Home Made Go-Karts

[RacinSkillZ101]

hey all, im lookin to build a one seater go kart, i want to acheive an at least 35 mph top speed, i am currently learning to weld, i have an idea on how to build a brake/ steeering system, but i have no clue as to what motor/ tranny/ gearing to use to acheive 35 mph+ their is a junkyard near my house and i figured i could pickup an ATV from them make it work and transplant everything to a custom frame, has anyone ever built a fast go kart?


the reason im so set on this is because my friend has a 30 mph go-ped with 3000 invested and im sick of him beating me on my mountain bike..

any links, info and tips would help thnx everyone!

[micro kid]

35 mph is normal for a go kart. if you're going to use an atv engine i would recomend using its drive system as well. you can get 35 out of a 200 fourstroke easyly i'd suggest a full automatic though just for ease of use but if you want it really trick i'd get a manual clutch motorcycle engine. if you can get an atv why not just ride that? that would be helpful to give you suspension power, steering and brakes. they you just have to adapt that stuff if you really want a kart.

[SupraKid89]

go with a 5hp Briggs and 10 tooth clutch and get a low tooth sprocket for the drive wheel. U can probably get a go kart frome from a junkyard... besure to keep your wheel sprocket lined with the clutch or you'll have horrid chain problems...

[Shingo420]

I SUGGEST A CR 125 KART ENGINE (i race go karts and cr-125's get 50 hp =D and i hav a 125 and it goes up to 120 but at the track ussually 85 mph) or get a kt100 engine (look on ebay) engines vary in price though and its not cheap (but alot of a ha

[micro kid]

even a modded CR125 engine is only going to net something in the upper end of the 30's for horse power. A 250 is 50 horse easy but a 125 isnt going to be close.

[Shingo420]

ok, i got this in an email, but btw they DO get 50 hp, ididot i race them i know ill give you a site on KARTS Swedetech is the LEADING TOP OF THE LINE engine rebuilder, producer making 50 hp and btw the cr 250 twin piston in go-karts gets 90-100 hp the go-kart leagues spend SO much time on the engines YOU HAVNT HAD A CLUE! lol
http://www.swedetechracingengines.com

they dont talk about hp but they are the Co. that makes THE best engines, my friend won skusa (skusa is like national championships) with a SwedeTech

http://kartweb.com/Standards/ShifterStandards8-24.htm

talks about suggested rules/standards NOTICE it said Peak HP can be misleading, cause in a kart, it will jump an extra 5 hp or so for like 200 revs and it red lines 14,000 so that extra power people dont include, sometimes and it has 6 gears....


if you do get a cr 125 engine, make sure you give it 50 minutes of breaking in, keeping it in the 8000 rpm or lower to break it in