Types of Kart
There are different types of kart for indoor and outdoor karting and although this guide is not definitive it will give you a good idea what you may be driving when you get to your chosen venue.
125cc water-cooled 2-stroke
This is possibly the fastest kart you can drive on the hire-kart scene but to the best of our knowledge only available at three circuits in the UK - Tamworth, Milton Keynes and Sandown Park.
As we've said they are rapid and you need some prior karting experience as they are rewarding to drive. Something like this requires constant maintenance so your event won’t be cheap so be prepared for a hefty credit card bill.
Single-engine 4-stroke (outdoor type)
Nowadays most outdoor tracks have swapped over to the single-engine format for their fleet. Because the circuits are larger the karts need to be quicker so the engines range from 270cc to 390cc 4-stroke units that will be geared for up to 60mph.
Bodywork, sliding seats and adjustable pedals are often standard and this makes the driving that much more comfortable for all shapes and sizes of driver.
Twin-engine 4-stroke (outdoor type)
A proper old-school type of kart from a time when making your kart go quicker was simply to strap on another engine!
These are nicely balanced machines and look the part, especially when unadorned by plastic bodywork - our favourite.
Single-engine 4-stroke (indoor type)
Like their big brother outdoor version these come in a range of engine sizes from 160cc to 200cc and are good for 30-40mph depending upon the circuit layout.
Don't be fooled into thinking 30mph is slow because within the confines of a factory building or ex-bus garage these will seem plenty quick enough.
Electric karts
We took some convincing that these were real karts - and then we drove one and were converted. On the negative side they are heavy and the charge only lasts for about 15-minutes but this is more than offset by the fact that whatever your weight the powerful electric motor will keep your laptimes up there with the very lightest of drivers.
Oh - and you can drift them - OMG!
Bambino karts
Although some tracks think differently the MSA definition of a Bambino kart is a petrol powered machine that can be driven by a 6 to 8 year old.
Some venues use this name for smaller battery-powered karts and some confuse them with the cadet class but as a general guide petrol power is OK for 6+
Infant karts
There are a number of different type on the market but they will most certainly be battery powered karts with restricted speed suitable for 3 to 5 years.
They can be found at some circuits in the UK as well as available for hire at junior party events.