Kids love ride-on vehicles such as go-karts as they provide a sense of motion, which kids find exhilarating. Go karts can help kids stay active, helps in motor skill development, and teaches the basics of driving. These provide great outdoor fun for kids, and even adults can use them for an active pastime with kids. However, it’s important to always prioritize safety and responsibility when it comes to riding go karts.
Introduction to Go-Karts
What are Go-Karts?
Go karts are small ride-on vehicles (designed to be driven on a track but can be driven on most flat surfaces) and are typically made with a low-slung chassis, small wheels.
These are popular among kids as they allow kids to experience the thrill of speed and control. Kids love the feeling of being in control of a vehicle, and go karts provide that sensation in a safe and controlled environment.
Most go-karts for children come with safety features such as seat belts, roll bars, and automatic shut-offs in case of emergency. In addition, you should consider using appropriate safety gear such as a helmet and protective clothing, whenever they’re riding the go kart.
Go karts may be small in size but you need to take adequate precautions to keep your kids safe while they enjoying go-karting.
Types of Go Karts for Kids
Go karts for kids can be pedal-powered, battery-powered or gas-powered.
Pedal-powered Go Karts
Pedal-powered go karts have been around for years and are powered by the rider, similar to a bicycle. They’re a great option for younger kids who may not be ready for the speed and power of an electric or gas-powered go kart.
Non-electric pedal go-karts are manually driven using pedals. These aren’t as fast as electric go karts but provide good exercise to the kids and are always ready to be used (no need to charge).
They’re also comparatively affordable and easier to maintain, making them a popular choice among parents.
- Pros: Cheaper, Safer, No charging required, Great Exercise
- Cons: Not as exciting
Pedal Go Karts for children (Non-electric)
Electric-powered Go Karts
Electric-powered go karts are powered by an electric motor and are typically larger and faster than pedal-powered go karts. These are designed for older kids.
These a bit quicker than the pedal powered go-karts but not very quick (safe to ride) You can expect speeds of about 8-12 mph. The motor is generally controlled by the buttons attached to either the steering unit or pedals.
- Pros: Bit faster, teaches driving skills
- Cons: Expensive, Long charging times, No exercise
Electric Go-Karts are also getting smarter. Some karts enable parents to control the kart using a mobile app; parents can access several safety features which can be activated/controlled using the app. These smart cars also have collision avoidance feature wherein the kart would automatically halt if it approaches an obstacle.
Compared to the gas-powered go karts, electric go karts tend to be quieter and cleaner, and do not contribute to noise and air pollution.
Electric Go Karts for children
Gas-powered Go Karts
Gas-powered go karts are powered by a gasoline engine and are the fastest. They’re a great choice for older kids who are experienced drivers and want to feel the thrill of speed and control.
However, you need to make sure your child is ready for the responsibility that comes with driving a gas-powered go kart.
Where to Ride These?
You do not require access to a big, open area to get the most out of these karts.
A large, concrete driveway or quiet part of the street is a perfect place to slide around. If you have access to a parking lot that is unused – all the better.
Benefits of Go-Karts
Here are some of the benefits that go karts can provide for kids:
Pedal-powered go karts can be a great source of physical activity and exercise, and is a a fun way for kids to stay active.
Riding a go kart (steering, accelerating, and braking) improves hand-eye coordination and overall motor skills of kids.
Also, as kids learn to navigate obstacles and challenges, it helps develops a sense of accomplishment and confidence in their abilities.
Safety Tips for Kids Riding Go Karts
When it comes to riding go karts, especially for kids, safety has to be given high priority.
It means kids should wear appropriate safety gear when riding a go kart. This includes a helmet, gloves, closed-toe shoes, and any other protective gear recommended by the manufacturer. This can help protect against serious injuries in case of accidents or collisions.
Go karts should also be regularly inspected and maintained to ensure they’re safe to ride. This includes checking the brakes, steering, and other critical components for wear and tear. Any issues should be addressed promptly to prevent accidents or injuries.
