Queensland Superkart Club

FAQ

What licensing (in Australia) do you need to race?
What process do you have to go through to get the licence?
How long do the tyres last ?

How much does a set of tyres cost ?
How much fuel do superkarts use ?
Is superkarting safe ?
What safety equipment do I need ?
Why do this sport as a team?
How is superkart driving different?
Should I buy a 80cc, 125cc, or 250cc?
Should I buy new or second-hand?
How much will a kart depreciate over the years?
What else will I need to buy before I can go racing?
What tools do I need?

What fluids will I require?
What spare parts do I need?
What instrumentation is required?
I'm at the track, what should I check?
How should I mix fuel?
What should I do after every run?
What should I do after every race day?
What should the spark plug look like after racing?
What sort of plugs do we use?
Should you use an air filter?
Should I add an air box?

Q. What licensing (in Australia) do you need to race?
A. To compete in state and national events you need to obtain a CAMS superkart licence. There is three levels of super kart licence.

• K3 - Up to state championships
• K4 - Up to national championships
• K5 - Up to international events

Check out the CAMS licensing requirements

Q. What process do you have to go through to get the licence?
A. You need to do the following:

1. Attend a motor sport lecture - learn about driving etiquette, flags, roles of officials, etc.

2. Get a driver medical - ensure you are not dead or about to be.

3. Present yourself at three full race meetings, starting form the back of the grid on "P" plates. Drive carefully and have the clerk of course sign your licence each time.

After doing all of the about you can be classified as a K3 licence holder. Advancing up licences categories is a matter of driving sufficient events during the year and proving your ability to officials. PS: During the lecture you will hear a lot of crap about superkarts are not real cars etc. Ignore it. These comments usually come from people who have spent 2, 3 or 4 times the amount of money as you, all to go much slower. Fools.... If only they realised. Get a copy of this book.

Q. How long do the tyres last ?
A. This largely depends on three major factors.

1. How abrasive is the surface you are running on

2. How hard you are cornering

3. Kart geometry & tyre pressures

As an example the Carnell raceway track at Stanthorpe is 1km long and very tight. The track surface is very abrasive. We chewed up 3/4 + of the tyres tread on one day. Queensland raceway with it's open free flowing turns and high speed is easy on tyres and it is likely that a set could last as long as 8-12months with monthly visits. Expect to go though a few sets of rubber when first learning. Don't skimp on rubber it is the only thing between you and the track.

Q. How much does a set of tyres cost ?
A. On the 125cc karts we run Bridgestone YGB or YGA compound at $330 AUD per set. $75 front, $90 rear.

Q. How much fuel do superkarts use ?
A. They are hungry for fuel. The GP bike engined karts have been developed for horsepower not fuel economy. As an example on the 3.14km Queensland raceway with it's high average speed and free flowing layout we use 5 litres every 10-12 laps. Fuel will be one of the cheapest things on the kart

Q. Is Superkarting safe ?
A. a classic quote from sir Jack Brabham to his son David (during interview for Australian F1). "In my day motor racing was dangerous and sex was safe, how things have changed! ". Well the reality is that in 20+ years of this sport in Australia I can only find reference to one fatality (superkarting that is, not sex!). Yes, motor racing can be dangerous, but it is all relative. The average age of the superkart driver is late 30's. Gone are the desires to risk all to win. These vehicles command respect. Spending even one lap in one will quickly indicate you have to be careful. Rubbing paint like in sprint karting will get you in serious trouble. Serious accidents happen when you hit something, so track design and runoff areas are the important issue here. Circuits are getting better, many of the tracks that hold bike racing are extremely good. Like sprint karting the majority of incidents start and end with a spin. With body work protecting the wheels, the risk of rollovers from wheel touches is greatly reduced.

Q. What safety equipment do I need ?
A. Get the best helmet you can afford. If you think you have a $10 head, then spend $10. Invest in a neck collar, it is amazing what you head can do when you body stops suddenly. A neck collar also saves your neck after the G forces keep pulling at your head. Depending on the class that you decide to run in, you will need either a Cordura or leather race suit. In the 125cc class Cordura is acceptable, yet in 250 national and 250 inters leather is Mandatory. For leather try these companies (Australia) : Tiger Angel, Walden Miller. For Cordura try Revolution Racegear Don't for get the gloves and boots. My preference would be to select these two items from general motor racing apparel rather and specifically kart tailored items. We use Sparco, RPM and Emerson.

