Parent looking for advice

[gcal]

Ok
Here it is.
I have a 6yr old (just turned last month) and I have been wanting to get him into some motorized sport for awhile.
I finally took him to a local go cart place (a bunch of beat up carts that run a circle in a parking lot full of tires) so he can try out a cart. He jumped on a 5.5 hp one and ran it around the track like a champ. I have never been so proud of him. After about 15 minutes runnin circles on the slow cart I put him on the fast adult cart,6hp, and put some spounges behind him so he can reach the pedels, buckled him up, and off he was. Right off the bat some kid was on the track on a slower cart and my son was passing him on the inside and picking his lines nicely. I was very shocked at how he was driving and so were the other folks watching. Keep in mind I have never let him get on anything with a motor before yesterday.
Now my question:
What should I do??? Keep taking him to these getto cart places and see if he was just very lucky that day or should I just step up and buy him a cart???
If I get him a cart were do I get a decient one for a resonable price??? Are there any sites I can check out???
What would you do???

 

[PACIFICBUSA]

Take him to the track for a little more...

 

[jwcfbd]

You can always restrict how fast the cart will go by adjusting the throttle cable. Until he realizes that all he has to do is put it back.

 

[gcal]

You can always restrict how fast the cart will go by adjusting the throttle cable.  Until he realizes that all he has to do is put it back.

Thats what I'm affraid of.

 

[HP Junkie]

my boy got his first dirt bike at 5 (pw50) no training wheels, and he out grew the restrictor after a few rides. sounds like your boys got some skills keep him going, if not a go cart maybe a mini quad, bike or something.

 

[mctrull]

Every boy in my family got bored with the go cart thing real quick but, the four wheelers have held interest for them much longer and seems to be much more durable.

 

[MET]

Every boy in my family got bored with the go cart thing real quick but, the four wheelers have held interest for them much longer and seems to be much more durable.

In most cases it is hard to get to the track enough. t will mean lots and lots of time for you to get to the tracks. 4 wheelers are another option?? If it looks like he is set for the Go-Cart, take him to the track for a good month before you look at buying one. Lots of Go-carts for sale out there. Must be good reasons that they out grow them.

 

[Jace]

go cart with 2 stroke 250 motor !! ..... oh wait you want to keep your son around for a while ..



<!--EDIT|Jace
Reason for Edit: None given...|1083000173 -->

 

[Jace]

my son got his when he was 5 and we changed the gearing so it would not top out much but took off pretty quick spins the tire ! think he is ready to changet the gear now he is use to it.
get something that will not get tired of in a few months

 

[Haddy]

Yea make sure he will keep interest in it...No reason to spend money on something he really wont like...Also have him try other things as well, such as the dirt bikes or atvs as mentioned....

I know I bugged my parents for a go cart when i was a kid....Finally got one and used it for a week before it got old...

 

[gcal]

Yea make sure he will keep interest in it...No reason to spend money on something he really wont like...Also have him try other things as well, such as the dirt bikes or atvs as mentioned....

I know I bugged my parents for a go cart when i was a kid....Finally got one and used it for a week before it got old...

here is what im thinking for him

 

[gcal]

and me

 

[gcal]

me and my son could go to this track once a week or more and play together and i dont have to worry about cops, tickets, insurance rates through the roof, bike getting stolen or me laying it down and losing all my money i have in it,etc. ( i can only afford liabilty)

any way the reason i asked is cause i have been thinking about selling the busa and spending more time with my son before its to late. (kids grow up quick)
i dont want to end up like some of the guys in the pics above. thats why all the intrest in the carts.
their safe'er and i can hang out with my son more. especialy now that he is older.


yea yea i know....
but i dont have money to do both.
so its either hang out with abounch of bikers on saturday night and spped and worry about all kinds of stuff. or spend a good weekend with my son teaching him how to drive and doing it in a controled enviroment for alot less then what im in the busa and alot less risk.


the blue cart above is drivin by an 7 yr old girl so i belive my son can learn to handel it.

the black one is adult drivin


but any way thats why all the intrest in carts.
i feel like at the rate im going i will not make it to see my son get old unless i tone it WAY WAY down or sell the busa.

 

[gcal]

the track is one hour away.
any way what do you guys think i can get for the busa
clean title 00 with 13k miles stock expect for paint and cut fender.

you guys have seen pics
what you think?

???of my overall plan?

??

 

[so_cal]

Some insights from a karter and a biker. Kart racing is nothing short of awesome. Don't get caught thinking its a safe family sport, some people might tell you this. I was racing a Margay Brava 1 chasis with a yammy kt100 motor, dyno'd 17hp, took it to 16,200rpm down a straight once, no problems. When using slicks you can get enough lateral g's to flip sideways out of the turn, I found out the hardway, it bloody hurt. When stuck in a pack of karts and wheels touch, karts go flying in kartwheels through the air, found out the hard way. A guy even died at a local club race last year. Not to say that bikes don't have these dangers as well. And heres the last thing I'll tell you and will probably be the most influential in your decision. COST! Kart racing easily costs more per month than a busa with full coverage. If you break it down to track visits per month, a practice session and a club race you will get nailed about 25 bucks for a gate pass each time. Youll need to sets of tires, one for practice one for race, bridgestone slicks are about 150 a set. Karts usually run 110, octane and oil, about 7 dollars a gallon mixed. Race entries are usually like 40 bucks. You'll need engine rebuilds every 20hours or so to remain competitive. Tops are like 300, top and bottom rebuilds bout 600. But if you can make it work out go for it, I know kart racing experience has saved my ass when things got messy driving on the street in my car.

P.S. I have two margay brava1 chasis and yamaha kt 100s, 4 sets of rims. Supersportsman, sportsman end cans with horstman clutch. Formula yamaha pipe and direct drive system on the other kart.
Will trade for busa, or sell...

 

[mctrull]

Every boy in my family got bored with the go cart thing real quick but, the four wheelers have held interest for them much longer and seems to be much more durable.

In most cases it is hard to get to the track enough.  t will mean lots and lots of time for you to get to the tracks.  4 wheelers are another option??  If it looks like he is set for the Go-Cart, take him to the track for a good month before you look at buying one.  Lots of Go-carts for sale out there.   Must be good reasons that they out grow them.

There are not any tracks close to us, other than the local kiddie joints. We have to ride off road a lot. I wish I could get a fast one on a track, would love it!