Radne - Over 50 years in motorsport
LEIF RADNE 1966
Leif races in the car park of the first IKEA store in Stockholm in 1966. Twin 100 cc engines delivered top speeds as high as those achieved today.
ALMOST 60 YEARS LATER
60 years later, the company is more than just Karting, but the passion for Karting is still 100%
The years 1960-1966
Follow Radne’s history from its beginnings in the family garage to a company with a strong passion for karting and motorsport.
1966
Leif Radne discovers karting
Driven by a strong passion for motorsport, 22-year-old Leif Radne starts the company in his parents’ garage in Mälarhöjden outside Stockholm. Karting is a new and exciting sport from the USA. The garage, previously filled with motorcycles, now makes room for go-karts.
1966
The company is founded
Leif Radne had proved so successful in motorsport that it was now clear - this was something you could actually do for a living. That same year, he founded the company Motorfirma Leif Radne. The business took off immediately, and the family garage quickly turned into a workshop filled with engines, tools and ongoing experiments. It was here that the foundations were laid for what would become Northern Europe's leading karting and motorsport company.
1966
First commercial product
Leif Radne designs and starts producing his first commercial product - a mechanical disc brake. The brake quickly became a success in the karting world and laid the foundations for the company's reputation as an innovator. Production of the disc brake continued until 2006.
The years 1967-1973
1967
Own inventions take off
Radne designs its own reed valve system for kart engines and converts the Parilla BA13 from a rotary valve to a reed valve - a solution adapted for the Swedish national classes. The system was very successful and was later copied by several importers. From the mid-1980s, the reed valve became standard in almost all kart engines worldwide.
1972
An engine of its own is born
After many years in karting, a really good engine for young drivers was still missing. Leif contacted a developer at the chainsaw company Partner, and together they put their heads together. The result was a completely new type of engine, designed specifically for karting's youth classes. This was the start of something big.
1973
First electronic ignition system
Radne develops and produces its first electronic ignition system for karting engines - a groundbreaking innovation at the time. The system is used by Lasse Forsman in his first World Championship final. He finishes an impressive 2nd in the pre-final and 5th in the final - a clear indication of the system's potential.
Years 1975-1980
1975
Komet comes to Sweden
Radne starts selling Komet, the most popular brand of 100 cc karting engines.
1978
Dino karts become a success
Radne starts selling Dino karts on the Swedish market. The karts quickly become a huge success and are used by drivers of all levels. For many years, Dino is one of the most popular brands in Swedish karting - much thanks to Radne's commitment and support.
1980
The Raket brand is introduced
A new version of the 85 cc Partner engine is developed specifically for karting. This also marks the birth of the name Raket, a brand that will soon become synonymous with reliable, easy-to-drive engines for young drivers. Raket quickly becomes a favourite in Swedish karting and soon reaches many other countries.
Years 1982-1987
The garage is too small - now we're moving
1985
The move from the garage
The small garage eventually became too cramped. The company grew, and we took the step of moving to a new location - just a few kilometers away from the original site. Now we had a full 100 square meters to work in, which allowed us to both produce more and grow as a company.
1982
The first Radne catalog
We'd seen mail order work well in other industries - but would karting people buy parts by mail order too? The answer was a resounding yes! In 1982, we released our first catalog, 24 pages in black and white. Since then, the catalogue has been published annually and grown with the company - in 2015 we reached a milestone with a full 300 pages in full color, distributed to customers all over the world.
2015 was also the last year we printed the catalog. After that, our webshop took over as the primary channel for product range, orders and news.
1987
Radne Motor AB is formed
The company takes a major step in its development - Radne Karting is reorganized as Radne Motor AB, a limited company.
The new name reflects both the broader business and our position as an established player in the motorsport industry.
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