Karting Tips post: Direct Drive vs TAG/Clutch (Part 1 Direct Drive)

So you've worked your butts off either doing actual work or persuading your parents into buying you a racing kart, but which one do you go for? Here's a little karting tip.

Allow me to give you a quick brief of what Direct drive (often called DD) and Touch and Go (TAG) karts are, first off is DD, this is where the the rear axle is directly connected to the crank shaft of the engine, Confused? don't worry ill clarify with a picture

Picture from Karting1.co.uk posted by Joe Higham

The Crankshaft is the Shaft (duh! right?) that spins because the pistons in the engine move up and down and thus we get POWER, or acceleration would be more accurate. now when this shaft is connected to the the rear axle via that big golden thing called a sprocket it means as you spin the rear wheels you spin the pistons in the engine. And if you haven't figured it out yet that is how you start a direct drive engine, you push it until you gather momentum and the engine should start, (you also need to block the air intake (missing from the picture) so the engine can fill with fuel and you remove your hand when the engine turns over. so lets make a list of Good and bad stuff about such and engine.

F1 and Karting: Fitness and Health in motorsport

Karting gets you fit? Nope, other way round! you should be fit for karting. Actually allow me to amend that statement as it implies only fit people can race, that is not true, ill be proof of that, ill change my statement to Karting should encourage you to become fit.

I can be proof of this as only until very recently i cared very little about what went down my gullet, i was unhealthy on a whole other level, but now i follow a strict(ish) diet and exercise programme (which i shall share in my next post next week) and in 2 weeks have lost 6kgs.

So why does this benefit you in a sport where all you do is sit down and push some pedals? becouse karting is much more than that (motorsport in general infact), driving is very much like golf, seems pointless to viewers but those who participate hunger for perfection, the perfect corner, then lap, then race, then technique i could go on. And karting is hard, you may think you can get away with not caring about your health an perhaps you can... for 1 lap!! (Click read more for full Post)