Research on Larger Single Seat Buggies
#11
04-14-2005, 01:11 AM
Research on Larger Single Seat Buggies
The go-kart found at ORVUSA.COM is nothing more than a Wal-Mart / Sam's Wholesale club variety go-kart. It should retail for around $1400. If you listen to the audio from the videos, the sounds dubbed into the videos is an absolute joke. That thing is made for 10 year old boys. It isn't remotely comparable to the Draks, Pilots or most of the buggies from the list. I don't think the "Fooshka" has ever been more than a 1 or 2 off type home project. The highest performing buggy on the list is from Drakart and even those have an appearance of being a well built "garage project" buggy when compared to the engineering and quality of the Honda's.
#12
06-22-2005, 10:50 PM
Research on Larger Single Seat Buggies
Originally posted by: junglegeorge
Have you looked at the Ridge Runner. It is a two seater but is not big at all. Ther web sight is www.ridgerunner.biz , it comes with a 700cc carb engine or a 700cc or 800cc EFI engine. It IS a bit expensive though. Check them out. I am not a dealer just the proud owner of one.
Have you looked at the Ridge Runner. It is a two seater but is not big at all. Ther web sight is www.ridgerunner.biz , it comes with a 700cc carb engine or a 700cc or 800cc EFI engine. It IS a bit expensive though. Check them out. I am not a dealer just the proud owner of one.
How do you like yours?
What engine did you go with?
What options did you get if any?
What kind of top speed to get from it?
I also like the Drakart Extream, does anyone know what to expect the price of the extream or the 3cly 4 stroke efi version. I assume the 70HP 3cyl is cheaper than the 110HP 2 stroke extream.
#13
06-23-2005, 12:03 PM
Research on Larger Single Seat Buggies
cc1999:
I have a 800efi Ridge Runner. As a matter of fact, I just met up with JungleGeorge at Coral Pink in Utah to go camping. We had a great time, and the Ridge Runners ran pretty well, considering we weren't running paddle tires in the dunes.
I looked at all the buggies out there, full-size, mini, etc. I decided after months of research, that the Ridge Runner met my needs better than anything else, and at a price that, while not cheap, was pretty reasonable compared to the other mini-buggies, like the Drakart.
To answer your questions:
How do you like yours? I love it, as does my wife and anyone else that has had a ride in it. I would definately buy one all over again.
What engine did you go with? I have the 800efi.
What options did you get if any? From the mfg, I added in the Eagle Eye lights prewired and mounted to the cage and a review mirror. Supplied by me, I added paddle tires and beadlock wheels, diamond plate floor pans and tube guards, TrailTech lights on custom bracket, clutch upgrade. Will be adding more....
What kind of top speed to get from it? In stock trim, top speed is 63 mph. With shift kit I should be closer to 70, but haven't tested it yet.
When I was researching the Drakart, it was in the neighborhood of $30k. But I was also looking at the Intimidator, which is the 2 seater.
I have a 800efi Ridge Runner. As a matter of fact, I just met up with JungleGeorge at Coral Pink in Utah to go camping. We had a great time, and the Ridge Runners ran pretty well, considering we weren't running paddle tires in the dunes.
I looked at all the buggies out there, full-size, mini, etc. I decided after months of research, that the Ridge Runner met my needs better than anything else, and at a price that, while not cheap, was pretty reasonable compared to the other mini-buggies, like the Drakart.
To answer your questions:
How do you like yours? I love it, as does my wife and anyone else that has had a ride in it. I would definately buy one all over again.
What engine did you go with? I have the 800efi.
What options did you get if any? From the mfg, I added in the Eagle Eye lights prewired and mounted to the cage and a review mirror. Supplied by me, I added paddle tires and beadlock wheels, diamond plate floor pans and tube guards, TrailTech lights on custom bracket, clutch upgrade. Will be adding more....
What kind of top speed to get from it? In stock trim, top speed is 63 mph. With shift kit I should be closer to 70, but haven't tested it yet.
When I was researching the Drakart, it was in the neighborhood of $30k. But I was also looking at the Intimidator, which is the 2 seater.
#14
06-27-2005, 01:50 PM
#15
07-01-2005, 08:18 PM
Research on Larger Single Seat Buggies
The Ridge Runner is realy nice and the best priced two seater out. I just finished a rolling chassis from desertkarts.com.
