Cannondale Coming
CANNONDALE COMING
WHITHER CAN nondale? After knocking our socks off more than a year ago with its prototype MX400, the Connecticut-based bicycle manufacturer has suffered several setbacks, as well as tumbling sales
and stock values.
In all fairness, creating a motorcycle from scratch is not easy-just ask Excelsior-Henderson. During the past year, Cannondale constructed a dirtbike-only 100,000square-foot factory in Bedford, Pennsylvania, and made contin uous tweaks to the MX's elec tric-start, fuel-injected, reversed-cylinder-head four stroke Single and equally inno vative twin-spar aluminum frame with its steering-head air intake and linkageless rear sus pension. In the process, more than 1000 new parts were
created. "We won't release the bike until it's per fect," said a company spokesman.
"There's too much riding on this."
Last February, Cannondale expanded its off-road-only line up to include EX400 enduro and XC400 cross-country models, plus a high-performance sport oriented ATV, the FX400. Both EX and XC come with 3.0-gal lon gas tanks, 18-inch rear
wheels and spark arrestors. The $8250 EX has lights, an odometer and trail-ori ented EFI mapping and suspen sion calibration, while the $8150 XC gets the MX's engine and suspension settings, plus a light ing coil.
Costing $7950, the MX400 is scheduled to be in dealer~
ships by mid-summer, possibly as a 2001 model. Engine dis placement has grown from 397 to 432cc, courtesy of a 5mm
bump in bore. Oh!ins suspen sion will be used front and rear, with the likelihood of both fork and shock being propri etary to Cannondale.
Initial racing plans center around a "grass-roots" effort. Two factory riders, including 11-time New England State Champion Keith Johnson, will compete in 20 to 30 events this year, including the Four-Stroke World Championships and Four-Stroke Nationals. Trackside support will be provided by a stylish, new 31-foot Ford transporter that features customized living quar ters, a mobile workshop and wrap-around canopy. Grass roots? Yeah, right. -Matthew Miles
