I grew up with the a moped you had to pedal to start and motorbike engines that needed fettling virtually every days use, just to get to work or college, who would buy one today? While I can see the skill in bumpstarting a 100cc, again most people nowadays couldn't be bothered.
Of course there is always a place for niche markets and together they make up a reasonable size whole in the UK.
But if karting is ever going to appeal to a wider market then it needs to be, well, easier.
Easier, means equipment that after a quick clean can be put away Sunday night until the next race weekend. It means equipment that can be bought for a fixed budget and failing the massively unexpected, run for a season without anymore large outlays.
It means an engine that doesn't require petrol and fuel to be mixed and carbs to be selected and rebuilt or rejetted.
Most of all it means engines that are sealed, but that are reliable and equal, out the box. Apart from the obvious benefits to the driver, an engine such as this would allow clubs or sponsors to provide scholarships, that wouldn't cost a fortune, for promising drivers to compete at a high level and the chance to be spotted and move on to the premium classes.
This doesn't mean that all the other classes need to change or go, but karting needs an entry level in terms of ease of use and cost.
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