It’s also recommended that you supervise your kid when they’re riding a go kart so that you can make sure they are wearing appropriate safety gear, following designated paths and routes, and adhering to speed limits and other guidelines.
So, do give priority to safety when it comes to kids and go karts!
Buying a Go-Kart
Different go karts are designed for different age ranges and weight limits. They may also have different tires that are designed for different terrains.
So, choose a suitable kart depending on your child’s age/weight, terrain where it is going to be used, experience level, and personal preferences.
Best Brands
- Berg (Electric as well as Pedal Go-Karts)
- Actev (Electric Go-karts)
- Hauck (Pedal Go karts)
- Razor (Electric Go Karts)
- Segway (Electric Go Karts)
- Radio Flyer (Electric Go-Kart)
- Costzon (Pedal Go Kart)
Razor Ground Force Drifter Kart
This is a great option if you are looking for ride-on cars for kids of 8 to 12 years old. The Razor Drifter Electric Kart is designed for spinning, drifting and sliding. The Razor Drifter Kart features solid 4-1/2-inch rubber tires and large slick rear tires for drifting.
The Razor Ground Force Drifter Kart is recommended for ages 8 and above and has a weight limit of 140 lbs. The super-slick rear wheels are perfect for neighborhood drifting and your child can have lot of fun showing off their drifting skills to friends and neighbors. The hand-operated rear brake and thumb-trigger acceleration control give the driver maximum drifting control.
The battery-operated kart is equipped with a powerful 24V (Two 12V) sealed lead-acid rechargeable battery that lasts up to 40 minutes, and a variable-speed chain-driven motor that can reach a maximum speed of 12 mph.
However, it is important to note that this kart is designed for use only on flat surfaces. Any uneven terrain can degrade the performance and the low ground clearance (about 2 inches off the ground) means that the driver will feel every bump in the road. This also means that the kart is not suitable for grass, gravel or any surface other than solid ground.
You can use the Razor Ground Force Drifter Kart to teach your child how to maneuver a kart or vehicle. It is important to ensure that the driver is wearing full protective gear such as a helmet and gloves, and to choose a site with the least danger to the driver. With proper precautions, this kart can provide hours of entertainment for the whole family.
Best Berg Pedal Go-Karts
Berg has been making toys for several decades and is well-known for its innovative toys (such as Go-Karts) that focus on performance as well as safety features.
BERG makes a wide range of go-karts for kids of varied ages and sizes, ensuring there is something to suit the needs of every child.
One of the factors that you should consider before buying a go-kart is how tall your child is.
- The GO2 series is suited to kids aged 10+ months
- BFR, BFR-3, E-BFR and XXL-BFR series of go-karts are designed for older kids aged 6 years +.
All large BERG Go-karts come with a BFR system (means Brake, Freewheel and Reverse), in which you use the pedals to decide whether you want to go forwards or backwards. This same system is also available with three gears: the BFR-3 system – the gears make pedaling easier on hills, slopes, and uneven surfaces.
Website: Bergtoys.com
Berg Toys Junior Buddy
The styling Berg Orange Buddy Pedal Go Kart is great for girls or boys. It encourages outdoor play and exercise while teaching valuable coordination and driving skills to youngsters!
Designed for children 3 to 8 years old/Max Weight: 150 lbs.
Pneumatic tires, adjustable seat, automatic freewheel allows the driver to pedal forward, coast with pedals static, and pedal in reverse to drive backwards- making mobility easy!
Dimensions: 44′ D x 26” W x 25” H/ Weight: 40 lbs.
Berg Pedal Go Kart Case-IH BFR-3
Recommended For Children Ages 5 Years and Above
Features a break-forward-reverse system that allows you to drive backwards. Simply let the kart coast or stand still after pedaling forward, then slightly move your legs in the opposite direction to start the breaking mechanism. After which, you may begin cycling in reverse.
