Cyclekarts

The estimated cost of a Formula One race car is $15.9 million. A competitive IndyCar costs around $3 million. NASCAR cars can cost between $125,000 to $400,000. Even late-model local dirt-track racers in the Dirt Modifieds can cost $420,000. 

Looking at the costs, I will likely never be a racecar driver. I can’t even justify the scratch needed to buy a beater for the Norwood demolition derby. My last Amazon order of ball bearings and beauty products was around $100, and I sweated spending that much. 

 

There is a not-so-secret group of enthusiasts who have cracked the cost barrier of racing. Brandon would tell me there is more than just one and then invite me to ride along in an auto-cross race in one of his second-hand Subarus. That’s not the race I’m speaking about, though. 

 

My latest obsession (among many) is with the world of Cyclekarts, where enthusiasts have mastered the formula of combining affordability with accessibility and authenticity. 

 

A Cyclekart is a half-scale hand-built car with motorcycle wheels, go-kart steering, and a four-stroke 200cc 6.5 horsepower Honda or Predator motor, like the ones on some snowblowers or generators. Like the Seaway Valley Cruiser’s Valve Cover Races, there are rules outlining size and weight, and I won’t do a deep dive into them right now. To those of you who are interested, we’ll talk. 

 

My favorite rule of Cyclekarting is that the entire car should cost $2,100 or less. They are designed as a one-half scale model of a racer from the 1920s or 1930s. It’s not uncommon to see Cyclekarts inspired by vehicles of yore, including those made by Bugatti, Mercedes, MG, Rolls Royce, or Aston Martin. 

 

I first discovered cyclekarts in a Road & Track article titled “Driving the Cyclekart, A Pint-Sized Throwback Death Wish,” published Sept. 01, 2022. I read the whole article twice in one week. It’s available on Apple News or if you have an R&T membership. 

 

The author, Kyle Kinard, worked his way into the underground world of Cyclekart enthusiasts, who hold off-the-books races on dirt tracks surrounded by hay bales for safety. The rules I’ve mentioned have a little bit of flexibility, and the drivers are mainly participating for the thrills. Cars typically have an open-cockpit single-seat design with a small motor mounted in the rear. They can reach speeds of about 40 miles per hour. 

 

“But if the first rule of Cyclekarts is don’t talk about Cyclekarts, and the second is don’t talk about Cyclekarts, the third must be to spread the gospel,” Kinard wrote. “Because despite the low public profile, the Cyclekart community beckoned me like an interstate billboard.”

 

Driving one gave Mr. Kinard visceral thrills typically exclusive to high-powered modern vehicles. The open cockpit and open wheels lead to dirt and dust in the face. With the cars being hand-built, in some cases using materials from local hardware stores, it leads to feelings of danger and, as mentioned, authenticity of the racing experience. 

 

I don’t have a Cyclekart yet. I did find a complete one for sale on Facebook Marketplace for $3,000, with a custom trailer built by a gentleman who had passed away. I don’t know if the rules allow for someone to purchase one of these vehicles and then compete. Maybe they would allow it in the spirit of the race. Then, I’d have to explain to my wife why I bought another vehicle. Luckily, she doesn’t monitor my eBay account and doesn’t know I just bought $120 worth of wheels for future valve cover racers. 

 

If you’ve been following my column, you’ll know that I’m an enthusiastic supporter of innovative homemade solutions to modern problems. Plus, a little baling wire and duct tape can bring authenticity (if not charm) to a project. I’m sure my planned Cyclekart build will have both in abundance. I wonder if anyone has calculated the wind resistance of duct tape or the tensile strength of baling wire under load. If you have, let me know.

Photo posted to Facebook Marketplace by Randall John-Buttner.