Q. Why do this sport as a team?
A.There are several benefits for running a team. the following points are considered to be the major ones.

• Safety. Naturally having people there to help you should you come off the track is extremely important.
• Common transport. By forming a team the issues around transport become easier.
• Common spare parts
• Pit help/crew
• Sponsor presentation. Sponsor are more likely to be attracted in signage on more than one kart.
• Presentation for sport. More people are attracted to the sport when teams as well as individuals are represented.
• Karts weight 90kg. They are difficult to lift, get a team member to help.
• Many jobs require two people. Loading karts, starting.
• Common infrastructure will help reduce costs
  • Air compressor
  • Tyre gauges
  • Mechanical Tools
  • Electrical tools and spares

Q. How is superkart driving different?
A. If you have driven karts before, even hire karts, the concept is very much the same. Brake on left foot, accelerator on the right. There is a clutch on the steering column but is only used at from a standstill, not during gear change. In terms of performance this is where the similarity stops. Superkarts are a quantum leap in performance for all other forms of karting. With big HP, fantastic brakes, low centre of gravity and extremely good handling many full size circuit cars have trouble keeping pace. The main things to notice when first driving a superkarts is the different seating position. In many of the classes the seat is reclined and envelops your body. You sit within the kart as opposed to sit on the kart feel of sprint karts. Some karts have a fully reclined seating position which is typically American, and is called a layback. Other items to note is the power. Stand on the accelerator and at first nothing much happens, then the power band comes in and the kart rockets forward at a speed that is hard to comprehend (like a big boost turbo vehicle). Next stand on the brakes and the kart will de-accelerate so quickly you will have to drive up to the first corner! Approach your local club show some genuine interest and you will often be able to let a member take their kart for a drive. Check out some things people had to say on Forker Brothers web pages. Use the "About 250cc Superkarts" link. or try Steve Crossland's pages.

Q. Should I buy a 80cc, 125cc, or 250cc?

• Go to some races and watch how fast each class is. Take clean underwear!
• Visit your local club. Show some genuine interest and ask someone to drive their kart. Until you drive, you will be clueless as to the ability of the kart, the appropriate class, and your desire to compete.
• Check out what are the popular classes in your local club. If there is a weakness is one of the categories then keep this in mind. Ultimately you will be racing, make sure there is sufficient regular member in you category.
• Driver experience. Do not overestimate your driving ability. Superkarts are very fast.
• 250cc International superkarts.
  • The acceleration, cornering ability, braking and physical demands of these machines are best suited to people with a good motor racing background.
  • Although some courageous people start in 250cc international superkarts, if you have not had any previous racing experience it is best not to start with this category.
• Driver weight
  • If you weight more than 80kg then you weight will begin to affect the performance of the 80cc karts, you may need to look at a 125cc.
  • If you weight more than 100kg then you weight will begin to affect the performance of the 125cc karts, you may need to look at a 250cc National (single piston)
• What are your friends buying?
  • Try to buy the same. The rational being that you will benefit from the common pool of experiences, and common spares etc... Form a team!
• Reliability of engine categories
  • 80cc run motocross Honda CR or Yamaha YZ engines. These engines are not designed to rev at 12-14k rpm constantly and hence reliability is usually an issue
  • 125cc run the GP125 Honda RS125 or TZ125 or Rotax that are design to run at high rpm for extended periods of time like that experienced in a GP125cc motorcycle.
  • 250cc single are motocross engines like the 80cc and hence are less reliable. There is also some vibration issues with these units.
  • 250cc twins are the GP motors from GP motorcycle racing, and as such are well suited to kart racing.
• Cost
  • The motocross-motor based classes have motors that are more readily available (because they are used in common motocross motorcycles) and hence are far cheaper than the GP motors. In contrast, the GP motors are more difficult to obtain and more expensive, yet have lower running costs because they are more reliable.
  • Obtaining a GP motor will take some time. Sourcing the right motor with good history will generally take longer than a motocross engine.

