Hey Ken-Bar lovers! Haters too! Share your Ken-Bar Experience!

[BigWes]

Ok guys! I decided to make this thread for Ken-Bar lovers and haters alike to share their Ken-Bar experience! Post your pics, questions, likes, and dislikes right here!

Hopefully a unified thread will help prevent some of the threadjacking and derailing going on elsewhere and possibly maybe we can even learn something and have fun!

I have 3 Ken-Bars that are currently in project state...

Only one of which is operational currently.

This one.



So everyone else has to get busy posting pics and sharing their own experiences with their Ken-Bar karts!

If you love yours then tell everyone why....if you hate them all...then here too is your chance as well!!!

 

[J.S.@SMS]

I got this Ken-Bar Streaker for my birthday last year, in close to running condition. I actually went there to look at a full suspension kart, but it was missing the engine (gy6), and the engine support/frame thing was missing as well. I made the mistake of letting my dad do the negotiating and ended up paying $200 for a kart that needed another $180 to move. So far I've replaced the engine, TC, front tires, seatbelt, and chain.

What I like:
Tough frame, big enough for all 6' 3" of me, smooth ride for a solid frame, great off road tires, differential axle makes turning easier on and off road.

What I don't like:
The kart is heavy so a 7" driven and 9t tc sprocket are a must, the differential has a special 8 bolt pattern for the sprocket.

I'd have to say that I've been impressed by this kart. The 22" tires maintain traction even in sugar sand. The differential allows it to steer easily on road (without pushing the tires), and the frame is built to last.

 

[Dingocat]

Never had one. Had a Bird, Mancos and a Yellowjacket.

 

[jpenn82]

This is mine, I believe it’s a Ken bar streaker

 

[Hellion]

This is mine, I believe it’s a Ken bar streaker

They're ALL Ken-Bar Streakers (and Pace Setters). It's just what's usually printed on the sticker (and the big Streaker on the floor pan).

Your actual model number is a separate sticker stuck on the larger manufacturer sticker.

If yours is a live-axle (2-wheel drive) it's an S-465. If it's one wheel drive, it's an S-356.

EDIT--pretty sure yours is an S-465 because the side bars are shorter on the S-356 and I can see the axle hangers on yours.

 

[jpenn82]

I will have to look as it’s original. I bought the kart for $75 as a roller

---------- Post added at 07:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:21 PM ----------

Yes mine is the s-465, it’s a fun yard kart

 

[Hellion]

Here's one that looks like mine, except my floor pan decal was about 98% faded out and no longer legible. Pity that in this day and age of hysteria, that Confederate motif would no longer fly...
Those striped seats are killer. Mine is also gone; they don't last long.

Except for the rear tires which should be a bigger 15x6.00-6, it looks completely original. *Pics stolen off the web.

Positively ID'ed as an S-465.

 

[jpenn82]

I really don’t have any dislikes with the kart.

Seems to be a very solid yard kart

---------- Post added at 07:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:49 PM ----------

Do you know what years these where in production?

 

[Hellion]

Info is scarce but I guesstimate about the late 1980's to mid 1990's. After that they radically changed the designs [in the early 2000s I think], mandatory "roll cages" (or brush guards), seat belts, etc., and many of the manufacturers completely enclosed the axles with a plastic guard or casing. The reason being there were some accidents wherein riders were injured when loose clothing and long hair came into contact with a spinning shaft and got tangled.

 

[Kentucky Boy]

Here’s mine. I restored it and did a lot of stuff to it. I love the frames and centered motors.

 

[Kentucky Boy]

Here’s another one I bought and restored. I don’t seem to have a totally finished pic of this one. It’s one I did for my son.

 

[Budget GoKart]

Here's my Ken bar dubbed "budget go kart". I bought it with 3 wheels on it and the other in peices without an engine then threw a 35$ briggs 3.5hp drove it till winter and sold it. And recently bought it back in really bad condition and slapped a 212 on it because the 3.5hp briggs was taken off by the guy I sold it to. I have a current pic and some really old ones. Don't know the exact model but this thing drifts like a Mazda miata with a welded diff. (Ridden in one )

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

Should be named "Neck-Breaker Go Kart".
Seriously though, when are you gonna take some glam pics of it?

 

[Karttekk]

BigWes,

Do any of these look like Streaker karts? Been posted for a while.

Thanks

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

I can tell the top two are definitely Ken Bars(The side bars give it away, and the sticker on the red one), and the third one probably is as well.

 

[Karttekk]

Maybe I should look into them, they aren't too far from me and I need another restoration project.

 

[Hellion]

...Do any of these look like Streaker karts? Been posted for a while

All three definitely are. But not all say Streaker.

The top two are S-465's.

The bottom looks like an SK-676 without its cage, like this one...
http://www.gokartsusa.com/browseproducts/Kenbar-SK-676-Gokart-6hp.html

 

[Karttekk]

Appreciate the help.

 

[Budget GoKart]

Should be named "Neck-Breaker Go Kart".
Seriously though, when are you gonna take some glam pics of it?

It is suprising just how stable it really is and it's not snappy it's just quick and smooth

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

No,*chuckle*....
I mean the pics are sideways....
I wanna see some nice glam pics of it!