diff --git a/data/kart_characteristics.xml b/data/kart_characteristics.xml
index 3094ede00..8134fbc13 100644
--- a/data/kart_characteristics.xml
+++ b/data/kart_characteristics.xml
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
                    smooth-flying-impulse="25" />
 
         <!-- Turning
-            turn-radius: The turn radius of the kart at
+            radius: The turn radius of the kart at
                 a given speed. The actual steering angle is dependent on the
                 wheel base of the kart: radius = wheel_base/sin(steering_angle).
                 The values below define that at speed 0 the turn radius is 2, at
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
                 settings the expected time-to-full-steer is:
                 0.5 * 0.25 + 0.5 * 0.15 = 0.2 ... which is overall the same
                 time we had previously. -->
-        <turn turn-radius="0:2.0 10:7.5 25:15 45:30"
+        <turn radius="0:2.0 10:7.5 25:15 45:30"
               time-full-steer="0:0.17 0.5:0.17 0.5:0.28 1.0:0.28"
               time-reset-steer="0.1" />
 
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
             max-speed-reverse-ratio is the percentage of max speed for reverse gear.
           -->
         <engine power="875" max-speed="25" brake-factor="15"
-                brake-time-increase="6" max-speed-reverse-ratio="0.3" />
+                brake-time-increase="6" max-speed-reverse-ratio="0.65" />
 
         <!-- Simulated gears
             switch-ratio defines at what ratio of the maximum
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
         <gear switch-ratio="0.25 0.7 1.0" power-increase="2.2 1.7 1.3" />
 
         <!-- Mass of a kart -->
-        <mass value="225" />
+        <mass value="350" />
 
         <!-- Wheels
             damping-relaxation/compression: for bullet
@@ -307,15 +307,15 @@
     <!-- The different difficulties (like easy, medium, hard) -->
     <difficulties>
         <characteristic name="easy">
-            <engine power="*0.6" max-speed="*0.6" />
+            <engine power="*0.66" max-speed="*0.6" />
             <plunger in-face-time="3" />
         </characteristic>
         <characteristic name="medium">
-            <engine power="*0.7" max-speed="*0.7" />
+            <engine power="*0.77" max-speed="*0.8" />
             <plunger in-face-time="4" />
         </characteristic>
         <characteristic name="hard">
-            <engine power="*0.85" max-speed="*0.85" />
+            <engine power="*0.89" max-speed="*0.92" />
         </characteristic>
         <characteristic name="best" />
     </difficulties>
@@ -323,13 +323,13 @@
     <!-- The different kart types, that can be specified in the kart.xml file -->
     <kart-types>
         <characteristic name="light">
-            <turn turn-radius="0:3.0 10:10.0 25:20.0 45:40.0"
+            <turn radius="0:3.0 10:10.0 25:20.0 45:40.0"
                   time-full-steer ="0:0.15 0.5:0.15 0.5:0.25 1.0:0.25"
                   time-reset-steer="0.1" />
-            <engine power="*0.5" max-speed="*0.8" brake-factor="*1"
-                 max-speed-reverse-ratio="0.5" />
+            <engine power="*0.46" max-speed="*0.92" brake-factor="*1"
+                 max-speed-reverse-ratio="*0.77" />
             <gear switch-ratio="0.20 0.55 1" power-increase="5 4 3" />
-            <mass value="195" />
+            <mass value="*0.56" />
             <startup time="0.3 0.5"
                      boost="8.5 4.5" />
             <explosion time="2.1" radius="5.5"
@@ -341,12 +341,13 @@
                         fade-out-time="2.3" />
         </characteristic>
         <characteristic name="medium">
-            <turn turn-radius="0:4.5 10:16.0 25:30.0 45:60.0"
+            <turn radius="0:4.5 10:16.0 25:30.0 45:60.0"
                   time-full-steer ="0:0.17 0.5:0.17 0.5:0.28 1.0:0.28"
                   time-reset-steer="0.1" />
-            <engine power="*0.7" max-speed="*0.9" brake-factor="*0.9" />
+            <engine power="*0.63" max-speed="*1" brake-factor="*0.73"
+                    max-speed-reverse-ratio="*0.62" />
             <gear switch-ratio="0.30 0.7 1.0" power-increase="2.2 2.2 2.5" />
-            <mass value="250" />
+            <mass value="*0.71" />
             <startup time="0.3 0.5"
                      boost="4.2 2.6" />
             <explosion time="1.8" radius="5"
@@ -356,13 +357,13 @@
                         fade-out-time="1.6" />
         </characteristic>
         <characteristic name="heavy">
-            <turn turn-radius="0:4.0 10:18.5 25:43.0 45:72.5"
+            <turn radius="0:4.0 10:18.5 25:43.0 45:72.5"
                   time-full-steer ="0:0.23 0.5:0.23 0.5:0.41 1.0:0.41"
                   time-reset-steer="0.1" />
-            <engine power="*1" max-speed="*1" brake-factor="*0.8"
-                    max-speed-reverse-ratio="0.65" />
+            <engine power="*1" max-speed="*1" brake-factor="*0.66"
+                    max-speed-reverse-ratio="*1" />
             <gear switch-ratio="0.45 0.70 1" power-increase="1.5 1.7 2.5" />
-            <mass value="350" />
+            <mass value="*1" />
             <swatter duration="10" distance="3" squash-duration="5"
                      squash-slowdown="0.5" />
             <startup time="0.3 0.5"
diff --git a/data/stk_config.xml b/data/stk_config.xml
index df5733dd7..b4f55dcf8 100644
--- a/data/stk_config.xml
+++ b/data/stk_config.xml
@@ -408,86 +408,9 @@
      <lean    max="8.6"  speed="5.0" />
 
