One of the questions that we get asked when chatting with people who want to get into karting, is “How much will this cost me?” I started racing karts last year and have kept track of all of my costs, just out of curiosity and will share everything in this post.

Initial Costs

When I got into this, all I had was a HJC helmet that I used for auto crossing, which our local kart track allowed. The helmet had to be at least SNELL 2010 at the time (2017). Other than that, I had to buy all of my equipment to get started.

The Kart Chassis + Engine + Mychron 3 – $2300

I bought my Tony Kart used from a local racer that is known for taking great care of his equipment. If you go the used route, DO YOUR RESEARCH! I went to the local track and hung out a few times to get a feel of what classes are being run and how many people are in each class. GVKC has a large following of the Yamaha KT100 class, which is what came with the kart package that I ended up buying.

Safety Equipment – Suit, Rib Protector, Neck Brace, Helmet, Gloves – $550

One thing that I would not cheap out on, would be safety equipment. You are not in an enclosed cockpit, nor do you have a roll cage in a kart. Your safety equipment should be able to protect you from impact, and not fire, like other racing equipment does. Here’s what I ended up buying:

K1 Speed 1 Suit – $175

Alpinestars Tech 1-K Gloves – $50

EVS Neck Collar – $70

HJC CL-17 Helmet – $130

Team Valhalla Rib Vest – $125



Trailer Equipment – $465

I currently have two vehicles, a 2017 Mazda 3, and a 2009 BMW M3. Both of which are horrible cars if one of your goals is to trailer a go kart around. For the first few weeks, I borrowed friends’ trucks to get from and to the race track. When that got old, I ended up putting a hitch onto my Mazda and buying one of those harbor freight foldable trailers.

Mazda Receiver and Light Kit – $160

Harbor Freight Trailer – $225

Wood to build the decking – ~$80



Misc Equipment – $130

There were a bunch of things that are karting specific that I ended up having to buy.

Tire Pressure Gauge – $30

Starter – $100 – used

With all those initial costs listed out, the total comes out to be: $3445. In my opinion, this wasn’t bad, considering that I have pretty much everything to at least go out to the track and turn some laps! Now that the initial investment was finished, let’s list out all the consumables:

Re-occuring Costs (Consumables)

Here’s where we’re going to fudge some of the numbers. I estimated that I did 800 laps last season.

Tires – $200 per set – lasts about 250 laps

Luckily for me, I was given two sets of tires with the kart that had very little use on them. For a beginner, that’s perfect, as I needed to turn as many laps as possible. I actually was able to make it through the whole season without buying a set of tires, and I did 12 race days, with a few practice sessions in between.

So here’s a story: our club had a big money race one weekend, and some national level karting guys showed up to the race. They slapped on a brand new set of LeCont White’s in the morning, ran 2 practice sessions, 2 qualifiers, and one heat. At the end of the day I was walking around and spotted a set of tires in the garbage that looked pretty new. Without hesitation, I took them. Stuck them onto my kart and did my fastest time of the year on them.

If you are planning to be competitive, just buy new tires. I would say tires are 80% of your tuning and performance. They aren’t cheap, but brand new tires will allow you to run some fast times. This upcoming season, our club is actually planning on running a spec hard tire (read: poor performance but lasts a long time) to help save on costs. I will report at the end of the season on how well this pans out.

Fuel – $20 per gallon – about 60 laps per gallon

With the Yamaha KT100 engine, I ran VP MS98L gas with Redline 2-stroke karting oil. This combination was extremely consistent, and also slightly expensive. I’m not the best with carburetor tuning, so having a higher octane fuel helps prevent pre-detonation, which can kill an engine. Spend a little more money on gas to save an engine? Sounds like a good idea.

Clutch Rebuilds – $90 – about 400 laps between rebuilds

Last year I ran a horseman HDC-5c clutch, which seemed to perform decently. When your clutch wears out, you lose acceleration and the clutch grabs at a higher RPM – which can wear out the clutch even faster. I did one rebuild last year about halfway through the season at $90 dollars for all the parts. Your mileage may vary with this item, as I didn’t have any issues what-so-ever with my clutch.

Engine Rebuild – $400 – after turning 800 laps

I elected for a full engine rebuild at the end of my first season, mainly because I didn’t know how long the components have been in service within the engine. I had the connecting rod, connecting rod bearings, crankcase bearings, wrist pins, piston, and ring changed out on the engine over the winter. My engine should only need a new piston and ring after this season (if nothing goes wrong!).

Axle Bearings – $80 – after 800 laps

After the end of the season when the kart was being torn down, the bearings on the rear axle were SHOT. They should’ve been replaced a long time ago. Two new bearings later and I have a silky smooth axle and drivetrain.

Brakes – $80 – after 800 laps

My brakes lasted the entire season without any issues. Our local track really only has one braking point. Again, your mileage will definitely vary depending on which track you’re running at.

Chain Lube – $12 – 800 laps

I gave my chain, and clutch bushing a shot of chain lube after every time I came off the track, when everything was still hot. One can lasted me all season.

Final Tally:

$3445 Initial Cost

$2.10 per lap / $1,680 in consumables

This number will vary depending on a lot of variables, such as any accidents that require replacement parts, or unexpected engine issues. I ended up 2017 with this number, and I hope to keep it about the same for 2018. I will be spending more money on tires, but hopefully less money on engine rebuilds + clutch rebuilds. I also left out entry fees for the track, which can vary greatly as well depending on the track.