There's no replacement for sliding a machine sideways. It doesn't matter if it's a car, a UTV, ATV, motorcycle or jet ski, the feeling you get when you're gliding sideways across whatever medium you're on is a rush that beggars belief.
But learning the finite controls and grip of drifting is not only time-intensive but potentially dangerous as all hell depending on what you're sliding—I'm looking at you, MotoGP bike. It can also be a massive money pit as tires and components have a tendency to break down.
There are, of course, alternatives to just plopping your hard-earned cash on things like a Polaris RZR Pro R or Ducati Hypermotard such as Razor's drift karts. But those are designed for children and don't actually "drift" per se. To fill the gap left between kid's toys and full-on drift machines, motorsport company Battle Aero built something that'd give adult humans a chance to really drift: a spec drift kart.
Best of all, it's one that can either be had with a gas engine or an electric one. Oh baby, this thing looks absolutely fun.
The drift kart is a custom tube-frame chassis built by Battle Aero that can be either powder-coated blue or left as bare metal. You can also option a rear wing because, well, why not. It won't produce any real downforce, but it'll make the whole thing look that much cooler.
Both the seat and pedals are adjustable, so adults of any age or height can join in on the fun. But the real party piece is the drift kart's steering angle. Using an adjustable Ackerman setup, the drift kart will essentially crab-walk sideways, offering riders to back the kart into a corner, just like at Ebisu in Japan.
The kit is, however, a DIY affair and you'll have to assemble it in the comfort of your own garage. What you get in the box is as follows: CAD Designed Steel Frame, Kart Seat, Steering Wheel; Complete Front Steering Kit: High Angle Steering Knuckle, Tie Rods, Steering Shaft; Complete Foot Brake Kit: Hydraulic Brake Master, Brake Lines, Calipers, Rotor; Complete Rear Axle Kit: Rear Axle, Hubs, Gears, Chains; Wheels & Tires; Accelerator & Brake Pedal Setp; and a Pair of Plastic Drift Rings.
There are two options, aside from the powder-coated frame and big rear wing, and that's what's powering the drift kart. You can either spec it with a 3000W, 72V electric motor or a rolling chassis spec'd for a Harbor Freight Predator gas motor that you'll need to purchase separately.
You can also just get a rolling chassis to live out your wildest engine swap fantasies, or you can wait until Battle Aero finishes the development work on its Sur-Ron motor mounts for something truly batshit.
The price for the drift kart you ask? That'll be $1,900 for the gas rolling chassis without powder-coating or rear wing, and $2,400 for the EV kart, again with no powder-coating or rear wing. A regular rolling chassis is $1,200. None of which sounds too expensive considering what you're getting.
Now who wants to get a chassis and swap a Zero motor into it?