Seat has comfortable backrest while front fairing dons a pretend dashboard with a smoke stack to boot. Its dimensions are 62in long, 35in wide and 40in tall, with a weight of 117 pounds. Front and Back Wheels Are 16 and 18 Inches In Diameter Respectively
Berg Buzzy Fiat 500 Pedal Go Kart
Licensed Berg Pedal Go Kart Buzzy Fiat 500 features steel construction along with a stylish and unique framework. More than that, this ride-on toy is equipped with reverse pedaling as well!
Recommended For Children Ages 2 Years and Above
The 4 wheels ensure stability, as well as EVA solid tires that prevent punctures. Moreover, you wont have to worry about your child outgrowing this unit, as its steering wheel and seat is adjustable to 3 positions.
Dimensions: 33in long, 19in wide and 20in tall, with a weight of 15 pounds. Furthermore, your little one can drive it indoors or outdoors.
Berg Buddy Pedal Go Kart
Stylish and rugged. The BFR (Brake, Forward and Reverse) Hub allows young drivers to pedal forward and coast on momentum. They can also pedal back to use the coaster brake to stop and pedal backward to go in reverse.
Recommended age: 3-8 years old.
Rubber, air-filled tube tires with hybrid treads wheels are suitable for any terrain. Tires should be filled to around 25 psi and never to exceed 28 psi.
The seat is adjustable and sturdy; the seat post fits into a hole and is locked securely by a pin keeping the driver safe on any terrain.
Popular Accessories for G-Karts
You can personalize your go-kart with optional accessories like the safety flag, horn and LED headlight. These accessories are a great way to make your kart stand out in the crowd.
You can attach a waterproof trailer to your Berg Go-Kart, that allows kids to take extra gear with them on their adventures.
BERG Large Trailer
WARRANTY – Get a 2-year manufacturer warranty/1-year manufacturer parts warranty against defects. You can also register your kart on bergtoys.com for a 5 year warranty.
Electric Go Karts For Kids
Kids love to race and an electric go-kart for kids is designed to provide the ultimate outdoor fun for children. These run on rechargeable batteries and produce no harmful fumes.
Designed to look like a racing go-kart
Electric go-karts for kids are designed to look like a real kart (that belongs on a racetrack) with their nice color scheme and streamlined body design. The foot pedal and footbrake provide a more realistic driving feel.
These have a feature adequate dual-layer impact protection, and a double braking system (footbrake and handbrake). The wheels are also designed for better off-roading capabilities, and to support higher speeds as well as for drifting.
The electric configuration
The main components of an electric go-kart are the Motor & Battery, and the only maintenance that these go-karts require is the recharging of the battery.
- Typical configurations of electric go-karts for older kids (8+ years): 250W to 1000W electric motor, 12V rechargeable battery, speed of 8 to 12 mph.
- Go-karts for smaller kids (3 to 8 years) will have less speed due to the less powerful battery.
- Depending on how fast the kart is driven (depending on the speed), the kart can run up to 20-60 minutes on a single charge.
Drifting
The best electric go-karts have better wheels that are designed for drifting; these feature a hand-operated brake that helps achieve drifting at higher speeds. The steering system is also very responsive and keeps the electric go-kart under control when the child is trying to drift.
Some electric go-karts also have a Spark Bar at the rear which produces visible sparks when the child is attempting drifting with the go-kart.
Smaller Electric Go-Karts for Kids
The smaller sized electric go-karts are available for younger kids (3 to 8 years) have a smaller battery (6V) and the speed is also less (varies from 2.5,ph to 8 mph); these also feature several parental speed controls.
These go-karts are best driven on smoother surfaces as the wheels are not really designed for off-roading. The smaller electric go-karts are a great way to introduce children to racing and and drifting.
