Thanks for watching. If you'd like to see something a little crazy check out our latest video too featuring the CR1000 two stroke dirt bike on the track! th-cam.com/video/RpDbli7GeBY/w-d-xo.html Cheers Max (999lazer)
In 2003 I worked at a dealer that sold these. The owner threw box after box of new parts into the dumpster per the request of Cannondale. I came back later and pulled the parts out the dumpster. Took them home and stashed them in the garage to only have my mother throw them away. Thanks mom.
My mother threw away a brass coca-cola belt buckle with the words coca-cola on and a picture of a woman with really nice tits on it😳! Her reasoning was that the leather belt was dry and had a bit of damage,😳😳🤔 The brass bit was perfect and the leather belt could have been replaced! I’ve never seen one again but when I looked for it I saw a few others that were similar and they were all in the £300-£400 Or $315-$415 price ranges, she also threw away a Ralph Loren t-shirt that was in blue and looked distressed and it was nearly £600 😳🤷🏻♂️ Her response was, it had a few lose stitches under the arm pit, a needle and thread 🪡 could have fixed it 🤷🏻♂️ She has also thrown out some vintage clothing that I had saved from the tip 🤷🏻♂️
My mother threw away all manner of my priceless collectable treasures that she had no clue of what value they held. She wanted nothing more than an empty house. I'll often see things on eBay selling for big$, and I say to myself, "I used to have a bunch of those".
I worked at a dealership that sold them, we also sold the ATV version as well, full of trick parts and lots of fresh ideas, they were very fast when it ran but they were hugely unreliable, so many engine failures, we were instructed to send engines back for Cannondale to verify what went wrong, all the dealers send so many back that they called and said please stop sending them in as they had so many blown engines. The ATV were definitely better than the bike.
This is one of those bikes where I genuinely feel like there was something there, something that could’ve opened doors and changed things. Instead it was the classic tale of: “So far ahead of it’s time it should’ve waited for it’s time to come.”
Yeah man. So far ahead of its time. Saw one as a kid at redbud during the nationals in 2001 during the amateur night races. I forgot the name of it until I came across this video. I just remembered how different it looked compared to everything else there.
@@alienrocketscienceshared8454 as someone who’s read thoroughly comprehensive stories of the KTM 4 stroke game changer and the Cannondale here and I can say this is most certainly not the case.
@@jacobg130productionshad one of these bikes.it was not as bad as people say.itveas fast as hell.sent the suspension to f.c and it handled pretty good.after a bunch of reflash it cleaned up the idle and was pretty good.wish they stuck it out.
The best explanation I got was, the exhaust pipe was too short and was hard on the head/valves. But I thought it was going to be awesome,then it wasn't.
to be honest, all of the horrible tics against the bike are perfectly reasonable for a brand new bike (make and model). were they actually expecting to turn a profit on year one release? even new model revamps are a huge gamble (see the trouble with KTM's first year fuel injection, electric start and mapping on 2-strokes). all are great performance and convenience ideas, but anyone who bought one was a guinea pig.
Spot on, even a first year new model japanese can turn back time for a year till kinks are worked out. Starting anything new takes patience and really knowing it to improve it .
The Cannondale 400mx could have been one of the greatest 4-strokes ever made,just they came out too early. Cannondale also used German Maico's when they brought their 500cc.620cc.& 700cc. 2T intimidators out. A superb brand that marketed their fuel injected 4-strokes a little bit to early.
I saw two atvs have their engines split in half in two runs up a sand dune. Same guy. He owned one and one was the loaner from the dealer. That's not a first year tic. They went bankrupt before the one he owned was fixed. I just kept racing my 250r on the stock piston season after season.
I raced a moto 440 quad. I did a pre production demo ride in Florida and knew this thing was a game changer. I pulled every holeshot I lined up on that season. And with the factory tuning software we were able to get rid of the flame out issue and make close to 50hp with a slip on
Every time I ride my 1983 CR480R or my 2001 CR500R I am reminded of how nice those thick seats were and wonder why the bloody hell can't they put a reasonable seat on the modern bikes instead of those sadistic torture devices they try to pass off as a seat these days. I also wonder why all the plastic has to be so ridiculously pointy. It was so much more pleasing when it was smooth and curvaceous. Plastics on modern bikes look like Madonna's bra stuffed with a mace and some pyramids. Nothing but silly multitudes of sharp points, creases and edges. I do appreciate the brakes on the modern bikes vs the vintage bikes.
Really like that you get the owner of the bike and have a sit down and chat about it. Helps us establish what's been done on the bike, the history of it, the community around it and why they spend time to fix up or make the bikes better. This channel is fantastic!
These bikes were manufactured by many of my friends' dads in my tiny little hometown in Bedford, PA. I grew up across the street from the factory. I remember they had a test track a few miles away that we could go and get sneak peaks of the bike. Before the dirtbike days we used to dumpster dive for "defective" mtb parts all the time bc the factory was a long time bicycle manufacturing facility before they started the mx bike and 4 wheeler manufacturing venture. Good memories.
Exactly right, maybe contract an engine from rotax or others and concentrate on the chassis and suspension and getting that all ironed out...too much to design from the ground up unless you have an unlimited budget and time.
You can actually make big power out of these engines. I have a dyno and I race motocross on quads and bikes and with the quads I normally don’t have any issues. It runs as good or better than all the modern 450’s. The bike’s performance was limited from the exhaust and intake system tho. They actually made a new chassis bike called the x440 which was a big improvement over the mx400 but went bankrupt before it could take off
A friend of mine had a X440. Not only did my 426 absolutely shit on it on track, it did so reliably. Mike had gone through 2 engines in a few months. I surely hope the X440 and the crapload of problems they had were not actually "improved" over the 400. I met a handful of Cannondale riders and not a single one of them had great success stories. Here's the wild kicker of it all. I still have my 426F and it's been my woods racing bike for quite some time. Still violent as all hell and only things really done are suspension upgrades as better tech comes along. In B class, she's still doing exceptionally well. There's no way in hell a Cannondale would have survived this long with just valve adjustments along the way....
It still looks like brand new,I was excited for this bike,they tried to put too much new tech on it at once though,needed more time testing to sort everything out before production,beautiful welds on frame and swingarm,Ohlins suspension was sweet,sounds very torquey
Not even close to the worst! I had a 1981 CR450 that had a 4 speed transmission. First gear was like 3rd on a bike that had a powerband like a 125. If you took it off-road it stalled easily, and it had a left side kick start that required you to dismount to start it. Combine all this with bad suspension and you have a turd! I had gone to the shop to buy a KDX-200 for my first real dirt bike and my “friends” talked me into this POS. I rode it 6 times and sold it to buy the KDX. Thankfully I bought it on a leftover close out and didn’t lose much.
They made these fairly close to where I live. Still know lots of people that worked on the project, from what I’ve been told test riders and engineers told management that it wasn’t ready and still needed development but they pushed ahead anyways and lost everything.
@@bobg3034 Yes, I interviewed there, drove there from Michigan, but turned down a job offer for it was not enough money. 6 months later, MXA destroyed all their hopes in the biggest hit piece review they had ever written, (by far). The Motorcycle building was 4 miles from the Bicycle building. The Tucker automobile was destroyed in much the same way, but with the help of people in Congress, because the industry did not want to compete with him. We sure lost a lot of opportunity there,---and here.
Good video and I think you are very accurate in your assessment of the bike. I had an X440 I bought from a guy on the east coast (US), who had actually won a MX championship on it in 2003. I liked the handling quite a bit. It had good suspension, a good clutch and even decent power, when it ran. I had 3 different maps I could load on it with my laptop. The E map was soft and linear, for enduro. The X map was sort of an all around style, moderate map and then there was an aggressive map for motocross. Way, way ahead of it's time, as many here have stated. It stranded me far out from my truck a few times and I got fed up and tired of working on it and finally overreacted and got an XR400 because I wanted something stone reliable. Compared to the Cannondale, the XR was very reliable, but I think the power, handling, suspension, ergonomics and even the brakes were better on the Cannondale. I remember dreaming about stuffing the XR engine in the Cannondale chassis, to get something reliable that rode like the Cannondale. Since then, I have had many bikes but I still remember the feeling of riding that bike and I agree that it was a lot of fun to ride (when it would start, or stay running). I am glad people have figured out how to make them run reliably now. Kinda makes me with I had held on to that bike.
