... and finally, something new for 2025. What does one get when you mix CycleKart gear, hints of your favorite Airplane, watch mad max, throw in a dash of vintage car crossed with Diesel Punk (and probably star wars speeders too) and a mess of creativity... display it as art... then see how fast it'll go? You get a new class of cyclekart... and it's a wonderously artistic realm for the super creative folks that want something else in a cyclekart often frowned upon. This "something else" is Speed, and outright creative license to do whatever you want... within the simple rules of course. It's called the AeroKart. I invented it the idea in 2022. Combined with the public approval of "The" Michael Stevenson, (ya know... one of the creators of the cyclekart idea itself) we'll now see if we can get this idea off the ground. (ha, that's funny right there... Get it?) And I hate dad jokes & puns... whatever. Anyway... The AeroKart steps a bit outside the norm and doesn't hover in any certain period of car. The reason to veer off the path, is in the hopes of bringing back one thing that's now nearly forgotten in the cyclekart realm. That being... the "Art" part of the Cyclekart. Most new folks in the common cyclekart enthusiast sites these days miss that part entirely. Most, see one thing. A slammed down race car, often resembling a 1950's hot rod. We think it's utterly dull and stale to be honest. It's all been done. The AeroKart is an artistic expression like many of the well done cyclekarts you'e seen, with something else people see commonly in the automotive world... Airplanes. Mixed with other various queues (like Diesel Punk) with a sort of industrial/military/alternate retro futuristic tinge to them... they're a unique thing. One should understand dieselpunk before doing this. Look Here So we'll put the General Guidelines of the AeroKart here. 1. Inspiration car is of course welcomed, but not necessary. The inspiration should come from many sources. Be it a favorite car, a cyclekart, an airplane, blimp, whatever it is. It's the fun part of it allowing all kinds of creativity. I can't count how many hot rodders have thrown in old airplane effects... thus, I believe a natural progression for this particular idea. You're going for something that looks like it FLYS, kind of scary, dirty, race car-like but grungy, etc. Or, yes... some old looking plane. How neat would it be to see that P51... the Fokker... the A10... or your favorite bird recreated in rolling form with many other touches? That's what this is. It is a mix of airplanes, other sources, cyclekart running gear... and a bit of diesel punk thrown in creating something unique. It is its own thing. The speed, the art, and creativity is the game here in the hopes of re-igniting an ART... that is the Cyclekart. 2. The car should have aerodynamic elements to it. We'd suggest down-force fins to keep your butt somewhat safe if your car realy does go fast. The take off speed of a small plane is around the top speed of some cyclekarts. Do keep that in mind. Get it? It should have fins or wings, somewhere. 3. MAX 3.00 width tires. It's common to have larger tires on the rear. 4. Power: Stock: (stock cyclekart power) Any 226CC or less, single cylinder, 4 cycle gas engine. The governer cannot be removed. Valve springs, cam, etc. must be stock. Jetting allowed, carb must be stock appearing. Must have stock flywheel, muffler and stock air filter with the stock airbox and gas tank. No shifting gear boxes. Must run on pump gas. Must use a typical TAV. (basically, it's the predator/clone industrial engine out of the box minus Jetting... you can't do anything else) Modified: Any 226CC or less, single cylinder, 4 cycle gas engine. Governer can be removed. Carb can be any carb you dare to put on it. Muffler can be open, any air filter you want. Stiffer valve springs allowed. NO cam modifications allowed. Flywheel may be replaced with better. Flywheel Key MUST remain stock. No porting or polishing allowed. Also acceptable: The harbor freight Ghost engine with its accessory bundle. (NOTHING ELSE CAN BE DONE to the ghost motor but Jetting. It must remain, as you bought it otherwise) Briggs LO206, as sealed with SR 4 slide. No shifting gear boxes. Must run on pump gas. TAV required. Unlimited. That's any 226CC or less, single cylinder, 4 cycle gas engine modified in any way your devious mind can manage. TAV not required, Drive it any way you want. (e.g. Direct clutch drive, etc. Must run on pump gas. Unlimited Exception: Electric. Do what you want. :) 5. Weight: Do what you want here. Although a lighter stance calls to you, too light might not be to your benefit. 6. Length: 70" wheelbase minimum generally. Really, longer is more stable at speed. 7. Wheels: 17 or 18" wheels. Numbering 3 to 6. (they can be spoked... but do not have to be... make it work with your creation, it's an artistic extension) Wheel on rear MUST be 17 or 18". IF, front of car has more than 2 wheels, one can "bend" a little and go down in size. 8. Brakes: Must have hydraulic brakes as main braking system. Secondary braking system is advisable. 9. Drive: Must be keyed on both drive wheels, live axle setup. No differentials, no one-wheel-drive allowed unless it's a reverse trike setup. BOTH rear wheels MUST brake. 10. Seeing it is a "Speed" class... it's recommended you keep it low and limit the steering so it doesn't turn very sharp. For the "online" record (The Aero-K record): 1 mile, averaged both ways on flat ground recorded & agreed upon by 3 people with video as similar to the aging Corona Run. That's from a dead stop, to as fast as you can by the 1 mile mark. Turn around, do it again. We strongly suggest every safety precaution you feel necessary. Roll bar, is your choice. It is not required. Like cyclekarts, there's an inherent danger to this. 11. Cost: Like the Cyclekart, try to spend under 3000 on it. Scavenging is highly recommended. This isn't some class that's built with all new stuff from some manufacturer of ready made parts. End of story. WHEN DONE, you should: 1. Name it. Be creative. (means make up something fun) 2. State the sources you took queues from in its creation. A main yearly meet for this will happen in the fall... 1 WEEK after a major speed event on the Salt Flats in Utah when the track is still groomed. We'll keep you posted. Worth mentioning: This speed run is not open to just normal cyclekarts. Of course, anyone can come out with us to the flats, but the speed & such will only apply to actual Aero's. That's all we're gonna keep records of. This will be an off-grid meet. We won't be part of anything televised, we will not be part of world of speed, the USFRA or otherwise. We are our own thing. The records set will be the official records held only by those that do it. Now, some pictures of what is envisioned so you "get the idea." And of course.... AeroKart Number 1. Mine. Now go be creative.