Look more deeply at the 'logic' behind karting! It's a long explanation but you should get it.
Let me give you an analogy: beer is great but there is something VASTLY better about whisky. The same is true about wine compared to brandy. The key to those is that the vast BULK of the 'unnecessary stuf'...the'padding' (i.e., the water) is removed from the drink. Effectively, they are the distilled ESSENCE of the drink in Brandy and Whisky.
And that's EXACTLY what KARTING is..... it's motor-racing without all (err.... most) of the PADDING removed. Karting is DISTILLED MOTOR-RACING! It's about RACING and it's NOT about the Aerodynamics, the suspension, the lack of drag, the electronics, etc., etc.,..... it's about who is the quicker DRIVER.
When you look at karting like that, you can follow the 'logic'. What clutters or pads-out karting is BAD (tupperware body panels, electronics, painted helmets, sponsorship, etc., etc.).... what simplifies and DISTILLS karting is GOOD!
Now.... back to your question.... there is a BIZARRE purity in a MINUSCULE simple, valve-less 2 stoke engine delivering THIRTY bhp from 100cc. What makes it better still is the MONSTROUS revs we achieve. I was at Rye when Alan Gates hit 21,000 rpm on a 2 stroke......!
4 strokes ARE good....... but they are over complex, slow and H*E*A*V*Y! As such, they are AGAINST the SPIRIT that DRIVES karting.... they add COMPLXITY and that's like adding water to brandy or whisky..... it's SACILEDGE!
Having said all that..... for me..... the future, and the CORRECT, direction of karting is the engine that's BETTER and even MORE simple than the 2 stroke and that IS a 4 stroke (some will claim)..... That of the STUNNING Aixro!
It embodies KARTING, it's ludiucrously small, ludicrously simple and LUDICROUSLY POWERFUL..... and reliable!
So..... yes there IS snobbery in 2 strokes karters but we are NOT closed-minded about it! So long as it remains DISTILLED and PURE..... it'll find favour with the 'snobs'!
Ian
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