Kart from Bike

[Papirrin]

Hello to all;
I'm new to the Forum and also new to go karts
I 'have access to fairly priced bike like a CR125-250 or KX
I been thinking to get on of those and build a Off road Kart from it.
The fram is not a problem i do have someone who will help me build it from scratch.
Any advise on a particular bike model that might facilitate things??
Or is it better to get a Quad or 3 wheeler also available

I will like to build something like in the picture

 

[r_chez_08]

from a bike you could strip a lot of parts, like the engine and brakes. depends on the price of the bikes

 

[Papirrin]

My concern is the drive train, (axles, and power to move the kart.
I;m not familiar with this engines, transmission and axles.
can these type of engines/transmission acomodate the CVT axles?

 

[modelengineer]

You use the gearbox from the bike, since it is integral with the engine.

Axle can be ordered from northerntool.com , or if you have a lathe you can make one yourself.

I don't know what you mean by CVT axles. Do you mean CV joints?

Quad engine might be slightly better because you get reverse.

 

[Papirrin]

I appreciatte the feedbacl , yes CV joints. can they eb attached to the bike transmission?

 

[modelengineer]

Not really. You need to have a chain drive to a center axle, which can also have the brake disc, and then you attach the CV's to that.

It would be much MUCH cheaper to use uni-joints than CV joints. You only need CV joints for more than 600cc engines.

 

[Joshmcmillan]

CVT stands for Continuously Variable Transmission. Or is a CV joint something similar?

 

[BradenM]

No, nothing alike.

 

[Papirrin]

Guys; I appreciatte the feedback , now i know what I will be looking for
THANKS,
Even tough is a long term project I will report progess as it comes by.

 

[suzukigs550]

quick question for modelengineer, i have a 550 cc motorcycle engine, can i use unijoins or would it be better to use cv joints?

 

[modelengineer]

CV joints would be better, but if you get some uni joints from a large 4WD they should hold up.

There is someone running a Yamaha R1 (1000cc) engine with uni joints, no problem. A 550cc will almost certainly work fine with uni's.

 

[ed1380]

cheapest ive found is this
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2009013015135834&item=1-2732&catname=powerTrans

 

[Papirrin]

I was wondering if i can use a shaft drive bike instead of the chain drive.
What are the pros and cons?
I stumble into a shaft drive bike ,soi figure i asked

 

[ed1380]

youd need a differential in the back. or you could turn the engine sideways and put a sprocet on the output