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Seems we need to be opening MX tracks at Ski resorts.
Because skiing/snow boarding is mainstream and moto isn't.
Growing up in SoCal it seemed there were Moto tracks every where... I still think its the best place in the country for moto because of the climate, terrain, and popularity. I think the biggest threat to Moto tracks nationally is the insurance costs, and for these tracks to continue to stay in business they will need to adjust their business models.
not to mention the $14 beers and $22 slice of pizza is way better at a ski resort than a moto track
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I wasn’t much into mx when both competition parks were closed down, but wasn’t it due to noise and dust near the Indian reservations? I was like 13 back then and mostly just went to watch cousins practice, so i really can’t remember exactly what happened
Comp park 1 was closed in 2002 as they lost their lease on the land, I have not been to San Jacinto in years, so the old track site is probably surrounded with houses by now.
Comp Park 2 closed after a tribal member died riding on the new track, the Soboba tribal council also cancelled the 2002 Motocross of Nations that was scheduled at that track.
Comp Park 2 was nothing more than a flat sand pit, I raced there once and never went back. Comp 1 was awesome.
Shane Watts used to do riding clinics at Big Sky Resort in Montana in the early 200s.
There is an interesting dichotomy here. Most real skiers aren’t rich elitist(some for sure are). And most of us have worked in the industry (or still do) to afford the ability to ski year after year.
Then there is the vacation skier that goes 1-3 weeks a year and is there for the hot chocolate and family picture as much as anything. The ski industry caters to these folks. Most ski resorts don’t make there money on ticket sales they make it on real estate/hotels/ and food and beverage.
Big Sky used to have a national hare scramble!
Another significant advantage that ski areas have built into their operating models is a much more intentional focus on beginners / casual participants. Any newb can walk onto any ski hill, and there will be a rental shop, and lessons available. Having a similar program at a moto track where rentals & lessons are readily available to the casually interested outsider seems like it would be a great way to grow the sport & increase revenue for the tracks.
Do you mean like CityMX in Melbourne, Australia...
https://citymx.online/
Yep comp park 2 was a disaster when they watered it it was Green from the manure good thing that Glen Helen held a race for all the riders that came over for the canceled Nations race!
What became of Castiac and Hopetown?
Used to hear about those tracks.
Ski resorts in North America are killing skiing for average people. They’re all owned by one of two companies and fees are through the roof. Enough rich people to pay.
Compare with European resorts. Many are run by the townships and skiing is much easier for common people to enjoy.
They likely don’t have the ridiculous “sue everyone everytime” culture that the US does either though. Is the US the only place with highways littered with lawyer billboards?
Edited to add I totally get track owners charging more in a lot of cases. Running a track is tons of effort only to get people complaining about everything as a reward.
"Is the US the only place with highways littered with lawyer billboards?"
Yes, and one of the few places that lawyers advertise on TV.
Track I grew up riding as a kid in north California closed because of noise I was told. Apparently hippies said trees didn’t like the noise. Was phillipsville (Probaly closed like 1999 or so)
New track just opened in Joshua Tree. Can"t lose all hope..
yeah but the ski resort beginners are not spending $7000+ on a bike, $1000+ on boots, gear, helmet, hundreds a year in maintenance and fuel.
You buy some skis for like $500, ski gear for another $500-$700, and boom you are set for 10 years if you go 3-4 times a year.
Plus it's easy for the resorts to supply rental skis being that they are so cheap. Imagine funding rental dirtbikes. That would be expensive unless it was like TTR, KLX, CRF 150's ect.
Pit Row
That's exactly the point I was trying to make - an absolute beginner, with no gear whatsoever can walk onto a ski resort, and rent every bit of gear they need; no upfront investment needed. The skis resorts are renting out are much more in the line of the TTR/KLX/CRF models; and while a single moto is more expensive than a set of skis, there could be a significant cost offset in not having to account for the myriad run of sizes, and the process of fitting boots & setting up binding on skis.
As others have observed, the ski industry makes its money off catering to the experience of first timers, and casual users; not off selling season passes to jaded locals. The MX / moto industry culture seems to work on the opposite paradigm, and seems to pride itself on gatekeeping, rather than providing an easily accessible on-ramp for those outside our sport.
Haha saw this one the other day while waiting for my Uber at LAX - doesn’t get any better
I could buy a dirtbike for it would cost my family of 3 to fly to CO and rent and ride for 4 days. I think I worked it out to like 50-75 a run. Not worth it period.
Despite being pretty decent at snowboarding I just gave the sport up once I had a family due to cost - I know a lot more in the same position. Obviously if you live in CA or CO it’s a different deal but for us Fly-ins its rough😞
If you want to see how to promote a sport go mountain biking in Bentonville AK. They have that place so dialed for literally every skill level - and it’s totally free to the public. It will blow you away how much they developed the area for mountain bikers - thriving is an understatement.
I spent more quality time riding with my 9yr old than any other sporting activity we engage in. I could prob give up dirtbikes if I lived close enough- it offers that much utility and overall satisfaction.
San Elijo Hills used to be one giant motocross track. Times change. If you don’t want to see motocross tracks disappear in prime real estate areas then stop building homes. In fact, the best thing for motocross would be if everyone would just stop procreating. Recreational motocross was much better back when there were fewer people on this planet.
The sport of motocross will never be more valuable than real estate.
I'm trying my hardest to persuade my younger daughter to go to college in Fayetteville. She's not going to be happy when she finds out why. She may see me more in college than she did in high school.
Haha - my buddy has graciously sent his 2 daughters there.. win win
I've lived in multiple states/different regions of the east coast. Most tracks my wife is lucky to even get a porta potty. If they do have one that is a win.
Sorry to my California moto-brothers that this is happening. The sport seems to be doing well in my neck of the woods (Illinois). i think a really good AMA District president makes a huge difference. In Illinois we kind of leaned into the District 17 and it has been good. I know the AMA isn't the answer for all the states but again....a good AMA district can make a difference.
Mid 2000's SoCal moto was hard to beat. So many tracks, everyone from around the country/world based out of there, cheap houses in Menifee/Murrieta/Temecula...what an era.
I moved out of California in 2020, we go back every few months. Last few times I didn't even bring my dirt bike, just the bicycles. Sad to see the current state of the sport there.
100% . North County San Diego 30 years ago was awesome, tracks & riding areas everywhere now it’s like OC 2.0 🤬👎🏻
I've said it in another thread, with LACR closed it is at best a 5 hour round tripper to go hit the tracks now, and that's without traffic. LACR was 2 hours total R/T which meant you could get out, ride your moto's and be home before noon. There is a huge group of people who ride tracks in my area with no place reasonable distance away to go to, and for people like me with minimum amounts of free time during the week it really cuts down on track time, which then trickles down to less money spent on parts, oils, and other monies at the local dealer.
Post a reply to: Interesting Video on the current So Cal Moto Scene