Across the range of normal 100cc-ish engines,(Rotax Max; TKM, Extreme and otherwise; Blue; 100 National; Easykart etc) there is very little difference in outright performance but a huge difference in the way that performance is delivered.
So a Rotax maybe engine-ly slow around a corner, but then the power valve kicks in down the straight when compared to a Blue or a TKM.
Karts are then designed to compensate for weaknesses. Rotax for example have very sticky tyres so they can carry the extra speed into a corner to compensate for their lesser performance out of it.
As a result most of these karts arrive at the next braking point at approximately the same speed. As a novice you aren't going to be able to notice the difference without a datalogger.
The point is that all the karts require a different technique to get the best out of a lap. A novice can drive as quick down the straight as the best drivers, but they will lose yards before and after every corner. With an average 9 corners to a kart track, that's seconds on every lap. The test is first to get the whole track right, then to be able to repeat that lap after lap after lap. And just when you think you are getting the hang of that, then you need to learn how to compensate for less than perfect gear and track conditions.
|
|