Q. Should I buy new or second-hand?

• How much do they cost?
  • 80cc new $8000 AUD
  • 125cc new $15000 AUD
  • 250cc new $18000 AUD
• Buy new if you can afford it?
  • It's new! You won't have many problems for the 1st year?
  • Buying new means you know the history of the kart and motor.
  • You will know the supplier, hence the supplier can help you become established and fix your kart if you break it.
• Buy a late model motor so that it keeps it resale value
  • For Example: Honda release new versions of the motor every year and about every 3 years that change it sufficiently that some spare parts become obsolete.
  • If you buy the current model model you are able to obtain spare parts readily and your kart will maintain a cost resale price for at least 3 years.
• Who should I buy from a 2nd hand kart?
  • Someone who is winning races regularly. These people usually will want to upgrade.
  • Someone who has had success in the last 2 years and may be moving out of the sport.
  • Check to the CAMS logbook. Major damage and repairs will be inspected and recorded by race officials.

Q. How much will a kart depreciate over the years?
If you buy it new, about 15% reducing balance per year

• New $15,000 AUD
• 1st year $12,750 AUD
• 2nd year $10,800 AUD
• 3rd year $9,180 AUD

The price of new karts will influence the price of 2nd hand karts Like any commodity in the market. i.e. if the new price rises to $18,000 the 2nd hand price will be inflated. If you are interested in a 2nd hand, the history of the kart will determine its depreciation. If you buy a kart that is older than 3 years, its resale value can jump from $5000 to $0 (i.e. you can't sell it) very quickly, especially if the kart is not competitive. Once again, if you buy 2nd hand, buy a current model kart with a recent motor (last 3 years) that is very competitive in the field. Q. What else will I need to buy before I can go racing?

• Personal equipment do I need?
• Race suit or leathers
  • Leather is mandatory for all 250cc classes in Australia, surprisingly it is not for 125cc karts with GP engines even though they produce similar lap times (25cc singles). You only need to look at GP and Superbike racing to realise leather is going to provide the best protection. It has very good abrasive qualities and most suits are provide with significant padding in all the right areas. Leather does have some drawbacks though. It is very hot in summer and humidity. Suits are usually triple the cost of a Cordura kart suit. Leather is not as easy to apply sponsor advertising.
  • Cordura or Cordulon. These suits have been derived from sprint karting. The cut of the suit often matches that latest F1 styles. Both types of nylon (Cordura or Cordulon) provide good abrasion resistance, but not as good as leather. These suits are cheaper than leather and provide a good base for embroidery of sponsor advertising.
  • Our team has a mix of leather and Cordura. For the 125cc class leather is not mandatory, so it is a personal preference issue. Personally having come out of a kart, Cordura does work, however, I would have appreciated the extra padding the leather suits provide!
  • For leather try these companies (Australia) : Tiger Angel, Walden Miller. For Cordura try Revolution Racegear
• Helmet
  • Fibreglass vs Kevlar. Both helmets are built to meet international standards so are more than capable. The Kevlar helmet will generally be lighter and exceed the standard in strength more than the fibreglass unit. Nat
  • Motorcycle vs Motor Racing helmet. The debate could go on for many pages... There are many features on the motor racing helmets that make them safer in a racing environment. These features would make the day to day use on a bike helmet difficult (eg large neck roll, locking visors, narrow eye ports, duck bills). The racing helmets made specifically for open wheeler vehicles have also had significant R&D spent on them for aerodynamics as related to open wheelers nor bikes. On the other hand bike helmets are cheaper, are often available in many colours, visors are cheap, they have very good ventilation and anti-fog devices. Go try a range of helmets on get an appreciation for the benefit of each. Don't forget of all the safety equipment you will use this one will contribute more to saving you life than any other, spend good money on it!
  • Links to all helmet manufacturers coming !
• Visor - Get two visors if you can. Tinted and clear. Remember they should be easy to change at the track. Keep them in a clean soft/padded container to protect them from scratches.
• Gloves, any of the motor racing variants will do. Be mindful they are there to a) protect you fingers, and b) give good grip.
• Neck brace, this is not only a safety issue, but also reduces fatigue. Remember you head weighs 5kg + helmet. If your karts stops suddenly then your head will keep moving. Whiplash! Ouch! These machines generate incredible G forces the neck brace is going to help support your head and helmet.
• Change of underwear, any clean pair will do. Usually only needed in first season.
• Balaclava, well it's a personal thing, the main reason people use these in superkarting is to absorb sweat or fight cold, and make a firm fit for their helmet.
• Boots, like your gloves they are there to do two things, a) protect your feet and ankles, and b) give you grip and feel of the pedals. Most motor racing boot are good, just remember try them on when you are in the kart. Often the foot well is very cramped. You may need to adjust the pedals or heel rests to enable you to clear the body work. Splaying you feet may work , but you feet will bounce around quite a bit with the larger bumps, make sure you are comfortable.
• We use RPM from Revolution Racegear and Sparco
• Transport - check out our section on transport

