Go Kart as regular transportation

[longshot]

I am working on a project to develop transportation options (among other things) for residents of an Indian reservation. It is a very poor area and I have been trying to figure out which transportation options would work best in regards to speed, range and cost of transportation and in the ability to possibly train some residents in DIY and maybe sell them to other residents.

I have been exploring conversions to electric vehicles (regular gasoline cars), motorcycles, gas and electric bicycle conversions (via kits) and now Go Karts.

I am thinking that Go Karts might be the best answer in regards to speed, range, cost, and stability. Most of the roads are dirt roads and some of them are in poor condition (at times due to weather).

Many of the residents are younger but many older ones as well. The need to get to the doctor, shop for supplies, check on family and friends, etc. Almost exclusively the Karts would be used on the reservation. The reservation is quite large though, so some protection from the weather will be needed at times.

Any advice on what particular plans that might seem to be best suited for a Go Kart that could be used as regular transportation on the reservation would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Steve

 

[KieranM]

would you plan to have them single seated or would you be looking for a kart that could transport multiple people

 

[DK shredaaa]

that place sounds like go kart heaven

 

[medic]

Gopeds sound like a good answer.

 

[mike75925]

side by sides, ranger, gator, utv etc. most are pretty capable and some have cabs or have the ability for cabs most will have a bed for carrying groceries too. will this be a humanitarian thing or are you part of the tribe's council?

 

[Chupacabra]

Golf carts. Electric and Gas versions maybe? With turf saver style tractor tires. They are much easier to keep on the road without tons of tinkering and maint. Plus you can get ones that hold 4 persons REAL easy. simple conversion from club rack to butt rack.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Find yourself an old golf kart, lift it, add ATV tires and a sled engine and your good to go.

 

[mike75925]

golf karts can cost more than atvs. they weren't designed for the same riding, so any lift kits etc will have to be watched to see if they are holding up. if you were to try to redo an electric to gas and no motor mounts are available for your engine, you'd have to watch that as well.

 

[longshot]

Great Suggestions

Well, not sure where to start. I am not a member of the Lakota tribe. This a humanitarian (non-profit) effort and will involve a larger number of issues than just transportation. But, as we all know, transportation is at least as vital, if not more so, than other issues, especially if you live in a more rural setting where you are separated from necessities (docs, groceries, schools, etc).

The types of go karts needed will be diverse I think, much like and need different vehicles because we have different lifestyles and different needs and wants. In the winter time, which is pretty long in South Dakota, they would need some type of cab to protect again the rain, snow and cold. Not bad to have a removable one, if that is possible, for the rest of the year.

Almost certainly a two seater (or more) Kart would be the best way to go just because if someone is sick, they might need someone to take them to the doc to get help. An extra seat could also be used, of course, to carry needed items, groceries, etc. so the more room the better.

Having the Karts raised a bit might be advantageous in the winter due to heavier snow at times. Will definitely take the tire recommendations down for future reference so I can specify those to try out to see how well they would work there.

I have thought about Golf carts as possible transporation but the range seems lower than Go Karts and the speed can also be lower. I do understand they can be a bit more comfortable. Might have to try one or two out to see if that option would work for some. Working on the Golf carts is another sticking point. It appears to me that the Go Karts might be easier to maintain? Maybe I am way off on this. Clue me in.

One other reason to choose the Go Karts is that I am hoping to establish, as part of the program, an aspect where some of the residents are trained to make the Go Karts, giving them employment and making a very useful transportation resource for the residents of the Reservation. The unemployment rate ranges from 65 to 85 percent during the year so you can see than ANY type of meaningful employment would be heartily welcomed. I don't see residents being able to be trained to make Golf carts.

I will check into the GoPed option and ATVs as well. I can see ATVs being a good resource for emergency situations for sure when the roads and/or weather were bad.

Thanks to all!

 

[freakboy]

have you taken a look at side by sides or john deere gators?

 

[longshot]

Where would be a good place to get a sled engine? I can probably find the Kart and of course the ATV tires. Any suggestions on the lift would be helpful too. Thanks! Steve

 

[longshot]

Side by Sides? Not familiar with that. The Gators are really cool but too pricey I am afraid. Even used they would run a bunch I would bet. The folks are VERY poor. Have to keep it affordable but very useful and flexible as well (change out tires, add cab, take off cab, etc). Thanks.

