SHIFTER KARTS FOR SALE! - and racing them in norcal

weird, sorry the original post got scrambled!  If you  live in northern california though come out and race!

Sharing some crazy racing shifter karts for sale.

 Each one of these are CRAZY good deals and have won races and set lap records.  Given the 80cc shifter class is only raced in northern california also sharing some background on how/where to race these machines and some general background on buying karts to try and help save people from the expensive mistakes that I made.

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SHIFTER KART BACKGROUND

Most people don’t know this but…. Northern California is the absolute “mecca” for competitive karting, with more shifter kart tracks than anywhere in America and some of the best race drivers in the world. There are 7 kart tracks within a short drive of San Francisco. There are hundreds of drivers out every weekend having a blast going really fast for crazy cheap, ranging from literally professional indy car drivers who race at Sonoma 3x per week, down to local club racing weekend-warrior fathers racing at Bluemaxx, while their kids race cadet or lo206 karts

For $325 you can literally get your own set of keys to a track and practice drive “all you can eat” anytime for an entire year, a single race day is ~$60 entry fee, set of tires cost $200 and last a long time, motors can last many seasons if maintained properly, and engine rebuild kits are $450 and you can do yourself. A nice 80 shifter kart ready to win on any weekend can be bought for $3-4k second hand. If later turns out is not your thing you can also then sell them for roughly the same price. Net/net you get a season of racing stupid cheap relative to anything remotely comparable.

To give you a sense, here is some gopro track footage which doesn't really capture the sense of speed from behind the wheel but is fun anyway:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBdxJFcVmtg&t=1s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LA3g52nc9Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM_D7AmM7Fs

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c? 
 

wut?

shifter canoes?

Springsteen!

To be clear I do not make a penny on anything here also, I just like racing with good people.

Here is the FB group used to organize the racing and for people to ask questions. If you’re looking to buy a kart or some parts you can find that here also.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/362811984208960



Here are my two favorite kart tracks. PC karting has rentals too if you want to come out and drive something fun to check out what the tracks are like.

https://pckarting.com/ (this track has replica of laguna seca corkscrew turn!)

https://bluemaxkartclub.com/

and also some other kart tracks :

https://kinsmenkartclub.org/

https://simracewaydrivingschool.com/...es/go-karting/

https://shastakartklub.com/

https://stockton99.com/little99_info.html

https://www.nnkcreno.com/

KARTS FOR SALE:

Listed most expensive to least expensive, but these are all great karts in good shape that can win with the right driver.
 

We have a big group of 50+ drivers in the 80 shifter norcal series racing together, typically 10-20+ drivers per race. Setting expectations, this is a FUN focused racing series where we race hard but big egos are not welcome, we all pit together on race days to help each other out, there are trophies but zero prize money and we race hard, but only for the glory and hilarious fun of it all, and to go fast with friends while doing epic track days for 1/10 the cost of anything else 
 

The racing is as serious as you want it to be. We typically split the group into A and B by lap times so everyone has a great time. With many drivers in the B group who only drive on race days a few times a year, but have epic battles, and the younger stud drivers who are more serious in A group. We have >6 guys in the group who are older than 55 years old, who are also fast AF, and guys who drive in from Oregon and Socal. 80c shifter kart racing is “race car fight club” community, and every single person is incredibly friendly, welcoming and just wants to help you.

You may not believe me but karting is also INCREDIBLY safe, we wear tons of safety gear, rules are strictly enforced, the karts are so lightweight with so much rubber grip they don’t slide far if you spin, and the tracks are purposefully built to be safe as well. I’ve been racing for many years seen countless spins, and spun myself, and never seen a single person get more than small bumps and bruises.

sorry, no idea why I can't post this all at once and the forum is breaking it up or giving me an error response

HOW TO BUY A SHIFTER KART:

I recommend you and a buddy both buy a kart so can experience the sport with a friend and make this year into “the good ole days” we can look back at with a smile when we are old and senile.

