Anybody ride at Big Cypress Preserve in Naples??

r6realtor · December 28, 2006, 11:42:37 PM

Sounds like a great place but the rules about having 7inch tires on the front and 9 inch tires in the rear is kind of bugging me, they say you have to have 7" of tread on the ground when they measure, well a 7 wide tire only has about 5" on the ground, I just purchased my dad a new bike and I don't think his tires are going to work, I don't even think the tires on my rhino will work! anybody have any advise?
thanks r6realtor

dirtycruiser · April 27, 2007, 04:36:44 PM

Deflate your tires for the measurement test. then inflate with those mini co2 inflators. I'm looking for info on the area right now. Do you know of their web page?

?

dirtycruiser · April 27, 2007, 05:01:41 PM

http://www.nps.gov/bicy/planyourvisit/upload/orvrulesmap.pdf

Info on Big Cypress

dirtycruiser · April 28, 2007, 09:17:48 PM

15 MPH strickly enforced from what I hear.

AintSkeered · April 28, 2007, 09:44:57 PM

Don't sweat it, your Outlander will measure up to their inspection, mine has twice. But, if you're going to ride there, now's the time. It's flooded 8-9 months per year.

JackL · April 30, 2007, 09:19:30 AM

Quote from: AintSkeered on April 28, 2007, 09:44:57 PM
Don't sweat it, your Outlander will measure up to their inspection, mine has twice. But, if you're going to ride there, now's the time. It's flooded 8-9 months per year.

Flooded is an understatement.

Anoriginal · April 30, 2007, 09:51:22 AM

Best time to ride the preserve is February through May. After that it gets too deep to enjoy any four wheeler. 15 mph speed limit is for real. The rangers will hide off the trails and give you a hefty ticket for speeding. DEsignated trails in most places and more and more heavily enforced. You have four areas to access the preserve. I'd recommend the Oasis for four wheelers.

Regarding the tire size, it really depends on the ranger inspecting the bike. Most will just go off tire size based on what the tire says. However, I have seen people get turned away when the tape measure gets broken out. Lately, they've been measuring actual tread from side to side, not just contact patch. Usually this works out nice.

The rain starts in May. Once you get a few inches on the ground you can completely forget taking the rhino. The water will be over the seat. I've been into my camp in June one time on my four wheeler and will not do it again. It was way too deep.

miassmaro98 · May 04, 2007, 08:06:18 AM

well one trick is put your stock tires and wheels back on to past then switch back the good tires and have a nice ride.they told me to do this when i register to ride there

JackL · May 04, 2007, 10:33:05 PM

Quote from: miassmaro98 on May 04, 2007, 08:06:18 AM
well one trick is put your stock tires and wheels back on to past then switch back the good tires and have a nice ride.they told me to do this when i register to ride there

Stocks ain't gonna get you in. Put the big boys on before even showing up to watch the video.

JackL · May 05, 2007, 02:56:35 AM

Quote from: Anoriginal on April 30, 2007, 09:51:22 AM
The rain starts in May. Once you get a few inches on the ground you can completely forget taking the rhino. The water will be over the seat. I've been into my camp in June one time on my four wheeler and will not do it again. It was way too deep.

Hey, it's May, where is that rain you promised us?

r6realtor · May 09, 2007, 08:44:04 PM

thank you all for the info, unfortunately I posted this in december and have not attempted to go there, didn't really want to chance taking the drive just to be turned away. I know the rhino tire size would make it but I was having second thoughts on my dads tires making it. So it sounds like there is only a few months out of the year that you can make it out there, that sucks, but hows the riding?

JackL · May 10, 2007, 02:24:32 PM

Quote from: r6realtor on May 09, 2007, 08:44:04 PM
thank you all for the info, unfortunately I posted this in december and have not attempted to go there, didn't really want to chance taking the drive just to be turned away. I know the rhino tire size would make it but I was having second thoughts on my dads tires making it. So it sounds like there is only a few months out of the year that you can make it out there, that sucks, but hows the riding?

This is the very best chance you will ever get to ride it again, unless some freaking asteroid makes Florida a desert. It is as dry as it's been in ten years probably, and won't be like that for another 10.

HVYHLR53 · May 10, 2007, 09:15:27 PM

I was there this past weekend with a friend (5th & 6th) and It was nice riding. Unfortunately I wasn't able to take the Rincon due to "technical difficulties", but I did take the Ole Lady's new Rancher with stock tires. Right now Is a good time to ride out there, there was some water but not enough to get stuck in.

The facts: You must bring bike registration or proof of title, tires are measured from tread to tread from the side of the tire, not what is on the ground. Headlamps, taillamps and brake lamps must work as well as all your brakes. You must have a muffler with spark arrester. They take pictures and issue you your permit stickers which must be displayed on the bike. If it is your first time going there you have to sit at the computer for 10 minutes flipping through the Big Cypress story, the same one that is on the web site. Don't worry, its not a test! They will then issue you a license with you pic on it which you have to carry with you. The whole procedure is not as bad as some make it out to be, I think its more of a money thing then anything. The 15 MPH speed limit is real, as far as Tarzan jumping out of the trees with a ticket book I'm not to sure about.

Its a nice relaxing place and some of the trails I dont think you want to do more then 15 MPH anyways. Once we left the camp area we didn't see any people on the trails at all. The trails are about 20 miles one way, some circle around and some dead end which means you have another 20 miles to come back. The scenery is great and its peaceful.

r6realtor · May 10, 2007, 09:41:50 PM

Quote from: HVYHLR53 on May 10, 2007, 09:15:27 PM
I was there this past weekend with a friend (5th & 6th) and It was nice riding. Unfortunately I wasn't able to take the Rincon due to "technical difficulties", but I did take the Ole Lady's new Rancher with stock tires. Right now Is a good time to ride out there, there was some water but not enough to get stuck in.

The facts: You must bring bike registration or proof of title, tires are measured from tread to tread from the side of the tire, not what is on the ground. Headlamps, taillamps and brake lamps must work as well as all your brakes. You must have a muffler with spark arrester. They take pictures and issue you your permit stickers which must be displayed on the bike. If it is your first time going there you have to sit at the computer for 10 minutes flipping through the Big Cypress story, the same one that is on the web site. Don't worry, its not a test! They will then issue you a license with you pic on it which you have to carry with you. The whole procedure is not as bad as some make it out to be, I think its more of a money thing then anything. The 15 MPH speed limit is real, as far as Tarzan jumping out of the trees with a ticket book I'm not to sure about.

Its a nice relaxing place and some of the trails I dont think you want to do more then 15 MPH anyways. Once we left the camp area we didn't see any people on the trails at all. The trails are about 20 miles one way, some circle around and some dead end which means you have another 20 miles to come back. The scenery is great and its peaceful.

That type of riding is right up my alley, definitely for my dad as well, nothing to crazy. Thanks again.