First, I have no opinion on the CCM and doubt I'd buy one until there is more feedback about it. In any event though, it is good to have more choice, and I wish CCM success.

I don't doubt that many of the little bikes can take a beating. And its great if people like them and find them perfect for their needs. But that doesn't mean that someone who has chosen a different bike has done so for reasons of "snob appeal".

I don't think there is anything or anybody who is really neutral. I think it's humanly impossible.

The Swizz SHOULD make bikes. Some of the finest engineering in the world comes from there.

I would imagine the motorcycle equivalent of a Rolex and a cuckoo clock. It would be fabulous.

Yup.... My XR650L is 20 years old now. It's only done 15,000 miles but it's rusted and rotten. LOT's of restoration needed. Find me a twenty year old 'Ridden' bike that doesn't.

However, they're immensely easier and cheaper to fix and repair than anything modern.

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Can't say anymore.

[QUOTE=tigershel;427801]I rode mine DRZ400 to capetown. It was far from perfect but then I knew the bike inside out and did a lot of EXPENSIVE preparation to make sure it got there. There is A LOT that can go wrong with a drz, and it does often.. BUT !! It's very easy and simple to fix.

The DRZ400 is a classic already. I fancy another one now I've sold mine. They will be a sort after and EXPENSIVE bike in another ten years. Everyone should get one stashed away while they're cheap and in nice condition.

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

The Swiss have made Bikes. Motosacoche was one of the earliest bike manufacturers and supplied MAG engines to many other companies.
Universal made singles and post war, big flat twins.
Condor made a purpose built flat twin for the Swiss army, and more recently built their own version of the Ducati single for military use.

Also Egli-Vincent and Egli-Honda, Swiss frames, non-Swiss other stuff.

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Tigershell - and all the other harbingers of doom, I have gone down the road of modifying, repairing and rebuilding bikes, I have also used excellent new bikes (ktm 950 for instance - that never really let me down despite the doubters at the time) but why cant we all be happy that someone is really making an effort to build a bike that to all intensive purposes does not exist off the shelf since the ktm 640 adventure dissapeared - to fit a very small market - no one is forcing any of you to buy it but at least its an option if you so choose - why so many negatives and very few positives - maybe it has some compromises maybe it does not, But look overall a small lightweight bike with descent power output and a very good power to weight ratio, built not as a total trial bike but as something with some ability to cross over as a small adventure bike ( I know there are doubters that it can do it - but if a BMW 1200 or chinese/jap/italian step through 50cc moped can be traveled on then I am sure this bike can - like I say they can all travel to the shops or round the world but its just different choices some like brown horses others like cream ones and some like donkeys - does it really matter thats what makes everyone different - I am looking to buy the ccm simply because I like the look of it, I love the enthusiasm and openess of all the staff at the factory, i love the features they have put on it as standard, (three tanks, excellent suspension, a very good chassis good brakes a fairly well proven engine ( Fair enough set up and re mapped but originally from a short stroke enduro engine) you all knock the engine - why ? I cant comment I wont test ride one till 19 july - but I am sure KYMCO who actually make the engine are not as bad as many seem to make out ( check out the company profile I didnt read anything about making gearboxes out of cheese or gaskets from cardboard boxes) CCM have been using it for some time to get it to where they are with it at present. But I have little doubt that the kymco /BMW derived engine will certainly be of a reasonable build and quality standard and may i suggest as well made as many other engines on the market. Depending on the way CCM have set it up to run in this particular machine is still an unknown but they are at least open enough to offer test rides and are having a press examination of the bike as well as factory visits and days and so yes its an unknown but one with a huge sense of honesty , openess and confidence from the factory, the staff and the director who incidently you can actually pick up the phone to and speak to directly he has not chosen to hide behind a massive press machine. They have reached out and asked - what do you want and within reason and price they have tried to build something to fit. If the bike rides well and I feel it fits me and my needs I will leave my deposit in place if not I wont ( that is another option that was offered a refundable deposit on the strength of the bike being what they say). Oh bye the way I also ride an Indian Enfield (Infield) and yes it does a job - like your budget workhorses - but and there is a big BUT - the Infield is very slow, basic and uncomfortable in its own way a fun bike, of dubious build quality poor chassis and suspension but I am sure if my old bones could cope I could ride as far as i would on any other bike including the ccm - On the Infield it would take longer, I would need to stop and work on it a bit more and I may end up broken down with no spares back up but then again I do not think it would be my bike of choice any more than a 50cc chinese made workhorse as a machine to set off anywhere too distant to be honest. I will leave that to the eccentric madmen amongst us. On that note anyone heard from Birdy recently?

2012 V-strom ; 2 hours maintenance this year, total cost something like £100 in chain lube, brake cleaner, oil and filters. Will be a dog at 8 years old, but SEP by then.

