The CIK Anounce that the New Generation of Top Spec Kart Engines
By Karting1 ~ July 11th, 2006. Filed under: OldSkoolKarter Rant!.
So, the specification and details of the new generation of CIK TaG engines have been released, and it makes for grim reading!
The name changes and details are as follows -
KF1 – Formula A
KF2 - ICA
KF3 – JICA
KF4 – Some new class
KZ1 – Super ICC
KZ2 – ICC
It looks as if the ICC classes will pretty much stay the same. It’s in the KF1, KF2, KF3, and KF4 classes where things have seemed to have gone pear shaped!
The idea is that there will be one basic 125cc TaG engine that will cover the KF1, KF2, KF3, and KF4 kart classes. That means changing classes is as simple as changing the rev limiter, and a few mods on the engines!
The new generation engines are 125cc TaG engines, with float carbs, battery operated ignitiions, and power valves! Sound firmiliar? Yes, that’s right, the CIK want to introduce engines that are similar to the dreaded Rotax MAX! Even more astonishingis that these engines aren’t designed as pure racing machines according to Vincent Caro, CIKFIA Secretary:
“This is not supposed to be a pure racing engine, but a user-friendly engine. The aim is to bring on the market, from the usual kart engine manufacturers (who are mostly focused on racing only) an engine that will be suitable for hobby drivers too, which is not the case anymore with the current 100cc engines.”
Has nobody told him that there about 1,000,000 hobby engines out there already doing very successfully. The CIK are supposed to govern the elite competition of karting, not the leisure side of karting!
The main thing I am most dissapointed about though is the demise of 100cc karting. To me 100cc Direct Drive karting is simply the essence of karting. It symbolises why karting is so brilliant. Its pure driving, the purest! Its like a cake sponge. A few simple ingredients mixed together to make a simple, yet perfect food! What the CIK are doing is adding a little too much flour, some salt, some more flour, some milk, and pretty much anything in left cupboard. What they’ll end up with when it comes out of the oven is a big blob of useless, tasteless food. Sure it may go a long way, but its disgusting nonetheless!
Not many cooks will argue that the recipe to a sponge is perfect and doesn’t need to be complictaed! So why do the CIK feel the need to over complicate, and remove the essence away from top flight karting, because what we will end up with will be bad cake, yes, BAD CAKE!
A 100cc kart is probably one of the best driving experiences, and challenges any driver can face. Its pretty much the perfect driving machine. As soon as a clutch is added the fantastic feel under braking is lost. As soon as a battery, and starter motor are added, the lightness, and feel is lost. As soon as a power valve is added, the throttle response is lost. The CIK are not adding anything to karting with these new regs, they are taking away what makes a top spec kart great to drive – lightness, responiveness, and the sound!
I fear that the CIK are following the dollar, and are losing their true identity! Of course it would be too simple to just stick a rev limiter on the current 100cc engines which would solve alot of the problems with 100cc racing. But that just doesn’t make enough money, does it?
I don’t mind new engines trying different things. I love new ideas, and different concepts. I actually believe that Rotary karting may be the future when 2/ finally is killed off. But when 100cc dies, everything that it symbolises goes with it. The water is no longer pure, and as good to drink!
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July 31st, 2006 at 7:11 pm
I like the picture of that fart up there oooooo and it’s going very slow lol
January 8th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
looking at the Rotax Max’s success, CIK needed to do something to regain control. All the cluby are flocking to the 125bs.
Here my question, why would they have to go to a 125cc for long life, the only thing they have to do is lower the compression on the 100cc’s, that’ll make even a rotary valve long life!!!!! Idiots.