CIK Bumpers – No Thankyou!
By Karting1 ~ June 16th, 2006. Filed under: Kart Racing News.
What are the CIK thinking shoving ugly fat plastic bumpers on the back of karts? We are told it’s a safety measure to reduce the risk of karts flipping under a rear collision. Unfortunately it seems they have not taken human nature into account, and the effect it will have on the sport as a whole.
Apart from the fact they look incredibly rank, surely the ‘increased protection’ will cause a greater number of accidents. They may make no difference at National, or International level, but they definitely will at club level where experience is lower.
To be honest, I never really liked the Tupperware that surrounded karts. But I accepted that karting had reached a reasonable balance in its current state. The bumpers looked OK, and the rear was left a little more exposed with just a metal bumper. I felt that an exposed rear bumper helped, as it deterred people from hitting each other off. Now, on the other hand, the new bumpers will mean karting is going to turn into bumper cars.
What about the cost? Plastic bumpers are pricey enough, but a CIK rear plastic bumper is only going to add to the problem. Let’s face it; a kart driver over a whole season is going to go through loads of these bumpers! That is just an extra cost karting really does not need. To make the situation even worse, the different makes of bumpers cause the kart to handle in different ways. That means you may have to buy several different bumpers to see which is the best one. I believe the Paul Fletcher kart team chose the CRG bumper for their Birel kart at the European FA Championship.
At the European FA, ICC, and S-ICC round at La Conca it was reported that the bumpers would, after impact, bend and stick to the rear tyres. Apparently drivers were seen pushing the bumper of the tyres while driving. Increased safety? I think not.
In the days when plastic was nowhere seen near a kart, drivers had to hone their overtaking, and kart racing skills. You could not just lunge up the inside like a nutter and hope for the best. You had to wait and figure out the best way past, otherwise you could end up on your head. Firing someone off was very difficult, and an uncommon thing to see as it would usually end up in an accident. Compare that to today where anyone and everyone can lunge at the start of the race, and where people can hit each other off when and were they want without consequence.
So many races and weekends ruined because drivers could make desperate moves without consequence. Adding big fat bumpers to the back of the kart will only add to the problem. Take away the element of risk, and apart from taking away some of the fun, you are taking away what forces kart drivers to be more responsible when driving!
So what do we get? Added cost, maybe a reduction in driver standards, and another add-on we don’t need!
Where has the essence of karting gone? I thought karting was about being the most cleanest, simple form of driving. It was about having the least amount of things between the driver and the road! It was pure simplistic perfection. This unnecessary need for constant change is taking away what karting is about and just over complicating something that does not need complicating. It’s a contradiction in terms.
The fact these bumpers look absolutely terrible, barring the CRG one which look passable, just adds to the problem. The new CIK rear bumpers look like they should have a ‘hit me’ sign on them! It’s turning karts into firing machines, rather than racing vehicles! So where is this all going to stop? Rap around bumpers? Roll cage? Seat belts? ABS for karts? Karts are for kart circuits, not for the Bumper Car ring at the local Fun Fair!
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June 22nd, 2006 at 4:06 pm
Well said… too bad we can’t return to the ‘vintage’ days of air-cooled, no gauge, nerfs only racing on a grand scale… and heaven forbid that the karting agencies intentionally limit engine class choices to only a handful of reasonable selections so that we get fuller fields… Here in the states it’s even worse — 12 classes with 4 drivers each instead of 4 classes with 12 drivers each. And don’t even get me started on the US’ failure to come to terms with reasonable support of the CIK/FIA standards… If we ever hope to compete at a world level, we’ll have to conform to world standards. Until then, those who want to be really competitive have 2 choices — Rotax Max and the STARS series. Or we could move to the UK…
Here’s hoping that the powers-that-be come to their senses and ban plastic bumpers…
July 11th, 2006 at 6:34 pm
CIK bumpers not only are ugly, but they add unessessary weight. I don’t know exactly if they work or not, but one rule the CIK mentioned was the wheels sticking out past the side pods. I think that should be solved first instead of putting goofy looking bumpers on. Definetly not “Proper Karting” Luckliy, we don’t need to run them here in the states, but I’m sure they will recieve enough complaints. Also another goofy one is no radiator tape. Why do they make the rules when the rules don’t make sense and are contradicting??
August 9th, 2006 at 6:38 am
Everyone needs to flood the CIK inbox at cik@fia.com and voice our massive dis-pleasure. Headrests on seats are next … with headrests and back bumpers the karts look JUST like the concession karts you see at the amusement parks!
October 7th, 2006 at 8:01 pm
I noticed drivers at the world championships found it very difficult indeed to restart, as many of the new rear bumpers have nothing to get hold of. Indeed drivers and marshalls strugled to carry the karts to a safe position.
December 20th, 2006 at 6:27 pm
why do all the good driver go and race abroad, because it is the cik fia championships. The italians championships. one of the best championships in th world. Follows cik fia regs, french very good championship follows cik fia championship. We are just being left behind one engines, tyres and other bits.
February 2nd, 2007 at 2:41 pm
My family and I went to see the last 100cc World Championship in Angerville and I must say, the bumpers didn’t look that bad. However saying that, I object to them being put on karts. Metal bumpers are fine. Cost £50 or so, and can easily be bent back into shape if hit too hard. I’ve got a bumper from when I first started that we’ve bent back about 5 times and had welded once. And I also agree that head rests are just stupid. Next miute we will have to wear fireprrof overalls, get a roll cage fitted, a 6 point harness, HANS Device etc…
As Ayrton Senna (Hence my name…) once said “karting is the purest form of motorsport” Also, I will quote again “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
March 1st, 2007 at 9:12 am
When the first plastics arrived it was thought to be “the end”of karting as we knew it, and that crashes will increase because they just gave us bumpers. But the statistics show that although accident numbers increased by 30% for a year or two that injuries fell by 70%. I bought and ran a KG rear CIK bumper at my local track here in Australia a week ago and it was 100% unanimous through the pits that if we had to have them everyone would willingly fit one immediately. Do not know much about the handling changes however as I won the meeting, the first round of our state series and I have not won a round of any series for over 2 years !! Karts today have a greatly flamboyant look about them compared to 20 or 30 years ago, and with everyone pushing the “be professional” line the bumpers can only add further given a bit of time and creative design. Oh yeah, I am not of the modern school of thinking either , I am in the 50+ age bracket.
June 7th, 2010 at 1:04 am
to be honest i like the olastic rear bumpers and i think they will help