Go-Karting tips

ChroniC · 28 Oct 2007 at 00:43

Going indoor go karting in a few days, and i have been before. I know how to take racing lines, to brake in straight lines, etc etc. Just wondered if you guys had any awesome little tips or tricks because i want to destroy my friends

DRZ · 28 Oct 2007 at 00:47

Lose weight.

If you are significantly lighter than your mates, you wont have to know or do anything else to whoop them.

This is also the reason why scrawny 16yo little ****s can get well out of shape into every corner/take bad lines/whatever and STILL set faster laptimes than you.

el_dazza · 28 Oct 2007 at 00:49

Just remember, the rear of the kart is wider than the front, and i've made that mistakes so many times.

Tom|Nbk · 28 Oct 2007 at 00:51

Don't try to get through gaps that don't exist

Corner sensibly otherwise you'll just loose traction on every corner.

DRZ · 28 Oct 2007 at 00:51

el_dazza said:
Just remember, the rear of the kart is wider than the front, and i've made that mistakes so many times.

Only by a couple of cm and if you were hitting things with the back end of your kart many times then you've got issues!

Conscript · 28 Oct 2007 at 00:52

Keep your left foot well clear of the brake pedal, or they'll overheat and fade right when you need them. Even the slightest pressure can cause them to engage slightly.

el_dazza · 28 Oct 2007 at 00:54

DRZ said:
Only by a couple of cm and if you were hitting things with the back end of your kart many times then you've got issues!

I used to go karting a lot, when you're pressing for every extra little bit, it's quite easy to clip a barrier slightly

Tom|Nbk · 28 Oct 2007 at 00:54

Conscript said:
Keep your left foot well clear of the brake pedal, or they'll overheat and fade right when you need them. Even the slightest pressure can cause them to engage slightly.

Yes good tip either use one or the other. Obviously do not use both engine backfires to hell

DRZ · 28 Oct 2007 at 00:55

el_dazza said:
I used to go karting a lot, when you're pressing for every extra little bit, it's quite easy to clip a barrier slightly

I too used to go karting an awful lot, but I didn't make a habit of losing time by hitting things

DaveyD · 28 Oct 2007 at 00:56

DRZ said:
Only by a couple of cm and if you were hitting things with the back end of your kart many times then you've got issues!

Does make a difference, but really depends upon the type of karts they are as some are wider than others.

When it's indoor, it's usually a lot tighter and more difficult to overtake, so watch out for people making mistakes and take advantage of it.

Also, if the surface is quite slippy (usually the case for a lot of indoor places), poorer drivers will end up sliding their back end a little, if you ease off and make sure you're not sliding too much, you should get a lot more speed, though it will depend on the corners and karts, as sliding can often be advantageous on some circuits.

el_dazza · 28 Oct 2007 at 00:57

I really want to go karting now..

I'm probably far too heavy to be anywhere near as quick as I used to be :/

Bloody hell, haven't seen you around for a long time dave, how's it going?

ChroniC · 28 Oct 2007 at 00:57

DRZ said:
Lose weight.

.

no problem, im light. Good stuff so far.

DaveyD · 28 Oct 2007 at 00:59

el_dazza said:
I really want to go karting now..

I'm probably far too heavy to be anywhere near as quick as I used to be :/

Bloody hell, haven't seen you around for a long time dave, how's it going?

Probably lighter than me

I was pretty chuffed with myself the other week, first uni karting club event of the year as my times were rather good even though I've got a 15kg handicap over most of the members

I've got a lot better over the summer

el_dazza · 28 Oct 2007 at 00:59

I'm 14 stone! :eek:

DaveyD · 28 Oct 2007 at 01:00

el_dazza said:
I'm 14 stone!

Technically lighter than me

I'm sure I remember you being a skinny runt, or am I mixing you up with some alternate universe dazza ?

el_dazza · 28 Oct 2007 at 01:02

I'm no bigger than I used to be, that's the bizarre thing! No muscle to show for it, i'm not any larger.. dunno where the hell it all is :/

Scythe · 28 Oct 2007 at 01:05

I reckon we should have a ocuk go kart meet at the go kart place round the corner from ocuk, dont know if its any good or not though.

DaveyD · 28 Oct 2007 at 01:06

There needs to be an OcUK karting event sometime, as they always seem to fall on their arse every time somebody tries to get one sorted.

ChrisD. · 28 Oct 2007 at 01:08

If the kart is any good then turn harder then you think it can handle. Most will take corners a lot faster then what most people realise. It's just a case of a clean line, smooth turn in and balancing the power to keep it in shape. I love karting, set a lot good laps at tracks.

Conscript · 28 Oct 2007 at 01:09

Tom|Nbk said:
Yes good tip either use one or the other. Obviously do not use both engine backfires to hell

When I went karting, it was pretty hard....because of the way you sat, you couldn't twist your foot and rest it anywhere other than the pedal. So you had to either rest the foot lightly on the pedal, causing some fade, or tense your ankle to keep the foot well clear of the pedal. Which ended up being pretty painful after a few hours.

Still, karting is great fun. 60mph 4 inches off the ground is a huge rush