What's hot Four-wheel fun - go-karts - Brief Article

DSN Retailing Today, March 6, 2001

Whether they are called go-karts or fun-karts, these four-wheel, off-road machines have come a long way from the days when customers' choices were limited to homemade contraptions or those expensive models available at specialty dealers.

Today's go-karts blend the features, performance and safety of high-end models with increased affordability. This has resulted in sales growth for manufacturers such as Murray, Yerf-Dog and Manco, and profits for retailers like Wal-Mart, Costco and several big-box sporting goods chains.

Go-karts aren't cheap; models cost between $700 and $1,200, which buys a well-made machine with performance and safety features. In conjunction with the Consumer Products Safety Commission, manufacturers developed standards for safety features that include shoulder harnesses, sprocket covers, guard rails and parental control keys to prevent kids from using the product without adult supervision.

The bottom line with go-karts, though, is fun. For a lot of people it means zipping around a spacious backyard or a vacant field in a go-kart capable of traveling at speeds approaching 30 mph.