I just sold a 2000 yz400 and went and picked up a 02 Cannondale 440xs I really enjoy my Cannondale my yz was a mofo to kick and wasnt a enjoyable ride my hands would ache after riding my yz
Its a real shame that the press is so unforgiving and unsupportive of American-made. We have a huge homeless problem here in this country that wide-spread manufacturing could really help solve. But are those who really have influence ever supportive of American efforts? NO. Do they love everything Asian, no matter how bad, just so long as it is cheap in price? YES.
Back in the day, I was expecting a nightmare after reading all the negative press about the Cannondale, but on a dry hardpack track it was a pleasant surprise. Handling was pretty good, as was suspension. About the only annoying thing (other than the hiccup and die) was its short breadth of power; the bike would start pulling good, and you would expect it to keep building power, but it just didn't. Time to shift. The rpm range in which it made power was short, or at least that is what if 'felt' like on the track, and this after coming off a yz250 2-stroke. Honestly, it wasn't that bad of a bike for a clean slate first try. Just think what it could have became with continued development. It definitely did not deserve a 'worst bike' moniker.
I had one of these and it was fast as hell.they kept coming out with reflash after reflash and we did some tweaking ourselves and the flame out went away .even got to try Keith Johnson Cannondale that was a great bike heavy but great.
Had one but an X440 and I absolutely loved it!! I had Black Widow rebuild the engine doing all recall and upgrade work, had the efi system upgraded, had the suspension srung a valved for my weight then rode it hard for 200 plus hrs before selling it
Honestly quite surprised by your review of this motorcycle, mainly your statements about power, I have an 03 cannibal quad and it is significantly quicker than my 04 trx450. I've never rode a Cannondale dirtbike but I would imagine there has to be a lot of restriction, sounds very gutless and boggy in the video, much different than the quad.
Dude, you shot this vid at Greenfield dirttrack, yet still we don’t get you to make a flat track video? Come oooon max!! Get your ass on an oval, prefferably on a framer!
I have 3 cannondale quads and one dirt bike. I have an 02 E440. They have a few issues but once fixed they are badass. Way ahead of there time and manufactured in Bedford Pennsylvania. Only 2 hours from me
The only thing I can see thats a design fault is the airbox mess. Possibly electric start was added weight and complexity for nothing too. In those days carbs were far better than FI systems aswell but everything else looks like a brilliant idea that just needed more time and work to finish. That airbox/exhaust combo must heavily restrict power and indeed if this made similar power to the YZ, KTM or even CRF from back in those days - reliably - then it may have done very well. Most of the ideas are great.
Why change gearbox cassette and not just sprockets, a lot of early probs involved gearbox studs loosening ‘cos no locktite, Underseat fuel tank pig to fill due to no breather, no kickstart fitted just elec start, due to efi and very small battery, if voltage dropped below 9.3v then no spark and wouldn’t bump start!! It actually had mounting point on frame for jump leads I brought over e440 with super moto wheels, was happy to move on….we live and learn,
I was one of the first sponsored riders in AZ when that came out. It had the craziest engine braking I have ever experienced. The first time I rode it hard. I went over the bars 2 to 3 times on the first lap.
Funny seeing this. I was at the test ride weekend at the factory from September 8-10. I know that was the date because me and the shop owner had to rent a car to drive back to Texas because of 9/11. Temperamental is an understatement. The worst thing is that it would die sometimes and scare the s*** out of you. I watched Robbie Reynard race Josh Demuth in Floresville and he was beating him until it died on him. It actually handled pretty well; however, in some situations it would feel too stiff like the '97 Hondas. If they would have stuck with the bikes instead of the 4-wheelers it could have been a decent bike. Still have the cross-country version sitting in the garage. Not sure I'd vote it as the worst motocross bike ever. There were lots of terrible ones.
Great video ! I worked at cannondale in bedford pa in the shipping g dept when these were being developed. It was said Harley Davidson wanted to be partners with building these bikes but cannondale refused . The quads were wild looking .
Great all encompassing & well produced video, Guys .... I bought a virtually original E440 in the UK (this was the Enduro version produced a few years later). There was not much on the net about these innovative machines & you have told the whole story, and covered it well. Thanks to Guy for sharing his saga on the renovation too ... Mine is running well, but I'm too scared to take it out in anger, just in case it breaks ! Maybe Vinduro in a couple of years, when its eligible & the truck is close at hand :)
Test drove one of these in Silver City back in the day. Build quality of the machine was impeccable with an MSRP to match. Came very close to buying one. Parts/dealership support at the time was almost non-existent and a turn off. Tough sale when the Japanese manufactures were just about to release their sub-250lb aluminum frame 2-stroke racers for less than $6000, the YZ four strokes making a big stink in outdoor MX and the DRZ400 setting the pace in the off-road/single track scene.
Motocross Action's review of the Cannondale was brutal. It probably helped to tank the sales. I think their line of quads were more successful and well received. I've never ridden one myself but I hear the engine rips. The frame was aluminum and looked cool. It did have some of the same engine issues as the bike, i.e., reliability problems, hard to work on.
The Cannibal was the first aluminum frame fast bike quad. It was a beast literally. When I finally got one, in 2014 it still felt as fresh as a new bike. In 2002, 10k usd is a big ask for a quad made for racing.
Their quads were awkward and unreliable. It's just like when the real gas gas was around making bikes and quads not the ktm gas gas lol. The front suspension geo on the non Japanese quads and bikes was always weird unless it was bombardier(can-am since about 08) and polaris. Even the short lived KTM quad was an oddball. There was potential though with the cannondales it was just too early.
@@insanetaco98 The KTMs were not "oddball" quads, they were some of the best production quads ever made. I have both the 525xc and 505sx. Go back and read the shootouts in Dirt Wheels and you'll see. KTM ultimately stopped making them because their expense (10k) and the economy. I also have an 04 GASGAS Wild 300. Great engine. The 03 model did have bad geometry up front, but they improved it in 04. It's a great quad too. It came with high-end parts, Ohlins, Brembo, etc. The chassis is based on the 250R.
@vintagetrikesandquads4012 after having test rode a couple ktms and racing with em my YFZ is a much more balanced and quicker machine. Lap times don't lie. Even when John Natalie was racing a KTM they weren't all that fast compared to the jap quads
Wow I remember when this bike came out. I was excited for it especially cuz it was made in the US. But unfortunately it wasn't a good one.super thanks to the owner who kept it going and didn't give up on this bike. I thought it didn't exist anymore
My issue, was when I had the chance to take the bike on practice laps at Glen Helen. It was that it had the nastiest push in turns. It would always cause cross-rutting in anything but a freshly groomed track. After some hard laps and the track is beat up I would go over the bars more times that I wanted to getting crossed up. It rarely happened on my Kawasaki race bike other than when I messed up.
My 2019 YZ250 2-stoke was the worst stock 250cc bike I ever owned. But I set it up well and fixed it. There are ways to fix your problems with the adjustment available, and I bet you did not have a clue. No offense. it takes time and experience to set a bike up well, and the factories can't do it for everybody.
Yamaha wasn't the first to introduce it despite people thinking so, they just ruined the 2 stroke class with putting a star rider on one. On the Cannondale, no mention of cassette crank? no splitting cases was always what I remember about Cannondale. The quad version guys liked. Edit here ya go It was KTM: th-cam.com/video/0DRs3pAa-Xg/w-d-xo.html
You're right about that,KTM and husaburg all had the 590/610 four strokes, and I remember KTM coming out with the smaller cc size (they seem to be good at that, because I've heard the 350 is meant to be pretty good as stock,not just the factory 350's AC222 rode.) Yamaha just happened to be extremely popular at the time they released theirs, especially with mcgrath on yamaha,albeit a 2 stroke,but his team mate ferry won a few races on a 4 banger. I know Doug Henry was the first to ride and win on the yam 4 stroke,but ferry just backed up that it was a winning bike.sorry if that's a bit jumbled,I was remembering shit as I wrote 😂
Max, you should see if you can get hold of the new Buell Dune Racer (once it hits market). I'm a Buell owner, and I cannot get my head around what Buell is thinking with this bike. Check it out if you haven't.