      <kart-type>
-         <light>
-             <startup time   = "0.3 0.5"
-                 boost  = "8.5 4.5"  />
-
-             <nitro engine-force="350" consumption="1" small-container="1" big-container="3"
-                 max-speed-increase="4.5" duration="1.5" fade-out-time="2.5" max="20"/>
-
-             <slipstream length="11" width="2" collect-time="1.5" use-time="2.5"
-                 add-power="3.2" min-speed="9"
-                 max-speed-increase="4" duration="1.2" fade-out-time="2.3"/>
-
-             <turn turn-radius="0:3.0 10:10.0 25:20.0 45:40.0"
-                 time-full-steer ="0:0.15 0.5:0.15 0.5:0.25 1.0:0.25"
-                 time-reset-steer="0.1"/>
-
-             <engine power="250 300 350 400"  max-speed="13 18 21 23.0" brake-factor="15.0"
-                 max-speed-reverse-ratio="0.5"/>
-
-             <gear switch-ratio="0.20 0.55 1" power-increase="5 4 3"/>
-
-             <mass value="195"/>
-
-             <explosion time="2.1" radius="5.5"
-                 invulnerability-time="7" />
-         </light>
-
-         <medium>
-             <startup time   = "0.3 0.5"
-                 boost  = "4.2 2.6"  />
-
-              <nitro engine-force="425" consumption="1.4" small-container="1" big-container="3"
-                    max-speed-increase="5" duration="1.2" fade-out-time="2" max="20"/>
-
-              <slipstream length="10" width="2" collect-time="2" use-time="3.3"
-                  add-power="2.8" min-speed="10"
-                  max-speed-increase="5" duration="0.9" fade-out-time="1.6"/>
-
-              <turn turn-radius="0:4.5 10:16.0 25:30.0 45:60.0"
-                    time-full-steer ="0:0.17 0.5:0.17 0.5:0.28 1.0:0.28"
-                    time-reset-steer="0.1"/>
-
-              <engine power="375 450 525 550"  max-speed="14 19 22.0 25" brake-factor="11.0"
-                  max-speed-reverse-ratio="0.4"/>
-
-              <gear switch-ratio="0.30 0.7 1.0" power-increase="2.2 2.2 2.5"/>
-
-              <mass value="250"/>
-
-             <explosion time="1.8" radius="5"
-                  invulnerability-time="6" />
-         </medium>
-
-         <heavy>
-             <startup time   = "0.3 0.5"
-                   boost  = "3.8 2"  />
-
-             <nitro engine-force="600" consumption="2" small-container="1" big-container="3"
-                   max-speed-increase="8" duration="0.7" fade-out-time="1.3" max="20"/>
-
-             <slipstream length="8.5" width="2" collect-time="2" use-time="4"
-                   add-power="2.7" min-speed="10.5"
-                   max-speed-increase="8" duration="0.7" fade-out-time="1"/>
-
-             <swatter duration="10" distance="3" squash-duration="5"
-                   squash-slowdown="0.5"/>
-
-             <turn turn-radius="0:4.0 10:18.5 25:43.0 45:72.5"
-                      time-full-steer ="0:0.23 0.5:0.23 0.5:0.41 1.0:0.41"
-                   time-reset-steer="0.1"/>
-
-             <engine power="575 675 775 875"  max-speed="15 20 23 25" brake-factor="10"
-                   max-speed-reverse-ratio="0.65"/>
-
-             <gear switch-ratio="0.45 0.70 1" power-increase="1.5 1.7 2.5"/>
-
-             <mass value="350"/>
-
-             <explosion time="1.5" radius="4"
-                   invulnerability-time="6" />
-         </heavy>
+         <light />
+         <medium />
+         <heavy />
      </kart-type>
   </general-kart-defaults>
 </config>