Lets Go Karting, How To Get Started

[@KorsasportKartingDevelopment]

I mentioned it on the last karting video you guys did, but so glad to see more well-made content on the sport. Hope this helps people get involved and learn more. Something to note, I would say to people watching this and cringing at the initial cost... Alan's note on $10k buy-in references a brand new kart, and if you are just dipping your toes into the sport, please note you absolutely don't need a new kart! In fact, any of the intricacies in handling or feel of a new kart vs. a slightly used kart will be completely numb to a new driver. You can pick up nice condition used equipment for half that price. Lots of bigger teams will use a kart for a few races and sell it fairly cheap, still in like-new condition without much time on it. Remember that karting mostly relies on driver skill and chassis tuning, so the newness of your kart can easily be outweighed by your skill and knowledge behind the wheel and on the wrenches. Check out your local shops or kart clubs, they will usually have a big selection of used stuff. And the note on the 5k a weekend for a national even is very accurate. I've raced with Alex (Alan's son) quite a bit, we coach together on occasion, and like him and his dad, it was always me and my dad working on my stuff as well, even at national-level, and we were also able to win races and a national championship, basically on the same team program Alan and Alex were on. So as he said, it is possible to run up-front at a very high level on a small budget with a little trailer, it just takes a lot of personal expertise from years of learning and dedicating a good portion of your free time to the sport. Money will always get you to a point in any sport, and those who have money will always find a way to spend it, but in the end with karting, it's more about driver skill and chassis knowledge and being prepared. All things you can do yourself without spending money. Club racing can be fairly cheap (as far as motorsports go), and a lot of fun. I would suggest going out to your local track and just watching and asking questions if you're interested. The karting community is incredibly friendly and always willing to chat and answer questions. There are also great online resources and communities like KartPulse.com too with a plethora of knowledge and helpful people eager to talk about their hobby. And hi Alan! Thanks for doing these videos guys. The sport really needs more content like this if we want it to grow. -TJ

[@gameboyterrorysta6307]

I agree with the point but I disagree with opinion on used karts. I used to do amateur karting - the difference between karts (they were all used) was really noticeable, especially on tighter tracks. And they were all in pretty good condition. I suspect difference to be even more noticeable with more powerful karts.

[@KorsasportKartingDevelopment]

@@gameboyterrorysta6307 I've won some very big races on karts that were 4+ seasons old, and I've seen drivers win literally the biggest races in the country on karts they bought used with multiple seasons of racing on them. Sure there are some turd used karts out there, but if it's straight and in decent condition, the difference is minimal. In '19 I had a 3 year old kart I was using, and I switched to a brand new kart in the middle of a race weekend, and went the exact same speed with the exact same feel in the kart. As with anything, take care of your stuff and it'll take care of you. Do your research and due diligence on a kart purchase and make sure you're buying something that hasn't been twisted up in a wreck, and a kart that has been used for multiple seasons will be absolutely fine, especially for a rookie.

[@etoprak3323]

@@KorsasportKartingDevelopment I know it has been a year since this comment was made, but, my ambition is to get to INDYCAR. I am 14 years old and I just started karting. Is it still possible for me to get there?

[@KorsasportKartingDevelopment]

@@etoprak3323 anything is possible with the right combination of talent, money, and personal dedication. 14 is not too old to start a career in motorsports, but if your ambition is IndyCar or high-level motorsports, be very aware that almost all careers these days are starting with some talent but more importantly, a LOT of money. Success and self-promotion in karting can get you into the Road to Indy ladder system, running junior formula cars on scholarships, but without those scholarships, you'll need to find tens/hundreds of thousands of dollars in backing to eventually get to the good IndyCar seats. My advice would be to go race your kart, do your best, learn as much as you can, have fun, and if it works out, it works out. But I wouldn't stress too much or put too much emphasis on trying to get to IndyCar. The reality is, if you put in the work, have the money and can make the connections, it could work out, but there are only 30-ish seats on the grid and there are thousands of kids out there trying to make it, so 95% won't get there. Not to discourage you, but that is the reality. Go enjoy the sport and see how far you can go! But remember, you're also only 14, who knows, in 5/10/15 years you may have other goals in life outside of motorsports like maybe you want to own an Arby's franchise or do car reviews on KZbin.

