Ok, ideas time - NZ MX park?

[scott411]

cheers guys for the input, i had in my head what i thought was right, but to get a good range ideal's from the people that will use it, what i am thinking of is more of a pure mx track like Ardmore and Harrisville, not a off road park like Kimmy's, Thundercross/ The Sand Pit,

as for Pala Raceway, I wonder if i can convince some tribe to give me some of there land, i back myself as a salesmen but if i could get that deal done it would deserve my DB that day

ps: Pala and Glen Helen are $25 -$ 35 US a day,

[mfordy]

I think you would need 2 tracks and a kids loop as others have stated to cater for everybodys wants and to make it a family friendly place to be - An advanced SX/MX track and a gentler version for us wanna be's.
I'd be happy paying $20/each or $50/family for a days riding provided it was maintained and supervised.
Would this be a practice facility only or another MotoX club operating alongside existing locations eg Harrisville, Huntly, Mercer etc?

[SpikedPunch]

I'd happily pay $30 for a nice big track like harrisville if it was open all day. It's such a shame it can only be open such short hours
Agreeing with other people that the ideal situation would be a main track, novice track and kid's track. Oh and, girly opinion - flush toilets and somewhere to get changed would be nice haha
If space was an issue I guess instead of a novice track there could be an easier section on the main track with an option to either keep looping it or go on to the rest of the (harder) track? I guess that doesn't avoid the problem of vastly different skills of rider being on the track at once tho. But if the novice section had no big flying-past-your-head jumps, it wouldn't be that much of a problem?

[takitimu]

Seems to me one of the toughest parts is making it all weather, you could go this way http://www.sandboxarena.com/facility/theInside.aspx , but that is pretty expensive solution, though I guess it means you don't need to go sand based.
In terms of price I think $15 & 4 for $50 ( you can buy 4 tickets for $50, for families, people who want to group up, buying in advance ). Though it might have to proportionally more than that depending on costs.
In terms of track, my take is it's got to be maintainable & free draining, jumps that can be ridden or jumped safely ( no real gap jumps ) with good straight faces.
From there, I'd pay for timing, especially timing that was segmented, kind of like at go-karts but as I say with segments & preferably something you can break & have a look at your times & print/email/save out to take home.
Forgot to mention hook ups with trainers, be awesome to pay like $50 & get like 15 minutes + tips / feedback on your riding.

[Latte]

"Back in the day" Harrisville was good, all day riding, able to either loop the "SX" Part or the "MX" part, (or both of course).

You could have a track that's 2 in one - there's a shared part, then it splits into easy/hard , then they both join back into the shared part - hope that makes sense.

The fast/slow groups has it's merits when it's busy , when it's quiet could be an option to run "open", then people would ride/rest on their own rhythm, rather than rushing out at the same time as their "window" opens.

[Brian d marge]

A track where you could practice your jumping skills , nice and flowing and the ability to opt out of the jumps ( or scale em down )
So that the learners , kids , ME ( vintage MX ) do not get in the way of captain testosterone

A wash area ( bike and rider ) ie water , and shade

happily pay 30 to 40 for that

Stephen

[telliman]

ardmore is shit, basically we want harrisville closer to the city, and opened way more! with a garden bar overlooking the track, with a big sound system and heaps of chicks! lol

[telliman]

when i win powerball im gona biuld a mx/sx version of woodward! whatch this space!

[laserracer]

3 tracks 1 mx trail track for learners .. ..and 1.. sx mx track for race licence holders and 1 kids track .. if you have a full on mx type track with doubles whoops and stuff you really dont want inexperienced riders hurting themselves hence the race licence only track

[RJM]

I like what laserracer has said above but of course it all comes down to covering the cost of it all.

I know I harp on about being a novice rider, one of my biggest concerns is actually getting in the way of other people and ruining their fun and also being a hazzard. So in saying that it would be great to have a track that is beginner to medium friendly, and another with more technical sections.

I've personally ridden at Digger McEwens twice over Anniversary weekend, that was a great layout, big jumps that you could go as big (or small) as you wanted to comfortably and it was long enough that people could spread out alot.
I've also had a quick play at Ardmore on a Wednesday night and enjoyed the track layout for my level - even though I was told off for riding with the juniors / novices before the marshall realised they were all blasting past me!

