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So far, Cannondale only built bicycles. Now the Americans are daring motorized two-wheelers, the first prototypes of the new four-stroke engine are already running.
Even if it looks like it at first glance, the photo above does not show the new four-stroke crosser from Honda, but the motorized debut of the mountain bike specialist Cannondale. A motorcycle from the bicycle factory? Unusual, but hardly surprising on closer inspection. Because the suspended downhill racers are very reminiscent of small off-road motorcycles, in principle only the engine is missing. The bike scene’s eagerness to experiment has led to all sorts of serious or curious two-wheeler designs. Fresh wind that could liven up the motorcycle sector.
However, little of this is felt on the Cannondale motorcycle, it hardly seems revolutionary. Only for the rear suspension are the Americans currently testing an electronic control of the central spring strut, which should be fully developed by the start of series production in spring 1999. The central spring strut is linked directly to the aluminum swingarm, ATK and KTM have already demonstrated this solution. The aluminum frame in the Deltabox design of the CR-Honda is solidly built, the beams and the rear frame are screwed on. “Torsional rigidity was the top priority, and that applies to both bicycles and motorcycles,” is the Cannondale technician’s credo.
When it comes to the drive, the bicycle specialists rely on motorcycle specialists. The engine was developed in cooperation with the Swedish design office Folan, whose owner Lars Nilsson already helped develop the four-stroke singles from Husqvarna and Husaberg. The key data: 400 cm³ displacement, two overhead camshafts, dry sump lubrication with oil pump, balance shaft with flanged water pump, six-speed gearbox. The test engines were still supplied by the Swedes, series engines are to be produced later in the USA.
The demands on the new motorcycle, which will also come as an enduro, are high, and Yamaha’s four-stroke YZ 400 F sets the standard: lighter (107 kilograms are targeted), more power and lower seat height, these are the milestones. At the moment, professional testers like Mike Guerra, ex-crosser and sixth in the 250cc Cross World Championship in 1981 and 1982 ensure that the schedule is adhered to C.Delivering annondale series machines – and that’s what the professional cyclists really mean.
Cannondale, the pioneer in mountain bikes
Cannondale has been producing mountain bikes since 1984 and is now one of the leading manufacturers in this field. At the beginning of the 1990s, the company in Bedford / Pennsylvania grew rapidly, with sales rising to $ 162 million at the end of the day. In addition to mountain bikes, the 59 current models now also include road bikes, tandems and trekking models. Cannondale shaped the technical development of the scene, for example, the Americans were the first to build bikes with spring-loaded rear structures on a large scale. In the last few years the market has become more and more divided. Downhill race bikes, i.e. bicycles that only serve the purpose of rolling down a mountain as quickly as possible, have little in common with conventional bikes. The highlight is the factory downhill bike “Super V DHF”, on which Cannondale tries out technical innovations. The factory racer has 150 millimeters of spring travel, and a computer controls the suspension and damping. The driver can choose between five different programs while driving. The rear end is sprung with an elaborate construction, needle bearings are used in the telescopic fork to minimize friction. A reduction gear allows the use of very small chainrings, which benefits the ground clearance.
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