25 Feb 2015 @ 1:11)

Simon by 'pegassuss22' (25 Feb 2015 @ 9:07)

Re: Simon by 'dynamax' (25 Feb 2015 @ 11:45)

Re: Simon by 'PortlandBill' (25 Feb 2015 @ 13:56)

Re: Simon by 'emmajack2014' (25 Feb 2015 @ 14:02)

Re: Simon by 'Novicekart65' (25 Feb 2015 @ 14:15)

Re: SimonS by 'Pauldalgarno' (26 Feb 2015 @ 9:23)

Re: SimonS by 'SimonS' (26 Feb 2015 @ 19:09)

Re: SimonS by 'Pauldalgarno' (26 Feb 2015 @ 19:44)

Novice-kart65 by 'Pauldalgarno' (26 Feb 2015 @ 9:30)

Pauldalgarno by 'dth07' (26 Feb 2015 @ 12:45)

Re: Pauldalgarno by 'dynamax' (26 Feb 2015 @ 13:06)

Re: Pauldalgarno by 'dth07' (26 Feb 2015 @ 17:06)

Re: Pauldalgarno by 'pegassuss22' (26 Feb 2015 @ 19:34)

Re: Pauldalgarno by 'Pauldalgarno' (26 Feb 2015 @ 19:47)

Re: Pauldalgarno by 'pegassuss22' (26 Feb 2015 @ 20:10)

Re: Pauldalgarno by 'Pauldalgarno' (26 Feb 2015 @ 21:02)

Re: Pauldalgarno by 'Pauldalgarno' (26 Feb 2015 @ 13:44)

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