rotax max on a budget can you be semi competive??

[austin_ob]

im looking at buying a 2 year old rotax max (senior) for about 2,000 euro. i am wondering is it possible to be competive as in mid grid?? i am looking to go karting for a year or two to learn race craft but if i cant be competive on this budget then has anyone any other solutions?? i.e. different classes?
thanks

[ghinzani]

Not sure how competitive the scene is in Eire, but over here at a decent level the answer would be no. However for club level, especially in Max 177 you should be ok.

[crgmichael]

race max in ireland ,u can be semi competive on a decent budget,
in max ur engine is most important

u can buy a 2 yr old rolling chassis for about E850-1000 in good cond.
buy a max engine thats about to pop(cheaper),send it to kart-e-quip,ogden,hrs (all major rebuilders) kart-e-quip are irish so some support available and for around E1500 maxuim (can vary) you will have a mighty engine on return,you can get a max rebuilt around E600 but it wont be competitve,

average entry fee 100-120E
saturday practise 60- 80 average

tyres 180 a set u can do 2 races if ur on a really tight budget,depends if your out for d crack or wnt to b on d pace


misc.plugs etc lets say E80,you might only spend 20 but u dnt wnt to be left at side of the track,as u build up ur collection of equip. this will reduce.

petrol E15-20 will do the weekend

average 12 races in max for the complete season

ohhh try e-bay for bargains on equipment if ur on a shoe string budget

try irishkarting.com buy and sell section,

ive a 06 tony kart evs rolling chassis in mint condition e900 if ur interested

[crgmichael]

if you are on a really tight budget buy a none tuned engine for about E1000 off a team as they cant screw you(e.g a private sales person could say theres is 8hrs on the engine and their could be 30 hrs on it and it would b ready to pop) a non tuned engine would be good for top 13 finishes in the right hands in a grid of about 20-25,u can buy a chassis private as u can see what ur buying


i used to run myself on my lunch money a few years ago so it can be done

[Sam-KK24]

I would say you could be competitive, a good driver can make it up..

I was on a 4 year old kart for the half of this season, and I was fighting top 3, so it can be done..

I'm in Junior Max though...

[Kieran20]

if you have the knowledge and can afford new tyres for every race you can be competitive in any series in karting. i have raced on a budget in tkm with just new tyres and carb rubber, new kart every year, and i have won 2 Super 1 championships. it can be done.

thats how we did things, you can still win on year old chassis, as well, if u can drive you should be up there.

[Sam-KK24]

Yeah, but it's getting more and more expensive...

[ghinzani]

some things are still fad'ish - take 50mm axles for a start. Id rather stick with a 40 as all I see people with 50's doing is replacing them afteer they are bent.

[Kieran20]

Originally Posted by Sam-KK24

Yeah, but it's getting more and more expensive...

not neccasarily (sp?) why should it, and why is it more expensive?

there are people out there that will spend the extra money, but in karting its a different story, money can only take you so far, and buying success does not work. there isnt anything that money can buy to give an advantage, bar time on the track, and a few extra set of tyres.

you need a guy with knowledge, or learn it yourself which is what we have done, and a competitive chassis, then its just maintaining entry fees etc.

like i said, it can be done, and it has been done.

[austin_ob]

cheers for the info guys its a great help i have a good idea of what i need now!! i wont be buying anything till the end of ths summer so for now im not interested in that chassis

[woodster]

Hi Austin,

If your looking to race on a budget I would'nt recommend the Irish Championship, Its very competitive and its very serious, they use Bridgestone tyres and they cost €190 per set and will only last you a full weekend.

If your looking to race on a budget and where its not too serious then you should come along to Midland karting in Edgeworthstown. They run there own championship for Rotax Max, they run on a control tyre which are €100 per set and will last you at least three races, they averaged about twenty karts per race last season, its competitive but its not taken too seriously. The good thing about it is you get three races on the day and your finished up by three o clock so a least you have some of you day left.

I done three races last year and had great fun, I wasn't on the pace but it was still good craic, the track has to be the best in Ireland. Im doing the full season this year so looking forward to it.

Dave

[woodster]

Crgmicheal,

I might be interested in the rolling chassis, do you live in Ireland?

Dave

[austin_ob]

Originally Posted by woodster

Crgmicheal,

I might be interested in the rolling chassis, do you live in Ireland?

Dave

that sounds really good dave probably the best solution to what im looking for!!! ill do a bit more research into it. yea i live in kildare but im in uni in england but even so i wont be buying anything for a while now. but thanks anyway

[Kieran20]

Originally Posted by ghinzani

some things are still fad'ish - take 50mm axles for a start. Id rather stick with a 40 as all I see people with 50's doing is replacing them afteer they are bent.

yes but in somthing like rotax its essential to have a 50mm axle as this works much better with sticky tyres, the kart will release far quicker off the corners. even in tkm with maxxis red tyres, i found such a difference, about half a second by changind to a 50mm axle. i havnt bent one and i use soft ones.

[ghinzani]

See I was told by a works test driver that the whole 40 vs 50mm axle debate is moot. Different folks, different strokes I guess. I never run my centre bearing either tho!

[Kieran20]

Originally Posted by ghinzani

See I was told by a works test driver that the whole 40 vs 50mm axle debate is moot. Different folks, different strokes I guess. I never run my centre bearing either tho!

well in tkm wih maxxis red tyres you will automatically be off the pace with a 40mm axle, unless you have a super soft one means less grip on the rear but then we are going back to the easily bent axle problem.

the 50mm released much better, and i got about half a second out of my chassis and this was in the wet, where i thought it would be better to have a 40!

i think the guys that keep coming in with bent axles are the guys that run really soft ones, these are not esseitial as the sameeffect can be gained in other areas like removing the torsion bar, or not running the 3rd bearing.