 

[freakboy]

oh ok well side by sides are like yamahaa rhinos.. but thinkin of that they would cost way to much also..

 

[longshot]

Thanks. I looked up the side by sides. Very nice and would work. Just too expensive. Just have to keep the cost down.

 

[That One Guy]

Rhino's are in the same price range as a new car.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Where would be a good place to get a sled engine? I can probably find the Kart and of course the ATV tires. Any suggestions on the lift would be helpful too. Thanks! Steve

For the engine, i'd say look for an old sled with a ripped track or something, 340 or 440 range would be perfect, electric start would be best so you can have a charging system for heating/CBs etc. Lift would be different for each cart, most likely something you will have to be creative with.

Im looking into making a sled engine golf cart soon, if i do im sure you'll see it here somewhere.

 

[longshot]

Ok. I will look around for the sled engine. Just being from the South, though, I don't have any experience with sleds so might have to ask a few questions here to make sure I don't get taken if I find one that seems ok. I understand about the lifts. I am sure I can find a lift to find most any Kart if I search enough. Cool. Will be interested in seeing what you come up with on the Golf cart. Always looking to learn something new.

 

[sideways]

What kind of speeds do they need to achieve? Load carrying capacities? What kind of roads will they be on(if any)? What is your budget?

Have a look here, some of these cars were designed specifically for the purpose you mention. I think something similar to this would be good, with a Honda clone engine, some real wheels and simple beam axle suspension with leaf springs back and front. You should be able to build them for under $1000 each. I'd style it more as a station wagon for extra space though. Certainly get the locals to build them!

Here's some other designs you could base it on, Fuldamobil, Velocar (small engine with pedal assist), Kapi JIP and Biscooter.

Basically small cars with out compound curves in the body for ease of manufacture, wood or plastic would probably be the best/cheapest for the body, the Fuldamobil was made in a caravan factory using the left over materials from the caravans. Of course, with simple panels different body styles are quite easy, a ute (pickup) would of course be quite useful. I would use a Honda clone due to their low cost. excellent fuel efficiency and good reliability, also power upgrades would be easy and cheap if needed. For transmission I'd have a centrifugal clutch geared for about 40kms top speed of a torque converter geared for 50-60kms, perhaps a ratcheting hand lever acting on the rear wheels for reverse (I can explain further if you don't know what I mean?). Have a disk brake on the rear axle and that would be it!

I wish I had your job .

Thanks

Hayden

 

[longshot]

Hey Hayden...That is an awesome post! I will be perusing all of those links and I just might see if I can assemble a team of locals here to help me put together a Microcar based on one or more of those designs. Certainly sounds like fun. My brother in law is an engineer in the auto industry in Michigan and might be able to steer me to some needed, hard-to-find parts. But then again, I think I may be able to find all the help we would need right here. Would prefer NOT to have to reinvent the wheel to accomplish this.

Being able to bring the cost in under $1000 would be great. For many, even a $1000 would be too much, but for them, sharing rides with others who do have the chance to buy or build one of the microcars would be one option. I have investigated using motor assisted bicycles (with "Fat Tires" during the winter months to traverse the snow) which are generally much cheaper but more difficult for older or overweight individuals. Using ALL options including just regular bikes is a possibility. The goal is to get some form of usable transportation into the hands of most of the residents and then help them move up into better forms (cost and comfort and performance) over time.

Oh, so you would like a job did you say?...lol.. I suspect I will need at least one or two individuals to teach, at least initially, the residents how to do this themselves and then maybe in a consulting type role over the long-term. Currently, the residents generally do not have much in the way of communication outside of cell phones and they only work on the reservation. Internet availability is VERY limited. That is another area I am working on changing...internet access. There is an organization called Inveneo (www.inveneo.org) that I am hoping to be able to recruit to bring long distance WIFI to the reservation. If it can be accomplished there (it has been accomplished in other countries including some in Africa), then it can be accomplished on other reservations and other poorer places in the U.S. and around the globe. It will allow, I think, the residents to do what we are doing here...learning from others' experiences. In the case of the Lakota, the goal is to help them become self-sufficient in all areas of their lives via learning how others do it.

 

[longshot]

Hayden, I just looked up the Microcar Museum hours and location and that is a doable trip for me next weekend. Wife sister lives in Marietta so we may go down Friday evening and spend the night and head over to the museum on Saturday. Will let you know which ones garner my interest. Probably too many of them to count! Thanks again for pointing me that way!