I hated the yz400 when it came out. Getting stuck behind a slower rider was hell because they'd walk all over a 125 on the straights. The only way around was to consistently gain a lot of time in corners which was really difficult on a dry track.
I watched the CD race during the 426 era in person. They were quite quick for a few laps and then usually gave up. They were horribly setup though. You'd see them rebound so terribly they'd take a hop off a landing on flat ground. Not nearly enough rebound damping. Additionally, a friend of mine that also did testing for various Japanese companies as well as ATK and Bombardier, the CD as well, has said the bike was under developed and under funded. You have said as much in your video. It's a shame they didn't push on a bit, it could have been a good effort. The 426 and Dough Henry were nuts though. That bike was totally off the charts. I'm a big 2t guy, but that 426 was truly a ride.
I always thought making one into a supermoto would be a good use for the bike. ATK fixed several of the issues with the bike, I have never seen one though.
Atk didn’t fix anything they tried to take credit for fixes already known. They also went cheap on the fixes they raved about many that had to be redone
It’s weird that the Cannondale cannibal atv was actually a beast on track I had one until recently and I could run with any Japanese motocross quad, or cross country and desert racing.
Cool bike but maintenance seems like a horror. Generally, for weekend warrior rider, underpowered bike seems like a great solution, we don't need all those extra HPs. You are doing a great job with capturing those rare bikes and their stories. Thank you!
All they had to do is make a two stroke while they ironed out odds and ends.I wish they were still here, An American dirt bike company, I would get in line at the dealership. You don't know what you got till it's gone.i love it now just as much as I hated the yz 400 then. Gonna start looking for one. Welds as pretty as a tm.
It was at the level of a prototype with all of its reliability and powerband issues. With time the engine issues could've been solved, the ECU technology could'Ve been solved. But the bad structure of the air filters, the starter and the weight would've stayed a negative feature. As a newcomer in the market they had two bigger options: build a "conservative" bike with the well known (and well working) structures of the actual bikes - or build a bike with whatever they're able to build in and count on the hype which can carry the negative side of the model to survive and have enough money for the further development. Which is always very risky. Especially in a few years without any experience with motorbikes. Therefore every step of the bike was more expensive than expected, they had to develop everything from the ground. It was too much for their engineering capability at that time.
I remember all summer long in 2001. Every pro race it entered in the outdoor Nationals, the bike kept melted down. I don't think it ever finished a 30 minute moto.
That's what i've heard as well. I believe Keith Johnson rode for Cannondale that year, i think he's going to be at an event i'm at next month...i'll ask him for some behind the scenes info!
@@999lazer hey I'm an old 2 stroke rider...had Huskys but wr250 and wr360 enduros...and I owned 1 of the first 2 Cooper 250 enduros registered in Australia...made in Mexico sold by the local Maico dealer here in Sydney early 70s...I have some photos but fairly pedestrian by today's standards...at 68 still sometimes ride my husky te310... don't like falling off much though now...lol. love your stuff Mac.
@999lazer Wassup Max. Here's some trivia that'll bug you out. I went to high school in New Rochelle, NY with a cat named Rafe Schlanger. Rafe was an artistic, mechanical genius even in high school. He rebuilt an entire VW Beetle engine in the middle of his living room and stuck it in the back of a VW that he drove during our last year of high school. That was just a foreshadow of things. I had a 35 lb. CYC stormer that I raced my first BMX race on, almost killed myself because the thing had back pedal brakes, it was heavy, and the track was on the side of a ski slope so you're basically just hauling ass because of momentum. Truth be told all the experts and real racers were sitting there laughing at me and saying "he's going to DIE" but THAT just made me more determined to not crash and I even came home with a 6th place ribbon from the main event. When I told Rafe but I did pretty decent he was super surprised that I got a ribbon riding that clunker so he offered me to use his 22 lb full-blown custom race bike. I never knew a bicycle feel that light and handle so well. It wasn't the difference between winning but I'd jumped up from 6 or 7 now I was running a solid 3rd. Long story short we were set to conquer the world, me through racing and Rafe through engineering the stuff that I would eventually race and test. But things didn't turn out that way, I advance from novice to B Pro in a year-and-a-half and Rafe was still in college earning his engineering degree. By the time he graduated college with his Bachelors Degree I already switched from BMX MX. Truthfully had I known how spectacular it was to go from novice to Pro in one and a half years I would have stayed in BMX and possibly have made a name for, but the allure of more speed with the engine was always gnawing at me. So couple years later after Rafe graduates college with his engineering degree he got the job working for who else, CANNONDALE. Many of the innovations you saw on the Cannondale road and mountain bikes came straight from the head and heart of my BFF in high school, Rafe Schlanger. 😯🤔😎 Rafe told me about Cannondale's intention to create the motorcycle 2 years before anything about it hit the press. I was sworn to secrecy by threat of,.... well, let's just say I like my "stones" exactly where they are, no rearranging necessary😁😁.... Especially having them ripped off🤯🫣 A couple of New England National Pros did the testing and race testing and did rather well in the bike. They qualified for every National the team entered and judging by how fast THOSE guys rode it, it CAN be made to compete at the highest levels. HP is relatively easy to make, good handling is a lot harder as Honda found out. Anyway, back to Rafe. After he left Cannondale he created the Spinergy Rev-X bladed wheels. 🤯😯🧐😁😎, yup, the very wheels that Mario Cippolini PAID his own money to use and WIN the World Cycling Championship back in the day. Spinergy, like Rafe, was years ahead of its time. After he sold that company to a brand I won't mention, he REINVENTED the wheel a second time 😯☺️🏁 with the oddly named Topolino Technologies wheel. (Topolino was the little mouse that watched the inventor Geppeto create Pinocchio) Each spoke goes end to end on opposite sides of the rim and passes through the carbon fiber hub. 🤯 Most wheels that are so light, 1100 grams, have a rider weight limit of 175 lbs or less. The Topolino wheels managed over 5000 miles under a NFL player (American football) weighing almost 275 pounds of solid muscle. 🤯 I mean, holy SHIZNIT!!!! By buddy is so humble for a guy that literally REINVENTED THE WHEEL not once, but TWICE. 💪🏻🏁☺️ I pray that history will remember him and what he's given to this world. Google "Spinergy" and see the history. Topolino tech now makes their wheels for standard and racing wheel chairs. Seems to me that some engineers are pu$$ie$, get scared when facing a revolutionary idea. Rafe is leasing the patent to another company, a huge TdF sponsor, you'll figure it out, but he still gets to use his design in the wheelchairs. He just can't sell them for road cycles anymore. When I find a pic of Spinergy 1, the crude version he mocked up to pitch to venture capitalists I'll post it on FedBook and add the link to this thread. You ROCK Maximus, 2T FOREVER💪🏾🏁💪🏻 BRAAAP BRAAAP
I was in college and finishing up my masters degree in texas at the time. I wrote up a resume and cover letter and applied to work in their new motorcycle division. Never got the opportunity. Loved their mountainbikes. A big mb time for me and had been an avid motocross rider and racer 15 years. Was blown away by Cannondale's attempt at the time.
The YZ426 stalled on me constantly. I got to ride my buddy's quite a bit and I really didn't like it. Granted, it was my first time on a bigger four stroke (I raced a 250 back then). It died coming into corners at least once per ride on me. I'm sure a faster rider probably had less of an issue and it could've had some clutch issues (who knows), but it did not like me. It put me off 450s entirely, but I ended up liking those.
