Go Karts

Electric, pedal or hoverboard kart: three ways to sit and steer

Electric go-karts have a steering wheel, an accelerator and a brake, usually as pedals, and a battery that drives one or both rear wheels. They come closest to a track kart: you sit low, steer with both hands and control speed with your feet. Most have a key or switch to cut the power and a charger that plugs into a socket at home.

A pedal go-kart for adults is driven the way a bicycle is, through a chain from the pedals to the rear axle. It steers with a wheel or a handlebar and stops with a hand or foot brake. It is lighter, has nothing to charge and is only as quick as the driver's legs, so it works well as a first kart for a family that wants to share one.

The third kind is a seat frame strapped onto a self-balancing board. It is steered with a lever in each hand while the board supplies the drive, so it packs away small and turns in very little room.

Which suits whom comes down to effort and upkeep. Electric karts ask little effort but need charging and battery care. A pedal kart gives exercise and needs only bicycle-style maintenance: chain, brakes and tyres. A go-kart for teenagers can be either, provided the frame adjusts to fit and an adult is there to supervise.

Using a go-kart: the two rules

The rule depends on how the kart is driven.

Electric. An electric go-kart is a motor vehicle in law. Use it off-road, on private land only, with the landowner's permission, and under adult supervision.

With pedals. Not to be used in traffic. Use it on private land, under adult supervision.

A frequent question is whether a go-kart can ever use a road. The two rules above answer it for every kart described here.

Checks before you buy: frame, steering, brakes, seat, battery

1. Frame. Look along every tube and joint for cracks, rust, dents or welds that look lumpy or full of pinholes. Lift one corner and feel for flex.
2. Steering. Turn the wheel lock to lock with the kart standing still. The front wheels should follow straight away, with no clunk and no free play before they move.
3. Brakes. Roll the kart forward by hand and apply the brake: it should come to a halt in a straight line, not pull to one side. Look at the pads or shoes, the cable or hose and how far the lever or pedal travels.
4. Seat and pedals. The driver should sit with the back supported, reach the pedals with a slight bend in the knee and hold the wheel without stretching. Adjustable seats and pedals let one kart fit several drivers.
5. Battery and charger. On an electric kart, ask how the battery is protected, which charger is matched to it, and what the maker says about winter storage. A kart sold without its charger or without instructions is one to leave.

On a second-hand kart, ask for the manual and any receipts for parts, and look at how the tyres have worn: wear on one edge points to a steering or alignment problem. On a pedal kart, check the chain for rust and stiff links, and spin the pedals to feel for a dry or notchy bearing.

The maker's maximum driver weight matters too. Count the driver in full kit, and if no figure is stated, ask before paying. Guides for other vehicles are listed under rider help sorted by vehicle.

Where to practise: space, surface and supervision

A smooth, level, hard surface suits most karts: a large area of concrete or tarmac on private land kept closed to the public, agreed with the owner in advance. Grass slows a kart unevenly and hides holes, and gravel throws stones and lengthens every stop. Avoid slopes until the driver can stop reliably on the flat.

Clear the area first. Move anything a kart could hit, look out for kerbs, drains and posts, and keep onlookers well back from where the kart runs. Practise in daylight, and stop when the light goes.

A teenager learning to handle a kart needs an adult watching the whole time, near enough to intervene. Agree simple signals before the first run, such as a raised hand for stop and a wave for slow down. Short sessions with breaks keep concentration up and mistakes small.

An off-road go-kart for adults copes with rougher private ground than a standard one, but the same habits apply: walk the ground first, start slowly and build up from there.

Before each session, walk once round the kart and repeat the checks above. That short look catches most loose bolts, soft tyres and frayed cables before they matter. Between sessions, keep the kart somewhere dry, such as a shed or garage, and store an electric kart's battery the way its maker describes.

Seated riding on one of our boards

Owners of one of our self-balancing boards can add our standard kart seat for self-balancing boards, which straps onto either size, the 6.5-inch or the 8.5-inch, in a few minutes. Its frame adjusts to fit younger riders as well as adults, and a lever in each hand does the steering. Fitted to a hoverboard, the kart may only be used on private land, with the landowner's permission.

Sources we checked (last checked 25 October 2026):

• Powered transporters (Department for Transport and DVSA (GOV.UK))
• Road Traffic Act 1988, section 185 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Road Traffic Act 1988, section 143 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Road Traffic Act 1988, section 192 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Police Reform Act 2002, section 59 (legislation.gov.uk)
• The Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011, Schedule 1 (legislation.gov.uk)