This is just my opinion but I think cannondales biggest problem was the lack of advertising. I know they decided to spend all of what little money they had on r&d but they should have allocated some to ads on tv . I read an article in a borrowed dirtwheels back when they first came out with the fx400 and since then I didnt even realize they still were in the market till this year when i was looking for a new quad. I didnt even know that cannons were even in the baja 1000 and won it till a few months ago. When we stop for breaks or fuel on trail rides their is always a few people gathered around my quad asking questions about it like they have never heard of the brand.

The win on sunday sell on monday idea only works if somebody actually knew you won on sunday. For example I wonder how many rincons sold because of last years Baja fiasco. I remember seeing at least one or two tv ads every day on how a "basically stock" rincon beat all comers.

Heck look up to the left hand corner of this page.

How many of you know anything at all about the Gas Gas ? Im not saying they should spend millions and millions on ads like the big companies but a few well placed ones like on atv televiosion would have done wonders to let us know they exist.

By the way I did actually buy the march 2003 dirt wheels . That was my first and last one since 1996.

Rant over

 

Yes I agree.We didnt even get a sign to put up at our shop.Most companies have a co-op with dealers for signage and local advertising.They share the costs with dealer.

 

Wistech- Some adds would have helped. The reviews that the mags gave of the cannon killed it though. As cannondale owners know they stood behind the product. There was no need reporting the stories like the reporters did. I saw a few articles that stated the cannon broke while testing etc. And then the magazines were to HARSH on a new attempt to bring a quad to market. Cannonfail would have done as well not to let any of the magazines have a model to test. I doubt many buyers base there decision to by a quad by what some reporter likes or dislikes.

 

ur right BOB.

i wish craycraft will produce new stuff for Dinli or even a drag pipe doe our cannondales

 

cannabalq8- How much does a cannondale sell for in kuwiat? I know what it cost to send a piston cam over there. (over 200 us dollars)

 

14mins What problem did they have on a test?

 

wistech- On one shoot out the flywheel came apart on the cannon. Dead batteries, harsh shocks etc. The reviews generally sucked IF you were wavering on the fence trying to decide the reviewers pushed you the other direction. I am hard on Cannondale but a lot they brought on themselves.

 

Theres no doubt there was a quality control issue that varied alot month to month. It seems when they started pinching pennies many more problems sprung up around mid 2002 . I think I must have lucked out because my march 02 speed has never let me down with over 200 hours. Granted I did have a few maintenence issues like overfilling the oil ,plugged fuel filter and bad headlight bulbs.
I am glad I didnt buy a 03 because there is a known crank balance problem taking out a lot of them early if they werent balanced with upgraded bearings.

This is the first quad i have ever owned that made it this many hours without me getting annoyed by its lack of performance and boring and stroking and the usual money pit mods. I am alright to put up with spending cash on the extra maintanence. I do regret not waiting to buy until the company folded and the prices dropped but by then I most likely would have bought a 450 yamaha.

Im am glad there are all these forums to help out with questions even though there is a lot of brand loyal bs out there to sift through. I do dis hondas a lot but after be a honda only man for 20 years I think i ve earned the right.