The Oplite Nitro Kart is THE solution if you don’t have room for a conventional cockpit, or if you want a child to be able to play too. We received it: Review.
Oplite Nitro Kart in brief Best Values
What does the Oplite Nitro Kart look like technically?
| Chassis construction | 40mm steel outer tubes, 35mm steel inner tubes. |
| Seat | Fiberglass go-kart seat. |
| Dimensions | 1m to 1.58m depending on driver’s height setting. |
| Driver size | 1.20m to 1.90m |
| In the boxes | Oplite Nitro Kart chassis. 8 rubber pads. 1 rear seat pad. 4 cable guides. Screws and bolts for pedals and base. |
| Price Incl. 20% French VAT. | Nitro Kart chassis without seat: €119.99 Nitro Kart standard : 148,99€ (without seat) Nitro Kart Family: 199€ (the one we received) Fiberglass kart seat only: 79,90€ Seat reducer only: 79,98€ (French) Screen arm: €59.99 |
Discretion and modularity
We’re not going to lie to you: when we saw the price of this cockpit (199€ for the family model), we immediately contacted the manufacturer, in this case Oplite, to test the machine. Of course, there’s the unbeatable price, but there’s also the idea of simracing on a go-kart chassis rather than on a conventional aluminum or tubular set-up.
The advantage: space, of course. Indeed, this karting chassis is simply tiny compared to the one we usually use. The other thing that jumped out at us was the fact that it can be used by children and adults alike. The Nitro Kart is suitable for people from 1.20 m to 1.90 m tall, and when reduced to its smallest size (1 m long), it can easily be stored in the corner of a bedroom.
So, what does this mean in practical terms?
However, the real question was whether the materials used, and the various settings of the Oplite Nitro Kart, could stand up to comparison with a conventional cockpit. You’ll agree that if it’s impossible to put a Direct Drive on it, with a pedalset capable of supporting at least 60 kg on the brake, the interest becomes less.
So we assembled the chassis in less than an hour and fitted it with a Fanatec CS DD (15 Nm) and a pedalset capable of bearing 80 kg on the brake. To our great surprise, the chassis didn’t even flinch! From the steering to the bottom bracket, there was not the slightest parasitic movement during our gaming sessions.
Of course, we were careful to tighten the quick-releases and secure the flywheel/pedalset assembly with screws. For the record, screws for Thrustmaster, Fanatec, Logitech, etc. steering wheels are supplied with the chassis. As far as quick-releases are concerned, it’s obvious that if you change settings every day, they’ll wear out. However, for a single user, it is also possible to replace them, after a quick trip to Leroy Merlin, with a screw/nut assembly, which will ensure long-term rigidity.
Comprehensive settings
Another point, the settings section. Here again, we were surprised by one surprise after another. You can do anything! Normally, in a real kart, the steering wheel is not at 90° to the ground. Here, everything can be adjusted just like in a conventional cockpit. It’s easy to get the position you want. What’s more, it took us just a few minutes to switch from adult to child size.
Inclinaison de la plaque de support : 0°(plat), 10°, 14°, 18°.
Possibilité de l’utiliser en position inversée.
Réglages du siège
Inclinaison du siège : 0°, 7°, 14°.
Réglages du volant
Inclinaison : -30°, -15°, 0°, 15°, 30°.
Hauteur : – 21cm.
Profondeur : réglable sur les axes tubulaires au pied du châssis.
The quality of the materials is also top-notch, although we don’t think you should change the settings every 5 minutes, or the spacers will eventually take a beating. The Family version of the Oplite Nitro Kart also comes with a seat reducer (for the little ones), and the fiberglass seat is a real kart seat.
Our verdict on the Oplite Nitro Kart
The Nitro Kart is simply stunning. The quality of the materials, the adjustment options and the compact size make it an ideal client for any simracer just starting out or who doesn’t necessarily have a dedicated room to accommodate a classic cockpit. And what about the price? It defies anything else on the market. If you want to free up your office and enjoy your racing games to the full, you know what you have to do! The same applies if your child or little brother wants to get into simracing!
To find out more: How to choose a simracing chassis