[@etoprak3323]

@@KorsasportKartingDevelopment Thank you very much for your advice! Have a wonderful day!

[@dnumyaroedat4162]

"For those who like racing, I advise the karting, and to do it with love and dedication" - Ayrton Senna.

[@Usman111hussain]

Literally had my first karting session 3 hours before this was uploaded, and it was the most fun I have ever had in my life. Anyone thinking about it just do it!!!

[@savannahkorben7353]

after you drive a 125cc rotax/shifter kart for awhile and hop back into your car it feels like a numb boat that's made of lead

[@Dowlphin]

It's a challenge to sense the subtleties and work with them. Flexibility - useful skill. Quick adaptation. 😉

[@difflocktwo]

what about an electric kart? should be even faster.

[@gloriousrunningpotato]

Unless you already have a Miata :)

[@xpkkingx]

@@difflocktwo usually slower. Batteries are heavy.

[@difflocktwo]

@@xpkkingx Yeah but have you seen the old electric kart videos? Even before the KZbin era. They pull so hard. Kinda like those Hayabusa karts.

[@GregSalazar]

This was an awesome video. Tons of insight. Thanks!

[@sentientspaghetti1898]

deep cleaning a viewers cart , confirmed !?

[@C2.H6]

@@sentientspaghetti1898 lmao why is he here lol

[@invertedpolarity6890]

Title of video should be: "Lets Go Karting, How Rich You Have to Be to Get Started".

[@connorcunningham7449]

Only if you run 2 strokes. L206 karting is actually pretty affordable. Definitely the most affordable wheel to wheel racing out there

[@iHaveTheDocuments]

Hoovie or Doug level rich.

[@savagegeese]

Sad part is this is the cheaper end of getting started. There was an article with interview with Toto Wolfe came out last week how Motorsports has gotten out of hand.

[@Fastvoice]

@@savagegeese Wolff. ;-)

[@blues03]

I thought the Go Kart from MK8 sounded fake. Guess I was wrong.

[@craigmandery6890]

We just retired after racing karts 26 years. Boys are now 19 and 29 and spending the weekends with them racing was priceless all those years. They learned respect, confidence and made many new friends. Raced mostly clubs however did a few years of Skusa in the day.

[@gtr485]

Funny this came out. My kids were talking about Lewis Hamilton and karting when he was a kid and thinking about getting into it yesterday lol...

[@gameboyterrorysta6307]

Absolutely get them (and yourself) involved. Taking part in karting school and racing regularly are one of the best memories from my childhood.

[@theanthonyv]

Great video. Thanks, Mark, for doing the follow up with more detail. My son races two classes at the regional and national levels. In 2021, including travel to races, we’ll spend roughly $150k out of pocket. This will repeat every year, unless he quits or we secure sponsors. And that amount doesn’t yet include expenses to race in Europe, which we probably will do within the next two years. To do this much travel, we need to put him in a flexible (read: expensive) private high school. So... all-in at the high levels of kart racing, we’re likely to spend upwards of $250k annually, which won’t ever be offset if he decides to stop racing before he can get paid to do it. I mention all of this so that parents who are considering having their kids ambitiously pursue kart racing at highest levels can understand what it takes to climb the ladder. While you could cut some corners on expenses by operating solo without a team, it’s measurably harder to beat the top racers affiliated with strong teams. These top teams have a lot of resources, data, the best mechanics and coaches, relationships with the engine builders who ensure the strongest dyno-ed engines go to those teams, etc, etc.. Get your checkbooks ready, folks. Racing the arrive-and-drive events at tracks like Autobahn is a much better return on investment and still tons of fun.

