Cycle Ranch - New Owner

Awesome!

Spread the word KKawboy

Great News! It's a long drive from North Austin, but we'll do it a few times a year for sure.

I don't know Todd, I hope he makes a track for the 90% that want fun with no injuries. Blind jumps and a track prepped so deep there was no sense going out until after noon when it became ride-able. It has been one of the few places where a big bore can stretch it's legs.

I enjoy the truck track too, a great place to work on setup in the flat corners and whoops. Maybe a circle berm and a snail turn might be fun.

I'm sure Tyler will be happy CYCUL RANCH will be open again.

Johnny Depp wrote:

Great News! It's a long drive from North Austin, but we'll do it a few times a year for sure.

I don't know Todd, I hope he makes a track for the 90% that want fun with no injuries. Blind jumps and a track prepped so deep there was no sense going out until after noon when it became ride-able. It has been one of the few places where a big bore can stretch it's legs.

I enjoy the truck track too, a great place to work on setup in the flat corners and whoops. Maybe a circle berm and a snail turn might be fun.

It's an even longer drive from the east Texas border, but some seriously fun times were had there. Haven't been in a long time but the last time we were there it was getting littered with some stupid jumps and sections. Like you said, build it for the 90%. So many tracks lose sight of that and can't figure out why nobody shows up.

I'd like to make it down there sometime the dirt looks nice

Some may remember this from 2008:

http://www.vitalmx.com/news/press-release/cycle-ranch-in-texas-is-for-sale,3989

"Own a Premier Motocross Track in Floresville, Texas!

One of the five Best Tracks in the Nation, Cycle Ranch is now for sale.

Cycle Ranch is located in Floresville, Texas, which is 30 minutes South of San Antonio, on 108 acres of red dirt and beautiful oak trees. The national track is 1.7 miles long, 30 feet wide, with natural elevation changes over the some of the best soil in motocross."

The facility had some nice improvements such as the night track and SX track, a copy of the Dallas track, as well as the showers, restaurant and accessory shop.



It's just a few minutes from where the guy with the magic bullets that couldn't penetrate a double wide church was.

For all the Texas people on here, including Cycle Ranch what are some must rides tracks in Texas? Making a trip this January or February

Historic Rio Bravo in Houston is on the list. Swan in Tyler. Are you going to be in any particular area in TX?

Johnny Depp wrote:

Historic Rio Bravo in Houston is on the list. Swan in Tyler. Are you going to be in any particular area in TX?

No specific spot yet still looking for a central place that's got a decent amount of tracks around it, making a roadtrip from Mass.

Start in Dallas and go east. Then down to Houston and the Cycle Ranch.

Cygrace74 wrote:

For all the Texas people on here, including Cycle Ranch what are some must rides tracks in Texas? Making a trip this January or February

Three Palms by Houston
Underground MX
Oak Hill

RoflCopter726 wrote:

I'm sure Tyler will be happy CYCUL RANCH will be open again.

LOL. Probably will go something like this.

IM SO HAPPIED DAT CYCUL RANCH IZ OPENED AGIN BECUZ IT BESTEST TRAK IN ALL OF TEXAS.

I wonder how old Tyler was when Kent Howerton won the championship on a Suzuki? You'd think his hero would be more like Blake Wharton or Ivan Tedesco?

Good luck to them. It's great it will be open again.

I'd say must rides in Texas: Under Ground, Johnsonville, Oak Hill, Red Rock

Still haven't been to Cycle Ranch or Rio.

I'm glad to see it will be open consistently again. I hope it can command the $35 premium. It will need to be back to it's mid-2000's prep glory days to do so.

I remember when it was $10 back in 2002 and the locals had a heart attack when it hit $20.

Now if they could just get Bill to open the on-site pro shop again...and I agree that it needs to be built for the majority and not wannabe AMA Pros.

$35 is pricey, but still less than a round of golf for a day of fun.

I’ve been paying $35 to ride River Valley lately, and that place isn’t nearly as good as Cycle Ranch was at it’s peak.

Yessir...pay the cash readily....these guys put a bunch of bucks into these tracks.

