I hope its not true

[OG350]

As I sit here reading the news about Cannondale closing it's doors, I can't help but wonder. Could this have been avoided? About a year ago I posted (back then I was NEWZBOY) at least a dozen times about how lucky we were to FINALLY have an American company step up and put their money where their mouth was. I was fortunate enough to have attended the INDY powersports shows the last 5 years and struck up a friendship with Scott Montgomery. Last year we had lunch at the show and he practically offered me a job if I would move to Pa. He told me he put some of my emails on the wall in the lunchroom because they were an encouragement to the workers. Scott always signed his emails with "we never give up" I don't consider this giving up. Maybe there is a buyer out there. (Are you listening Harley Davidson?) From what little I know of bankruptcy law, I believe the only reason to file chapter 11 is precisely because you intend to make it. It is a way to arrange payment to your creditors. I will say this to every editor of every motorcycle and ATV magazine out there: (If you don't read it here I will tell you to your face at the INDY show). SHAME ON YOU for every test you unfairly gave the upper hand to the other bikes in an effort to boost advertising (How many aftermarket companies sell pipes for Dales?) SHAME ON YOU for not giving the proper credit for Cannondale in its effort to bring you EXACTLY what your little crybaby selves asked for for the last 2 decades! Would it have killed you to just say that the Cannondale was a great quad? Is it really important (in retrospect) to say something stupid like "The cannondale makes engine sounds like its going to explode" knowing it would scare off hundreds of buyers? Save your "I'm sorries" for the guy with 3 kids who welds aluminum frames with such precision , its unbelievable. Or maybe you can explain to the single mom who polishes the final assembly pieces that the front end is "just a bit twitchy" . I'm sure she'll feel better. This also goes to all you Cannondale bashers who called it 'Junk" . You may have finally gotten what you wanted. I thought having alternatives in bikes and quads was a good thing. All I can say is , I hope this is all temporary and that we still will have another chance to support a company that has given its all for us. I know I will .

Plz don't flame bro's I just wanna know what yall think about c-dale going bankrupt?? Also I know I ride a jap quad but I plan on buying a c-dale in the summer because it is wanna of the most feature packed quads ever.

[HondaRancherES]

People ain't buying them so they aren't breaking even. I think they had some awsome quads but I never saw a dealer here that sold them.

[Guy400]

Check out the 2 page thread in the Open Forum at www.cannondaleriders.com

I got some news this morning that is a shimmer of hope for Cannondale fans.

[CHAR250R]

I personally think Canondale makes a very good product. Harley Davidson went into the toilet before it's rise to fame. Harley Davidson purchasing the rights to build Canondales would be awesome. Too bad it's just a dream. As long as I have my 250R, I won't need a Dale. But if they outlaw the R, I'd buy a Dale in a heartbeat. Hopefully Canondale can restructure, and come out on top. I think a Dale sitting next to my Softail would be sweet.

[Ryan]

Originally posted by Guy432
Check out the 2 page thread in the Open Forum at www.cannondaleriders.com

I got some news this morning that is a shimmer of hope for Cannondale fans.

Yup... That was good news for me. For everyone who is interested just go to (Open Fourm) and go to the 2 page thread as "Guy" said.

long live c-dale !!! haha, i actually loved there quads

[toby400ex]

i dunno what to think, i think maybe they will come back some how. Or get bought by someone else.:o

[hawiianpwr]

I think they could have made them alittle more affordable.

[Guy400]

Originally posted by hawiianpwr
I think they could have made them alittle more affordable. Crimany, dude. Do you realize what you're getting? You're getting an Arens chromoly steering stem, industry's first hand welded aluminum frame that's so good no modification is needed for racing, a 12:1 compression engine running an I-beam rod, 8-plate clutch, hydraulic clutch, EFI system developed by the same people who do it for F1, linkless swingarm, Ohlins suspension, ITP .190 rims and Holeshot tires. There are more features than above and I got mine for under $6300 OTD?? Cannondale's problem was that they lost money on every single quad they sold which means they were saving the consumer money over what it cost them to build. You insinuate Cannondale was charging too much for what they offered but how much would it cost to bring the 400EX up to Cannondale spec? We'll deal with MSRP's since that's the only thing fair. Cannibal MSRP=$6999, 400EX MSRP=$5699.
These mods are for the 400EX:
Arens stem=$125 (that's the special on the stems at CDR.com for Cannondales)
12:1 JE piston kit=$189 (and this price doesn't include machining)
IMS Hot Rod=$89 (and this isn't even an I-beam)
8-plate clutck kit=$515 and you must then buy the Hinson basket for $225
Magura hydraulic clutch kit=$199
Works single rate shocks=$369 (fronts only and arguably not as good as the Ohlins)
Rebuilt rear stock shock=$250
Holeshot fronts=$90
Holeshot rears=$100

Your total is now $7850 for your EX to even match what Cannondale is giving us stock and we didn't address the carb and you're still riding on a stock EX frame. I'd say Cannondale is giving us an extremely good value.

