thanks for everyone!! I really found the right place to ask around..

I made it a bit long.. but I worked hard on to keep it this small I just want to give you guys a picture about me, because I found you very different then most others.. can't point out anything why.. so blame me

I did quite lots of things.. I did judo, artistic gym, hanggliding and in the last few years I do some easy sailing with my boat here in NL. I've done many of this in competition level and I was even pretty good Now, I am missing the competation, the training, meeting with eachothers.. Karting was always on my top list, but the timing was just never right (money - time - place).

but time has changed!!

So I am absolutly beginner - last time I was driving a race go-kart was ~25 years ago and I never get to a real race.. it was faaaast.. 60cc 2 stroke 3 gears (based on a tuning simson bike block).. I just had some sprints with "huurcars" in the last few weeks.. I found them very slooow.. no brake req.. and my family car pushing me harder to the seat.. I know that it's not about accelaration but keep your speed as hight as possible all the way in the track.. kind of.. and I'm guessing that the 390cc honda does that pretty well.

Even if I found almost boaring to drive with a huurcart- I mean driving alone on the track without using the brake gets me almost board after 10 laps- I still enjoyed it because of it's FUN, but I belive that driving for days on the same tracks with this speed is not for me.

I was surprised that I can get a bit of tired if I am pushing it hard enough, so using a faster kart could make me tired as hell.. yeah! it's for me!

I had the very same feelings with KT250 vs 390.. I know I won't be really happy until I have a kart with real power in it.. in 4-takt vt250 is the one.
BUT I have no race experience with karts, so I have to learn quite some things.. Since I want to meet with similar crazy people (whos transforming they own garage to a living room and back to front), it is important to mee to not only drive but race with them. I really don't care about the position at this time... next year maybe.. It's now only about get familiar with people with karts and with the sport itself..

I never drive with 390 yet, so I am not sure exaclty what to expect. In some reason (looking at videos, spec, races) I like RK1 more.. but as I checked it 390 is the most common here around twente, so seems to be a good option to start with.

So my idea was to buy something used with gears and let's try some race. Once I have some experience, I can decide what to buy next..

Thinkging about RK1 or 390cc would be also a nice option for my 7 yo son in the future.. so I guess I should pick one from this two..

budget: not really planned.. but I was thinking around 2000 eur for a used kart with gears/spears as starting.. as I checked marktplats there is kind of some in this price level. I know this would not fit to VT250 or other faster one, but if I like it I will raise my bar - I just need to know what I am paying for

thanks again !! great forum and see you on the track soon.. buy a mirror, so you can see me on the track sometimes..

For € 2000, - you don't have a VT250 including frame
And then you muss still buy the stuff around it (like a helmet, racing suit, and so on)

On the kart track in Genk you can hire a 390 (see: http://www.kartinggenk.be/nl/events_det ... 48b7e616bf)

@basjuh tnx for the link! I know 2000 would be low for VT250, but if I don't find rk1/390 good enough, then I will rise my budget..
I also found some place here in NL where I could rent an rk1.

Is there a huge diff between rk1/390 vs 270's huurkarts (ie. Oldenzaal/Eefde)? What is the diff in laptime?

Is there any +/- next to RK1 vs 390, which I should know about? I prefer RK1.. so if you think it is just as good for me as 390, I would go for that one. The only thing why I was thingin in 390 because of the popularity around here.

Op marktplaats staat op dit moment ook een tkm k4s dat is een lichtere variant van de vt 250.
Ik dacht dat ze ongeveer 20 pk hebben dat is dus 5 meer als een rk1 en 7 meer dan een 390.
http://sport.marktplaats.nl/karting/567 ... nd=10&fs=1

yeah looks also good option, thank!!

I have only one small problem with it: I would be the only one with 200cc for the winter cup.. You probably find it crazy, but I would like to be drive in this cup, any chance if I'v got my kart?

390cc: 18 rijders
Open/VT250: 6
Junioren/RK1: 6
200cc: 1

TKM is a great engine; much more racy than RK1, 390 ! Look at the site of Talko for all information ( http://www.tal-ko.com/ ). I had a TKM K4S and it is good, if you have more questions, sent me a pm. Only thing with the TKM is: hardly no one in NL is driving it anymore and there is no race class for it and selling it again will be harder and harder.

For you, I think you should go for the RK1; more options for races and more a racing engine than a 390 (industrial engine). But an 390 is also great for the clubraces in your neighbourhood, but if you really want compitition; go for the RK1 and you will have choice of races all year long.