[@JJ-mh3hb]

Why are you spending so much money on your kid? Buy him a $20 basketball and kick him outside.

[@theanthonyv]

@@JJ-mh3hb Because we find our purpose/passion and don’t do it half-assed.

[@kanmuridavid]

Perfect timing! I just picked up an LO206. Would love to see a video going into details on kart maintenance and setup because I am a noob to this.

[@connorcunningham7449]

KCA has been putting out some kart maintenance videos. They just posted a carb clean how to

[@VishnuRajeevan]

Just had our first races at autobahn last weekend. What a fantastic little track, glad to have been introduced by the previous video!

[@ihateshysters]

Is tossing banana peels and turtle shells at your opponents frowned upon?

[@savagegeese]

Have to be less than obvious.

[@imblack011]

how on earth do you even get access to turtle shells 💀

[@ali_nfb32]

@@imblack011 a zoo

[@John28530]

You hit the floating boxes

[@samuelorellana2603]

@@John28530 Beware the fake boxes. They're filled with concrete

[@JohnZhu1988]

karting is the best way to learn how to drive a car. eventually you will want to move to a kart with 4 wheel brakes which will more closely mimic the dynamics of a road car.

[@LordShibuya]

For anyone wondering, the carting dude’s t-shirt says “air cooled”.

[@AmericanStandardK9]

Great series. Would love to see more

[@qx4n9e1xp]

Thanks for the video, Mr. Goose. 👍 I like the in-depth, obscure topics.

[@Samir2345]

@savagegeese wanted to say thank you! I started a few weeks ago with my son, and he loves it. I just showed him this. Cya at Autobahn!

[@nelsonarias4560]

If someone bumps you just scream “harder daddy” and they’ll leave you alone.

[@lemonpaper]

I club raced 4cycle karts for about 5 years. It was expensive, back-breaking, and earsplitting, but it absolutely improved my driving ability and my understanding of chassis tuning. If you're careful and you aren't hellbent on being a class leader it is affordable. If you want to be competitive in the faster classes at a high level it can easily exceed the costs of some SCCA budget series. I got pretty tired of it though, so now I just relax and autocross for fun.

[@johnbalen7450]

Great video savagegeese! Thank you for spreading the word about a part of the racing world that is very much the hidden gem, in my opinion obviously. If you love racing, I highly recommend karting. Club racing can be done at a very reasonable budget, and if you are dedicated to it, just like any other sport you will have the time of your life. Just remember, racing is and never was cheap. However, Club level karting can be done at lower budget than even just doing a bunch of track days every year in your daily driver. I think this should be titled, an introduction to the world of karting, so people who are debating getting into the sport don't associate the costs of national racing mentioned as at all related to the costs of getting started. National racing is not for everyone. It is the highest level, where there are literal karting PRO's racing for free. Don't even think about national racing when you are first starting, just focus on club racing. If you stick with club racing, Great! If you want to move up in karting and eventually race at the highest level, Great! It's up to you, but everyone should start at the club level. Trust me, even the club guys are gonna kick your ass at first. I look forward to your more in depth videos on the various levels! Cheers!

[@VS666]

awesome video as usual. I really appreciate you asking the right questions that are sometimes hard to articulate. I would love to get into karting as I have a few good tracks very close but I feel like it would take me away from real track driving. only so much money at the end of the day 😓

[@needmetal3221]

My neck muscles ache watching this

[@dblrightclick]

my takeaway is as an adult if you own your own successful business and can take some extra time off as needed but you can’t quite budget yourself into the inherited money game of vintage car racing, competitive karting may be for you. This is a great HONEST video about the realities of these ‘entry level motorsport’ hobbies.

[@engared]

Echoing some commenters here, but after driving a proper race kart; most cars feel numb. I liken it to coffee vs cocaine. 😁 I believe its made me a much, much better driver too. And I’ve lost 15 kilos (about 20% of my body weight) or so since I’ve started. So it’s a fantastic fitness + weight loss tool as well.