Q. What tools do I need? T
ools - This is simply a factor of the way in which you kart is built. The chassis we use has 5mm,6mm hex keyed bolts, and 10mm,13mm Nyloc bolts. So overall the number of tools required can be minimised.

• Side-cutter pliers for cutting cable ties
• 1/4in drive socket set A/F & Metric
• Screw drivers
• Hex drivers (forged) 3mm-10mm
• Spark plug tube
• Feeler gauge to measure spark plug gap
• Wire brush
• Metric tap and die set (both left and right hand thread)
• Hack Saw
• Chain breaker
• Cordless drill
• Air Compressor (proper 4wd compressor). Try a blue tongue, powerful and quick
• Tyre gauge. Want the best look no further than Intercomp. These gauges are the best we have found. Order over the web and go for the 3.5" bleed and read. Saves a heap of time.
• Fuel cans - 2 x 20 litres
• Fuel mix cans - 4 litres
• Oil measuring tube
• Siphon hose to move fuel from one container to the next
• Funnel
• Rust inhibitor (without glycol as it is banned)
• Water container (4 litres)
• Rags or paper towels to cleanup
• Shifting spanner
• Pliers (normal and long nose)
• Soldering iron
• Heat gun (for heat srink)
• Battery Charger
• Intelligent 12V Nicad fast charger

Q. What fluids will I require?

• Gearbox oil
  • Castrol MTX
• 2 stroke Fuel Oil - we have used all of these oils with no major problems other than the cost of some.
  • Castrol A747 - Castrol have a very good web site
  • Castrol R2
  • Elf HTX
  • Castrol TTS
• Brake fluid - most high performance fluids do the job.
• Water
• Chain lube - we have been using two products Belray and Another brand I can't remember now!
• Rust inhibitor - Make sure this is a Glycol free product.
• Degreaser
• Fuel - Here in Australia we are running on AVGAS aviation fuel (piston aircraft not jet fuel). With the change in federal policy we may not be able to use this leaded fuel after 2002. CAMS are yet to certify an appropriate fuel. Could be an exotic jungle juice, but likely to be a regular high octane unleaded.
• Currently we are using BP100 racing fuel (205l drums), and Mobil AVGAS (direct from local airport)

Q. What spare parts do I need?
Here is a good reason to form that team. Sharing the costs of the spares will enable you to keep a full inventory of parts. There is nothing worse and making you way to the track, paying the track fees/entry fees and breaking down only to find you don't the part to replace. We carry all but major components that are not really suited to track-side replacement.

• Chain x 2
• Tyres - we normally carry 2 full sets of spare slicks - Bridgestone YGB
• Fuel Pump - Kawasaki
• Clutch cable
• Throttle cable
• Throttle return spring
• Exhaust pipe springs
• R clips for holding on bodywork
• Fuel line
• Brake line
• Assorted metric bolts
• Assorted metric nyloc nuts
• Washers
• Pop rivets - Aluminium
• Loctite thread lock
• Fuel filters
• Air filters - K&N RU1770 fits the Honda RS motors
• Batteries - Yusa 2.2AHr
• Cable ties - MANDATORY
• Motor bike clutch/brake cable length adjustors
• Brake pads
• Gearbox oil overflow pipe
• Carburettor fuel overflow pipe
• Overflow catchment bottle (small plastic orange juice bottle)
• Stainless steel tie wire
• Spake plugs - NGK 105P
• Electrical wire and connectors