TOWING AND TRANSPORT: You can fit two karts in the back of a pickup or van if you are creative, which you can also rent cheaply on Turo.com for the day if you don't own one. Even better and cheaper, lots of people haul shifter karts on foldable harbor freight trailer behind any normal sedan (yes even Prius) with a kurt bicycle rack tow hitch. I tow my karts behind a VW Golf, and have towed them all over California without any issues. I have seen people haul karts strapped on modified wheelchair platforms that fit in bicycle trailer hitches also. If you absolutely don't want to do either then prairie city i believe has an annual program where you can store your kart at their track but you'll have to call them for details.

I recommend buy the newest kart you can because it is hard to find parts for older kart chassis. Last year someone set a lap record in a 2003 chassis also. Old karts are still very competitive and win but if you bend something or need a replacement part and cannot find it then you're in a tough spot.

You want to make sure the bottom of the kart is not too scraped up, a little is ok but if it’s starting to flat spot the frame tubes a lot then the life of the kart will be shorter. It is best if the seat in the kart already fits you, if not you will need to take the kart to a shop to have a new seat installed. It is very important that the seats are installed perfectly otherwise the handling will be negatively impacted. It is best to buy a kart that has been raced competitively fairly recently so you know it was built/maintained properly. These karts are remarkably reliable if cared for decently. If you are scared to learn to use basic hand tools then I recommend you do not buy a shifter/gearbox kart, instead buy a “lo206” kart which is somewhat slower but requires no maintenance, still very fun, competitive racing and extremely cheap. 

whatever kart you buy make sure you visit a local track in person first to make sure there are people racing the kind of kart you are looking at buying.  It is always better to buy a kart that was raced at the end of the race season, any kart that made it through a race season is well put together and run by someone who basically knows what they are doing who can answer your questions.  go to the local track and meet the community you will be hanging out with at race days.  

I recommend buy a package deal if possible, with driving gear and every single extra part you can get, the random little stuff and tools $ can add up.

I strongly strongly recommend you ask the seller to take you out to the track and help you get started for a day when you buy the kart. If you cannot get someone to go out with you on your first day, just post in the 80 shifter facebook group above and someone will be happy to join you at the track your first day to help. This sport is one big family.

80cc shifters race at 375lbs race weight (with driver) with rear brakes, and 395lbs with front brakes, which makes the rear brake 80 shifter karts a tiny bit faster since a +20lb weight penalty is a lot in a kart to carry around the whole track when front brakes only help you a tiny bit in the maybe 10 feet of the 1-2 big braking zones per lap. You will be shocked at how well a rear brake only kart brakes because most weight is over the rear and rear tires are much larger than fronts. Some prefer the extra stopping power of front brakes anyway and don’t mind being 1-2 tenths slower. It is also easy take front brakes off and convert to rear only if you change your mind.

If you like motorsports stuff you will love these absurd small race cars, they are pure-billet-anodized-purpose-built-go-fast-true-motorsports race car porn engineering.

Buy One Get One Free! – TWO Birel shifter rear brake karts, BOTH for $4,500 including kart stands and extra parts. price is firm.

Or $2,500 for the main kart which fully built everything swedetech best of the best motor, mychron lap time computer, and won the Praire City 80 shifter championship years ago. Kart is located in Sacramento area.

Call 916-804-4195



2008 Birel rear brake kart:

Freshly redone kart, very clean and in great shape, powerworks fully ported and built cr80 with programmable ignition, only 2.4 hours on top end, tc4 exhaust pipe, rlv silencer, mychron 5s lap timer with GPS track mapping and telemetry, medium IMAF seat, mikuni pump around flat side carburator. Very fast kart.