FamilyGoKarts Kids Electric Go Kart
This go kart has a high-tensile steel frame, pneumatic off-road tires and disc brakes, all powered by a 48V, 1000 watt brush motor. Besides a standard seat belt, extra safety comes from a speed control limiting system that lets parents choose from 10, 13 and 17 mph settings. An adjustable seat fits most children up to approximately 165 lbs. *NOTE: Tires may vary from model shown. This all electric kids go kart is the perfect way to introduce your little ones to the thrill of the ride! Kid sized fun with the same rugged construction of a full sized go kart!
Run time: Approximately 2 hours depending on terrain and driver weight; Charge time: 6 to 8 hours
Adjustable Seatbelts and Adjustable Seat
Frame material: high-tensile steel; Rubber all-terrain tires; Disc brakes
Speed control: 0-10mph, 0-13mph, 0-17mph; Motor Power: 1000watt (Brush Motor); Battery: 48 volt
Actev Arrow Smart-Kart Electric Go-Kart
Arrow Smart-Kart is an electric go-kart for kids ages 5+. Actev Motors has created a technologically superior, safety conscious go-kart packed with features to impress even the most plugged-in pre-tween. The Arrow grows with your child, featuring adjustable pedals and app-controlled settings.
For ages 5-9, the Arrow grows with your child
Parents can supervise kids via the Actev App (iOS and Android)
Adjustable speed limit up to 12 mph (19.3 kph) and emergency stop button
Two independent 250W electric motors, included Standard Battery supports 20 to 40 mins of drive time.
Features a rigid steel chassis, pneumatic rubber tires and electronic regenerative braking
One 43.2V 2000mAh Smart Lithium-Ion battery included
Electric Go Kart vs Gas Karts
Gas karts are more commonly used in racing championships around the world; however, of late, organizers are considering having more championships featuring electric-powered karts.
As the green revolution hits the main stream, the go kart market is also responding to the demand for cleaner-running karts.
An electric go kart has so many advantages over gas karts that choosing electric over gas should be a no-brainer. Electric models create no emissions, are able to run on indoor kart tracks, have much less maintenance to bother with and no gasoline to handle. So if you would rather be on the track than, going with an electric cart should be an easy decision.
An electric go kart is cheaper than a gas model. Karts powered by gas generally start around $400 or $500. Electric go karts however are available for under $200 and practically require no maintenance.
Electric go karts are also safer than their gas counterparts. Gas powered karts can be dangerous due to the fact that gasoline is extremely flammable. Most parents do not want their kids handling gasoline. In the event of a crash, there is no worry about a fire with electric karts. Kids can safely handle the batteries required by electric go karts. Another safety feature is that electric go karts have speed control so that parents can determine how fast their kids are able to go.
An electric go kart is more environmentally friendly. It is well known that burning gas releases toxic fumes into the atmosphere. The two and four stroke gas go kart engines are notoriously inefficient at pollution control. You will feel good knowing you are not adding to carbon emissions with your child’s toy. Plus, your kid will not be breathing in any poisonous fumes while enjoying his go kart or participating in a kart race.
A gas powered go-kart makes a lot of noise when it’s running. If your neighborhood is quiet and peaceful, then loud engine noises from your go kart may cause problems with your neighbors. Electric karts make very little noise.
Looking at performance, an electric go kart has a more efficient engine than a gas go kart. Not only that, they can easily outperform gas powered racing karts in handling and performance. And unlike gas go karts, which are vulnerable to tip overs on sharp turns, electric karts are potentially impossible to tip over while cutting precarious corners.
An electric go kart is the wisest choice for most families. They are dependable and safe for kids. Not only do they have low noise levels and maintenance costs, low emissions mean your child is not breathing toxic fumes and you are doing your part for the environment. Outdoor or indoor karting is a fun pastime to do with your family.
Funtoyworld is a family-managed website with me (Ben), and my wife doing most of the work. We are proud parents of two wonderful kids and love reviewing toys. We have a firm but friendly “democratic parenting” style and offer several practical suggestions backed by extensive research. Our own experience with raising two children prompted us to share our knowledge. Read more.
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