I'm all for the membership idea and volunteers are always key. If you were running busy days you could have groups and when you're not on the track it would be kind of expected that you marshalled other track users while having a break. Of course there are also the enthusiasts who just enjoy watching the action and marshalling anyway.

[A&R]

The sport is really hard on families when the kids are say High school (or even varsity) but dad is still paying for it all. Even though a lot of the time they are still learners.
3 bike x$30 = $90 plus gas to get there say $70 or more, then bike gas and incidentals can cost $180 - $200 for a family day out not including breakages and tyres etc.
Thats why $20, girls free and the card system ( 6th ride free) is so very good at Thunder X and why we never went to Powers or Kimis.
$25 out the sandpit is good to but hard on the family if they all have bikes over 85cc. Frankly I think Tony is wise at $25, he is making much more money out there at that, than he would with many less people at $35. From the pics on Facebook of last sunday it was packed, I dunno why the others don't see it.

So if you could find a way of creating a family concession even if ID or membership was required that would help the sport grow I reckon.
or a membership card with good benefits to the registered family memberships.

Ash is correct Ardmore is an excellent venue with a generally good maintained track at exceptable rates. ( if you don't have to wait for him to finish watering it for an hour after you turn up) LOL!! But he does have a problem with the locals sabotaging his equipment and the resource parameters preventing him from investing more money, I think??

OK her's a few ideas?

Members
$15 1/2 day 8-12 0r 12-4pm (Dunno if this is a goer but some little ones only last an hour or two)
$25 full day or part of
Females $15 flat rate
Family membership rate $60 per day

Casual riders (non members) $10 bucks on all of the above but $15 on the family rate as its additionally discounted to help members?
A card system is very simple and good ( like thunder X) if you can work it in.

If no membership is planned maybe add $5 to the members rates and go with that but implement the loyalty card system so your frequent riders get rewarded say every 5th ride free?

I dunno just a few thoughts we don't have to much of a problem now my son is working but a couple of years ago we only rode when we could afford it Max 2 times a month at best and 90% Thunder X. We still don't go Kimis or Powers rides as we are put off them because of the old days I suppose?

Anyway there's probably lots of holes in the above but hope these thoughts help?? Depends a little on what type of rider you are trying to attract if its all the single fast guys forget the above LOL!!!

Having 4 kids - 2 now away - but still two at home would agree with all you have said Rick.

[honda_power]

when i win powerball im gona biuld a mx/sx version of woodward! whatch this space!

and when i win the following week, im gonna build a replica of fitzpatrics fmx compound!

I heard about a track that sounds kinda like what is being discussed. Its towards tokoroa. $20 all day riding... not many people know about it though. Heading there this weekend will tell ya what its like. Aparantly its groomed all the time.

If anyone wants to tag along that would be sweet, more the merrier

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlipJW0OICc

[fmxemz]

Haha i like someones post about girls riding free this is ideal then I will come every day haha i kinda get down for Maddix Park thats kinda cool for learning!!!

[oldguy]

Ok, ideal MX practice track, James Stewarts back yard.

In a way something along those lines, an out doors track and an SX track I think we need a dedicated SX track, as it is slowly becoming popular here.
With an out door track you could make it with an option, for a long track or shorten it up for say the younger kids, but it still has to be challenging.
The availabiliy of land, size and proximity will dictate alot.

you can please some people some of the time, but not please all of the peolpe all of the time.

Good luck with this.

[krad_nz]

A really important component to any good safe MX track is on-site medical staff. Harisville and the other big tracks usually have people handy I believe.

I'm pretty sure that Ardmore and the other smaller tracks don't have any one on site in the event of a bad off. This is probably why its so cheap though.
I would pay more if knew there were medics on site. (i don't know what that says about my riding )

A single track that could be divided up into beginners - intermediate - advanced would be the ideal. Keeps your options open.

I'm a MX noob, infact I've been told off by someones mum after their kid knocked me off my bike... from behind.... *cough*. Apparently I was swervign all over the place. Actually I probably was, but damit I was trying not too. :P

The point is my 'mobile berm' MX riding technique isn't compatible with the fast guys.