[@_Makanko_]

Cocaine is slimming lmao

[@xpkkingx]

Thank you so much for making karting content that is worth a damn. Would love to have some coverage of using data to influence tuning and driving style, as well astuning principles and karting vehicle dynamics explained for a club racer.

[@cryptocrablegs3617]

Great video as a 28 year old just getting into Karting.

[@Canuckrz]

Very interesting and informative. But geez, this is so much more expensive than I figured even at the lower ends.

[@rocketkinger2506]

I love the variety in his productions

[@kc510]

Very cool. I’m late on watching because I saw the title and was like “when the hell am I going to get into karting?” But in reality I wish I could have gotten into something like this when I was younger instead of traditional sports. Thanks for the new perspective. Maybe I can ease my niece into this....

[@PianoBlackTrimRep.]

No mention of your ol' pal Turbowski? Didn't you two start karting together back in the day? Turbowski is like Sid Barrett of Pink Floyd I suppose.

[@obamacarreviews1043]

Turbowski was charged with war crimes in Bosnia.

[@PianoBlackTrimRep.]

I remember seeing the video of Turbowski taking the cyanide 💊 in court.

[@tuneman7688]

Turbowski was too busy wrenching on some Honda pile back at his garage

[@markm0000]

@@obamacarreviews1043 that explains a lot.

[@Jephph13bREW]

Awesome video. Something I've always wanted to do growing up as a kid but was never able to who still dreams about what it would have been like!

[@rapzeh4]

5k per national event, all included (entry fee, consumables, hotel, travel, etc) Fucking hell.

[@brianjanty260]

More reason to go club racing. Much much cheaper and still tons of competition.

[@AceShadowbloodcivic]

At national level racing, everybody there has or is renting their own top end karts. The engines themselves (Vortex ROK/IAME X30) cost more to maintain than the karts over the year.

[@roymoorman5990]

Karting is the real deal. The proof is that Formula one drivers still go karting to keep themselves sharp, instead of going to any racing class in between.

[@dr.moustache5239]

Thanks for this series! Well done interviews and great spokesman for the sport.

[@JJmazey]

I recently bought my own kart next year I have the goal of competing in some club races. It is definitely expensive but it can be done relatively affordable. You can get great deals on some karts if you buy them at the right time.

[@12ealDealOfficial]

14:12 This was a great question. If my son is anything like me, he'll take interest in dozens of different sports and hobbies almost all at once. My parents humored me and bought the relevant equipment, paid for my uniforms, and even made the time to take me to games and practice all the while, and I already know how expensive that was. Seeing what my son has aptitude for initially might save my wallet and time down the line, as I don't have as many resources at my disposal as my folks.

[@imad5006]

Thank you man this was so eye opening and helpful. Keep doing what you do love your vids🙏

[@_Makanko_]

Nice breakdown and great info for ppl that want to get a bit more serious with karting

[@redwineisfine]

Is this on console or pc?

[@DebianDog]

the graphics are amazing! 😂

[@stigmsr1]

This is a great series, keep it up. I hope you guys get into some setup stuff.

[@francoisbrice5132]

Even at regional level, the tire cost is expensive since winning one event means having a number of fresh set of new tires (qualification + for each races): need to have regulations to limit this… otherwise it is an amazing school for learning how to drive… do that a few years and never be an average driver on the road ever…

[@rosgoncharuk2403]

Another great video on the subject, thank you!

[@justsnap5514]

i wish i could get started, The money is a roadblock.

[@TunaNoKetchup]

The cheapest way you'll ever go karting is rental carts... Motorsports has and will always be expensive, there's no way around it. For the average joe, it just isn't feasible without ALOT of sacrifices. Enjoyable video either way, was a good listen.

[@chipsutcliffe7110]

Learning to drive well on four wheels is an amazing journey. The joy is in the process, not the result. The goal needn't be to win or even compete at a national level. It can be to just keep getting better and learn more, as the sky is the limit if you just keep at it. Be persistant, and you will learn to overcome adversity. There is no end game!

