There’s no denying that we love all things karting here at Zamp Helmets. In fact, it’s the reason behind more than half of our racing helmet sales! Indoor karting. Outdoor karting. For fun or for the win. Either way, it’s important to know how to avoid the common karting mistakes people make and how to fix them.
1. Poor steering positioning
More often than not, when you sit in front of a steering wheel you’ll think of the old “ten to two” that you were taught in your driving lessons. With karting, it’s different. Due to the sensitive steering in a go kart, your hand positioning is so much more important. Instead of “ten to two”, think “quarter to three”.
2. Smoothly does it…
It’s easy to think that because you have smaller wheels and a smaller vehicle that you need to steer more aggressively to get your kart where you want it to go. This isn’t the case. In fact, it’s the opposite. By steering too sharply, your front end will slide & your kart will want to travel forward in a straight line. Steering smoothly into bends allows your kart to follow exactly where you want it to go.
3. …But not when it comes to braking 
You’re probably seeing a theme here but braking in a kart is the total opposite to braking in your car. Because the brakes on a kart are in the back, the best way to brake is to slam on to the point where your brakes almost want to lock, then ease off when you hit the apex (the point at which your kart is at its closest to the inside of the corner). This allows you to slow in time to hit your racing line with ease without losing too much momentum.
4. Know your track
You can use as much or as little of the track as you need. We’d recommend you use as much as possible but that all comes with knowing the track. Look ahead to see when the bends are coming up. Go as wide as you possibly can to maintain your speed, then bring it in to hit your apex and you’re almost there.
5. Stand your ground!
Even if you don’t feel like the best, most experienced driver on the track, you don’t need to let anyone else know that! Don’t be intimidated by drivers who seem faster or more experienced than you. As the old idiom goes, practice makes perfect, and you have just as much of a right to be there as them. You never know, you might be able to learn something from them & one day may be just as good or even better!
Whether you’re looking for a new lid to impress your friends & race buddies, or if you’re starting out in your karting career, we have helmets & accessories for all karters. We’ve also got extensive guides on how to know you’ve got the correct size helmet & how to fit your accessories. Zamp Helmets is your one-stop shop for all things karting!
