Enter the number of teeth on the driver gear and the number of teeth on the driven gear into the calculator to determine the gear ratio; this calculator can also evaluate any of the variables given the others are known.

Go Kart Gear Ratio Formula

The following formula is used to calculate the gear ratio for a go kart:

GR = (D1 / D2)

Variables:

  • GR is the gear ratio
  • D1 is the number of teeth on the driver gear
  • D2 is the number of teeth on the driven gear

To calculate the gear ratio, divide the number of teeth on the driver gear by the number of teeth on the driven gear.

What is a Go Kart Gear Ratio?

A Go Kart Gear Ratio refers to the ratio between the number of teeth on the drive sprocket (attached to the engine) and the number of teeth on the driven sprocket (attached to the rear axle). This ratio is crucial in determining the Go Kart’s speed and power. A lower gear ratio, where the drive sprocket has fewer teeth than the driven sprocket, will provide more torque, or turning power, but less speed. This is ideal for climbing hills or driving on rough terrain. Conversely, a higher gear ratio, where the drive sprocket has more teeth than the driven sprocket, will provide less torque but higher speed, which is ideal for racing on flat surfaces. Therefore, choosing the right gear ratio is essential for optimizing a Go Kart’s performance based on the specific driving conditions.

How to Calculate Go Kart Gear Ratio?

The following steps outline how to calculate the Go Kart Gear Ratio.


  1. First, determine the number of teeth on the driver gear.
  2. Next, determine the number of teeth on the driven gear.
  3. Next, divide the number of teeth on the driver gear by the number of teeth on the driven gear.
  4. Finally, calculate the Go Kart Gear Ratio.
  5. After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.

Example Problem : 

Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.

Number of teeth on the driver gear = 12

Number of teeth on the driven gear = 36