Essential Go-Kart Security Tips & 7-Step Checklist

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Keeping your go-kart secure is vital if you want to have a rig to race for the long term. Karts are expensive, as is all the gear that goes along with them, so it’s key that you’re aware of some go-kart security tips to keep your rig safe.

7 steps for keeping your go-kart secure are:

  1. Get insurance
  2. Use your garage
  3. Use chains & locks
  4. Keep your eyes on the kart
  5. Work on your kart in private
  6. Write down essential numbers
  7. Invest in a wheel lock

Below, we’ll go over the absolutely essential tips to remember if you want to keep your go-kart secured at all times and to help give you peace of mind. First, we’ll talk about how you can keep your go-kart secure at home.

A black go-kart with a red steering wheel looking from the driver's point of view with trees in the background, Essential Go-Kart Security Tips

At Home Go-Kart Security

Using A Garage

Chances are that if you own a kart, you have a garage or some kind of outer storage location to keep it locked up when it isn’t being used. If not, I’d recommend that you get that sorted out as soon as possible! Not only is it useful to have a garage or shed location for maintenance purposes, keeping the kart dry and free of rust, but having somewhere to keep it locked up will keep it away from prying eyes too.

Even if you trust your neighbors without a shadow of a doubt, something like a multi-thousand-dollar bit of kit might pique a bit too much of their interest. While you’re at home with the kart, always make sure to conduct any maintenance inside the garage/shed/secure location with your rig out of sight.

Testing The Engine

As a long-time kart owner myself, I know how important it is to start your kart’s engine and see how it runs, especially after a maintenance session. While you’re at home, it’s always best to test out the engine for brief periods of time in the backyard.

Because kart engines can sound pretty similar to lawnmowers, this will be a good way to hide the fact that you own a kart – unless somebody is peering over your back fences!

Maintain It In Private

If you need to wash or clean the kart, try to do so in your backyard where not as many people can see your pride and joy. Having the kart out front is essentially an advertisement to passersby that you’ve got a kart, and it won’t take much imagination from there to know what else people will think.

Chain It Up

You might have the most secure garage in the planet, but I always advise fellow kart owners to chain their kart to something strong inside of their garage too. Go-karts have wheels after all, so all it would take is somebody to break into the garage and roll it away.

Having a good quality lock and chain attached to something that can’t be removed in the storage location is a surefire way to keep it safe. Not only that, but these extra precautions can help to keep insurance costs down too.

Go-Kart Security At The Track

Be Vigilant

Your kart buddies would never betray you, right? I can attest to the fact that go-kart folk are pretty trustworthy and overall won’t try anything funny with your kit, but you have to remember that kart tracks won’t always be full of your friends. So, always be vigilant.

Keep Note Of Important Details

Whenever I travel with my kart, I always do so with a notebook that’s pretty multi-purpose. I use it to record lap times, make a note of kart-related stuff I need to pick up/replace and, most importantly, keep a copy of my kart insurance plus its chassis and engine numbers.

If the worst does happen and your kart is stolen during a day at the track, having a copy of important identifying numbers is an absolute must. That way it can be circulated to the police, and anybody who tries to sell that stolen kart will be caught red-handed.

Keep Watch

While you’re off the track, always make sure to keep your kart in sight at all times. Invest in a ground anchor and keep it on your kart whenever you aren’t racing/practicing, because that’ll make it infinitely harder for somebody to swoop in and wheel it away.

If you have to walk away for a period of time, like joining friends for lunch, don’t just leave your kart out in the open. Lock it up in your trailer for extra security, even if it’ll take you a long time to get it race-ready when you return.

7-Step Go-Kart Security Checklist

1. Get Insurance

An absolute must for security and racing reasons. Various companies offer really good insurance policies for all kinds of vehicles that don’t meet normal road standard, including go-karts. The more you do for at-home security, the cheaper the policy will be.

2. Use Your Garage

Pretty simple-sounding, but it’s an absolute must to keep your kart secured at home or in a separate garage unit. Not only will it be a great place to keep all your tools and essentials, but it’s a security must-have.

3. Use Chains & Locks

Further to the point above, invest in some good-quality padlocks and chains to secure your kart even if you store it inside a garage unit. If you use a ground anchor for extra security, you’ll find that insurance will be cheaper, so it’s really a no-brainer.

4. Keep Your Eyes On The Kart

Even if you have to leave your race setup, get a friend or somebody to stay and look after the kart, or lock it up in the trailer.

5. Work On Your Kart In Private

Don’t be washing/polishing the kart on your front lawn – it’s basically an advertisement that you’ve got an expensive piece of kit in your possession! Try to do the cleaning in your backyard or at a separate garage location if you have one.

6. Write Down Essential Numbers

Write down the engine and chassis numbers of your kart so that if it does get stolen, you can make sure it gets found again. Plus, having these numbers on-hand will make it easier to find replacement parts specifically for your kart, so it’s a win-win.

7. Invest In A Wheel Lock

For the low price of a locking bar to put across your kart’s steering wheel, it’s definitely worth preventing the potential heartbreak of it being stolen. Invest in one of these locks and use it when you’re either putting your kart away for the day/night, or when you’re at the track for an extra layer of security.

Final Thoughts

You spend so much time maintaining and driving your own kart and you likely bought one to enjoy the freedom of ownership, so of course you need to be careful and conscious about how to continue loving that kart! As long as you follow our checklist and think about everything you can do to improve your security mindset, you’ll have no issues with the security of your go-kart.