2004 Triumph Bonneville; 1 day off work argueing with/getting to and from the grease monkey about the MOT, eventually fixed with a £100 bribe where he then ****ed up a brake disc bolt playing with something that wasn't broken when taken in on old bike tax day. 2-hours fixing grease monkeys **** ups using taps, bolts and grease "borrowed" from work (boss smoothed with hours of unpaid overtime). New coil after twenty minute visit to M-62 hard shoulder, 1 hour and £100 fixing, 1 weeks riding lost due to worry about reliability. Same £100 in oil, filters etc. as the Wee.

The Wee is also doing 65 mpg not 45. Covers the depreciation when I sell it at 2 years 11 months old.

It's what you are used to (I'm better with PC diagnostics than carbs BTW, although when hardly anyone will sell me the PC kit its a PITA) and who you know for sure. Also what you are doing, the carnet on a £1300 Bonneville would be a lot cheaper than the Wee. Horses for courses and all that. The new doesn't break argument requires care in purchasing which is indeed a sad reflection on the industry.

I'd love a 250cc cargo bike BTW but they won't sell me one in the UK. The Enfield C5 Bullet is on the watch list for potential Wee replacements along with the CCM, Glee, CB500X and Husqvarna. This list is longer than the one I made in 2012 once I'd crossed off overpriced Triumphs and under developed F800's, so maybe things are going the way I at least want with some of the manufacturers.

Andy

I guess everyone is entitled to their views; I agree with yours about the whaling and killing porpoises BTW, but don't think HondaKawaYamaZuki are responsible so don't mind buying their bikes.

Horses for courses I suppose.

Personally, I don't buy Israeli goods, but that's just my bugbear.....

Thanks for explaining - ride on.

That's servicing..... My bikes cost about £40 to service with oil and filters !!

I've had a 650 Strom. Good bike. Not the most fun to work on. Getting the plugs out is a PITA alone.


Like said, any bike with rusted fasteners and dry rubbers in harder to work on. some better than others though.

And price/prestigue has little to do with it.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

....and i call my XT a road whale what was I thinking.

An't it great to have a choice, so what will I use to take me where ever I want? Here in OZ I am spoilt with over two dozen different bikes from all corners of the world! In Europe and the UK you have even greater choice

Get over it and get out and ride.

Ernesto from Uruguay (do a search on the forum) just did 18000 reliable K's around Australia on a Kimco 125, for which he bought for $2000 OZ new Just shows what you can do if you don't let your ego/bias get in the road of a good time.

Rod

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Adventure950, I'm not wishing for CCM to fail. I just don't understand the reasoning behind using the BMW/Kymco motor.

In BMW form, it didn't ser the world alight and I've heard some murmurs of dissatisfaction from a few friends who bought the original bike.
The motor in BMW trim needed revs to perform, whereas on a long distance bike most prefer something with more low and midrange power.

Be that as it may, BMW has discontinued that model, and I think by the time the dust settles on the KTM/Husky takeover, CCM will be the only customer.

I tried going down the lightweight adventure bike a few years ago with a Husky TE610. Wet weight was under 150kg, power was in the 45 hp range, and I did some much needed mods for tank, headlight and saddle, among several other things.

The main reason I don't have that bike in SE Asia right now is primarily because of parts and service availability.
I don't want to spend time and $$$ having to source parts from around the world for a limited build motor, especially as Husky runs down inventory over the next few years.

And, u suspect Husky produced a bunch more 610 motors than CCM will be producing of these.

I love my TE, good suspension, light weight, wide ratio 6 speed box, good power right through the rev range. But just too many drawbacks once you are beyond the dealer network.

Sent from my A898 Duo using Tapatalk 4 Beta

I look forward to that comprehensive review.
Presumably the test ride is in the Bolton area.

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Dave

The motor is a good one !! It will be up to CCM to work their tuning out. That will make or break it.

They will also probably change the cam....

CCM have a great opportunity here. I hope they don't f**k it up....


I don't think you can compare the motor with a Husky. Huskys were built for performance over reliability. They're race bikes.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

The motor is from the BMW G450 race bike that "God" David Knight spectacularly bombed with. Neither performance, nor reliability. Before and since he's won everything on a KTM and even on his own off the shelf Kawasaki shortly after he walked out of BMW. He'd probably win on a Kimco.

All the trail riders and "normal" racers in the UK didn't touch it. They stuck to their Suzukis, Hondas, Yamahas and KTMs. That's why it was discontinued.

I suppose CCM got a job-lot very cheaply?

I really do wish CCM well, but I fear they'll be flogging a dead horse, figuratively and literally.

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Those race bikes were surely tuned up ?????


And yeah... CCM don't do anything unless they get a cheap job lot.

DRZ400 engines and DR650 Engines was the norm for a long time.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.