Johnny Depp wrote:

Great News! It's a long drive from North Austin, but we'll do it a few times a year for sure.

I don't know Todd, I hope he makes a track for the 90% that want fun with no injuries. Blind jumps and a track prepped so deep there was no sense going out until after noon when it became ride-able. It has been one of the few places where a big bore can stretch it's legs.

I enjoy the truck track too, a great place to work on setup in the flat corners and whoops. Maybe a circle berm and a snail turn might be fun.

I'm the polar opposite.

If you want an mx track....

The demise of cycle ranch began with less deep preps, easier jumps, and "more friendly" concepts. In its heyday it was fast, deep, rougher than all hell past 1oclock, had a couple tough "pro" style true doubles, but was mostly all motocross with it's elevation change. It used to have challenging whoops, and often times very tough six pack type doubles that were 6 foot faces/landings. People showed up because at the time it was the widest, fastest, gnarlest, and best prepped track in texas. At the time rumor was (and almost came to be) it would be the next outdoor national track...so people seemed willing to "rise to the challenge" of a pro style track. Despite plenty of very large doubles that very few jumped, it was not an injury prone track.


Prep it deep as possible, there is no limit to what the track takes in water...And it doesn't ever rut unless it has rained 2 feet. Cycle ranch requires a deep prep to shape up and form the berm type lines it needs to be fun. These lines get the rolling whoops in them...it's motocross, not road racing on the some of the best moto dirt god ever made.
In it's heyday the first practice of the day was a wide open, eat all your HP up affair where you went all of 20 mph on a straight. but 50 riders and 30 minutes later, it was completely rideable and by noon it was what I call a proper motocross track. Lines, bumps, even kickers..which is a skillset. Change your line or learn to hit them...or don't jump the jump.

Yes it gets bumps. This is what sand does...the 10000 dollars motorcyles we ride can go over them...last I checked bikes are better and more capable than ever. People set their bikes up now for jumps often times. I see it all the time...and they bitch and moan about the track when it gets a semblance of a bump. Or they set up for bumps and bitch and moan they cant mis time jumps. There is no winning it seems. But well built jumps with STEEP enough landings make jumps a non issue...if you land it right.
Red rock mx national track has what I consider the best built jump you can find. landings that match the size and shape of the face.

And you can ride it till dark if you desire, once it forms lines it can dry out, become dusty, and it still has the lines and the dirt remains soft as it dries.

But if you want a "friendly" track....

dont rip it deep, the beautiful sand out there becomes hard packed and wont accept water.
By 10 am it's dusty, no lines have formed, the track is stupidly fast, and it begins to form tiny chatter bumps
They try to water at 12 - but it just sits on top, creates slim that is terribly slick, and in summer time by the time the water truck has made one lap most of it evaporates anyways.

By 1pm no is riding except those stubborn 85cc kids who will ride anything....and no one goes home thinking, "man what an epic track"


Cycle ranch never has and never will be any good unless you prep it to the tilts. It takes twice the water you think, needs to be ripped as deep as you can, and it takes a little time to shape up. But once it does, there isn't a better track in the country IMHO.

I hope they keep the GP track on site with a few tweaks to it, and provide a "friendly" prep every weekend to that track for those who like that type of riding. The night track can also be prepped more friendly, maybe like a three palms concept. All three available during the day with varied levels of prep and challenge to suit the demands of the diversity in riders


Super excited for the track!

Sadly that weekend WPS/FLY is hosting their annual ride day...somewhat a shame cycle ranch didn't partner with them to couple that as the grand re opening...would have been 500 + people

Derek Harris wrote:

I'm the polar opposite.

If you want an mx track....

The demise of cycle ranch began with less deep preps, easier jumps, and "more friendly" concepts. In its heyday it was fast, deep, rougher than all hell past 1oclock, had a couple tough "pro" style true doubles, but was mostly all motocross with it's elevation change. It used to have challenging whoops, and often times very tough six pack type doubles that were 6 foot faces/landings. People showed up because at the time it was the widest, fastest, gnarlest, and best prepped track in texas. At the time rumor was (and almost came to be) it would be the next outdoor national track...so people seemed willing to "rise to the challenge" of a pro style track. Despite plenty of very large doubles that very few jumped, it was not an injury prone track.


