[ kart · 4:3 ]
Ripcord R1
48V, 25 mph, and the right amount of kart for a normal sized lot
- 25 MPH
- 48V
$1,295 View →
Ripcord R3 dual motor drift kart
72V, dual motor, 40 mph. A second kart, not a first one.
$2,795
- Top speed 40 mph
- System 72V 3,000 W dual
- Weight cap 250 lb
Financing from $98/mo
Free shipping. Ships crated by freight with liftgate delivery included.
Specifications
| Rider age | 18+ |
|---|---|
| Rider capacity | 250 lb |
| Top speed | 40 mph |
| System | 72V |
| Motor | Dual 1,500 W continuous brushless, sensored, fan cooled |
| Battery | 72V 20Ah lithium, BMS, XT90 connector, removable |
| Runtime | 45-60 min mixed riding |
| Charge time | 5-6 hours |
| Frame | 1.5 mm wall mild steel tube, TIG welded, gusseted rear axle mount, powder coated |
| Brakes | Mechanical disc, front and rear |
| Tires | Pneumatic front, hardened polymer slide sleeves rear |
| Surface | Smooth sealed concrete or asphalt, large area only |
| Kart weight | 134 lb |
| Dimensions | 64" L x 36" W x 26" H |
| Seat adjustment | 4" fore and aft |
Good for
- Experienced riders who can already initiate and catch a slide
- Lots of roughly 100 x 150 ft or larger, with real runoff
- Riders who want the kart to feel the same on lap fifty as lap one
- Adults to 250 lb who have outgrown a 48V kart
Not for
- A first drift kart, at any level of car or motorcycle experience
- Riders under 18
- Lots under about 100 x 150 ft, where you will never use half the pedal travel
- Loose ground of any kind
In the box
- Ripcord R3 kart, assembled
- 72V 20Ah battery pack
- 72V charger
- One set of slide sleeves, fitted
- Tool roll and torque spec card
- Manual with wiring diagram
Overview
The R3 is genuinely fast, and we would rather be direct about what that means than sell it to the wrong person.
40 mph on a kart with a seat six inches off the ground reads like something you would not do in a car. It needs a large sealed lot with real runoff, and it rewards throttle control that takes a season to build. Riders who start here typically spend the first month intimidated by it and the second month over-confident with it, and neither is where anyone learns.
What it does that the R1 cannot: dual motors apply torque across the rear axle rather than through a single point, so the kart rotates under power with a precision a single-motor kart does not have. And 72V means lower current for the same output, so it holds its performance deep into a session where a 48V kart pushed equally hard starts backing off.
Who this is for
Riders who already initiate and catch slides reliably, on a lot big enough to open it up. It is a second kart, and it is an excellent one.
If that is not you yet, the Ripcord R1 is the same chassis, the same parts bin and the same skills at a speed you can use. Nothing you learn on it is wasted.
Surface and space you need
Surface: smooth and sealed only. Polished concrete or smooth sealed asphalt. Rough chipseal at 40 mph is not a sleeve-wear question, it is a control question.
Space: roughly 100 by 150 feet with genuine runoff in every direction. No kerbs, poles, grates or parked cars in the sliding zone.
Why 72V, beyond speed
Power is volts times amps. Making 3,000 W at 48V needs about 62 A. Making it at 72V needs about 42 A. Heat rises with the square of current, so the higher voltage system produces roughly half the heat for the same output.
That is why this kart feels the same at the end of a session as the start, and it is a more useful property than the top speed for most of the riding you will actually do. The full explanation is in what 72V actually buys you.
Setup and assembly
Ships assembled and crated. Charge fully, check the fasteners on the torque card, set the seat, equalise front tire pressures.
First session in mode-limited output if you are coming off a slower kart, and in a large area regardless. Re-check the critical fasteners after each of the first three sessions.
Running costs
Slide sleeves, $59 a set. Expect the lower end of the 20 to 30 hour range, because more power means more slide.
Battery pack, $795, typically needed at three to five years. Removable module, standard XT90 connector, listed on spare parts and packs.
Electricity, still under 30 cents a charge.
Warranty and parts
Two years on the frame, twelve months on electronics. Full terms in the warranty terms. Both motors, the controller, throttle, hubs, charger and pack are stocked individually.
Three-way comparison against the R1 and the off-road T2 is on all adult drift karts.
Compare with
Common questions
Is the R3 a good first drift kart?
No, and we would rather say so. The correction window at 40 mph is short enough to punish hesitation, and hesitation is what a new rider has. Start on the R1 and move up.
Why dual motors?
Two motors let the kart rotate under power in a way a single motor cannot, because torque is applied across the rear rather than through one point. It also halves the load on each motor, which is why it holds power through a session.
How much space does it need?
Roughly 100 by 150 feet of sealed surface with real runoff. In a smaller lot you will never use the top half of the pedal travel, and you have paid for speed that exists only as risk.
Is 72V dangerous to work on?
It deserves respect. 72V DC can deliver a serious shock and a short can produce enough current to start a fire. The pack is fused with a main disconnect, and you should never work on it live.
Does it hold performance better than the R1?
Yes, and that is the underrated part. Higher voltage means lower current for the same power, and heat rises with the square of current. It sags less and fades less through a long session.