8 Best Drift Karts for Adults and Kids

Go-karting is a competitive motorsport that is enjoyed by millions of people all over the world. However, there is also a fun side to go-karting that involves drifting. If your children, or you, love drifting in combination with go-karting, then a drifter kart may be the perfect solution.

Drift karts offer plenty of fun for the whole family as they are easy to use, safe to drive, and can lead to some seriously exciting drifts. There are plenty of drift karts available on the market and all of them are unique in their own way. But with so many different kinds of options available, which one is the best for you or your kid?

In this review, we’ll be checking out the best drift karts for adults and kids that are available in the market. Drift karts are a must if you’re looking for an easy way to make the most of your weekends as a family – or even if you just want your child to have some fun by themselves.

1. Razor Crazy Cart Shift

Specifications:

• Power Source: 90W Electric Motor
• Speed: 8 mph (2.5 mph parental control)
• Range: 5 miles (8 km)
• Run Time: 40 minutes
• Weight Limit: 120 lbs (54.5 kg)
• Recommended Ages: 6+
• Drift Mechanism: Steering

Features:

The Razor Crazy Cart Shift is the best drift kart in this list and is designed for younger children from ages 6 and up. It can hold a maximum weight of 120 lbs and can go as fast as 8 mph. Parents can decide if they want their child to be able to drift at 8 mph (13 km/h) or cap the drift kart’s maximum speed at 2.5 mph. The design of the kart is kept simple thanks to the Power Core Hub Motor that takes away all the maintenance-hungry parts like chains, tensioners, and sprockets.

The end result is a kart that provides a lot of drifting fun to children. It comes with a very simple design and drifting in the Crazy Car Shift is extremely easy. The responsiveness of the steering at a ratio of 1:1 is on point, providing amazing control over the kart. Combined with the rear wheels that have a fixed incline ensures that you get a great balance between just driving the kart and drifting it.

This model from Razor is equipped with a 90W electric motor and a 12V battery which is rechargeable and very efficient. It gives the kart enough juice for about 40 minutes of drifting action, which is long enough for a fun time!

How to Drift

Drifting the Razor Crazy Cart Shift is extremely easy, and the controls are kept simple so that every child can understand it. One of the biggest selling points of this drifter kart is the fact that it uses a simplified system for achieving a great drift. All you need to do really is turn the steering wheel and the kart goes into a drift by itself.

The reason this is possible is because the rear wheels are designed in a way that the back of the kart initiates a drift automatically, through the rear caster wheels. That means that you only need to control one component to steer and drift. No handbrakes and no fiddling with brake pedals!

2. Enjoytime Electric Drifting Go-Kart

Specifications:

• Power Source: Electric Motor
• Speed: 10 mph (16 km/h)
• Range: 6.2 miles (10 km)
• Run Time: 40 minutes
• Weight Limit: 143 lbs (65 kg) 
• Recommended Ages: 6+
• Drift Mechanism: Handbrake

Features

The Enjoytime Electric Drifting Go-Kart is a drift kart designed for kids and youths but with a cool twist. You can actually adjust the frame’s length to make it suitable for children of different heights! This drifter kart can take a maximum weight of 143 lbs so it’s suitable for most kids and teens. With a maximum speed of 10 mph (16 km/h) in ‘Sport Mode’ it’s great for drifting action and for having some fun on the weekend.

As an extra precautionary measure, the Enjoytime Electric Drifting Go-Kart can also be used in ‘Novice Mode’ which caps the speed at 5 mph (8 km/h), or a ‘Normal Mode’ at 7.5 mph (12 km/h). This kart also features a very nice design, both from a visual point of view and from a practical one. It is portable and can be stored in the trunk of many types of cars for easy transportation.

It also comes with reinforced seat belts to ensure that your child stays safe while drifting around. Additionally, it’s equipped with a 36V battery that keeps the drift kart going for about 30 – 40 minutes. That’s quite impressive for a go-kart of this standard and size. Charging it is also a breeze and you’ll get a full battery in about 3 – 5 hours.

How to Drift

Drifting with this go-kart is also easy to learn. It comes with a handbrake and an acceleration pedal which can be used in tandem to drift. This provides a more realistic drifting experience where the kids can learn to control both steering and drifting at the same time.

It also allows them to race around at different speeds with different drifting patterns. This system combined with the 2:1:1 steering ratio helps control the kart during drifting very easily. However, the easier way to drift is to position the rear wheel closer together, drive at a higher speed, turn into a corner, pull the handbrake and countersteer.