10000x tnx to Wilfred.. you are really informative!

I do like RK1 because it was designed for kart, where honda is a industrial engine, nothing to do with karting, but because of the low cost some kart builder start to use it for rentals, then it because popular for private cars as well. Since I never drive it, I don't really know about driving feelings..
Looking at videos, spec.. RK1 is like a race engine..

There are many options I found and I like (I prefer shifter cars for race and automat for family car), but it is just as important to get into a live kategory, which has support, race, cars around.. So TKM is nice, but same story again.. I don't want to be the lonely one..

So RK1 was my first choose, but heard 390 as more common in twente and that it is similar. Now I would say RK1 is a race engine, while 390 is a club one.
One more thing, which I am not sure.. not that important, but good to know, what is the avarge age in RK1 ? Is there anyone else in my age running with these karts or all of them are driving with 30hp+ ?

BTW, I just checked Eefde today after work.. it's half way back to my home.. so I stoped there and checked it.. nice people, nice track.. but boring huurkarts (not even tried them..). I saw a 390 at least.. was not amazed with it speed but I had the chance to see the difference on the track, so RK1 should fit for me and it is also a very good options later to my son.

Thanks again to help to find my way... now I only need to pick a nice RK1, get my garage ready and get / build a trailer...

You are right about the 390; in the neighbourhood of Twente you will probably find the most races for this engine. How many a year, I do not know but RK1 will definately have more race meetings per year in the rest of the country. You have to decide what you want: do some races in Twente with a 390, or more possibilities to choose from with a RK1, but you will have to travel more....but competition will be more intense.

Age should never be an issue for not participating in any kart competition , although there are some classes for the younger drivers only (such as Honda cadet, Rotax Mini Max etc.). Still, most drivers in RK1 are young. In competion there are two classes if I am correct - one for young drivers and one for senior drivers (with a higher minimum weight). For you, if you only want 2-3 races a year in your neighbourhood, then 390 is the one to go for (and the cheapest). If you want more competition and more race oppertunities, go for RK1. As you have no experience at all, I would suggest to go for the first option, and after a year you will have found out if karting is your cup of tea and then decide what you want (VT250, RK1, Shifter 2t etc and whether races are what you want - including the needed upped budget for it). Last thing: if your weight is above 85kg, I suggest to go for the 390 as it will cope better with more weight as it has a large capacity and more torque.

Last: concerning your thought about a shifter kart, best to leave this option open after you have driven 1 year with an automatic engine. This is a totally different driving experience and the race-scene with 2t shifters is totally different from the RK1, 390 and VT250 cups - not to mention the costing aspect

Eefde is a nice track - I definately want to go there at least once this year with my kart. Only thing is, in the weekends there are so many hire karts that people with private karts can hardly drive.... so if you want to go there with your kart, always phone them to check if there are not too much hire karts sceduled or go there in the evening or weekdays.

The origin of a RK1 engine is from a scooter.
A distributor of these engines told me this.

they sure are because you stil see the suspension points with which u could hang it on a scooter frame

@Wilfred: my weightis ~75.. and looking at how it use to be.. I will drop 5 if I do others then sitting next to my computer.. so weight is not an option but good to know. I personly like RK1 more, and travelling to races is not a problem. I only need a track to practice, tune, setup, etc in the neighbourhood. The problem with oldenzaal, that it's opening time are pretty limited. Weekdays is almost impossible to make it. Eefde is not that far (~50km from me), so I can be there within 1hr, so 9-21 means I can go there -theorically- any day.

I am looking around for an RK1, but I probably need to wait a few weeks anyway, beacuse I am very busy with moving to Hengelo.. So few weeks and I am free to go..

By they way, if it's about racing, is there any special license, club membership or so which required? You don't have to explain all in deatils, but if you have a link I can follow that would do
Anything I would need for this Winter Cup? (other then my kart, transpond, gears..)

Je kunt ook op emsbüren duitsland rijden is net over de grens. Vlak bij oldenzaal en Hengelo.
Hier nog een shop in Hengelo zelf:
http://www.owkarting.nl/index.php?optio ... 1&Itemid=5

License is normally not needed for clubraces. If you will participate in official championchips like Karting Events and/or GK4, than a license is needed. You can have a look at their sites for details.

So, good luck with moving and keep us informed about your future purchase of kart - pictures are always welcome.

Introductie Recreatie Kart Races (RKR)

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