I've owned a few cannondale 440 quads in the past. They're fantastic if you do some much needed modernizing like shocks and other fuel system mods. Cannondale changed the industry with the stuff that was standard on their stuff. But it was all very early and very high maintenance for the time.
I raced the quads semi pro in America back in 02. You had to do a couple simple mods and upgrades, and you had a awesome powerplant. I never rode their bike but that motor is a capable power house.
To be completely fair, Erik Buell used a few of these same innovations in what I'd consider a far better application (or perhaps just done with better finesse) in his Buell XB series along with the 1190 EBR's of the early 2010's. Fuel tank in-frame, oil reservoir in the swingarm, brake disc mounted inversely to only need one disc, the list goes on. Main takeaway from this is that innovating for innovation's sake is cool but not practical or capable. Innovation with some ingenuity and nuance sprinkled on top have a chance of being incredible.
Exactly what I was thinking. Also think they had the air box intake thru the frame too. "Hand made in the USA" the welds are great to look at. Like Kona bikes were hand made in USA and other companies until like 1999. Then it all got out sourced and done by robots. Progress I suppose.
On the contrary, I've witnessed this bike win numerous races in the organization that I used to race in. The rider winning these races certainly wasn't a bullet by any means, but he made it happen week after week. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to try out this machine, but for a first effort by an otherwise tiny company, I think they did pretty damn good.
The concept of using the internals of the frame is actually something I'm shocked other manufacturers aren't doing, especially as a radiator/heatsink for the engine by running coolant or oil through. Maybe even use it as a part of the fuel tank to thin out the tank and lower the top heavy feeling of bikes by a bit. It would definitely save on weight and size by some margin.
Many companies did exactly this and it usually ended in disaster. Early Yamaha yz125s had coolant through the headstock, which leaked right on the showroom floor in dealerships. You had to disassemble the entire stock and clean it several times a year but they always leaked. Can am had in frame oil tanks that degraded and clogged the the oiling system leading to engine failures
@@ansmerek There's no reason they couldn't make that work as a reservoir with sealed sections welded tight with two hose nipples, one in and one out. It's not exactly an engineering feat to make a simple tank that doesn't leak. I could see the issue with using the headstock or having seals on jointed parts but an isolated system would be pretty simple.
That's a sad story! Innovative company getting mercilessly stomped in the harsh business world. I had an Aprillia dirtbike (project) once! 125cc 2T. I remember it had a Ducati ignition. Way weirder bike than this one!
Uncle Owned an Enduro Model. I rode it for a long time. The seat was super hard, and the suspension needed work, but the bike was awesome....... in Arizona. The minute it got up to high altitude in Utah, it refused to work. There were a lot of problems with the EFI, and it was a coincidence that the company that has all the parts for the bike is ATK in Utah. I believe I still have the spare front fender for the bike.
I remember being 10 years old and seeing a 2 page spread about these bikes in a Motocross Action magazine. I thought they looked cool. I asked my uncle who was on the couch with me if he had heard about them and he responded “Cannondale? Like the mountain bike? They make a motorcycle now?” He was just as interested as I was. We always rode Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Honda. I always wondered about these bikes. RIP uncle Steve.
That era was my heyday. My buddy bought one. I never had a chance to ride it. I was always a 2 stroke guy. He didn't keep it long and didn't exactly rave about it when he had it.
Really cool video I need up watching it twice. The bike looks and sounds pretty good. The handling looks like a 2005 yz450 doesn’t do anything special but does everything nice. You look really comfortable on there
Hi max she doesn't sound to bad for a 4 banger I have a yz400 project and 98 John dowd replica yz250 2 smoker and 89 kx125 and I'm an above right knee amputee but I'm still addicted to 2 strokers at age41 but your only as old as u feel fair play great video 💯 respect Dave
@@999lazer Same as u mate they all are we're and still are my seedy love affair wiv two strokes thanks for your reply keep up the the mint content Dave stay safe 💯🤙🏻🫡🏴😎
I was so hoping Cannondale would pull it off. I was watching their efforts back in the day. They probably got stung by bad initial reviews which have a subjective nature to them but nevertheless can set the tone for general perception. Word-of-mouth may ultimately have been the only thing that sunk the project. It had promise, lots of it. I wish things had gone better.
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Thanks for watching. If you'd like to see something a little crazy check out our latest video too featuring the CR1000 two stroke dirt bike on the track! th-cam.com/video/RpDbli7GeBY/w-d-xo.html Cheers Max (999lazer)
Did you say it only made 43hp? My 03 yz125 made 39hp on dyno lol😂
In 2003 I worked at a dealer that sold these. The owner threw box after box of new parts into the dumpster per the request of Cannondale. I came back later and pulled the parts out the dumpster. Took them home and stashed them in the garage to only have my mother throw them away. Thanks mom.
Bummer.
My mother threw away a brass coca-cola belt buckle with the words coca-cola on and a picture of a woman with really nice tits on it😳!
Her reasoning was that the leather belt was dry and had a bit of damage,😳😳🤔
The brass bit was perfect and the leather belt could have been replaced!
I’ve never seen one again but when I looked for it I saw a few others that were similar and they were all in the £300-£400
Or $315-$415 price ranges, she also threw away a Ralph Loren t-shirt that was in blue and looked distressed and it was nearly £600 😳🤷🏻♂️
Her response was, it had a few lose stitches under the arm pit, a needle and thread 🪡 could have fixed it 🤷🏻♂️
She has also thrown out some vintage clothing that I had saved from the tip 🤷🏻♂️
@@OldestYoungenInGuidePostR.I.P
My mother threw away all manner of my priceless collectable treasures that she had no clue of what value they held. She wanted nothing more than an empty house. I'll often see things on eBay selling for big$, and I say to myself, "I used to have a bunch of those".
Every mom in this world love empty house 🥲
I worked at a dealership that sold them, we also sold the ATV version as well, full of trick parts and lots of fresh ideas, they were very fast when it ran but they were hugely unreliable, so many engine failures, we were instructed to send engines back for Cannondale to verify what went wrong, all the dealers send so many back that they called and said please stop sending them in as they had so many blown engines. The ATV were definitely better than the bike.
This is one of those bikes where I genuinely feel like there was something there, something that could’ve opened doors and changed things. Instead it was the classic tale of: “So far ahead of it’s time it should’ve waited for it’s time to come.”
Yeah man. So far ahead of its time. Saw one as a kid at redbud during the nationals in 2001 during the amateur night races. I forgot the name of it until I came across this video. I just remembered how different it looked compared to everything else there.
@@alienrocketscienceshared8454 as someone who’s read thoroughly comprehensive stories of the KTM 4 stroke game changer and the Cannondale here and I can say this is most certainly not the case.
Lmao it's a God dam Harley four stroke lawnmower engine God dam heavy as fuck pile of fart can shit....it's 2T only!
@@jacobg130productionshad one of these bikes.it was not as bad as people say.itveas fast as hell.sent the suspension to f.c and it handled pretty good.after a bunch of reflash it cleaned up the idle and was pretty good.wish they stuck it out.
The best explanation I got was, the exhaust pipe was too short and was hard on the head/valves. But I thought it was going to be awesome,then it wasn't.
to be honest, all of the horrible tics against the bike are perfectly reasonable for a brand new bike (make and model). were they actually expecting to turn a profit on year one release? even new model revamps are a huge gamble (see the trouble with KTM's first year fuel injection, electric start and mapping on 2-strokes). all are great performance and convenience ideas, but anyone who bought one was a guinea pig.
bang on, thanks for watching :)
Your absolutely right. Its rare for a gen 1 anything to be perfect. Especially getting into a new game.
Spot on, even a first year new model japanese can turn back time for a year till kinks are worked out. Starting anything new takes patience and really knowing it to improve it .
The Cannondale 400mx could have been one of the greatest 4-strokes ever made,just they came out too early. Cannondale also used German Maico's when they brought their 500cc.620cc.& 700cc. 2T intimidators out. A superb brand that marketed their fuel injected 4-strokes a little bit to early.
