Season’s Greetings and looking ahead to 2025
Tis the Season to Tinker!!!
What better time to retreat to your workshop with a mince pie and dive into those projects and bring new ideas to life? Whether it's tuning up your Cyclekart, working on new designs, or starting a fresh build, there's no time like the present to get those gears turning. Enjoy your festive tinkering time!
CKGB 2024 Events
The 2024 season has come to an exciting close, and we're already gearing up for an action-packed 2025! The committee sincerely hopes you've enjoyed this year's events. 2024 was a year of innovation with a variety of venues, activities, and formats. One of our biggest challenges was securing the required medical cover, but we overcame this by choosing venues where the necessary cover was mostly in place.
Another key challenge was staffing. In 2024, a small but mighty team took on the enormous task of organizing and managing events. For 2025, we're calling on more of you to step up and join the fun! More hands mean more epic events (details to come in the New Year).
A huge thanks to everyone who filled out the CKGB Survey. Your feedback is gold, and it’s fueling our plans for an even more exciting 2025 season. Look out for the events list early in the New Year!
One standout request was for a hillclimb event. This ambitious idea requires a lot more manpower and equipment due to the remote finish line and visibility challenges. With more support from our fantastic members in 2025, a hillclimb could become a reality!
If you have any ideas for new venues or wish to offer your help in some way please email Ian Fletcher Here and let us know how you think you can help.
Thank you for your incredible support! Let’s make 2025 the best season yet!
Membership
2024 has been an incredible year for Cyclekarting, with our membership growing to just shy of 100 passionate enthusiasts. This remarkable achievement highlights the burgeoning interest and enthusiasm for Cyclekarting in the UK. We now have 40 active Cyclekarts, with many more currently being built. We estimate around 15 new Cyclekarts could make their debut at upcoming events. The expansion has infused fresh energy and ideas into the community, fostering a supportive and vibrant environment for both seasoned builders and newcomers alike. This growth in membership and active karts is a testament to the dedication and camaraderie within the Cyclekart community, setting the stage for even more exciting developments in the future. Here's to celebrating this milestone and looking forward to continued growth and innovation!
To renew your membership, please visit the Membership Page and submit your 2025 form.
Cyclekart Parts
CKGB has been working tirelessly to bring accessible, cost-effective parts to the community. There is an array of quality parts from simple brackets through to full on handbrake mechanisms that you can now purchase.
These parts, meticulously tried and tested, are used on many active Cyclekarts within the club. The availability of this resource is invaluable to the hobby, addressing numerous challenges that previously plagued builders, such as issues with wheel hubs, axles, and springs. By providing reliable and affordable components, CKGB has hopefully significantly simplified the building process, fostering greater participation and ensuring the sustainability of the sport. This effort reflects CKGB's commitment to supporting its members and enhancing the overall Cyclekarting experience.
Please visit the Cyclekart Workshop and have a look round
Captain “Tannering” on the BBC radio waves!
Jim Tanner, Sometimes referred to as ‘the face of Cyclekarting’ and a well-known figure in the community, is set to make an exciting appearance on BBC Radio Northampton, hopefully before Christmas. Known for his iconic Number 8 Dodge Cyclekart, Jim will be sharing his passion and insights about the hobby, bringing more attention to the vibrant world of Cyclekarting. Over the years, Jim has tirelessly pushed to get the hobby recognised further by engaging with various high-class venues and media channels. As the hobby continues to gain momentum, it's fantastic to hear from a seasoned Cyclekarter like him. Stay tuned to the forum for further details and the broadcast schedule.
Looking Forward to 2025
AGM
The first in-person gathering of the year will be the midlands based AGM in March 2025. It's a fantastic opportunity for members to come together, talk the torque, and dive deep into all things Cyclekarts. This event is the perfect chance for both new and seasoned enthusiasts to connect, share experiences, and learn more about the club's activities and plans. It's a unique moment to engage with the community, discuss ideas, and get excited about the upcoming season. We look forward to seeing everyone there and kicking off another exhilarating year of Cyclekarting!
Power Menu
In 2024, it was observed that some Cyclekarts were running engines that may have exceeded the 10hp limit, ultimately posing safety concerns. As a result, the committee will introduce new safeguards for 2025 to improve safety and ensure everyone's enjoyment. This is also a hugely important part of maintaining our insurance relationship with NORA.
The committee has been researching engine modifications, progressively testing a genuine Honda Gx200 engine with regular dynamometer power runs. Early next year, we'll release a "Power Menu" listing permitted and prohibited engine modifications, each with a points value. Builders can select modifications up to a total of 100 points, ensuring engines stay within the 10HP limit. After modifying an engine, builders will complete and submit a "Power Declaration" form, detailing the modifications and their total points.
These measures aim to create a safer and more enjoyable experience for all participants in the 2025 season and allows builders to still ‘Tinker’ with the engines if they wish to modify and enjoy the process. For some this will not really be an issue and some may choose to purchase a pre made manufactured engine with 10hp as standard to benefit from the drivability and ensure they have the ultimate reliability. Stay tuned as more will be released with a comprehensive report here and on the Forum.
New Venues
Get ready for an exciting 2025 Cyclekart season! We’ll be revisiting some of our favourite venues, including Bridlington, Brooklands, Middle Zoyland, and Santa Pod. Each location offers a unique setting for our thrilling events, from the historic charm of Brooklands to the excitement of Santa Pod’s live Arena. We also have some emerging venues that could be truly amazing to visit, but they do require early commitment to stand a chance of making the 2025 calendar and we need the numbers to make them affordable and viable. Please participate on the Forum in declaring an interest in the events you wish to attend for 2025 as it helps the committee prioritise the efforts required throughout the season.
We have a fantastic lineup of activities planned, including:
Sprints
Gymkhana
Pursuit racing
Static displays
Demo runs
Practice runs
Reliability endurance trials
Gridded racing
Concours, including light-hearted events such as Concours Illuminere
These venues and activities promise an unforgettable year of creativity, camaraderie, and motorsport fun. Let's make 2025 the best season yet!
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed their time and efforts to make the 2024 season a tremendous success. Your dedication and passion have truly shone through, creating unforgettable memories and inspiring moments. We’ve handpicked a few of our favourite images from the season’s shenanigans that encapsulate the joy and excitement of Cyclekarting.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Here’s to another fantastic year ahead. See you on the other side!