[hawiianpwr]

very true sorry

I think cannondale's prices could have been maybe a hundred or 2 cheaper. If you think about it they set you up pretty dang good on each quad. C-dale I think will be back up and runnign in the summer. More people ahve noticed them and mroe and mroe people during the summer are going to get them you'll see.

[Sparks425Ex]

I think all of there quads are good except the MOTO. I think that is the most pointless quad ever. Why would somoen wanan spend 13 grand on a quad that is already done. I would rather take a used 400Ex(3500) and then modded the crap outta it.Then you have about 9.5 grand to modd it. That is a kicking 400Ex and that will be better than the Moto would ever be.

Other than that i think it a shame that they are dieing.

[Ryan]

I'd take the Moto man... You will get alot of good mods with the extra money but when it comes to the "Frame" and the "Power" of the engine you can't beat it!

Well Cannondales to me are fairly cheep. They are definitly at the right price...... the only problem is that compared to the other atvs out there, they are expensive so someone new to the atvs or for a first buyer ect :o . I think they should make another Cannondale..... with less stuff just to shrink the price down to about $5,700, just to compete more with the other machines prices.

Just my 2 cents

[mrusk]

The moto is pretty pointless. For 11,800 you could of gotten yourself one of those Walsh Cannondales from Columbia. I'd take one of those anyday over a Moto.

I still can not figure out why the moto is 12,500. Yea its race ready, but how much more in acctual materials does it take to add 2 in to the aarms and put better shocks on it?


If cannondale is over, atleast they set a fire to get the big 4 going. I feel real bad for the people who are stuck with 'dales now. There value is going to fall, not go up like the 250r's.

matt

[MxDale71]

Why would you feel sorry for people like me? Just because there is a chance (even though nothing has been made public) that Cannondale COULD go bankrupt, it doesn't mean I'm gonna sell my quad. And actually, if the Dales weren't available in the future, I could sell mine for a pretty good price. Think about it... would you buy a 89' model R that was close to stock for $4,500 if they still made them and you could buy a 03 R brand spankin new for $5,500? He// no you wouldn't. But either way, I don't plan on selling mine no matter what happens to C-dale. If my motor goes to the *****s and I can't fix it for some reason... oh well... I'll fit a CRF 450 motor in my all aluminum, aftermarket level frame. I feel sorry for everyone that rides 400ex's and puts $5,000 into the motor so that it's about as fast as a Dale but 10 times less reliable.

[phatswinn]

Originally posted by Guy432
Crimany, dude. Do you realize what you're getting? You're getting an Arens chromoly steering stem, industry's first hand welded aluminum frame that's so good no modification is needed for racing, a 12:1 compression engine running an I-beam rod, 8-plate clutch, hydraulic clutch, EFI system developed by the same people who do it for F1, linkless swingarm, Ohlins suspension, ITP .190 rims and Holeshot tires. There are more features than above and I got mine for under $6300 OTD?? Cannondale's problem was that they lost money on every single quad they sold which means they were saving the consumer money over what it cost them to build. You insinuate Cannondale was charging too much for what they offered but how much would it cost to bring the 400EX up to Cannondale spec? We'll deal with MSRP's since that's the only thing fair. Cannibal MSRP=$6999, 400EX MSRP=$5699.
These mods are for the 400EX:
Arens stem=$125 (that's the special on the stems at CDR.com for Cannondales)
12:1 JE piston kit=$189 (and this price doesn't include machining)
IMS Hot Rod=$89 (and this isn't even an I-beam)
8-plate clutck kit=$515 and you must then buy the Hinson basket for $225
Magura hydraulic clutch kit=$199
Works single rate shocks=$369 (fronts only and arguably not as good as the Ohlins)
Rebuilt rear stock shock=$250
Holeshot fronts=$90
Holeshot rears=$100

Your total is now $7850 for your EX to even match what Cannondale is giving us stock and we didn't address the carb and you're still riding on a stock EX frame. I'd say Cannondale is giving us an extremely good value.

ur forgetting the handwelded aluminum frame and carb/engine mods to put out the hp of the cannondale besides the piston