I saw two atvs have their engines split in half in two runs up a sand dune. Same guy. He owned one and one was the loaner from the dealer. That's not a first year tic. They went bankrupt before the one he owned was fixed. I just kept racing my 250r on the stock piston season after season.
I raced a moto 440 quad. I did a pre production demo ride in Florida and knew this thing was a game changer. I pulled every holeshot I lined up on that season. And with the factory tuning software we were able to get rid of the flame out issue and make close to 50hp with a slip on
Every time I ride my 1983 CR480R or my 2001 CR500R I am reminded of how nice those thick seats were and wonder why the bloody hell can't they put a reasonable seat on the modern bikes instead of those sadistic torture devices they try to pass off as a seat these days. I also wonder why all the plastic has to be so ridiculously pointy. It was so much more pleasing when it was smooth and curvaceous. Plastics on modern bikes look like Madonna's bra stuffed with a mace and some pyramids. Nothing but silly multitudes of sharp points, creases and edges. I do appreciate the brakes on the modern bikes vs the vintage bikes.
Really like that you get the owner of the bike and have a sit down and chat about it. Helps us establish what's been done on the bike, the history of it, the community around it and why they spend time to fix up or make the bikes better.
This channel is fantastic!
thank you :)
These bikes were manufactured by many of my friends' dads in my tiny little hometown in Bedford, PA. I grew up across the street from the factory. I remember they had a test track a few miles away that we could go and get sneak peaks of the bike.
Before the dirtbike days we used to dumpster dive for "defective" mtb parts all the time bc the factory was a long time bicycle manufacturing facility before they started the mx bike and 4 wheeler manufacturing venture. Good memories.
Fantastic story. Thanks for sharing!
They should have played it safe in the market for a few years and introduced the innovation little by little
Exactly right, maybe contract an engine from rotax or others and concentrate on the chassis and suspension and getting that all ironed out...too much to design from the ground up unless you have an unlimited budget and time.
You can actually make big power out of these engines. I have a dyno and I race motocross on quads and bikes and with the quads I normally don’t have any issues. It runs as good or better than all the modern 450’s. The bike’s performance was limited from the exhaust and intake system tho. They actually made a new chassis bike called the x440 which was a big improvement over the mx400 but went bankrupt before it could take off
No way that runs like a new 450f bro.
A friend of mine had a X440. Not only did my 426 absolutely shit on it on track, it did so reliably. Mike had gone through 2 engines in a few months. I surely hope the X440 and the crapload of problems they had were not actually "improved" over the 400. I met a handful of Cannondale riders and not a single one of them had great success stories.
Here's the wild kicker of it all. I still have my 426F and it's been my woods racing bike for quite some time. Still violent as all hell and only things really done are suspension upgrades as better tech comes along. In B class, she's still doing exceptionally well. There's no way in hell a Cannondale would have survived this long with just valve adjustments along the way....
I sold Guy that bike, one of 3 Cannondales that came my way. Good work Guy I told you they were better than the hype.
Glad you got to see it in action :) Cheers Max
Cheerz mate!
It still looks like brand new,I was excited for this bike,they tried to put too much new tech on it at once though,needed more time testing to sort everything out before production,beautiful welds on frame and swingarm,Ohlins suspension was sweet,sounds very torquey
Not even close to the worst! I had a 1981 CR450 that had a 4 speed transmission. First gear was like 3rd on a bike that had a powerband like a 125. If you took it off-road it stalled easily, and it had a left side kick start that required you to dismount to start it. Combine all this with bad suspension and you have a turd! I had gone to the shop to buy a KDX-200 for my first real dirt bike and my “friends” talked me into this POS. I rode it 6 times and sold it to buy the KDX. Thankfully I bought it on a leftover close out and didn’t lose much.
They made these fairly close to where I live. Still know lots of people that worked on the project, from what I’ve been told test riders and engineers told management that it wasn’t ready and still needed development but they pushed ahead anyways and lost everything.
such a shame as the bike was so ahead of its time
Sounds about right for corporate bureaucrats.
Was the bike made in Bedford PA.?
@@bobg3034 I know a lot of the bike was made in Bedford. I’m sure parts were sourced from different locations though
@@bobg3034 Yes, I interviewed there, drove there from Michigan, but turned down a job offer for it was not enough money. 6 months later, MXA destroyed all their hopes in the biggest hit piece review they had ever written, (by far). The Motorcycle building was 4 miles from the Bicycle building.
The Tucker automobile was destroyed in much the same way, but with the help of people in Congress, because the industry did not want to compete with him. We sure lost a lot of opportunity there,---and here.
Good video and I think you are very accurate in your assessment of the bike. I had an X440 I bought from a guy on the east coast (US), who had actually won a MX championship on it in 2003. I liked the handling quite a bit. It had good suspension, a good clutch and even decent power, when it ran. I had 3 different maps I could load on it with my laptop. The E map was soft and linear, for enduro. The X map was sort of an all around style, moderate map and then there was an aggressive map for motocross. Way, way ahead of it's time, as many here have stated. It stranded me far out from my truck a few times and I got fed up and tired of working on it and finally overreacted and got an XR400 because I wanted something stone reliable. Compared to the Cannondale, the XR was very reliable, but I think the power, handling, suspension, ergonomics and even the brakes were better on the Cannondale. I remember dreaming about stuffing the XR engine in the Cannondale chassis, to get something reliable that rode like the Cannondale. Since then, I have had many bikes but I still remember the feeling of riding that bike and I agree that it was a lot of fun to ride (when it would start, or stay running). I am glad people have figured out how to make them run reliably now. Kinda makes me with I had held on to that bike.
I remember the reviews when it came out. Such a shame it didn't work out.
Thanks Guy for letting Max ride it.
CheersPaul, Guy was such a legend for letting me ride it. Its a privilege to make these videos and document such a cool piece of mx history :)
My pleasure. We had a great time at Greenfield👍
@@guyredshaw1422 beautiful bike. I can see why you needed to own one. 👌
I remember when it came out and we (in our early teens) were stoked to see the tech and advancements.
I just sold a 2000 yz400 and went and picked up a 02 Cannondale 440xs I really enjoy my Cannondale my yz was a mofo to kick and wasnt a enjoyable ride my hands would ache after riding my yz
Its a real shame that the press is so unforgiving and unsupportive of American-made. We have a huge homeless problem here in this country that wide-spread manufacturing could really help solve. But are those who really have influence ever supportive of American efforts? NO. Do they love everything Asian, no matter how bad, just so long as it is cheap in price? YES.
Back in the day, I was expecting a nightmare after reading all the negative press about the Cannondale, but on a dry hardpack track it was a pleasant surprise. Handling was pretty good, as was suspension. About the only annoying thing (other than the hiccup and die) was its short breadth of power; the bike would start pulling good, and you would expect it to keep building power, but it just didn't. Time to shift. The rpm range in which it made power was short, or at least that is what if 'felt' like on the track, and this after coming off a yz250 2-stroke.
Honestly, it wasn't that bad of a bike for a clean slate first try. Just think what it could have became with continued development.
It definitely did not deserve a 'worst bike' moniker.
I had one of these and it was fast as hell.they kept coming out with reflash after reflash and we did some tweaking ourselves and the flame out went away .even got to try Keith Johnson Cannondale that was a great bike heavy but great.
It definitely did not deserve a 'worst bike' moniker.
That is why I attacked him, in defense of the great Cannondale effort.
Another 80million could have fixed it lol!
Had one but an X440 and I absolutely loved it!!
I had Black Widow rebuild the engine doing all recall and upgrade work, had the efi system upgraded, had the suspension srung a valved for my weight then rode it hard for 200 plus hrs before selling it
Honestly quite surprised by your review of this motorcycle, mainly your statements about power, I have an 03 cannibal quad and it is significantly quicker than my 04 trx450. I've never rode a Cannondale dirtbike but I would imagine there has to be a lot of restriction, sounds very gutless and boggy in the video, much different than the quad.