Prep it deep as possible, there is no limit to what the track takes in water...And it doesn't ever rut unless it has rained 2 feet. Cycle ranch requires a deep prep to shape up and form the berm type lines it needs to be fun. These lines get the rolling whoops in them...it's motocross, not road racing on the some of the best moto dirt god ever made.
In it's heyday the first practice of the day was a wide open, eat all your HP up affair where you went all of 20 mph on a straight. but 50 riders and 30 minutes later, it was completely rideable and by noon it was what I call a proper motocross track. Lines, bumps, even kickers..which is a skillset. Change your line or learn to hit them...or don't jump the jump.

Yes it gets bumps. This is what sand does...the 10000 dollars motorcyles we ride can go over them...last I checked bikes are better and more capable than ever. People set their bikes up now for jumps often times. I see it all the time...and they bitch and moan about the track when it gets a semblance of a bump. Or they set up for bumps and bitch and moan they cant mis time jumps. There is no winning it seems. But well built jumps with STEEP enough landings make jumps a non issue...if you land it right.
Red rock mx national track has what I consider the best built jump you can find. landings that match the size and shape of the face.

And you can ride it till dark if you desire, once it forms lines it can dry out, become dusty, and it still has the lines and the dirt remains soft as it dries.

But if you want a "friendly" track....

dont rip it deep, the beautiful sand out there becomes hard packed and wont accept water.
By 10 am it's dusty, no lines have formed, the track is stupidly fast, and it begins to form tiny chatter bumps
They try to water at 12 - but it just sits on top, creates slim that is terribly slick, and in summer time by the time the water truck has made one lap most of it evaporates anyways.

By 1pm no is riding except those stubborn 85cc kids who will ride anything....and no one goes home thinking, "man what an epic track"


Cycle ranch never has and never will be any good unless you prep it to the tilts. It takes twice the water you think, needs to be ripped as deep as you can, and it takes a little time to shape up. But once it does, there isn't a better track in the country IMHO.

I hope they keep the GP track on site with a few tweaks to it, and provide a "friendly" prep every weekend to that track for those who like that type of riding. The night track can also be prepped more friendly, maybe like a three palms concept. All three available during the day with varied levels of prep and challenge to suit the demands of the diversity in riders


Super excited for the track!

Sadly that weekend WPS/FLY is hosting their annual ride day...somewhat a shame cycle ranch didn't partner with them to couple that as the grand re opening...would have been 500 + people

Absolutely agree with you on the prep. It has to be deep and watered to make the dirt work. Mike Pitts knew that dirt and how to work it. That's why I referenced the glory days of the early to mid-2000's. At my age I hate gap doubles so I don't jump them, but rough tracks and whoops don't bother me.

However, I would argue with you that it wasn't the change in the track that caused it's decline. It was the lack of focus on the "Cycle" side of the Ranch and trying to make it a New Age awareness center instead of a racetrack. All of that and a bad attitude left a lot of folks that had supported the track for years with a bad taste in their mouth. After all, San Antonio and South Texas is not a Mecca for forward thinking. Not to mention, you never knew when, or if, it would be open.

I hope this 3rd version of Cycle Ranch is a glowing success. If they focus on the core mission of providing a great riding experience it really should be hard to fail with the facility that is there.

Johnny Depp wrote:

Great News! It's a long drive from North Austin, but we'll do it a few times a year for sure.

I don't know Todd, I hope he makes a track for the 90% that want fun with no injuries. Blind jumps and a track prepped so deep there was no sense going out until after noon when it became ride-able. It has been one of the few places where a big bore can stretch it's legs.

I enjoy the truck track too, a great place to work on setup in the flat corners and whoops. Maybe a circle berm and a snail turn might be fun.

Derek Harris wrote:

I'm the polar opposite.

If you want an mx track....

