A shifter kart is a perfect example of the evolution that kart racing has undergone. Its a long way removed from being a glorified lawnmower modified for pavement use. Advances in technology have given these machines better components, high-tech transmissions, and enough horsepower to give it a ratio that equals the very best high-end performance cars available on the market today. But even shifter karts differ from their other kart cousins, mainly because of the presence of a manual transmission in their drivelines.
What Makes A Shifter Kart Different?
Since these machines have the advantage of a transmission present, the speeds that shifter karts can achieve is truly astonishing. Figure something to the tune of 100mph, and the upper limit even reaches 120 in some instances. Talk about going fast. Shifter karts have earned the name pocket rockets, and rightly so. It can embarrass a wannabe sports car when push comes to shove.
Six gears in a sequential manual transmission are similar to the most exotic cars, and add to the driving pleasure, since shifts are lightning quick and downshifts can be perfectly coordinated. G-loads in a shifter kart reach 2 g...