The Beginning - Aussie Cyclekarts
Back in 2018 not many people had heard of a Cyclekart in Australia, there were no local online resources, and so it seemed like a good idea to create a website to help connect people, and try to generate a bit of interest in these awesome contraptions.
Alongside the website, a matching Facebook page was created with the aim of connecting people, promoting build meets and shed gatherings and maybe down the track, when there were enough running Cyclekarts, facilitate some kind of Cyclekart events so that those of us with running Cyclekarts could run against each other and further promote the 'Sport' to the wider community.
To help people get started and take some of the guesswork out of building a Cyclekart, local parts sources and Australian alternatives for the standard parts used in the USA were documented, so that anyone starting out on their CycleKarting journey had a point of reference on where to begin.
The Cyclekart Club of Australia
Later on when things had picked up some momentum and we were looking into holding events, it was realised that trying to organise insurance to cover Cyclekart events was proving to be fairly challenging for a small private group.
Many insurers simply recommended affiliation with Motorsports Australia as the only possible route. But that kind of affiliation placed the cost of entry to Cyclekarting at the same level as competing in professional motorsport, with drivers license costs along with club affiliation costs essentially making it very unpalatable. Add to this safety compliance and licensing requirements that were overkill when applied to a measly 6.5hp CycleKart. This was seen as a big stumbling block to progress and was looking to stop things getting off of the ground before they had really started.
So we decided the only course of action was to develop our own simplified safety system that was tailored for Cyclekarting and did not need to cater for everything from Superkarts to Supercars. This way we could demonstrate to insurers and underwriters that any risks associated with Cyclekarting were well considered and well managed and infinitely less than Motorsports Australia catered for.
After knock backs from over 20 insurers, we found one that did not immediately tell us to "sling our hooks". So we put everything together in the hopes that they would respond by not only giving us a great big pat on the back... "Well done fellas", but would also furnish us with some affordable insurance. And as luck would have it, after a year of planning and developing a safety system, we were finally able to negotiate a policy that would work for Cyclekart events in Australia.
The CycleKart Club of Australia (CCA) was formally incorporated on February 22nd 2024 out of the need for a formal legally structured body that could hold the responsibility for the organisation of public events, manage safety and undertake insurance at a national level. It was also registered as an Australian Registered Body, which allows us to operate Australia wide.
The Club operates a membership program that aids event organisation and insurance requirements by managing participant and vehicle eligibility, but still stands true to the original goals of the Aussie Cyclekarts community. The CCA exists solely to support and promote the sport of CycleKarting in Australia.
The CCA is a not-for-profit incorporated association which exists to promote sport of CycleKarting in Australia, and encourage and assist members in designing, building, and driving CycleKarts. It is overseen by a committee elected at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) and is managed in accordance with the club’s constitution. It is a private club run that is managed on a voluntary basis.
Inclusivity
The CCA promotes an inclusive family atmosphere and supports diversity and inclusion as well as active participation. If you have a disability or impairment and are interested in participating in club activities, please reach out to one of our committee representatives for more information on how the club can help support you. Additional information can be found in the clubs Diversity and Inclusion policy, along with practical application for participants within the members handbook.
Wellbeing
The CCA recognises and values the positive power of community on mental health. Activity-based community groups such as ours play an important preventative role in strengthening protective factors linked to improved mental wellbeing. For more information on the CCA's commitment to supporting wellbeing, please check out the Wellbeing page linked to below.