Technically speaking, the specifications are ‘laid down by the law’ by those who have placed themselves at the top of the pecking order in the various Organisations in their respective countries, counties and groups. Nothing is set in stone and there are many differences nationally and internationally.
Length and width have been largely agreed upon, what the rear and front axle look like and work is still under review as well as brakes and suspension, which is still not the same everywhere. The power of the motor generally fitted has been separated into ‘standard’ and ‘tuned’, which is fine. However, they all pretty well specify WHICH motor (a modern four-stroke, 4-valve engine of 200cc) can be fitted and that where I disagree absolutely.
This is where I beg to differ: If the power is officially limited to, say, 7 or 11 KW, why not allow any four-stroke that produces the same power or something in between? I agree that two-strokes should not be included (not in the same class, anyway, but no one has come up with that yet…), but why allow electric-powered Karts, when the measurement of power ratings are anyway strongly disputable – and disqualify other four-strokes?
So, what I want to do is enter a 4-stroke engine with a similar maximum power output (albeit at very different revs and probably weighing twice as much as the proposed ‘legal’ motor!) and very much in keeping with the original idea of CyclKarts: That is an engine made in the late twenties to thirties, which is the stipulation for the ‘look and feel’ of all CycleKart designs…
I originally wanted to use the 1929 JAP side-valve 200 cc motor. That revs to about 4000 max and has a normal rating about 4-5KW… and weighs a ton!
SO, I now have a JAP built around ’35 which has been bored out from 250cc to 280cc (back in the ’50s sometime) and has a home-made, modified top end, presumably to remain competitive at the time. Revs probably safely to about 5000(?) and a power output around 11KW – if I’m lucky.
So, where is the problem there? I don’t understand why I should be excluded, when despite my similar power output, I am obviously handicapped with considerably more weight and a very different power-curve??