What Is The Best Sprocket Ratio For A Go-Kart?

Author: E. Silva (aka Mr. Awesome Expert)

You want to think in terms of gears, this time around, my friend. And with that in mind, the very first thing that I will mention is this fact : With go – karts, higher ratios give you more acceleration power whereas lower ratios will give you faster top speeds. Keep this in mind. Also, there is no “best ratio” only the one that works the best for you, given your need in mind. Ask yourself what you need.

Great ratios can get quite technical and complex, at the end of the day, which is why a good ratio for some models of go – kart may not be so for certain other models. Countless factors kick in that will affect this. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to the best sprocket and gear ratios. You just have to try what works, and if you fail, try again ( until you find what does work, he he he he heh ) .

I will now tell you what one of the most popular ratios is out there on the race track —- it’s the famous 6 : 1 ratio. Now, this common ratio has everything to do with giving you great max speeds on long straights as well as better accelerating ( even as you exit the toughest corners, too ) . Keep in mind that this ratio, like all others, is not optimal for every single type of track that there is. Test it on different types of tracks ( with whatever model of go – kart you’ve got ) and get a feel for yourself is this is your ideal ratio.

If you want top speed ( and that is what you must have above all else, he he he he heh ) , then allow me to recommend this to you instead : going with a lower ratio overall, especially if you’re racing across many long straights though your clutch and engine can tend to wear out a bit more quickly this way ( just something else to keep in mind, he heh ) . And by lower, in this case, I mean ratios like 4 : 1 , 5 : 1 , etc. Just don’t go as low as 1 : 1, or your go – kart can die before hitting those first couple of laps … no joke. That’s too low.

The best ratio for acceleration potential is 7 : 1 – 8 : 1 …. keep it right in that range and do not swerve from it. That is what you will find is typically ideal. Now, also, note your front and back sprocket as well as the difference of teeth between the two. You get about 10 – 15 on that engine sprocket, up front, as well as 30 – 90+ in the back…. all good to keep in mind. I hope this h