Khanage wrote:
How did the test ride go?
From my RR on ABR! With a few editorial changes... Well, I finally popped up to Sunny Bolton last week, a 2 hr trundle through Shropshire and Cheshire on m,y Honda NX400 and then onto the M6 and other horrible motorways up to Bolton. They really need an easier place to have their factory! I took my single, as I wanted to compare the two bikes on ergos and engine
*I was met by John Drogan the sales bod, who is a really nice guy, then after lots of chat, I signed a disclaimer then out to the factory floor where I had a quick overview and familarisation with my bike. This was a 2013 bike... More will follow on this!
Then it was on with the gear and out into the sweltering heat with John. He is totally familiar with the locale and gave me what I asked for including a little spell of motorway, some trails and lots of winding B roads. A great 90mins ride and some nice scenery as well (outside Bolton!) Ace run leader!!
The Bike? Not for me I am very sad to say, the whole bike is I feel, far too raw and enduro/rally focused and categorically not a trail bike... After 20 mins of road work, we stopped for a cuppa and I suspect John was diappointed at my reaction but I would not want to ride it very far at all in it's present guise... certainly not down to Spain or Morocco... or even the Channel ports!! However, we kept on going and I had a pleasant tour around Bolton!
For me, the CCM would have been too many compromises to get it right for my needs though, and at the end of the day there was still the engine... The bike I rode vibrated as badly as an Enfield Bullet and the cruising speed would have been about 45-50mph for vibe free mirrors, pegs and bars. I can believe John that the bike has had a hard life on the test circuit. The engine felt like a bag of spanners, rough and vibrated like hell. The engine pickup was cracking and it accelerated like a race bike up until it reached 50mph by which time it had reached it's cruising speed... Loads more power to come but really, really rough.. Handling was good, but as it only weighs about as much as a push bike, it should be
Superb on fast open trails, but take it somewhere like I rode in Derbyshire t'other week, and it would be a PITA in nadgery...
In all, a less than wonderful experience for ME, and the bike is not worth 10 grand of my money (or even half that!). I was restrained in my comments on the ABR forum, but I question whether I would even want to take it trail riding... Great on fast tracks in Spain or Wales, on a muddy narrow Shropshire lane in January, I have my doubts. A bike I would ride across France...? Not in a lifetime, at least not in it's present form.
I would urge anyone who is pondering a CCM to get in touch as they are about to start a mobile series of tests and will come to your own place or somewhere nearby. However, I felt the trip to the factory was really worthwhile and helped me see what they were doing and what could be done by CCM to make the bike suitable for individuals.
I came away disappointed that the bike was not what I wanted it to be, and what I had convinced myself the bike was going to be like to ride and potentially own.
BUT, you do need to go and try one yourself!!!
* The Honda won!!!