Jon Haas, owner of Cycle Zone Powersports in Topeka is what you would call a serial entrepreneur. “I’ve always liked building things,” Haas said. His main business, HME, Inc., supplies structural steel all over the country. Then there’s Topeka Foundry & Iron Works, Topeka Foundry Commercial Door, Haas Crane and Equipment Rentals, Peak to Peak Engineered Railings, JJH Properties, and the list goes on. “But Cycle Zone is kind of the oddball in the group,” he said. “For me, it's not that business that's focused on making money and growth, although that’s important in all businesses, but you want your city, your hometown, to be a destination. You want to have something that people can be proud of and excited about … a fun place where people can find their hobby, or share their passion with family and friends. That’s what Cycle Zone is to me.”
Haas bought Cycle Zone in 2012. “I started riding dirt bikes in college and I was a regular customer at Cycle Zone. I got to know other people who enjoy it and I became part of that community. The owner was looking to sell but wanted to keep it alive with a local owner, so he reached out to me.” Since then, the business has grown. They started with three employees and the original building of 5,000 sq. ft. But as you’ve heard, Haas likes to build things. So their current shop has two more buildings with another 30,000 sq. ft. and an expansion in the works which will bring the total square footage to 46,000.
Today, Cycle Zone Powersports carries just about any outdoor vehicle you can think of - ATVs, side-by-side UTVs, motorcycles, boats, jet skis, and even a line of lawnmowers and tractors. They are the exclusive full-service authorized Yamaha, KTM, Can-Am, Sea-Doo, Bad Boy Mowers and Tractors, CFMoto, Stark electric motorcycle, and Tracker Boat dealer in Topeka. They also provide parts, accessories, and service. “We try to offer top-end products for the racer who wants the ‘race ready’ top-of-the-line machine as well as more economical machines that everyone in the community can afford and enjoy,” he said. “Great quality, but maybe not quite at the price of the high-end race machines. We have easy financing too. We want people to be able to afford to have a little fun!”
While it’s not his largest business, Haas says Cycle Zone is one of his toughest. “It's tougher than the ones where we make products and build things. Cycle Zone is about building relationships and building the community. Parents bring their little kids in for their first dirt bike,” he reminisced. “Sometimes it’s a Christmas present. Sometimes it's Junior’s big race. There are a lot of cool things that we get with Cycle Zone that we don't get with the other businesses. We get to be a part of a community.”
Haas’s love of the outdoors and recreational vehicles is also evident at his home. “Some people call it a compound,” he laughed. “We've got pickleball and dirt bike riding and side-by-sides and there's just a lot of different things to do there. I add something new just about every year.” Between Haas and his wife, they have nine children and seven grandchildren. His son Taylor and grandson Lincoln (age four) are featured in the photos. “I hope it keeps the kids coming back,” he added.
The big kids seem to like his motocross track too. “It’s like that movie Field of Dreams,” he explained. “‘If you build it, they will come,’ because I have racers and enthusiasts randomly call up, ‘Hey, can we come out and ride your track?’ And it just keeps growing and growing. There's a group of us old guys that come over on Sundays. We should be planning for retirement, but we just wanna ride. We usually talk a little smack and have a lot of fun!”
So if you’re looking to get outdoors and create some connections with your kids or have fun with friends, stop by Cycle Zone Powersports at 2921 NW Hwy. 24 or visit Cyclezone.com.