[@thetravelingmerchant3032]

AT 18:13 he was behind Ryan Norberg thats awesome! Ryan Norberg has a very good youtube channel about Karting

[@moloono1]

This was a nice departure from the usual reviews from SG.

[@wesco123]

More excellent content and subject matter. Great, GREAT delving into here👍

[@gbitsbitsg5447]

Been waiting for this video for a decade awesome!!

[@LiquidTurbo]

This is a totally excellent video on the topic. Thanks!

[@alexv6620]

I've been an F1 fan since I was a kid. The last 4 years me and a coworker are renting karts. Its fun but now I want my own. Lol.

[@tedmich]

Mechanically centered sports like auto racing will always favor the rich even more than the regular kind.

[@user-yy4ux9zf4r]

I love this channel❤️

[@imranabbasi7871]

Awesome I love go kart 👍🧡💛

[@drizzledrake8845]

You should link the part 1 in the description

[@nightjazzmusicbgm]

The car color is so beautiful, I love it

[@zTheBigFishz]

I would go TaG or RMax or whatever the current sealed motor equivalent is these days. I ran RMax on CRG and Arrow karts from about 2000 to 2009...had a blast.

[@todd4394]

Thank you sir! Great video!

[@rphoenix5908]

For those of you in or within driving distance of the greater Charlotte NC area, there's a great track called GoPro Motorplex, highly recommended.

[@joe718gt4]

I love karting. Easier on the budget (especially if you want to race with friends and no point-by passing necessary) and the mind. Edit: meant rental kart level. Just makes me wonder how Hamilton, etc can do this

[@Frexican54]

Estaban Ocon's family sold their house and cars and lived in a Van for several years in order to fund his karting career.

[@MrCarGuy]

The fun factor is reason enough for me

[@English2Elvish]

Wonderful info! We do have a club here, I've been meaning to check into it :)

[@tonymccartney2829]

love karting unfortunately there are no road course kart tracks near me that do more than just rental karts.

[@autonut21]

This was an amazing video. Thanks!! I have a 4 year old girl that I, and her, would like to do some Karting events. I thought she was about three years too young to start thinking about this, but this video shows me that she is not.

[@povertyspec9651]

I misread the title as "Lets Go Farting, How To Get Started"

[@mrbojangles311]

I will be at Autobahn next season 😉

[@aurorajones8481]

13:02 How do you do it? LOL Great question. Let me answer. You need to have passion. If you dont its going to be a money sucking annoyance that will pull your hair out. I mean I track and ride motorcycles, i dont race because...thats to much of an annoyance and honestly im here for fun not to take the crown. If you ask yourself the question what do you want and why. Money, time, is it worth it to you? Is this what you love? If not go elsewhere. Great vid. Ive wondered about the carts. Maybe i should do this.

[@aurorajones8481]

I mean think about this. I dont race cause i dont wanna be forced out onto the track. Its hot, your hot, and you better stay out there and finish the race. The "track" is better for me cause i go out and come back in as i choose. Think about these things. Again what do you want?

[@Heavy_Distortion]

23:09 we'll drink beer and smoke -pot- cigars...

[@kbrizy7490]

Excellent video, thanks man. It’s really hard to break into. Information seems sparse.

[@pepe_schnuerschuh]

i started karting with one tenth of the 10k budget. 500€ Kart, 200€ safety stuff, 300€ for the trailer

[@cusebike5391]

I think what they were trying to say, "before you finish first, first you have to finish."

[@Dia1Up]

I wish there were more tracks, the only one I have somewhere "near" me is 3 hours away, at $165 for arrive and race. With 9 races per league. If you own your own kart, you need a member ship at $950 a year, and it's $150 per race. I'd love to get into karting.... maybe not for that much money

[@thomas0086]

You should do one around Rally driving if possible!

[@joshbell123]

Me: Kart racing looks fun Them: 10 grand to get started Me: I meant Mario Kart

[@everss02]

now do motorcycles

[@emotionz3]

Man and I thought my kids RC Car competitions were expensive...