The demise of cycle ranch began with less deep preps, easier jumps, and "more friendly" concepts. In its heyday it was fast, deep, rougher than all hell past 1oclock, had a couple tough "pro" style true doubles, but was mostly all motocross with it's elevation change. It used to have challenging whoops, and often times very tough six pack type doubles that were 6 foot faces/landings. People showed up because at the time it was the widest, fastest, gnarlest, and best prepped track in texas. At the time rumor was (and almost came to be) it would be the next outdoor national track...so people seemed willing to "rise to the challenge" of a pro style track. Despite plenty of very large doubles that very few jumped, it was not an injury prone track.


Prep it deep as possible, there is no limit to what the track takes in water...And it doesn't ever rut unless it has rained 2 feet. Cycle ranch requires a deep prep to shape up and form the berm type lines it needs to be fun. These lines get the rolling whoops in them...it's motocross, not road racing on the some of the best moto dirt god ever made.
In it's heyday the first practice of the day was a wide open, eat all your HP up affair where you went all of 20 mph on a straight. but 50 riders and 30 minutes later, it was completely rideable and by noon it was what I call a proper motocross track. Lines, bumps, even kickers..which is a skillset. Change your line or learn to hit them...or don't jump the jump.

Yes it gets bumps. This is what sand does...the 10000 dollars motorcyles we ride can go over them...last I checked bikes are better and more capable than ever. People set their bikes up now for jumps often times. I see it all the time...and they bitch and moan about the track when it gets a semblance of a bump. Or they set up for bumps and bitch and moan they cant mis time jumps. There is no winning it seems. But well built jumps with STEEP enough landings make jumps a non issue...if you land it right.
Red rock mx national track has what I consider the best built jump you can find. landings that match the size and shape of the face.

And you can ride it till dark if you desire, once it forms lines it can dry out, become dusty, and it still has the lines and the dirt remains soft as it dries.

But if you want a "friendly" track....

dont rip it deep, the beautiful sand out there becomes hard packed and wont accept water.
By 10 am it's dusty, no lines have formed, the track is stupidly fast, and it begins to form tiny chatter bumps
They try to water at 12 - but it just sits on top, creates slim that is terribly slick, and in summer time by the time the water truck has made one lap most of it evaporates anyways.

By 1pm no is riding except those stubborn 85cc kids who will ride anything....and no one goes home thinking, "man what an epic track"


Cycle ranch never has and never will be any good unless you prep it to the tilts. It takes twice the water you think, needs to be ripped as deep as you can, and it takes a little time to shape up. But once it does, there isn't a better track in the country IMHO.

I hope they keep the GP track on site with a few tweaks to it, and provide a "friendly" prep every weekend to that track for those who like that type of riding. The night track can also be prepped more friendly, maybe like a three palms concept. All three available during the day with varied levels of prep and challenge to suit the demands of the diversity in riders


Super excited for the track!

Sadly that weekend WPS/FLY is hosting their annual ride day...somewhat a shame cycle ranch didn't partner with them to couple that as the grand re opening...would have been 500 + people

DavetheVintageGuy wrote:

Absolutely agree with you on the prep. It has to be deep and watered to make the dirt work. Mike Pitts knew that dirt and how to work it. That's why I referenced the glory days of the early to mid-2000's. At my age I hate gap doubles so I don't jump them, but rough tracks and whoops don't bother me.

However, I would argue with you that it wasn't the change in the track that caused it's decline. It was the lack of focus on the "Cycle" side of the Ranch and trying to make it a New Age awareness center instead of a racetrack. All of that and a bad attitude left a lot of folks that had supported the track for years with a bad taste in their mouth. After all, San Antonio and South Texas is not a Mecca for forward thinking. Not to mention, you never knew when, or if, it would be open.

I hope this 3rd version of Cycle Ranch is a glowing success. If they focus on the core mission of providing a great riding experience it really should be hard to fail with the facility that is there.

Post 06-07... track was never the same for tons of reason of course and agreed last owner (which I feel has the right ideal vision for moto... spectators, family friendly event - just no where near ideal)

Agreed 100 percent, we all can go to a bar we like, or a concert, or a playground with the kids. But we don't own moto tracks. If the riding experience is top notch, the rest doesn't matter


If only San Antonio had a large riding core...however I do feel three palms is what makes the Houston market exist. Not the Houston market is what makes three palms exist. If cycle ranch is consistent, the riding market will grow.


