MZ/MuZ Riders

I don't know if you get CCM motorcycles in the staes, but my fellow brits will have defiatly heard of this motorcycle make.

It saddened me to hear that the company ceased trading last week (8th of Junly 2004 I think).

The recievers have been called in and all staff laid off.

Keith

Piss poor management has been the downfall of CCM. They get fantastic press in the UK but seem to think that aftersales service is not required. Build quality is not too good and some of the components they use are frankly rubbish (just look at the front indicator brackets ).

However, the company is still be a good investment for someone. They have a strong and seemingly loyal customer base who put up with the crap CCM dish out. Sort out where they source their components from, sort out their aftersales service, and listen to what their customers say, and they are back on track. KTM, despite all their former problems, have turned themselves round.

Finally look at an MZ and a CCM together. Both buy in their components from elsewhere. Both now use engines from major Jap companies. The better one rarely gets press coverage, but is the much better bike. And cheaper. How is that?

The reasons that CCM got better publicity are:

1) Brand name - When you first heard of the Mastif and Baghira, I bet you thought of the smelly ugly 2 strokes that MZ used to sell. People automatically associate MZ with the pre eastern block break-up vehicles.

2) The CCM is after all a Brittish maufacturer, do you really think Harleys would sell if they were made in eastern europe?

3) Publicicty. When was the last time you saw an advert for MZ in the UK. Last advertising campain, paid for by a national importer was in the early 1980's (smelly 2 strokes again). I know one dealer who has given up selling MZ's as he is fed up with lack of support from the factory and no advertising of what is a good product.

4) CCM actually promoted Supermoto racing events in the UK to make a small market bigger. Supermoto taking off in the UK could be seen as a direct result of CCM promoting it.

Again the main reason why MZ is not advertised in teh UK is because there is no official importer. MZ's response to the dealer above stopping selling them is that he quired MZ's advertising policy in the UK. He was told by the factory that advertising the product was up to the people selling them.

Still a bloody good bike though

Keith
2002 MZ Baghira with 35000kph showing on speedo.