Yamaha bringing out 4 stroke motocross bikes and the only Japanese manufacturer still making full sized 2 strokes. Still funny to me…
Haha I'd never thought of it like that lol Thanks for watching dude
Cannondale couldve been extremely good! All American innovation hardly fails.
Nice video Max, Glad you enjoyed riding the old plodder, the track looks great, great photography well done to team Max.
Thank Kevin, it was a fun day. Thanks for checking the video out. We know we can always rely on you :)
What a great video I really loved this one.
Thanks a lot Tony, as always your content helped me a lot in my research for this one :-)
That bike is suitable for a old vet like me. heavy is ok and the ohlins suspension is where its at
Dude, you shot this vid at Greenfield dirttrack, yet still we don’t get you to make a flat track video? Come oooon max!! Get your ass on an oval, prefferably on a framer!
I have 3 cannondale quads and one dirt bike. I have an 02 E440. They have a few issues but once fixed they are badass. Way ahead of there time and manufactured in Bedford Pennsylvania. Only 2 hours from me
Thanks for watching. That's what we figured, its a fun bike to ride now its sorted.
less than an hour from me and I didn't know that!
Can we get a history episode on ATK?
The only thing I can see thats a design fault is the airbox mess. Possibly electric start was added weight and complexity for nothing too. In those days carbs were far better than FI systems aswell but everything else looks like a brilliant idea that just needed more time and work to finish.
That airbox/exhaust combo must heavily restrict power and indeed if this made similar power to the YZ, KTM or even CRF from back in those days - reliably - then it may have done very well.
Most of the ideas are great.
I know my 01 YZ426 is a beast! Love it!
Cassette transmission too- change a full gearset in minutes
Why change gearbox cassette and not just sprockets, a lot of early probs involved gearbox studs loosening ‘cos no locktite, Underseat fuel tank pig to fill due to no breather, no kickstart fitted just elec start, due to efi and very small battery, if voltage dropped below 9.3v then no spark and wouldn’t bump start!! It actually had mounting point on frame for jump leads
I brought over e440 with super moto wheels, was happy to move on….we live and learn,
I’d like to see you find and ride a 1970’s Rokon automatic mx bike !
Agree! It’s an Iconic and quirky bike👍
I was one of the first sponsored riders in AZ when that came out. It had the craziest engine braking I have ever experienced. The first time I rode it hard. I went over the bars 2 to 3 times on the first lap.
Funny seeing this. I was at the test ride weekend at the factory from September 8-10. I know that was the date because me and the shop owner had to rent a car to drive back to Texas because of 9/11. Temperamental is an understatement. The worst thing is that it would die sometimes and scare the s*** out of you. I watched Robbie Reynard race Josh Demuth in Floresville and he was beating him until it died on him. It actually handled pretty well; however, in some situations it would feel too stiff like the '97 Hondas. If they would have stuck with the bikes instead of the 4-wheelers it could have been a decent bike. Still have the cross-country version sitting in the garage. Not sure I'd vote it as the worst motocross bike ever. There were lots of terrible ones.
I had a 1965 Ford mustang in 1987 at the age of 16 and it seemed really ancient. Now 2001 seems like just yesterday.
I still talk about my 1999 Chevy van like it's new technology
Great video ! I worked at cannondale in bedford pa in the shipping g dept when these were being developed. It was said Harley Davidson wanted to be partners with building these bikes but cannondale refused . The quads were wild looking .
Your riding is improving still max!
The poor cannondale is going to get stone chips from the Yzilla!
You could do lap board (bit like top gear use to do ) and record your lap time every time you ride a different bike
We've just got hold of a crossbox (GPS lap timer) so have started to do that :) Thanks for watching Deano
That sounds fun but I think the track won't be consistent enough for any real comparison
Tonight! Max rides a 500, Nevelle tests a 620, and Hammond crashes..😄
I’d love to see a vid on an Aprilia..
Great all encompassing & well produced video, Guys .... I bought a virtually original E440 in the UK (this was the Enduro version produced a few years later). There was not much on the net about these innovative machines & you have told the whole story, and covered it well.
Thanks to Guy for sharing his saga on the renovation too ... Mine is running well, but I'm too scared to take it out in anger, just in case it breaks ! Maybe Vinduro in a couple of years, when its eligible & the truck is close at hand :)
Hi Russ, Thanks for your comment. Good to know there are some more out there:)
Test drove one of these in Silver City back in the day. Build quality of the machine was impeccable with an MSRP to match. Came very close to buying one. Parts/dealership support at the time was almost non-existent and a turn off. Tough sale when the Japanese manufactures were just about to release their sub-250lb aluminum frame 2-stroke racers for less than $6000, the YZ four strokes making a big stink in outdoor MX and the DRZ400 setting the pace in the off-road/single track scene.
Motocross Action's review of the Cannondale was brutal. It probably helped to tank the sales. I think their line of quads were more successful and well received. I've never ridden one myself but I hear the engine rips. The frame was aluminum and looked cool. It did have some of the same engine issues as the bike, i.e., reliability problems, hard to work on.
The Cannibal was the first aluminum frame fast bike quad. It was a beast literally.
When I finally got one, in 2014 it still felt as fresh as a new bike.
In 2002, 10k usd is a big ask for a quad made for racing.
Their quads were awkward and unreliable. It's just like when the real gas gas was around making bikes and quads not the ktm gas gas lol. The front suspension geo on the non Japanese quads and bikes was always weird unless it was bombardier(can-am since about 08) and polaris. Even the short lived KTM quad was an oddball. There was potential though with the cannondales it was just too early.
@@insanetaco98 The KTMs were not "oddball" quads, they were some of the best production quads ever made. I have both the 525xc and 505sx. Go back and read the shootouts in Dirt Wheels and you'll see. KTM ultimately stopped making them because their expense (10k) and the economy. I also have an 04 GASGAS Wild 300. Great engine. The 03 model did have bad geometry up front, but they improved it in 04. It's a great quad too. It came with high-end parts, Ohlins, Brembo, etc. The chassis is based on the 250R.
@vintagetrikesandquads4012 after having test rode a couple ktms and racing with em my YFZ is a much more balanced and quicker machine. Lap times don't lie. Even when John Natalie was racing a KTM they weren't all that fast compared to the jap quads
@vintagetrikesandquads4012 also I've always wanted a 250r and a wild. MX oriented 2 stroke quads are just different in the best way
Wow I remember when this bike came out. I was excited for it especially cuz it was made in the US. But unfortunately it wasn't a good one.super thanks to the owner who kept it going and didn't give up on this bike. I thought it didn't exist anymore
Thanks for watching Chris. I'd almost given up hope of finding one to make a video with so was super happy when Guy got in touch.
My issue, was when I had the chance to take the bike on practice laps at Glen Helen. It was that it had the nastiest push in turns. It would always cause cross-rutting in anything but a freshly groomed track. After some hard laps and the track is beat up I would go over the bars more times that I wanted to getting crossed up. It rarely happened on my Kawasaki race bike other than when I messed up.
My 2019 YZ250 2-stoke was the worst stock 250cc bike I ever owned. But I set it up well and fixed it. There are ways to fix your problems with the adjustment available, and I bet you did not have a clue. No offense. it takes time and experience to set a bike up well, and the factories can't do it for everybody.
I had an 03 440 moto quad and it hands down was one of the most stand out quad I've ever ridden... although I was fairly modded
Yamaha wasn't the first to introduce it despite people thinking so, they just ruined the 2 stroke class with putting a star rider on one. On the Cannondale, no mention of cassette crank? no splitting cases was always what I remember about Cannondale. The quad version guys liked.
Edit here ya go It was KTM: th-cam.com/video/0DRs3pAa-Xg/w-d-xo.html
You're right about that,KTM and husaburg all had the 590/610 four strokes, and I remember KTM coming out with the smaller cc size (they seem to be good at that, because I've heard the 350 is meant to be pretty good as stock,not just the factory 350's AC222 rode.) Yamaha just happened to be extremely popular at the time they released theirs, especially with mcgrath on yamaha,albeit a 2 stroke,but his team mate ferry won a few races on a 4 banger. I know Doug Henry was the first to ride and win on the yam 4 stroke,but ferry just backed up that it was a winning bike.sorry if that's a bit jumbled,I was remembering shit as I wrote 😂
My 2000 WR 400 had the dry sump tung oil checked and filled at the top of the frame. I loved it.