Q. What instrumentation is required?
First check out our section on datalogging. The mandatory items are a tacho and temperature gauge. Other items are debateable. Some drivers are using detonation measuring devices to help prevent detonation. I have mostly seen these on motocross derived engines. Choosing a tacho. Well there is two choices analogue or digital. The thing to remember here is it must be easy to read. You will not have much time to glance at it. Often the analogue tacho is easy to glance at, as you can rotate the body of the instrument so the correct RPM limit is vertical (12 o'clock), so there is no need to read just check the needle position. Most motorcycle wreckers will stock suitable tachos. About $150 AUD is all you need spend. Digital tacho's have their benefits, small, and no moving parts. The drawbacks are; often battery powered and harder to read. You may have to spend more than $150AUD to get a useable digital tacho. The ultimate solution may be the shift light with a programmable shift point. The light or multiple lights, light up when a certain RPM is achieved. The advantage is put it in the line of sight and shift when it glows ! As per tacho's temperature gauges come either digital or analogue. Most drivers will opt for the digital gauge. The type that fits the Rotax max water cooled sprint kart motor is a good choice. We have use a " Daytona" temp gauge on two of the team karts. $120 AUD cost. Q. I'm at the track, what should I check? Well here is the check list.

• Type pressures - as a guide use the following. For more detail on tyre pressures check out here
  • 16 lb/in front
  • 17 lb/in back
• Water level in radiator
• Chain lube every time you come into the pits
• Battery voltage under load - use a multimeter to check for voltage when fuel pump and other accessories are on.
• Brake fluid level
• Spark plug appearance - it's the easiest way to check what you engine is up to.
• Brake disk clearance (rubbing pads)
• Loose body work - use some Loctite if necessary
• Enough fuel - don't run out out the back of the track.
• Wheel nuts

Q. How should I mix fuel?

• Only In small quantities, about 4-5 litres
• Mix as required don't pre mix and store. This will help prevent you from forgetting to add oil, so that the fuel mix is accurate, and so that the fuel doesn't go off.
• Don't mix oils (types and brands)
• Try to source you fuel from the same place each time. Remembering which outlet distributes bad fuel when it occurs will be easier.

Q. What should I do after every run?
These sound simple but it is amazing the number of people that breakdown due to not checking.

1. Check all fluid levels

2. Fuel level

3. Water level

4. Battery voltage

5. Tire wear

6. Lube chain

7. Tire pressure

8. Loose body work

9. Chain adjustment

Q. What should I do after every race day? Clean your kart, keep the presentation as good as you can get it. This helps keep sponsors happy and attracts new people to the sport. It will also help you retain as much value as possible. You may sell your kart to another member of you club they will recall you attention to detail. Check for any damaged fibreglass, even small rocks can do damage due to the ride height. If you have come off the track or had a minor shunt, check the wheel alignment and chassis measurements. Record you race or practice information in a log book. Number of laps, laptimes, Tire pressures, wheel alignment measurements, engine hours (important for rebuilds).

Q. What should the spark plug look like after racing?
Checkout clubplug.net for anything to do with sparkplugs Here are some images of spark plugs in various stages We'll be say something do do with sparkplugs real soon.

Q. What sort of plugs do we use?
NGK105P Racing plug @ $70 AUD each. They do last almost a whole season though!

Q. Should you use an air filter?
This is another classic personal preference issue. Some people run no filter and claim a performance boost. Hard to really tell without hitting the dyno sheets, The basic rule of thumb should be use a filter is you find the track is dusty, particularly if off track is very dry and dusty. You may come of the track and the motor will ingest a large amount of dirt if there is no filter. Grit and 2 stroke motors are not compatible. We tend to use filters all of the time.

Q. Should I add an air box?
No, it changes the air/fuel mix too much and requires a complete retune of the motor.

No-one we know has ever got it right !.

You are more likely to damage a good 2-stoke engine due to running lean