How to start racing 125cc shifter karts
One of the key benefits of karting is the intensity of racing for the cost. It is the most popular and least expensive form or racing. When you jump into a kart for the first time you will realize how much fun they are how they can give you a great adrenaline rush. Many people understimate them at first because of the size and the cost of them but they soon find out they are mean as pistols. Racing a kart though is a commitment of time and money. They are true racing machines and thus take lots of preparation before every time they are driven and also ongoing maintenance costs. I am letting you know this not to scare you off but to educate you and to let you know what you will be potentially getting into.
If you are seriously thinking of racing then one of the best steps you can take is to go to your local track on a race day. You will find that almost everybody you talk to is very friendly and helpful. They will help answer any questions you have and also help you to understand some of the realistic expectations to have when starting to kart. From being here and depending on your experience, you can decide what class you want to race in. Before making that decision though, it is an absolute necessity that you get some track time in some of the different karts. Most of the tracks that you go to offer concession karting to where you can rent a kart for a period of time and get a feel for it. Also, most of the time an introduction to karting course or a kart racing program is offered as well. I would highly suggest this because this will give you a really good feel of what you want to do exactly.
I will tell you my personal opinion of what to do first. I would suggest to jump into a 4 cycle or a Rotax so that you can really get the dynamics down of how the karts handle. Most people that jump right into the 125cc shifter karts don't do well at all when they race and they get discouraged and they end up quitting after their first season. So the advice is to find a kart shop or team that can get you fitted into the right kart and then after a year of racing a 4 cycle or rotax to then jump into the shifter karts. As long as you do well, you are also more likely to pick up a sponsor and attention from race teams.
The speed of the karts will vary. The 125cc shifter karts can get zero to sixty in just under four seconds and also reach speeds in excess of 100 mph. The 4 cycle is around 45-50 mph with the rotax being slightly faster. The rotax are almost double the price of the 4 cycle and take more money and time to maintain but you will also most likely be in a more competitive class. Again, this is completely up to the driver to decide which route they want to go.
The next step is practice, practice and oh yeah... practice a little more. Seat time is the golden ticket and the great key to increasing your lap times and helping you to improve and hone your skills. I wish you the best on this journey!
If you are seriously thinking of racing then one of the best steps you can take is to go to your local track on a race day. You will find that almost everybody you talk to is very friendly and helpful. They will help answer any questions you have and also help you to understand some of the realistic expectations to have when starting to kart. From being here and depending on your experience, you can decide what class you want to race in. Before making that decision though, it is an absolute necessity that you get some track time in some of the different karts. Most of the tracks that you go to offer concession karting to where you can rent a kart for a period of time and get a feel for it. Also, most of the time an introduction to karting course or a kart racing program is offered as well. I would highly suggest this because this will give you a really good feel of what you want to do exactly.
I will tell you my personal opinion of what to do first. I would suggest to jump into a 4 cycle or a Rotax so that you can really get the dynamics down of how the karts handle. Most people that jump right into the 125cc shifter karts don't do well at all when they race and they get discouraged and they end up quitting after their first season. So the advice is to find a kart shop or team that can get you fitted into the right kart and then after a year of racing a 4 cycle or rotax to then jump into the shifter karts. As long as you do well, you are also more likely to pick up a sponsor and attention from race teams.
The speed of the karts will vary. The 125cc shifter karts can get zero to sixty in just under four seconds and also reach speeds in excess of 100 mph. The 4 cycle is around 45-50 mph with the rotax being slightly faster. The rotax are almost double the price of the 4 cycle and take more money and time to maintain but you will also most likely be in a more competitive class. Again, this is completely up to the driver to decide which route they want to go.
The next step is practice, practice and oh yeah... practice a little more. Seat time is the golden ticket and the great key to increasing your lap times and helping you to improve and hone your skills. I wish you the best on this journey!