[@joseacuna3239]

Now I want a go kart

[@dannoyes4493]

ahhhh, all is right with the world

[@johnnymugnano4237]

Has anyone done any karting in the Nashville area? Would love some insight on where you guys drive and what class

[@ameraldas3641]

I would say mountain biking would be easier in that location, same thrill, but it costs less to get into, and requires more fitness

[@nickiadams1093]

How to start in karting....start saving up

[@RPR147]

Thoughts on, arrive and drive deals?

[@nikm4253]

This man reminds me of Lewis Hamilton's dad

[@jimjerichow2547]

I want to do this......sell the Z06! 67 years old 220 lbs....possible?

[@brendantrago5739]

I am thinking about joining a local rental karting league. Should I buy a Bell M8 helmet or go with a cheaper Zamp/Snell approved helmet?

[@savagegeese]

Depends on comfort and how often you do it. Casual, go cheaper. If you value safety go with Bell.

[@frenchyfrench55]

How do you get into races where you can bring your own cart

[@thrillhousecycling7260]

10k is not a cheap entry point, but not wildly different from something like road cycling or mountain biking (might be cheaper, actually!)

[@CAutomotion]

10k if you purchase everything new on a 2-cycle kart. Can cost half that and still be competitive at the club level with 1 or 2yo kart. 4-cycle racing can be even cheaper.

[@thrillhousecycling7260]

@@CAutomotion Nice, that's really not bad at all.

[@todd4394]

Savage

[@beckettmcsween6573]

anyone know some good karting tracks in the northeast?

[@jakp8777]

Good video. Like how the goose isn’t talking, swooning over cars made by a lawn mower company and being a hypocrite.

[@DetachedGarage]

Kart or Cart? :-)

[@sporkybutterz]

Karting has a lot to do with weight...for big boys you will not be able to catch the lighter guys on the straights. Great if you have the money to fund it but its lawn mower racing for me.

[@kinangeagle133]

Im scared for my parents more than i am scared for myself

[@dragospahontu]

How to get started? Frust you have to subscribe to Savagegeese.

[@todd4394]

Geese

[@tonymcflattie2450]

Blown motor? Damm.... I did blow a tranny once.

[@officialyasir]

How rich people have a good time..

[@LawrenceTimme]

I don't get why you would spend this much just to race a go cart.

[@thiswillprobhrt]

One reason is dollar for dollar, karting is generally the best value in four wheel circuit racing. Typically offering larger grids at more circuits in more parts of the country compared to cars. Speed wise, again dollar for dollar, karts at least equal if not destroy cars at the same competition level and cost. You can easily store a kart the space of a ride on lawnmower. Transporting it is relatively inexpensive too. For your money you get a purpose built, raw, single seater racing machine that has nearly unmatched mechanical grip. Don’t get me wrong, cars are fun too. At the end of the day you gotta do what works for your interests, location and budget.

[@dericanslum1696]

..."I don't get it"...that is all...

[@LawrenceTimme]

@@thiswillprobhrt yes it probably is. I guess it depends what you want out of driving. If the sole purpose is competition on a circuit then karting is probably best. For me a big parts of driving is the sound and feel. I don't think a single cylinder engine on a go kart will sound or feel good. Tbh with a two stroke its quite an annoying sound. Just sounds like gardening equipment turned up to 11. Also wearing all the safety gear in racing always put me off.

[@dextardextar]

Ok calm down Mario

[@davidmiller4594]

Getting started?? You guys are talking about racing on the national level and having your kart and equipment trucked out to races. 😒 That's a bit premature for "getting started"

[@mediumunwell]

Too burly a boi to be doing karting. I squeeze into a Miata but I think I would fold one of these karts trying to get into it

[@iltrmb]

I'm 6'4" and 190 and fit fine, just bend knees some, no dashboard to hit. Although if really wide hip may be against gas tank.