I used a CBR 600 for power. Even strapped in, it felt like the cart was going to slip right out from under me.
Getting pressed back into the seat in such a light buggy is and amazing feeling!
I used a CBR 600 for power. Even strapped in, it felt like the cart was going to slip right out from under me.
Getting pressed back into the seat in such a light buggy is and amazing feeling!
#16
07-05-2005, 11:18 AM
#18
07-05-2005, 02:24 PM
#19
07-06-2005, 11:38 AM
#20
08-20-2005, 05:06 AM
Research on Larger Single Seat Buggies
Its too late to realy post this because the company is no longer going to manufacture these particular mini rail buggies, but the MUDSLINGER had my focus for six months. As a mater of fact they took the linking page for the Mudslinger off their site. But the good news is that I finally found the page thats still on their server so if you hurry you might get a chance to see what could have been a very successful venture.
Before I post the address I might as well tell the back round. This fellow is a pioneer and starts a company in the nitch market of wanting to make a high quality sporty rover of a vechical thats new haveing an explosion in the market with all the new RUV and mini go cart buggies. His main market target was the golf cart alternitive/sport rover buggy. That is still his main focuss today and doing well, it is quite unique of a vechile indeed so check out the specs and your eye brows will lift its called the Zini.
Then the owner wanted to build a new type of vechile for total sport riding inspired by the late Honda Oddessy and Pilots. Since they have been long out of production and parts are either very hard or impossible to get, he wanted to revive the idea and build a replacement to it. Being in the bussiness and production of the Zini already, he found a local guy that he copartenered with on this new design mini sand rail. His partener was the fabricator of the rail frame and he was to cover the rest of the assembley from what I gathered. He made a few and sold a few but they were difficult to market this upper class heavy price model. He had been to the 2004 trade show under Zini America and I think he was trying his best to find a large retail sporting goods store to carry it.
Being good at making something and running a bussiness are two totally different traits. This fellow is trying to do both and obviously with some success par the Zini.
Bottom line is his partener who does the framing cant keep up with what the production speed would need. Second problem is with no national retailer picking up his line he isn't going to expand his shop needed to support the Mudslinger builds. Third problem was the main problem in the first place, he never had success marketing the Mudslinger so he probably never had many orders to fill and then decided to drop the whole Mudsligger project all together.
Maybe in retrospect it was an omen of what was to come and how it played out. When I first found the website doing the exact same research you fellows have been doing, I called the company up and finally got a hold of someone. We talked for a good while about what he was doing and the Mudslinger specs. It all sound very very good and I left it to him to email me some pictures and he even said he could shoot some video and send it to me. I left the ball in his court excited as he was about his new model. Months wents by an I never got a call back or email, I tried to contact him again and he said he would email me some pictures. Never did. Then two weeks ago I tried again wondering why the Mudslinger isn't posted on his site. Thats when I got the info he decided to nix the project. But there was some far reaching hope, he said he would call the guy who does the framing who could build me one but he never called me back. Thats how it played out.
Alright some specs not mentioned on the vauge spec sheet.
Engine could be build to order its standard was a 25 hp I forgot which but he could put a larger engine if you wanted. The Zini model uses a 340 cc Lombardi engine. The Mudsligher's standard 25 hp had like 550 or 650 cc. Now we are talkin real power!
Comet CVT automatic clutch
1 1/2 inch tubular frame 660 pounds dry.
With rack and pinion stering with a no bump steer feature not sure what that is, probably a steering stablizer shock.
Double wheel bearings. It sounds like a chain drive solid axle but it could be and IRS with differential CV knuckle drive.
Anyway its fast and he said it would keep up with any quad quoting me 60 mph top speed. However he said from a stand still it wont shoot a fifteen foot roster in the air but its still very fast.
I would have to say its a true middle of the ground solid American maufactured hot rod.
It wont out jump the long suspension travel dual resevior custom shocks of the high end rods but at five and a half to six grand you'll make them very jelous they spent 12 to 18 grand.
Its cheaper then a mint retro Honda Pilot their asking 8 to 10 grand for, plus its not made out of too small diameter tubing to keep the weight down.
All parts come right out of a parts supplier catolog and you could get it with a brand new Honda engine so any shop could work on it and parts will be around for a nice long while to come.
