Are really freakin fun.

Went go-karting yesterday, because I learned they started renting "fast" karts. Not the usual ones witht he huge rub strip and giant heavy fiberglass body, but actual racing-style karts, with racing tires. Just 4 stroke 6.5 HP engines, but they were plenty fast in the corners, and fast enough on the straights. They even made us wear jumpsuits and kidney guards. Which came in handy, it turned out. Went with two local car guys, who were over helping me and another friend put a motor in his TII.

Unfortunatly due to mechanical difficulties, my ride was cut short, I only got like 10 mins of the 20 I paid for. Coming out of a hairpin corner, my friend was leading, he lost the tail and went wide, I cut inside of him, then he regained grip and catapulted his kart into the rear wheel of mine, we hit hard enough that the axle got bent (enough that I couldn't ride it anymore), and the next lap he got a flat (from hitting me)... We hit hard enough that I almost went flying out of the kart, and I brusied 3 or 4 ribs pretty badly. That part sucks, since I'm in a ton of pain right now, but otherwise it was a blast.

I think I'm going to buy one and get into their racing series. I couldn't believe how fast they were. It was way more fun than autocrossing. They felt like they corner at 1G+, and they had pretty worn tires. Apparently around $1500 gets you a working, competitive 4 stroke go-kart.. and since I am pretty light (5'11", 140lb) I have an advantage there :D

I rented a couple of times up at Bandimeir her in CO. Kick in the ass fun.

But I usually get the owner cooked when I start drifting around corners and chewing up the tires....he'lll come running out with a black flack and start waving like a retard cause it costs him money :)

There is a place near me with 200cc engines in their karts. They have endurance races set up and leagues. Its pretty cool, but pricey. I like tearing it up with friends more than I like going against the guys that have logged hundreds if not thousands of hours in the karts and do every lap perfectly.

a couple guys I work with up in Boise used to build their own race karts. Those things were insane, too expensive of a hobby for me.