go-cart/dune buggy

[Stand_watie]

I decided to get a dunebuggy/ go-cart instead of an off road bike, primarily because the whole idea with the motorcycle was something with which to spend time with my daughter, and her mom nixed the little motorcycle idea I had for her. So I bought her a little go cart, and she loves it, except she'd prefer I drive it and she ride shotgun, which doesn't work very well as I have to fold up like a pretzel to get into it, and with no springs/shocks it jars the fillings out of my teeth when we go out to ride in the pasture.

So I thought I'd get us a full size go cart, and was looking at a couple of these chinese jobbies - the yamaha dealer I was looking at one at claims it's a 'genuine dune buggy, not a go-cart' but I thought that might be a little pretentious. Still I thought it would maybe get around nearly as good as a four-wheeler for light off roading, with the major bonus of riding two people comfortably - anybody have any experience with these? What are the advantages of water cooled vs. air cooled motors? Do they come in any sizes larger than 250 cc (that's the biggest I've found on the web)?

Xintian 150 cc


Xingyue 150 cc

[InfidelSerf]

I will always lust after the Honda Pilot of 1990
400cc single 2stroke. http://members.aol.com/dunepilot/ for more info.
The FL400 was only made one or two years.  They sold new for about 5K
And if you can find someone to sell you one. You'll pay 5K or more.

One common modification was to stuff a CR500 motor in them.  OOOooo doggy!

But what an awesome machine.
I used to work for a dealership back then and got to take several of them out during a Honda "Demo Days"

I ran across this link while trying to identify a gocart I saw at a local Yamaha dealer..which turned out to be a Dinli (?)brand trail cart
http://www.gokartsrus.com/go-karts-trail-c-78.html?osCsid=29bcda4f1bde1bc23577ef5a939c652c

[garyk/nm]

You wanna go-kart? I got your go-kart right here, pal!:
http://www.thebeast.azit.com/LairOfBEAST.htm

[Harold Tuttle]

the chinese carts are kind of narrow quarters for 2 americans

http://www.bugxter.net/videos.php

it looks like the 150s are underpowered:
http://www.bugxter.net/links/out.php?id_lien=15
http://www.nan-buggy.com/catalog1.html

175:
http://extrememinirails.com/index.cgi?175double.html

250:
http://store.pocketbikewholesalers.com/kd250fs2.html

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

Bah. Go-karts are supposed to e low to the ground, with racing slicks.

I had a nice little VW sandrail for a few years. Bought it with a T-trailer and a spare frame along with a footlocker ful of spares for about a grand. It'd climb vertical creekbanks, cover the pasture at 60+ mph, turn at 90 degree angles with the turning brakes applied. Street legal, too.  Take your time and look around. I imagine there's one in the Thrifty Nickel or whatever little trader paper you have in front of Wallyworld or most rural C-stores in your neck of ETX.

Even a stock 1600 bug motor will make them fly- you're talking about (usually) less than 1000 pounds- mine was about 800 lbs, which isn't much more than these new generation quads. It's more durable than the Chinese junk, you can buy replacement and maintenance parts at any parts store, and if you want to really have fun with it, build up an 1835 cc motor, stick lights on it, and use it for your Saturday car.  The little things are QUICK! You can sure surprise yourself and others, especially these little whippersnappers in their NissanHondaYotas witht he big wheels and mortar tube exhausts, especially when you take a hard right off into the boonies after showing them your tail lights.

A word of advice- consider putting wheelie bars on it.

There are a ton of manufacturers and parts available.  VW's are, to me, easier to work on than a Briggs and Stratton.

for example-
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sandrail+parts

Besides, they also hold up a LOT better than the Chinese jobbies when you jam a pine tree

Enjoy!

Regards,
Rabbit.

[RevDisk]

Pfft!


Try one of these if ya have the budget.   http://www.chenowth.com/military.html

The FAV's are incredibly fun to drive.

[Harold Tuttle]

http://www.git.com.au/~theedge/buggies_ballistic.htm

good forum:
http://www.buggynews.com/forum-1.html

[caseydog]

I'm sure this would give mom a heart attack , as well as you when you see the price but they are an awesome vehicle.

http://www.ridgerunner.biz/home.html

[Harold Tuttle]

funco big 5 is a nice setup

kinda pricey thou
http://www.funco-motorsports.com/big_5_turn-key_with_motor.htm
http://adcache.atvtraderonline.com/5/1/4/79438314.htm

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

Start here. Google is your friend
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=VW+sandrail+frames

The $1000 range is for a well-used one that may, of course, need some work but hey, VW's are easy to work on.
If you're interested in getting into it in earnest, consider buying a frame kit or rolling chassis and add your choice of bug motor and transaxle. Harold is quite corect, the Funco models are very good.  You can go all the way up to seriously high-end Chevy V-8 models, turnkey at upwards of 47k.   http://www.sandrocket.com/index.html


Regards,
Rabbit.

[Harold Tuttle]

heres a 1200 dollar VW rail:

nice fuel tank
http://adcache.atvtraderonline.com/16/0/9/79596109.htm

[Stand_watie]

O.K., here it is. I got it yesterday, and we've been having loads of fun with it. It's called the "Twister" by "Tongjai" and it's only about 450 lbs curb weight, and  I think easier to get through narrow cow trails in the woods than those sand rails and VW buggies. Probably tops out about 45 although the dealer promised me 50. I did discover that getting all four wheels off the ground simultaneously, while a lot of fun, is still hard on your back, even with shocks all the way around.





Now, I suppose it's a little late now that I've already bought the thing, but I wonder just how interchangeable motors are? Suppose I got a japanese 350 or 450, I wonder if it would fit to the frame of this dealie?

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

Looks interesting, Stand. Maybe some beefier coil-overs would help you out, eventually. Does it have a good 5-point harness?


Harold, if you painter that thing orange and hung a set of snowplow headlamps, taller rear tires,  and a sprung wheelie bar on it, it'd look just like my old one.

I'm gonna have to start looking for another one now

Regards,
Rabbit.

[Harold Tuttle]