I had a 2003 440 x,cannondale..it ran great,but that bike was a serious pain to work on.6mm bolts everywhere
It definitely wasn't built with a home mechanic in mind.... or any mechanic for that matter lol
Max, you should see if you can get hold of the new Buell Dune Racer (once it hits market). I'm a Buell owner, and I cannot get my head around what Buell is thinking with this bike. Check it out if you haven't.
Wanted one of these so bad back in the day, the later 440’s were supposed to be better but still not great
Its still looks pretty trick today to be fair. It was so ahead of its time, shame it wasn't built so well back then!
I hated the yz400 when it came out. Getting stuck behind a slower rider was hell because they'd walk all over a 125 on the straights. The only way around was to consistently gain a lot of time in corners which was really difficult on a dry track.
What a gem! I remember seeing them race at AMA pro nationals
I watched the CD race during the 426 era in person. They were quite quick for a few laps and then usually gave up. They were horribly setup though. You'd see them rebound so terribly they'd take a hop off a landing on flat ground. Not nearly enough rebound damping. Additionally, a friend of mine that also did testing for various Japanese companies as well as ATK and Bombardier, the CD as well, has said the bike was under developed and under funded. You have said as much in your video. It's a shame they didn't push on a bit, it could have been a good effort. The 426 and Dough Henry were nuts though. That bike was totally off the charts. I'm a big 2t guy, but that 426 was truly a ride.
I race my cannondale atv in xc to this day I love it cannondales are great machines
Love your work Max. You truly have a passion for our sport
Thanks, I really appreciate your comment :)
I always thought making one into a supermoto would be a good use for the bike.
ATK fixed several of the issues with the bike, I have never seen one though.
I know where one is
Atk didn’t fix anything they tried to take credit for fixes already known. They also went cheap on the fixes they raved about many that had to be redone
@@Kyle-fu6enwhere and how much?
Well done, Guy. Thanks for sharing your passion, brilliant video .
Thanks for watching Steven. Guy is so passionate about these bikes, such a cool guy to make a film with.
Many thanx! Appreciate the comment🙏
id love to see this VS a VERTEMATI (VOR) of the time. they had years of experience of racing GPs and i bet this wasnt far off
It’s weird that the Cannondale cannibal atv was actually a beast on track
I had one until recently and I could run with any Japanese motocross quad, or cross country and desert racing.
I've heard the suspension geometry made them feel kinda awkward. Then again I race a YFZ so I've got a fairly well handling machine lol
Great feature on the bike I remember it being in the magazine TBM back in the day. Sounds proper old school.
Be really interesting to see an MXV450 review....
Cool bike but maintenance seems like a horror. Generally, for weekend warrior rider, underpowered bike seems like a great solution, we don't need all those extra HPs. You are doing a great job with capturing those rare bikes and their stories. Thank you!
Sporting the black widow sticker, basically everything that killed the company should be fixed on this bike
Guy (the owner) said the same thing in the video. Thanks for watching.
All they had to do is make a two stroke while they ironed out odds and ends.I wish they were still here, An American dirt bike company, I would get in line at the dealership.
You don't know what you got till it's gone.i love it now just as much as I hated the yz 400 then. Gonna start looking for one. Welds as pretty as a tm.
Omg ur at greenfield I race there I think u chocks come and try some flattrack mate I think u might like it
Killed the company? They still exist
@@BlindingSun_correct sorry killed the powersports division of the company
Beautiful welding.. They're well known for it.
Interesting video mate👍🏴
Cheers Paul :)
That track looks incredible, low risk and flowy
It was at the level of a prototype with all of its reliability and powerband issues. With time the engine issues could've been solved, the ECU technology could'Ve been solved. But the bad structure of the air filters, the starter and the weight would've stayed a negative feature.
As a newcomer in the market they had two bigger options: build a "conservative" bike with the well known (and well working) structures of the actual bikes - or build a bike with whatever they're able to build in and count on the hype which can carry the negative side of the model to survive and have enough money for the further development. Which is always very risky. Especially in a few years without any experience with motorbikes. Therefore every step of the bike was more expensive than expected, they had to develop everything from the ground. It was too much for their engineering capability at that time.
I was just gonna say, thing looks like it handles the balls
I remember all summer long in 2001. Every pro race it entered in the outdoor Nationals, the bike kept melted down. I don't think it ever finished a 30 minute moto.
That's what i've heard as well. I believe Keith Johnson rode for Cannondale that year, i think he's going to be at an event i'm at next month...i'll ask him for some behind the scenes info!
Where did the bloody emus come from in the background early shot...? Great review as always keep it up Max Graeme in Sydney.
Haha, A bit random they were. Thanks Graeme:)
@@999lazer hey I'm an old 2 stroke rider...had Huskys but wr250 and wr360 enduros...and I owned 1 of the first 2 Cooper 250 enduros registered in Australia...made in Mexico sold by the local Maico dealer here in Sydney early 70s...I have some photos but fairly pedestrian by today's standards...at 68 still sometimes ride my husky te310... don't like falling off much though now...lol. love your stuff Mac.
@999lazer
Wassup Max.
Here's some trivia that'll bug you out. I went to high school in New Rochelle, NY with a cat named Rafe Schlanger. Rafe was an artistic, mechanical genius even in high school. He rebuilt an entire VW Beetle engine in the middle of his living room and stuck it in the back of a VW that he drove during our last year of high school. That was just a foreshadow of things.
I had a 35 lb. CYC stormer that I raced my first BMX race on, almost killed myself because the thing had back pedal brakes, it was heavy, and the track was on the side of a ski slope so you're basically just hauling ass because of momentum. Truth be told all the experts and real racers were sitting there laughing at me and saying "he's going to DIE" but THAT just made me more determined to not crash and I even came home with a 6th place ribbon from the main event.
When I told Rafe but I did pretty decent he was super surprised that I got a ribbon riding that clunker so he offered me to use his 22 lb full-blown custom race bike. I never knew a bicycle feel that light and handle so well. It wasn't the difference between winning but I'd jumped up from 6 or 7 now I was running a solid 3rd.
Long story short we were set to conquer the world, me through racing and Rafe through engineering the stuff that I would eventually race and test.
But things didn't turn out that way, I advance from novice to B Pro in a year-and-a-half and Rafe was still in college earning his engineering degree. By the time he graduated college with his Bachelors Degree I already switched from BMX MX.
Truthfully had I known how spectacular it was to go from novice to Pro in one and a half years I would have stayed in BMX and possibly have made a name for, but the allure of more speed with the engine was always gnawing at me.
So couple years later after Rafe graduates college with his engineering degree he got the job working for who else, CANNONDALE.
Many of the innovations you saw on the Cannondale road and mountain bikes came straight from the head and heart of my BFF in high school, Rafe Schlanger. 😯🤔😎
Rafe told me about Cannondale's intention to create the motorcycle 2 years before anything about it hit the press. I was sworn to secrecy by threat of,.... well, let's just say I like my "stones" exactly where they are, no rearranging necessary😁😁.... Especially having them ripped off🤯🫣
A couple of New England National Pros did the testing and race testing and did rather well in the bike. They qualified for every National the team entered and judging by how fast THOSE guys rode it, it CAN be made to compete at the highest levels. HP is relatively easy to make, good handling is a lot harder as Honda found out.
Anyway, back to Rafe. After he left Cannondale he created the Spinergy Rev-X bladed wheels. 🤯😯🧐😁😎, yup, the very wheels that Mario Cippolini PAID his own money to use and WIN the World Cycling Championship back in the day.
Spinergy, like Rafe, was years ahead of its time. After he sold that company to a brand I won't mention, he REINVENTED the wheel a second time 😯☺️🏁 with the oddly named Topolino Technologies wheel.