Thanks to the new owner for taking a shot at it....it's a thankless business that is incredibly challenging.

Cygrace74 wrote:

For all the Texas people on here, including Cycle Ranch what are some must rides tracks in Texas? Making a trip this January or February

There is a new track to add to the texas must see list:

The Edge MX in edgewood, tx (15 minutes off I-20 north of canton on hwy 19) (about an hour east of dallas)

It is Shannon Niday's new training compound and they have opened to the public the past couple Sundays. Man, what a place they have going out there! They have several tracks to choose from, a Loretta's replica, Mini O's sx replica, Vet track, and a monstrous National track.

Me and a buddy on the Vet track last week:

This is what it's all about for me! Good laps with good friends! Don't let that old man @goofus16 fool you, he can still go pretty for a few laps when he wants too! #braaap @tcgoss81 @the_edgemx

A post shared by mitchell thelen (@impalenthelen) on Nov 6, 2017 at 6:09pm PST

National track will be open to the public for the first time this weekend, these clips do not do the entire layout justice. I can't wait to ride it!

Had a blast breaking in the national track here @the_edgemx! Can't wait til we open it up for the public next weekend! But for now our "vet track" will have to do! Open this Sunday 10-3 ? that last clip

A post shared by Walker Brightwell (@walkerbrightwell) on Nov 3, 2017 at 8:17pm PDT

WOW I JSUT GET UP TO WATCH SATURDAY MORNIG CATOONS AND SOMEONE TELLED ME TO CHECK THIS I DIDN NO CYCUL RANCH MAKED A NEW TRACK I CANT WAIT TO GO THERE AGEN I RITED ALL ABOUT THIS ON THE BLOG

tylermx967 wrote:

WOW I JSUT GET UP TO WATCH SATURDAY MORNIG CATOONS AND SOMEONE TELLED ME TO CHECK THIS I DIDN NO CYCUL RANCH MAKED A NEW TRACK I CANT WAIT TO GO THERE AGEN I RITED ALL ABOUT THIS ON THE BLOG

How many decades ago has it been since Saturday morning cartoons were a thing?

Someone knows who you are:
[LINK TO IMAGE]

Tyler, what's your favorite catoon? How's your Suszuki running these days? I bet that thing screams with a twenty something year old man on it.

Tyler Mac is back!

Derek Harris wrote:

I'm the polar opposite.

If you want an mx track....

The demise of cycle ranch began with less deep preps, easier jumps, and "more friendly" concepts. In its heyday it was fast, deep, rougher than all hell past 1oclock, had a couple tough "pro" style true doubles, but was mostly all motocross with it's elevation change. It used to have challenging whoops, and often times very tough six pack type doubles that were 6 foot faces/landings. People showed up because at the time it was the widest, fastest, gnarlest, and best prepped track in texas. At the time rumor was (and almost came to be) it would be the next outdoor national track...so people seemed willing to "rise to the challenge" of a pro style track. Despite plenty of very large doubles that very few jumped, it was not an injury prone track.


Prep it deep as possible, there is no limit to what the track takes in water...And it doesn't ever rut unless it has rained 2 feet. Cycle ranch requires a deep prep to shape up and form the berm type lines it needs to be fun. These lines get the rolling whoops in them...it's motocross, not road racing on the some of the best moto dirt god ever made.
In it's heyday the first practice of the day was a wide open, eat all your HP up affair where you went all of 20 mph on a straight. but 50 riders and 30 minutes later, it was completely rideable and by noon it was what I call a proper motocross track. Lines, bumps, even kickers..which is a skillset. Change your line or learn to hit them...or don't jump the jump.

