250 Superkarts

pts106 · 23 Mar 2006, 20:01 (Ref:1558939)

Hi.

I'm new here, well I used to lurk here a few years ago, but I just registered so for all intentional purposes I'm brand spanking new.

I've taken up 250 Superkarts midway through last year and I'm looking for other 250 karters to share info and ideas. I've searched this forum high and low and few ancient threads turned up, but nothing recent.

So my question is - Are there any active 250 Superkart racers and /or enthusiasts here?

Cheers,
Pierre.

pts106 · 24 Mar 2006, 08:58 (Ref:1559431)

Let me throw in some pics of my kart -

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...a/HPIM0697.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...a/HPIM0699.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...a/HPIM0703.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...a/HPIM0689.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...a/HPIM0682.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...a/HPIM0736.jpg

#15 tkm 4/ · 24 Mar 2006, 17:32 (Ref:1559767)

sadly i dont race 250's.

But i would like to be the first to say that the kart looks amazing!

good luck with the up and coming year

mrsweety · 24 Mar 2006, 22:30 (Ref:1559964)

125 SuperKart here :-), looking at 250's sumtime soon!

Love your Kart!! looks real nice mate

Andy

pts106 · 25 Mar 2006, 06:56 (Ref:1560094)

Thanks fellas. The kart is a PVP chassis with Rotax 257 twin. It won the '04 South African Championship in the hands of local legend Veron Pappas and holds lap records at most of the tracks we race at. I'm still learning to drive the kart, but things look promising after two 3rd place finishes at the opening round at the Welkom Moto GP track.

You can catch my shenanigans here.

pts106 · 28 Mar 2006, 15:50 (Ref:1563432)

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...nsa/Rotax1.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...nsa/Wires1.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...nsa/Front2.jpg

Prepping, prepping, prepping. Fookin shopping trolley is keeping me busy!

damn, now I got oily finger prints all over my keyboard...

pts106 · 3 Apr 2006, 18:11 (Ref:1569285)

Ramblings -

250 Superkarts are violent little things. The dynamics are totally different to driving fast in a car on a track. In a way Superkarts are more like bike racing. Things happen way faster. There is no time to think. There is no time to change your mind or your line.

In Superkarts you go very fast on basic instinct. In Tin-Tops you're pushing the car to its limits and taking it around corners. You can bang and barge your way through, bounce off curbs, lose your mirrors on the first lap, have off-track excursions in the kitty litter, get back on track and continue the race. You can even barrel roll or hit the wall and walk away from it without injury.

When the rear end steps out in a tintop you can catch it with a bit of opposite lock and steer it on the throttle. In a superkart the rear end doesn't step out slowly - It snaps around faster than your brain can register and before you know it you're in big ****. Chances are you gonna get hurt when you go off track in one of these little things. Just like a bike. Make a mistake and it's gonna punish you.

I'm actually writing this to put my own mind back in order 'cause I need to get this "car driving" mentality out of my mind for the moment...

I'm all for out-of-the-box thinking. I'm for new ideas and new technology. Making improvements to the kart and being innovative. Take the F1-style Powershifter I just fitted to my kart. During free practice yesterday we were plagued by electrical problems due to this thing. Nothing worked. Then in the last session I went out not using the powershifter and I was much quicker, (though I sandbagged bigtime 'cause most of my competitors were on pitwall with stopwatches on me).

Just now I sat down behind my PC to type my track notes for this weekend's racing and I realised I'm my own worst enemy. Istead of learning to drive the kart I'm bringing in all these new ideas and dependending on technology to go faster. Every time I'm out on track I end up having to process all new information intead of just working on my driving and getting faster. I'm afraid I've lost myself in technology.

Yup, I feel kinda stupid right now. Back to basics I guess...

yelodwg · 3 Apr 2006, 18:48 (Ref:1569304)

Pierre,

I don't race Superkarts (I race TaG), although we highly support them with our website (Kartfinder.com). I also do P1 Superkart's website.

Anyway, just a note to say I am enjoying your ramblings

I haven't quite heard the differences between Superkarts and cars put that way. Very interesting!

Tom Stephens
www.kartfinder.com

**ghinzani** · 5 Apr 2006, 17:20 (Ref:1571550)

Have'nt driven a Superkart but I drove a Rotax RM11 with a paddle shift and they are wicked, so easy to change gear IMHO.

DavidStHubbins · 7 Apr 2006, 12:19 (Ref:1573052)

Check out this Superkart in Australia - cleaning up bigtime

http://www.hyperracer.com/hr_pages/max/overviewmax.html

The karter lays lower, like an F1 driver and the steering wheel flips up and down to allow them to get in and out.

Aero is improved so they go even quicker down the straights..

DavidStHubbins · 7 Apr 2006, 12:20 (Ref:1573054)

Aus$11,000 and you're ready to race. That's about 4500 pounds. I can dream.

**ghinzani** · 7 Apr 2006, 14:08 (Ref:1573150)

What that strange thing in the Hyperracer logo atop their web page? It looks like a min Rocket with kart wheels??