3. Razor Crazy Cart

Specifications:

• Power Source: 250W Electric Motor
• Speed: 12 mph (19 km/h)
• Range: 8 miles (12.8 km)
• Run Time: 40 minutes
• Weight Limit: 140 lbs (63 kg)
• Recommended Ages: 9+
• Drift Mechanism: Drift Bar

Features

The Crazy Cart by Razor is aimed at children from ages 9 and up. It’s the slightly larger version than the Crazy Shift and is also awesome for drifting. Due to its larger size, it supports a maximum weight of 140 lbs. It features a foot pedal to control the speed and through it’s 250W electric motor it can reach speeds of up to 12 mph.

The Crazy Cart features two pneumatic front tires and anti-tip front caster wheels, which provides stability. The kart does not feature a braking system or have a seatbelt. Although the speed of this go-kart is quite low, it’s something to take into account. One reason for this is that kids can easily jump off, if the go-kart drifts out of control. Apart from it’s fun drifting mechanism, the Razor Crazy Cart also has a similar design to its other variants.

Overall, this drifter kart provides kids with a fun drifting experience that is easy to learn. Additionally, the 24V battery that is packed into this model is powerful and lets children ride the kart for about 40 minutes at a time. The batteries are rechargeable and are fully charged in about 3 – 5 hours.

How to Drift

The Razor Crazy Cart has a unique driving and drifting system. It features a large Drift Bar that can be used to control drifts very easily. But that’s not all! The patented drifting system allows children to drive it in practically any direction! It can go forward, backward, sideways, and even diagonally. This is achieved by adjusting the angle of the rear caster.

This mechanism is what makes the Crazy Cart a great option for those kids who want the ultimate drifting experience. With the Drift Bar, the additional safety at the front end, and this unique drifting system, there’s no way kids would be disappointed with this drift kart.

4. Razor Force Drifter Kart

Specifications:

• Power Source: 250W Electric Motor
• Speed: 12 mph (19 km/h)
• Range: 9 miles (14 km)
• Run Time: 40 minutes
• Weight Limit: 140 lbs (63 kg)
• Recommended Ages: 8+
• Drift Mechanism: Handbrake

Features

Designed for children for ages 8 and up, the Force Drifter Kart by Razor is one of the more serious drifters in the lineup. Powered by a 250W electric motor, it manages to achieve a top speed of 12 mph and can take a maximum load of 140 lbs. The controller allows drivers to adjust their speed variably. This means that they can either cruise around slowly or take it to the highest speed and drift to their heart’s content!

The rear wheels of the Razor Force Drifter Kart are extremely slick, meaning that drifting is extremely simple. There is also a ‘Spark Bar’ at the rear wheels, that spark when drifting! It also comes with a hand accelerator and a handbrake, which makes drifting even more fun!

The Force Drifter comes with two 12V batteries. These batteries can be upgraded with aftermarket parts, if more juice is required. This drifter kart can run up to a total of 40 minutes, before it needs to be recharged again. Similar to other Razor drift karts, recharging the batteries is extremely simple and a full charge is achieved in just a few hours. I’ve created a separate in-depth review of the Razor Force Drifter Kart. 

How to Drift

The kart comes with a thumb trigger to control the throttle. There’s also a hand-operated brake that is used to initiate the drift. The combination of these two elements means that children have all the control they need to get the perfect drift. This is because they can simply accelerate the kart while they are pulling the handbrake.

Combine this with the super-slick rear wheels and you have a kart that is excellent for drifting on flat roads. And again, how cool is it to see sparks fly off the back of the kart while drifting?

5. EzyRoller Drift Rider

Specifications:

• Power Source: Motion
• Speed: Depends on Driver
• Range: Unlimited
• Run Time: Unlimited
• Weight Limit: 150 lbs (68 kg)
• Recommended Ages: 4+
• Drift Mechanism: Handbrake

Features:

The next drift kart on the list is the EzyRoller Drift Rider. It sports a unique design and is recommended for children aged 4 years and older. However, thanks to its weight capacity of around 150 lbs and it’s extendable design, it can also be used by older children and even adults.

The interesting part about this drift kart is its movement and drifting mechanism. At first glance, this drift kart doesn’t look like there is much to it, but rest assured – it’s super fun! You’ll notice that there is no steering wheel; instead it features a very cleverly designed bar that you control with your legs. Pumping this bar back and forth is how you accelerate and a hand bar/brake on each side helps you drift the kart.

It’s really that simple! There are no pedals, no gears and no fuss. You simply sit in the driver seat and use your body’s motion to drive and drift. Since it’s powered manually, there are no batteries required. This is great because there’s never a need to charge the drift kart. Its compact design also makes it the easiest kart to take along for trips!

