Maxterino shows promise in SA debut
01.06.2008
van
der Linde Maxterino winner |
In what could be the start of a new era in South African
karting, Sheldon van der Linde’s name will go down
in history as the winner of the first Maxterino powered
GP Junior race held in the country.
14
karts lined up to race! |
But, you may be wondering, what on earth is Maxterino?
In a nutshell, the Maxterino MX60 motor is a viable and
cost effective alternative to the ageing Comer engine
that is currently being used in the GP Junior class. It
is the same in many respects; a swept volume of 60cc,
air cooled and fed via a carburettor, but that’s
where the similarities end. Most obvious difference is
that the Maxterino motor comes with electric start and
has a fixed jet carburettor thus there’s no fiddling
by a driver during a race so the risk of seizure is significantly
reduced.
| 
Neat
spare parts |
In order to provide a reliable package and promote low
running costs the motor is fitted with a proper air filter.
A short stroke keeps piston speed/acceleration low which
means the piston, rings and barrel should last for ages.
The fixed jet carburettor and low compression ratio also
reduces the risk of piston seizures. Modern manufacturing
methods and close tolerances ensures that engines are
equal in terms of performance.
Michael
Taylor sets 60cc lap record |
So, how does it perform? Well, it that first low key
event, the first thing that became evident was the pace
of these motors. At a Northern Regions event the previous
day, GP Junior winner Michael Taylor set a best lap of
52.531 seconds for the class. He raced the Maxter event
on Sunday using the same chassis and in the first heat
stopped the clocks at 49.961 seconds to establish a new
lap record.
Maxter Kart Engines, based near the famous Lonato kart
circuit in Italy, has guaranteed availability of the engine
for a minimum period of seven (7) years or 2015.
Oh, and don’t get confused! Maxter has nothing
to do with Rotax or the ‘Max’ engines.
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