Will Bigger Tires Make A Go-Kart Go Faster?

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

We have all shared that unending need for speed at some point in our lives, have we not? I think we have. And with the desire to only go faster and faster, comes the question : Will bigger tires make a go - kart go faster? A good question. Let’s spend some time tackling this topic today and see if we can glean a few things of insight, shall we? Let us begin ….

Now first of all, I would like to just take a split – second to point out this fact : The speed usually comes from the engine itself, as that is the main source. This does not, on the other hand, mean that the tires do not have a crucial role to play in the grand scheme of things, too. If you have tires with bigger diameters, at the end of the day, what you will find is this …. go – karts with bigger tires have provenly been known to travel much further ( especially when taking into account your “per revolution” ratio, all in all ) . Thus, bigger tires do help get to top speeds faster, no joke.

Plus check this out : There are two down – sides to keep in mind. Yes, I know …. not everything is rainbows and roses all the time. And there are some cons to consider, the first being the fact that acceleration ( especially around tough corners, or heck, any corners at all ) can be a bit more of a challenge than usual, the heavier and bigger that those tires happen to be ( cause – and – effect, of course … nothing more than cause – and – effect ) . Bigger tires are always heavier tires, too.

Not that only, but keep this in mind as well : The engine uses up more power and even takes a bit longer to rotate bigger tires. More engine power is used. If you find your tire’s under – sized ( especially when given the model ratio of tire size to engine, which can vary based on your model, but you can see the user’s manual for more on this …. hope you kept it handy ) , then getting a bigger tire can be ideal. But just keep these down – sides mentioned in mind. That’s all.

And as for the gear ratio itself ( of which you will want to further research, based on your go – kart type), you may find yourself going a bit faster with bigger tires …. or going a bit slower. It all depends. What gears do you have, what engine capacity, what wheel – base specs and more? All this you have to find out, and of course, only go with tires that are proven to perform ( and approved for your model of go – kart ) .

We hope this has helped! Let us know. Thanks, guys! Rock and roll….