DavidStHubbins · 8 Apr 2006, 01:04 (Ref:1573553)

Probably was... I'd race it.

speedy king · 8 Apr 2006, 12:29 (Ref:1573858)

It only appears to have a FR125 Senior Rotax on it though

, as quick as they are for what they are, im sure all that bodywork would just slow it down?

I stand to be corrected however

DavidStHubbins · 9 Apr 2006, 02:47 (Ref:1574252)

It's 2.5 seconds faster than anything else in its class and won the first two races by a mile - but that could be the driver. God knows what engine it has!

Looks kind of good though, I'd love to race a 250cc Superkart...

pts106 · 10 Apr 2006, 18:19 (Ref:1577858)

Just in case you feel like reading some karting nonsense, my latest race report is up.

http://www.pts106.com/Karting%20Wesbank%202.htm

Cheers,
Pierre.

Wogga · 19 Apr 2006, 08:20 (Ref:1588401)

I race a rotax 257 .... this motor is quite new to me .... and very different. It seems very highly strung compared with the single Yamaha's i have run previously.

Does anyone know what sort of (real) hp these things can produce and will it be reliable.

Jonas · 9 Nov 2006, 17:02 (Ref:1761779)

I´m pushing this thread upwards a bit

I´m from Sweden and I also race a black PvP with Rotax 256. They simply looks best in black, right

It´s a good iniative to gather some 250 racers in a international forum like this.

Best regards
Jonas

PS. Cool steering wheel, what brand?

Gilles lives! · 9 Nov 2006, 18:15 (Ref:1761835)

My brother and I raced 250 NAT & 250 ICE a few years a go and miss it now. We both have our sons racing so our finances are now utilised in this.

I went to the Kart GP at Cadwell this year and found it great to see the gearbox scene still flourishing with many of the old faces still racing.

I remember DC doing a track test on a 250 Rotax superkart for Autosport, he absolutely loved it, they really are incredible machines.

TheNewBob · 9 Nov 2006, 22:14 (Ref:1762073)

Y'alright folks, this is bringing the topic back from the dead somewhat, but I don't often visit here and only just came across this thread.

I had a brief dip into karting a couple of years back, I sampled TKM for a little while (didn't have the money to keep going long enough to get anywhere in it, really). But when I have the money again I'm certainly getting straight back into the cockpit, although I'm somewhat more inclined to go the car route. However, one thing I'd love to have a go at is a 250cc superkart.

However, I'm fairly sure due to licenses/experience/whatever, I'd have to go through other karts first? and how much experience do you need from other types of karting? Can anyone clear that up for me? I'd be surprised if you could just step straight into a superkart...

pts106, your machine looks fantastic, by the way! what sort of budget are you on for all this? It looks beautifully well kept...

pts106 · 10 Nov 2006, 05:55 (Ref:1762389)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonas

I´m pushing this thread upwards a bit

I´m from Sweden and I also race a black PvP with Rotax 256. They simply looks best in black, right

It´s a good iniative to gather some 250 racers in a international forum like this.

Best regards
Jonas

PS. Cool steering wheel, what brand?

Hi Jonas, nice to hear from EU superkarters. Small world, I've been following your series through Anders Littorin, we exchange emails from time to time.

Cheers,
Pierre.

ps - The steering wheel on my PVP is locally made, carbon fibre.

pts106 · 10 Nov 2006, 06:17 (Ref:1762404)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheNewBob

However, I'm fairly sure due to licenses/experience/whatever, I'd have to go through other karts first? and how much experience do you need from other types of karting? Can anyone clear that up for me? I'd be surprised if you could just step straight into a superkart...

I don't know about other countries, but here in SA you can step straight into a superkart and race. You will be under observation for your first few races though...

If you want to give superkarts a try, there is a place in the UK where you can rent a kart for trackdays etc. I'll see if I can find the link and post it here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheNewBob

pts106, your machine looks fantastic, by the way! what sort of budget are you on for all this? It looks beautifully well kept...

Budget? What budget? I'm too scared to add it all up. Been in the wars this season. The kart in those pics doesn't exist anymore, crashed it broken. I built another kart (just as nice) to complete the season and crashed that at our last race this past weekend. Both incidents not my fault.

I've imported a new chassis from PVP in Denmark and started building a kart for next season.

Will post some pics later.

Cheers,
Pierre.

Jonas · 13 Nov 2006, 18:24 (Ref:1765206)

Hi, yes Anders has been really quick this year. I know he has done som extended development work. He uses the new PVP cylinders together with some own secrets. I think they're really good (the cylinders that is), although I believe RSC is the ones with the best reputation at the moment.

Good luck with your rebuild. I bended my chassis aswell after a hard visit in the armco, but it was my fault. I lost downforce flying over a crest into a blind right. A notorious corner at Kinnekulle Ring in Sweden. But the kart is salvagable. I have stripped it down to the frame that I will powdercoat. I have also started to polish the crankcase, but at the moment I regret it. I started to polish to mirror quality in the back so now I have to finish the whole motor and it's an unbelievable amount of work

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