How to Drift

With the EzyRoller Drift Rider, all it takes to drift is using the unique mechanism to accelerate the go-kart and then turning sharply into a corner. For better drifts it’s recommended to also use the handbrake. That’s pretty much it!

Granted the drifting experience won’t be as convenient as with a motorized drifter kart but you’re sure to get a unique experience. This clever design makes drifting a breeze and it’s extremely easy to get the hang of.

6. Razor Jr. Lil’ Crazy Cart

Specifications:

• Power Source: Electric Motor
• Speed: 2 mph (3.22 km/h)
• Run Time: 40 Minutes
• Weight Limit: 44 lbs (20 kg)
• Recommended Ages: 3+
• Drift Mechanism: Steering

Features

The Razor Jr. Lil’ Crazy Cart is designed for the youngest children who are 3 and older. It’s a safe drifter kart that is perfect for use by younger kids who want to experience drifting in a go-kart. As the frame is much smaller, it can hold only a maximum weight of up to 44 lbs. Powered by a low-speed electric motor, it can achieve a maximum speed of 2 mph, which makes it safe for younger kids.

The accelerator of the drift kart is a foot pedal, which is easily accessible. There are no elaborate design elements or features on this drift kart, other than the surrounding bumpers to keep your kid as safe as possible. Being a small and slow kart, it’s powered by a 6V battery that is located underneath the seat. This will provide the Razor Jr. Lil’ Crazy Cart with enough juice to let your child drift around for a decent amount of time before having to recharge it.

How to Drift

The Razor Jr. Lil’ Crazy Cart is equipped with 360-degree wheels that allow it to drift when turning the steering wheel quickly. Fortunately, there isn’t much else to the drift mechanism, which is why it’s the perfect drift kart for young kids. The kart’s purpose is to get young children used to drifting go-karts.

This is a good thing since children won’t get confused or overwhelmed by a complicated system and can just drift their little kart around by turning the steering wheel.

7. Razor Crazy Cart XL

Specifications:

• Power Source: 500W Electric Motor
• Speed: 14 mph (22.5 km/h)
• Run Time: 40 Minutes
• Weight Limit: 240 lbs (109 kg)
• Recommended Ages: 16+
• Drift Mechanism: Drift Bar

Features

Another great drift kart by Razor is the Crazy Cart XL. This model is perfect for teens and adults due to its larger size and high-powered 500W variable speed electric motor. At full speed, this drifter can achieve up to 14 mph and supports drivers up to 240 lbs in weight.

It comes in a cool black powder-coated frame with a red accent color. As with similar Razor drift karts, the Crazy Cart XL is equipped with their patented drifting system, which consists of dual rear caster wheels, a drift bar, and a foot pedal for variable speeds. As far as safety is concerned, there is a shoulder and lap strap that is designed to keep the driver safely in the seat. The high-impact pneumatic front tires help with stability and support the go-kart when drifting.

Being a higher-powered drift go-kart, it requires more battery capacity and a higher voltage. Therefore, it’s equipped with a large 36V battery and one full charge lasts about 40 minutes. These features make it a great drifting go-kart for older kids as well as adults!

How to Drift

Similar to the other models from Razor, the Crazy Cart XL works without brake pedals. Thanks to its unique drifting system that uses special wheels, the kart can be drifted in any direction! This is achieved by pulling the drift bar to initiate the drift and with the steering wheel you can easily control the direction of the kart.

The foot pedal also comes in handy while drifting as you are able to control how fast you are going, while using the steering wheel to maneuver. Overall, it is a very simple-to-use drifting mechanism that is designed to provide a fun experience to both adults and children.

8. Rollplay Turnado Ride

Specifications:

• Power Source: Electric Motor
• Speed: 12 mph (19 km/h)
• Run Time: 30 Minutes
• Weight Limit: 240 lbs (68 kg)
• Recommended Ages: 8+
• Drift Mechanism: Steering

Features

Suitable for children aged 8 years and older, the Rollplay Turnado Ride is another awesome drift kart. It’s powered by an electric motor that manages to achieve up to 12 mph. Combined with a weight limit of 150 lbs, this drifting go-kart is great for kids!

Featuring a cool red and black design, the Rollplay Turnado Ride also offers various safety features for kids – a seat belt secures the driver in place while racing and drifting. Additionally, the pneumatic wheels ensure that the riding experience is smooth and even helps to cushion small bumps on uneven road surfaces. Instead of a traditional steering wheel, the Turnado comes with a handlebar that offers both steering and stability. This design choice also makes the kart look very unique.

