I see today that CCM has delivered bike 001 to their first customer at the NEC show. But will they succeed? I�m interested in your views.

For me, if the bike was a 650 and less expensive I�d be very interested, as perhaps many other people might be too. So, hypothetically, let�s assume that is the case for now. The question I am interested in is this: �How many of us would be happy to buy a niche product from a small manufacturer?� How important are all the other factors in your bike purchases, such as:

� Dealer network and support /warranty
� Concerns over the longevity of the manufacturer and the length of the production run
� Limited opportunities to get a test ride
� Size of the aftermarket for extras and spares

If the bike was right for you, would you overlook all that, or would it be enough to put you off?

It�s a curious issue to me since the perfect lighter weight adventure bike doesn�t really exist from the main players, (a modified KTM 690 is as close as it gets for me, but it�s expensive once you�ve made all the mods needed), but small players (like CCM and WK) appear to be prepared to back that niche in the market. But can they succeed? What do you think?