Both you guys make fair points. Mtnguy, is the Noob here and may want to consider reading what's gone before and what's been said about this bike on another thread here:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ure-bike-69964

Pretty much covers it all. I'm on there with a few opinions as is Stuxtttr and several other knowledgeable HUBB members with VAST experience. it's 20 some pages and well worth the read if you want a broader ranges of voices on the CCM450 GP, the companies history and it's future. Very useful thread with a few diversions.

All that said ... one can't deny the questionable history of CCM. But for me, I'm totally willing to give CCM the benefit of the doubt. Lets just not forget that the CCM "Phoenix" has risen from ashes at least twice (I'm aware of) ... and I know little about them, never owned or ridden one. Maybe more to their history ... ??

But seems they've gone back to "ze old drawing board" more than once ... and this bike really does look good (IMO). But they have carried over a few design elements I disagree with .... namely the swingarm shaft going through the countershaft. This is Horst Leitner's (ATK) idea ... and failed on several bikes ... including BMW's own World Enduro GP race bikes when David Knight was riding for them. It's also a BAD IDEA to have on a travel bike for a number of reasons. (remove swingarm for sprocket change or changing chain? )

I rode ATK's in the 90's and watched these systems fail ... in person. The rear brake rotor was also located up on the countershaft! They burnt up... literally. Some say it helps handling. If it's such a good idea how come no world champion race bikes use it? NONE of the Japanese use it ... but I do know they tried it ... back in the 1980 ...and realized it was NOT SUITED for a Moto cross or off road bike. They never went back to it.
See also:
ATK motorcycles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
ATK models & brand history - autoevolution

Here in California, my local dealer carried CCM going back to the early to mid 90's. Not positive, but IIRC the first one I saw used a Rotax motor? Next one I saw a few years later used (I think) either a Suzuki DR650 motor or a DRZ400 motor?? ... don't recall which. The bikes looked pretty trick ... but very few were sold, dealer ended up eating it on them. I doubt he'll be signed up to carry anymore CCM, given his 10 years (or so) of experience with them.

I wish CCM all the best ... and many have very short memories and don't do research. So who knows? Perhaps CCM have a shot at success. We DO need such a bike in this class, that we all pretty much agree on. But is the CCM more a Race Bike more suited to racing the Dakar than going RTW on a budget?