The electric motor on the Turnado is powered by a 24V battery that lasts up to 30 minutes on a single charge. This number is quite a bit lower compared to other drifting go-karts featured in this list. However, it still manages to provide plenty of drifting action!

How to Drift

In order to drift, the Rollplay Turnado Ride is equipped with special angled caster wheels that help slide the kart through corners at high speeds. The ‘Innovative Direct Drive System’ used here makes it very easy to achieve a drift without needing special bars or handbrakes. Just power the Turnado up to its maximum speed and turn the handlebar to engage in some adrenaline-pumping sliding and drifting action!

Drifter Karts – Buying Guide

If you’re interested in purchasing a drift kart for yourself or your kids, the following buying guide aims to make your purchase decision easier. We’ll be taking a closer look into all of the relevant aspects of a drifter kart such as the various types of power sources, drifting mechanisms, sizes, recommended ages, weight limits, speed, design and price ranges.

Power Source

The first aspect we’re going to discuss is the power source. Drift karts have different ways to accelerate and the most common form is through an electric motor or through manual motion.

Electric motors on drift karts typically range from about 90 to 500 watts depending on the type of go-kart and the recommended age range. Drift karts for children also have a speed controller or limiter equipped, which lets the parents set a maximum speed as an extra safety precaution – as seen on the Crazy Cart Shift or Razor Jr. Lil’ Crazy Cart.

There are also drift go-karts that use manual motion to accelerate and drift. This is achieved through leg movement and therefore requires no motor or batteries. Whichever kart you opt for, always check the output of the motor and the top speed if you’re buying it for a child.

Drifting Mechanism

There are two types of drifting mechanisms that these types of go-karts have. In order to drift you’ll need to turn the steering wheel and in some cases pull the hand bake. Drift karts that don’t have a handbrake rely on 360-degree rear caster wheels that swing the kart outwards, which initiates the drift.

Go-karts that require a handbrake, in order to drift, usually have slick rear wheels. Pulling the handbrake will lock these rear wheels in place, which in turn swings the kart outwards and allows it to drift. The combination of steering and pulling the handbrake requires a little more coordination skills, but at the same time feels more authentic.

The drifting mechanism of a drifter kart should definitely be considered before a purchase, as this will determine the skill level required. It’s typical for drift karts that are geared for younger kids to rely on caster wheels without a handbrake, as it’s easier to get a hang of.

Recommended Ages

As you can see in the review section, each drift kart that is listed will indicate a recommended age for use purposes. The recommended age is an indication in relation to the kart speed, size and weight limitation.

Depending on these factors, the recommended ages usually start at about 3 years and older up until 16 years and older. To ensure safety, you should always follow the recommended age listed for the respective drift kart.

Size

Most drift karts feature a size that is in relation to the recommended age and weight limit. However, there are several drifting go-karts that have an adjustable length – the EzyRoller Drift Rider is a great example. This lets you adjust the length of the kart to match your height.

Weight Limit

You should also be mindful of the maximum weight limit, which is indicated in the specification section under each drift kart. While go-kart drifting is fun for all ages, it’s not recommended for adults to try and drift on a go-kart that is designed for kids.

In fact, drifting required as little weight as possible on the rear tires, in order for the back of the drift kart to swing outward. The closer the driver’s weight is to the designed weight limit, the hard it will be to drift with it. This is something you should definitely keep in mind when purchasing your drift kart.

Speed

A similar concept applies to speed. The speed of a drift kart depends on the weight of the driver and the power of the electric motor (apart from your physical stamina for motion-powered karts). Go-karts designed for younger children will have a lower speed limit and sometimes even a speed governor. A speed of a drift kart can range from about 2 mph to 14 mph (3.22 km/h to. 22.5 km/h).

Design

Each drift go-kart has a design that is in line with its functionality. Certain drift karts look more like actual racing karts, while others look similar to a quadricycle. While you should consider the design of a drift kart, design preferences are always personal and should therefore not be the primary deciding factor. The design of a drift kart has little impact on the actual drifting mechanism and doesn’t contribute much to the overall fun factor.

Price

The price range of a drift kart can range between $100 to $700. The price is usually determined by the parts it’s equipped with and the materials it’s made of. You’ll typically see motion-powered drift karts cost about $100 and upward, whereas electric-powered drift karts start at about $200.

• Motion-powered drift kart price (all ages): $100 – $200
• Electric-powered drift kart price (kids): $200 – $350
• Electric-powered drift kart price (adults): $400 – $700