$3,500 obo – kart is located in Vacaville - 707-470-9079





2003 Trackmagic rear brake kart

Only 1.5 hours on top end, Previously was a 125 shifter chassis converted to 80 shifter setup. New plastics, new graphics, new fuel tank, newly rebuilt brakes, new EM radiator, new steering wheel, entirely new exhaust with RLV TC4 pipe, too much new to list, motor is entirely rebuilt and even has new cr85 cylinder on it, stock porting cr85 which is great for first kart since extremely reliable long lasting and easy run with great torque, still super fast, if you buy this kart I will also give you a free swedetech ported cr80 cylinder that will bolt right on for free that just needs a new cylinder liner (costs $200) so you can bolt on more power when/if you want it. Brand new Large tillet seat, Keihn carburator. Comes with plenty of extra parts and axle gears. Immaculate.

$3,500 obo – kart is located in Vacaville - 707-470-9079

2015 Fullerton Shifter rear brake Kart – kart can be seen at prairie city kart track

Qualified Pole and holds the prairie city lap record set at International Karting Federation race in 2021. Brand new best of everything Swedetech motor. Will need a new seat (owned by smaller driver) and has no mychron lap timer (which you will need). Kart can be seen at Prairie City (all star karting) kart track

Asking $3,000 obo, call Dean 916-743-1117





2003 TrackMagic Dragon rear brake Shifter Kart – in Sacramento Area

Kart holds the lap record at Bluemaxx kart track set in 2020 and has won many races. Capable of winning any race with the right driver. Motor fully built by legendary jedi kart motor builder George Barros. Brembo brakes. Was previously smaller driver so will need a new seat for adult driver and no mychron.

$3,000, call Jonathan 650-580-1771





2017 ItalKart Shifter kart, rear brake kart

Woltjer fullly Built engine, pump around fuel system, 2 sets of wheels and spart parts, lots of freeline upgraded parts. No mychron. Kart located in Reno, NV

Price is $2,900

Call Nat 775-830-4624







2003 Trackmagic rear brake kart – located in Sacramento area

This was a former Leading Edge Motorsports shop kart and the chassis has won more races than you’ve had hot meals. Woltjer fully built everything motor with only 2hrs on it. Champion Radiator. Keihin Flat Slide carb with “pump around” fuel system. Brand new fuel tank. Carbon fiber front fairing. Brembo brakes. Tillett seat. Mychron 3 computer. Lots of good stuff.

$2300 with kart stand. Call Justin 916-612-4569

(pics below of the 2003 trackmagic above for sale for $2300)

phew....sorry all the issues there with posting, that was a lot of posts.  anyway hope someone out there in northern california sees this and learns something new!  hope to see you out at the track!

Glad you worked through the posting issues. This is interesting stuff. Thanks for sharing. 

A good friend just picked up a used kart here in NorCal and I'll likely tag along with his his weekend so this post is very timely. Thanks for all the details!

NY Nick said:

Glad you worked through the posting issues. This is interesting stuff. Thanks for sharing. 

glad you enjoyed!  I love this sport, the community of maniacs who race these things is amazing too, I've made so many good friends.

newold_m (Forum Supporter) said:

A good friend just picked up a used kart here in NorCal and I'll likely tag along with his his weekend so this post is very timely. Thanks for all the details!

oh that's amazing!  what kind of kart did your friend buy?

you guys should consider buying 80 shifters to come out and race with us! 

that package deal above with two karts for $4500 total is a particularly insane deal.  If any questions about anything can join the facebook group and ask away, myself and everyone is happy to help!

In reply to theboss :

His is a Margay Bravo 206 that he picked up from a seller on FB, according to the seller it has been sitting since 2019 but didn't take much work to get it up and running and shakedown is planned at the Stockton 99 track. They do seem like great deal buying used --  thanks for the offer!

newold_m (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to theboss :

His is a Margay Bravo 206 that he picked up from a seller on FB, according to the seller it has been sitting since 2019 but didn't take much work to get it up and running and shakedown is planned at the Stockton 99 track. They do seem like great deal buying used --  thanks for the offer!

206 so much fun and damn near free, run them on 87 octane pump gas, tires last forever, and the racing is so close and competitive.  You guys should consider checking out prairie city and bluemaxx sometime too, I haven't been to stockton but i've heard it's more a motorcycle focused crowed so you guys might like the dedicated kart tracks too.  cheers.