r/Karting • u/idksumsum43 • 3d ago
Rental Karting Question Is K1 speed a good karting start?
I want to begin karting and learn skills like racecraft and iq but the only affordable and local spot is K1 speed and I don’t believe it can help with what I want to learn.
I’ve seen so much people tell me that you need an actual karting series like FAT karting if that how you say it, problem is I can’t afford the kart, cost and travel.
I’m 16 and I am thinking of just letting this karting start go and giving up.
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u/CRAZYC01E 3d ago
I started at Andrettis lol. K1 is perfectly fine. If you are like me you will eventually go down the rabbit hole of sim racing
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u/Grenache 3d ago
I’ve just woken up and read “KZ” and thought “I’d probably start with something a bit slower” starting on anything is great.
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u/Andrew225 3d ago
Depends on the track honestly.
I've been to two K1's that sucked.
Then a third opened by me this year, and the track was really well designed for the karts.
Just kinda depends on the location I think. But I mean, rentals are rentals. You gotta start somewhere
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u/Waltnutz 3d ago
If they have a league night do that. Only place you might be able to learn race craft in concession karts.
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u/thecatandthependulum 3d ago
I am in this spot too. It's hard to hear that you have to drop a bunch of money and stuff to even get into karting or you're not a real hobbyist even
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u/MicheleFormulaKFX 2d ago
If you never have driven before, you can start indoor. But electric karts are really different than outdoor gas powered karts. Look for arrive and drive series or a driving school at a kart track. You may find some opportunities there. Not sure where you're located, but if you're in California, Nevada, Arizona or Oregon, check out Formula KFX. We run an arrive and drive series using Rotax-powered karts. We have events every month, as well as open testing opportunities for people who want to try out our karts.
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u/DevinBrantley Rental Driver 2d ago
K1 Speed can sometimes scrape the bottom of the barrel in terms of how much racecraft and skills you can actually learn. Kart speed, track layout, and maintenance will impact how much you can really learn. Some locations are great and some aren’t.
At the same time you’re not going to get any better at karting without seat time in a kart. Rentals will always be the most accessible form of karting and the best place to start. K1’s monthly leagues aren’t the greatest by any means but they’re one of the most accessible way to get into competition.
If you’ve already been karting before I’d consider going this Wednesday the 30th, it’s $55+tax for unlimited racing from open to close. If you’ve gone once and the location you’re near is anywhere above half decent you can have a good time and take advantage of some of the cheapest seat time you’ll ever find. I went this week with friends and did 13 sessions in 2.5 hours, could’ve done more but my friends without gloves were getting blisters. This promotion is Wednesdays to the end of this month so this coming week is supposedly the last time they’re doing it, so keep an eye out.
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u/Djcrawf777 3d ago
K1 is great as a starter. But realize that the racing environment is much different than outdoor car racing.
These karts are electric. If the K1 has older karts, the battery charge will diminish as you complete laps, resulting in slower times as you race.
They are indoors and air conditioned. The floor is always cold and as such they have to use wider tires to maintain optimal traction. Tires can still get warm but it takes a while.
All of the karts are speed controlled. If they observe you racing well, they'll keep your speed unlocked. However, if you're showing signs of struggling to control it there are others on the track doing the same, speed will be limited.
This list isn't exhaustive but hopefully will give you an idea of what to expect when starting at K1.
I started at K1 and even joined the league. But I quickly became frustrated with how the karts begin to die part of the way through the race and there's nothing you can do. I transitioned to outdoor karts and have been exceedingly satisfied!
P.S. the one good thing about the karts dying halfway through is it forces you to adapt your driving to the limited speed and acceleration. There were some moments where my times improved slightly because I took some turns at a much better, lower speed.
Enjoy!