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What happened to American made karts?

BaconBitRacing

BaconBitRacing

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Okay, here’s some preface; every brand new kart nowadays is made in China, whether it is knockoff or Coleman. Back in the 90’s, you could get brand new, American made go karts from a plethora of manufacturers; KenBar, Carter brothers, Kartco, Manco, etc. My question is what happened in summer 2010? KenBar, Carter brothers and Kartco all went out in summer 2010. KenBar and Carter brothers in the same month, July, and for Carter brothers it was alleged arson, and apparently insurance wouldn’t pay. Manco was bankrupt in 2002 and bought up soon after and kept making karts a little longer. Was there a new law in summer 2010? Court case? Some critical supplier bit the dust? Or did the recession take out a dying industry for good?
 
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Snaker

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Manco became ASW American Sport Works which became ALM American Land Master.
As far as I know, they still make their carts.
They add on all kinds of China parts, but they make the chassis and assemble

I wonder if the sales numbers dwindled due to a lot of cities and towns banning carts and minibikes running around?
Add to that the huge increase in ATV and UTV sales
 
BaconBitRacing

BaconBitRacing

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Snaker said:
Manco became ASW American Sport Works which became ALM American Land Master.
As far as I know, they still make their carts.
They add on all kinds of China parts, but they make the chassis and assemble

I wonder if the sales numbers dwindled due to a lot of cities and towns banning carts and minibikes running around?
Add to that the huge increase in ATV and UTV sales
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It’s most likely a combination of bans, lawsuits, the recession, ATV and UTV popularity increasing, and low cost MIG welders and tube benders. Let’s not forget that you can get welding much cheaper and with less skill needed than in the past.
 
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panchothedog

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Very sad to read the court case you posted. Like always, bottom feeding lawyers screw everything up. I guess there should be no risk associated with anything we do in life. If I want to paint my kart, and I go and purchase a can of paint and then go home and DRINK it instead, can I sue Rustolium for health problems. Of course it would kill me, but if somehow it didn't I'm sure I could find a lawyer who would take the case on the fact that I wasn't warned not to drink it. Only said it was poisen, nothing about not drinking it.
 
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Denny

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The availability of cheap buggies from china made our yard karts obsolete. Why buy a yard kart when you can buy a buggy for the same price with a suspension? 2010 is when a lot of the epa crap got straightened out reguarding off road emissions standards allowing the china buggies free access.
 
BaconBitRacing

BaconBitRacing

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panchothedog said:
Very sad to read the court case you posted. Like always, bottom feeding lawyers screw everything up. I guess there should be no risk associated with anything we do in life. If I want to paint my kart, and I go and purchase a can of paint and then go home and DRINK it instead, can I sue Rustolium for health problems. Of course it would kill me, but if somehow it didn't I'm sure I could find a lawyer who would take the case on the fact that I wasn't warned not to drink it. Only said it was poisen, nothing about not drinking it.
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exactly! Unfortunately yard karts are kinda obsolete but we still love 'em. I guess that's what the used market is for.
 
BaconBitRacing

BaconBitRacing

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Denny said:
What happened is the friggin lawyers! It’s a lot harder to sue an overseas manufacturer than it is to sue one in the States.
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Who knows who really makes these things. The real purpose of this thread was not to find an answer, I pretty much knew some of the reasons, but to start discussion. And Redflash, they still make Evaporust in this here fine country of the USA!
 
anderkart

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Starting way back in the 1960's, I think the ever growing popularity of dirt bikes, 3-wheelers, quads and side by sides were also hugely responsible for the dwindling yard kart market. But there's still serveral brands of race karts made in the USA.
 
BaconBitRacing

BaconBitRacing

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anderkart said:
Starting way back in the 1960's, I think the ever growing popularity of dirt bikes, 3-wheelers, quads and side by sides were also hugely responsible for the dwindling yard kart market. But there's still serveral brands of race karts made in the USA.
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Karts just aren’t very comfortable, and they aren’t specialized like those others. Heck, we use pressure washer and tiller engines on ‘em!
 
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