My only recomendation and personal request would be to have the head light brackets mounted in a better protected location like the roof.
All the right ingreediants to make a high quality rail that we want for a great price point, but it never made it to the giant oven.
Give it a look at and see what I mean www.ziniamerica.com/mudslinger/ Sadly I forgot to mention, no reverse but for that price I'd put a winch on the front and back.
www.ziniamerica.com and you'll find his current web page and his main buggy the Zini.
Before I post the address I might as well tell the back round. This fellow is a pioneer and starts a company in the nitch market of wanting to make a high quality sporty rover of a vechical thats new haveing an explosion in the market with all the new RUV and mini go cart buggies. His main market target was the golf cart alternitive/sport rover buggy. That is still his main focuss today and doing well, it is quite unique of a vechile indeed so check out the specs and your eye brows will lift its called the Zini.
Then the owner wanted to build a new type of vechile for total sport riding inspired by the late Honda Oddessy and Pilots. Since they have been long out of production and parts are either very hard or impossible to get, he wanted to revive the idea and build a replacement to it. Being in the bussiness and production of the Zini already, he found a local guy that he copartenered with on this new design mini sand rail. His partener was the fabricator of the rail frame and he was to cover the rest of the assembley from what I gathered. He made a few and sold a few but they were difficult to market this upper class heavy price model. He had been to the 2004 trade show under Zini America and I think he was trying his best to find a large retail sporting goods store to carry it.
Being good at making something and running a bussiness are two totally different traits. This fellow is trying to do both and obviously with some success par the Zini.
Bottom line is his partener who does the framing cant keep up with what the production speed would need. Second problem is with no national retailer picking up his line he isn't going to expand his shop needed to support the Mudslinger builds. Third problem was the main problem in the first place, he never had success marketing the Mudslinger so he probably never had many orders to fill and then decided to drop the whole Mudsligger project all together.
Maybe in retrospect it was an omen of what was to come and how it played out. When I first found the website doing the exact same research you fellows have been doing, I called the company up and finally got a hold of someone. We talked for a good while about what he was doing and the Mudslinger specs. It all sound very very good and I left it to him to email me some pictures and he even said he could shoot some video and send it to me. I left the ball in his court excited as he was about his new model. Months wents by an I never got a call back or email, I tried to contact him again and he said he would email me some pictures. Never did. Then two weeks ago I tried again wondering why the Mudslinger isn't posted on his site. Thats when I got the info he decided to nix the project. But there was some far reaching hope, he said he would call the guy who does the framing who could build me one but he never called me back. Thats how it played out.
Alright some specs not mentioned on the vauge spec sheet.
Engine could be build to order its standard was a 25 hp I forgot which but he could put a larger engine if you wanted. The Zini model uses a 340 cc Lombardi engine. The Mudsligher's standard 25 hp had like 550 or 650 cc. Now we are talkin real power!
Comet CVT automatic clutch
1 1/2 inch tubular frame 660 pounds dry.
With rack and pinion stering with a no bump steer feature not sure what that is, probably a steering stablizer shock.
Double wheel bearings. It sounds like a chain drive solid axle but it could be and IRS with differential CV knuckle drive.
Anyway its fast and he said it would keep up with any quad quoting me 60 mph top speed. However he said from a stand still it wont shoot a fifteen foot roster in the air but its still very fast.
I would have to say its a true middle of the ground solid American maufactured hot rod.
It wont out jump the long suspension travel dual resevior custom shocks of the high end rods but at five and a half to six grand you'll make them very jelous they spent 12 to 18 grand.
Its cheaper then a mint retro Honda Pilot their asking 8 to 10 grand for, plus its not made out of too small diameter tubing to keep the weight down.
All parts come right out of a parts supplier catolog and you could get it with a brand new Honda engine so any shop could work on it and parts will be around for a nice long while to come.
My only recomendation and personal request would be to have the head light brackets mounted in a better protected location like the roof.
All the right ingreediants to make a high quality rail that we want for a great price point, but it never made it to the giant oven.
Give it a look at and see what I mean www.ziniamerica.com/mudslinger/ Sadly I forgot to mention, no reverse but for that price I'd put a winch on the front and back.
www.ziniamerica.com and you'll find his current web page and his main buggy the Zini.