(Topolino was the little mouse that watched the inventor Geppeto create Pinocchio)
Each spoke goes end to end on opposite sides of the rim and passes through the carbon fiber hub. 🤯 Most wheels that are so light, 1100 grams, have a rider weight limit of 175 lbs or less. The Topolino wheels managed over 5000 miles under a NFL player (American football) weighing almost 275 pounds of solid muscle. 🤯 I mean, holy SHIZNIT!!!!
By buddy is so humble for a guy that literally REINVENTED THE WHEEL not once, but TWICE.
💪🏻🏁☺️
I pray that history will remember him and what he's given to this world. Google "Spinergy" and see the history.
Topolino tech now makes their wheels for standard and racing wheel chairs.
Seems to me that some engineers are pu$$ie$, get scared when facing a revolutionary idea.
Rafe is leasing the patent to another company, a huge TdF sponsor, you'll figure it out, but he still gets to use his design in the wheelchairs. He just can't sell them for road cycles anymore.
When I find a pic of Spinergy 1, the crude version he mocked up to pitch to venture capitalists I'll post it on FedBook and add the link to this thread.
You ROCK Maximus, 2T FOREVER💪🏾🏁💪🏻 BRAAAP BRAAAP
That so cool, Thanks for sharing it with me. Rafe sounds like an amazing guy :)
I wonder if Jett Lawrence could win on that
I was in college and finishing up my masters degree in texas at the time. I wrote up a resume and cover letter and applied to work in their new motorcycle division. Never got the opportunity. Loved their mountainbikes. A big mb time for me and had been an avid motocross rider and racer 15 years. Was blown away by Cannondale's attempt at the time.
The YZ426 stalled on me constantly. I got to ride my buddy's quite a bit and I really didn't like it. Granted, it was my first time on a bigger four stroke (I raced a 250 back then). It died coming into corners at least once per ride on me. I'm sure a faster rider probably had less of an issue and it could've had some clutch issues (who knows), but it did not like me. It put me off 450s entirely, but I ended up liking those.
This videos gonna do some numbers mate ❤
I've owned a few cannondale 440 quads in the past. They're fantastic if you do some much needed modernizing like shocks and other fuel system mods. Cannondale changed the industry with the stuff that was standard on their stuff. But it was all very early and very high maintenance for the time.
Husaberg were winning the MX des nations on a 400 fourstroke in 1995, so not totally accurate to say that yamaha shook the world with the yz400 in 97.
One of my all time favorite bikes. You were def having fun on her, great episode👍
I've always wanted one of these and I'd still love one now
very cool mini documentary man. great video.
Glad you enjoyed it:) Cheers Max
Worked on a Cannondale four wheeler once it was actually pretty fast. Cannondale also had a programmer for them to boost up the power.
I raced the quads semi pro in America back in 02. You had to do a couple simple mods and upgrades, and you had a awesome powerplant. I never rode their bike but that motor is a capable power house.
To be completely fair, Erik Buell used a few of these same innovations in what I'd consider a far better application (or perhaps just done with better finesse) in his Buell XB series along with the 1190 EBR's of the early 2010's. Fuel tank in-frame, oil reservoir in the swingarm, brake disc mounted inversely to only need one disc, the list goes on.
Main takeaway from this is that innovating for innovation's sake is cool but not practical or capable. Innovation with some ingenuity and nuance sprinkled on top have a chance of being incredible.
Exactly what I was thinking. Also think they had the air box intake thru the frame too. "Hand made in the USA" the welds are great to look at. Like Kona bikes were hand made in USA and other companies until like 1999. Then it all got out sourced and done by robots. Progress I suppose.
On the contrary, I've witnessed this bike win numerous races in the organization that I used to race in. The rider winning these races certainly wasn't a bullet by any means, but he made it happen week after week. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to try out this machine, but for a first effort by an otherwise tiny company, I think they did pretty damn good.
Calm down......says right at start 'some consider' and it obviously didnt work cause it never caught on.....🤡
The concept of using the internals of the frame is actually something I'm shocked other manufacturers aren't doing, especially as a radiator/heatsink for the engine by running coolant or oil through. Maybe even use it as a part of the fuel tank to thin out the tank and lower the top heavy feeling of bikes by a bit.
It would definitely save on weight and size by some margin.
Many companies did exactly this and it usually ended in disaster. Early Yamaha yz125s had coolant through the headstock, which leaked right on the showroom floor in dealerships. You had to disassemble the entire stock and clean it several times a year but they always leaked. Can am had in frame oil tanks that degraded and clogged the the oiling system leading to engine failures
@@ansmerek
There's no reason they couldn't make that work as a reservoir with sealed sections welded tight with two hose nipples, one in and one out. It's not exactly an engineering feat to make a simple tank that doesn't leak.
I could see the issue with using the headstock or having seals on jointed parts but an isolated system would be pretty simple.
Very very interesting bike/story. Thanks for sharing this piece of history with us
Thanks for taking the time to watch dude :-)
That's a sad story! Innovative company getting mercilessly stomped in the harsh business world.
I had an Aprillia dirtbike (project) once! 125cc 2T. I remember it had a Ducati ignition. Way weirder bike than this one!
sounds like an interesting bike :)
Uncle Owned an Enduro Model. I rode it for a long time. The seat was super hard, and the suspension needed work, but the bike was awesome....... in Arizona. The minute it got up to high altitude in Utah, it refused to work. There were a lot of problems with the EFI, and it was a coincidence that the company that has all the parts for the bike is ATK in Utah. I believe I still have the spare front fender for the bike.
I remember being 10 years old and seeing a 2 page spread about these bikes in a Motocross Action magazine. I thought they looked cool. I asked my uncle who was on the couch with me if he had heard about them and he responded “Cannondale? Like the mountain bike? They make a motorcycle now?” He was just as interested as I was. We always rode Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Honda. I always wondered about these bikes. RIP uncle Steve.
That era was my heyday. My buddy bought one. I never had a chance to ride it. I was always a 2 stroke guy. He didn't keep it long and didn't exactly rave about it when he had it.
Is the transmission wide or close ratio? I’m not a fast rider, it would probably suit me fine going slow on a track.
Great vlogg Max , it was definitely way ahead of its time. can’t wait till next weeks vlogg , 🤜🏻🤛🏻
Thanks Doc, next weeks should be a good one :)
@@999lazer looking forward to it mate 👍🏼
Really cool video I need up watching it twice. The bike looks and sounds pretty good. The handling looks like a 2005 yz450 doesn’t do anything special but does everything nice. You look really comfortable on there
Thanks for watching mate :-) I actually really enjoyed riding the bike, which surprised me a lot. I thought it was going to be a complete donkey! lol
Never have heard a number plate called a “number board”
Hi max she doesn't sound to bad for a 4 banger I have a yz400 project and 98 John dowd replica yz250 2 smoker and 89 kx125 and I'm an above right knee amputee but I'm still addicted to 2 strokers at age41 but your only as old as u feel fair play great video 💯 respect Dave
Been a long time watcher and subscriber 🏁🏴keep it up mate 😎
Thanks David, sounds like you have a cool collection of bikes :)
@@999lazer
Same as u mate they all are we're and still are my seedy love affair wiv two strokes thanks for your reply keep up the the mint content Dave stay safe 💯🤙🏻🫡🏴😎
I particularly liked the Ronnie Mac esc butt whip...😂
Hahaha I remember saying to the boys about my massive bum whips when we were filming lol Thanks for watching Jake!
My XR650R supermoto has the supermoto race kit suspension from Cannondale. Nice Ohlins stuff.
I tell ya one thing, the dam 4 wheelers absolutely would fly ,, saw them win a bunch
I knew a guy who bought one, and people who tested them out. The bike, as in riding it, was fine. The bike just always had mechanical issues.
I was so hoping Cannondale would pull it off. I was watching their efforts back in the day. They probably got stung by bad initial reviews which have a subjective nature to them but nevertheless can set the tone for general perception. Word-of-mouth may ultimately have been the only thing that sunk the project. It had promise, lots of it. I wish things had gone better.