Yes it gets bumps. This is what sand does...the 10000 dollars motorcyles we ride can go over them...last I checked bikes are better and more capable than ever. People set their bikes up now for jumps often times. I see it all the time...and they bitch and moan about the track when it gets a semblance of a bump. Or they set up for bumps and bitch and moan they cant mis time jumps. There is no winning it seems. But well built jumps with STEEP enough landings make jumps a non issue...if you land it right.
Red rock mx national track has what I consider the best built jump you can find. landings that match the size and shape of the face.

And you can ride it till dark if you desire, once it forms lines it can dry out, become dusty, and it still has the lines and the dirt remains soft as it dries.

But if you want a "friendly" track....

dont rip it deep, the beautiful sand out there becomes hard packed and wont accept water.
By 10 am it's dusty, no lines have formed, the track is stupidly fast, and it begins to form tiny chatter bumps
They try to water at 12 - but it just sits on top, creates slim that is terribly slick, and in summer time by the time the water truck has made one lap most of it evaporates anyways.

By 1pm no is riding except those stubborn 85cc kids who will ride anything....and no one goes home thinking, "man what an epic track"


Cycle ranch never has and never will be any good unless you prep it to the tilts. It takes twice the water you think, needs to be ripped as deep as you can, and it takes a little time to shape up. But once it does, there isn't a better track in the country IMHO.

I hope they keep the GP track on site with a few tweaks to it, and provide a "friendly" prep every weekend to that track for those who like that type of riding. The night track can also be prepped more friendly, maybe like a three palms concept. All three available during the day with varied levels of prep and challenge to suit the demands of the diversity in riders


Super excited for the track!

Sadly that weekend WPS/FLY is hosting their annual ride day...somewhat a shame cycle ranch didn't partner with them to couple that as the grand re opening...would have been 500 + people

DavetheVintageGuy wrote:

Absolutely agree with you on the prep. It has to be deep and watered to make the dirt work. Mike Pitts knew that dirt and how to work it. That's why I referenced the glory days of the early to mid-2000's. At my age I hate gap doubles so I don't jump them, but rough tracks and whoops don't bother me.

However, I would argue with you that it wasn't the change in the track that caused it's decline. It was the lack of focus on the "Cycle" side of the Ranch and trying to make it a New Age awareness center instead of a racetrack. All of that and a bad attitude left a lot of folks that had supported the track for years with a bad taste in their mouth. After all, San Antonio and South Texas is not a Mecca for forward thinking. Not to mention, you never knew when, or if, it would be open.

I hope this 3rd version of Cycle Ranch is a glowing success. If they focus on the core mission of providing a great riding experience it really should be hard to fail with the facility that is there.

Derek Harris wrote:

Post 06-07... track was never the same for tons of reason of course and agreed last owner (which I feel has the right ideal vision for moto... spectators, family friendly event - just no where near ideal)

Agreed 100 percent, we all can go to a bar we like, or a concert, or a playground with the kids. But we don't own moto tracks. If the riding experience is top notch, the rest doesn't matter


If only San Antonio had a large riding core...however I do feel three palms is what makes the Houston market exist. Not the Houston market is what makes three palms exist. If cycle ranch is consistent, the riding market will grow.


Thanks to the new owner for taking a shot at it....it's a thankless business that is incredibly challenging.

You made my point for me.

"In it's heyday the first practice of the day was a wide open, eat all your HP up affair where you went all of 20 mph on a straight. but 50 riders and 30 minutes later, it was completely rideable and by noon it was what I call a proper motocross track."

I know there is many Pro's that need a training facility. Even the LL qualifiers's want rutocross. I would think the night track and the SX track would be for the advanced riders and the main track something for less skilled or unwilling to risk as much riders.

Since the track has gone belly up a few times now, I would think a good business model is more important than a "pro" prep.

And yes, I'm going to Spoaks MX in Lockhart for the Fly Funday. It's a lot closer to Austin. Old family friends are getting that track going, and for now it is a no consequences jumps track that is still trying to dial in the prep with primitive facilities. There is a nice scrambles course from the Torcs race last month, and there is a couple mile outer loop that the SXS's ran on that is great for beginners.

Murphy's has the final race of the D20 series this weekend as a rain make up date.

flyers for both are here:

https://www.facebook.com/AustinAreaMotocrossScene/