Ossa Officially Defunct?

[imexian]

After that short statement maybe 3-4 months ago from ossa head honcho Joan gurt, nothing? Looks like all the doom Sayers were correct.....unless anyone knows different?

Any news? Good or prob bad!!!

[badger360]

I think you may be correct great bike but how much longer will we be able to get spares and what about the re sale value of the bike

[imexian]

Yep, looks like it's door 101...re sale don't know, don't care! I enjoy riding it, end of!! ?

Real shame as the later bikes are a1, lots of if only's and maybes!! GG Keep re appearing so you never know!

I must do euro millions this weekend, I could save us all...???

Edited June 23, 2016 by imexian

[nigel dabster]

Do you mean room 101?

 

Later bikes are not A1, no trials bike is.

 

GG have gone bust once, and unlike ossa had 3 options with people ready to fork out millions to keep the brand alive. If the ossa product were as good as you claim surely someone would have kept it going?

[tsiklonaut]

Hard to say, maybe they're waiting to update with 2017 models, LOL. Smell more like OSSA is done though.

 

There's not much to compare with, GG was reborn but it has long recent ongoing history compared to fresh OSSA or i.e. even a reborn Jotagas for example.

 

Time-wise OSSAs are operating in dangerous "zone" of product presentation - it's been around for what, just 4-5 years maybe. It's not enough to put yourself firmly on the brand map. OSSA also had zero to very little product advertisement, while tried they also couldn't buy any real top rider such as Raga or Bou to put them on the map with a shortcut (like newcomer TRS does now). It was the long and hard way route they had to work on.

 

The bike itself is fab - a big pro for OSSA product is it's revolutionary technology side - radical yet optimum engine and frame layout, first 2T FI in the segment, also the lightest non-special-edition bike (w/o using expensive materials) in the segment.

 

I really hope they could continue operate in a very small factory, since the bike is worth premium for a limited hand-made but high quality production runs IMHO. Develop and finetune already one of the best platforms in the segment (other being Vertigo) with every year model updates and they maybe they'll win a stable and loyal client base. Knowing it's a very capable bike I'd definitely buy a limited run brand new hand-made one even if it's some 1.5K-2K more than some similar mass-produced known manufacturer (GG, Sherco, Beta etc) model that weights more, poorer build quality and probably performs less.

 

In any case I love mine to bits and will continue to ride it for some more years until some other trials manufacturer finally starts to think by itself and builds a trials-bike ground-up for the intended purpose, give it real form and function, not just copying others like 95% of the trials designers and engineers tend to do.

 

Anyways, just me 2c.

[imexian]

Nigel you are a prize pri*ck, straight in with your biased opinion, gas gas good all others shi* same as the trs forum, snide remarks about supported riders etc, I agree with margus, I would pay a premium for a Ltd production run of a bike I think is fundamentally better design wise than most trials bike available now.

If you want to be a sheep carry on, the trs seems a great machine, the ossa is brill but it is what it is, I'll keep riding week in week out on my crappy bike, but at least I do ride, not be the keyboard rider that you seem to be...

[canada280i]

ah Dabster...........no Ossa related post would be the same without you...

[imexian]

How can it go through wheel bearings, it's the same front end as any other bike?? Marzzochi front forks morad rim etc etc even if tech forks still same as any other bike? Strange?? Never known a bike go through front bearings in 6 hours!! 6 months sounds ok?? ✌️

[badger360]

I get about 30/40 hours out the bearing so about 6 months depending on the conditions always use good bearings and repack them with waterproof grease before fitting them from new

[craigrushton]

I use Bearings at work, and believe me cheep bearings are exactly that and don't last ! 

 

I have tested them in electric motors, the cheep "Chinese bearings" last at least 10 times less running time than proper bearings (SKF etc,) 

 

Put some proper bearings in and I will guarantee they will last a lot longer.  

[tsiklonaut]

Jet washing maybe.

 

Yep, many of my mates have destroyed wheel and steering bearings, injector heads, Hall-sensors, TPS-es and other electrical bits, ... and the list goes on, on their various bike with a simple occasional jet washing. That massive water pressure penetrates water so deep you can't believe, people even find water in their cranks ("coffee" colored oil) through breather via airbox on some bikes after jet washing, no joke. No wonder most motorcycle manuals strictly ban jet washing.

 

It's OK for cars where everything is under a blanket of metal, but AVOID jet-washing your exposed bikes IMO!

Edited June 24, 2016 by tsiklonaut

[lotus54]

My front wheel bearings seem to. Last the same as they did on my KTM- not very long.

I ride I loads of mud and water. I've tried all sorts of things, repacking with waterproof grease, special bearings, best bearings I could find, cheap bearings.

So far the cheap bearings last about the same and so I just figure on replacing every 40-60 hours. I buy them in the 10 pack. Free shipping for me

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0045DV0AC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also agree with the quality, performance and rideability of the OSSA after owning 40+ bikes over the years.

I also agree their marketing was poor, not enough dealers and of course some teething problems on the first couple of years (pretty common)

After 2014/5 they had it down pretty darn well.

Perfect? Hardly.

What do I want different on my Explorer?

Linkgage with proper bearings/zerks (on the way)

Decent fuel cap

Translucent tank (explorer)

Better rear master (I don't like the phoney side mounted cap)

Use the TR rear rotor, caliper and brake pedal on Explorer (mine has)

Better stock chain (pretty small complaint, I just ditched it and mounted a narrow DID 'O' ring)

Come with diagnostic cables (I ipunderstand why they would NOT want to do that)

Better stock skid plate (frame gets chewed up- BTWICE works well)

The Easy start works well, but the setup I have now is better. Something like that could certainly help with the starting issues some have had.

Too bad they didn't figure all that out before selling any- it got them a very bad reputation.

I certainly hope they start up again- but certainly need more cash.

I stand by what I've said before, lack of sales had almost nothing to do with the bikes- but lack of avaliablilty and dealers. (Although the early issues with starting and some transmissions certainly didn't help- GasGas has had their share of trans problems in the past, but bigger and seemed to weather it)

I know Adrian here in the States has said he could have sold a LOT more if he could have gotten them.

[nigel dabster]

Nigel you are a prize pri*ck, straight in with your biased opinion, gas gas good all others shi* same as the trs forum, snide remarks about supported riders etc, I agree with margus, I would pay a premium for a Ltd production run of a bike I think is fundamentally better design wise than most trials bike available now.

If you want to be a sheep carry on, the trs seems a great machine, the ossa is brill but it is what it is, I'll keep riding week in week out on my crappy bike, but at least I do ride, not be the keyboard rider that you seem to be..

 

 

Its a shame you cant string a couple of sentances together without resorting to insults when someone offers up another view than yours or questions the accuracy of your statements.

The fact that you misquoted the Orwell reference just increases my belief you dont ever listen.

Ive never said gg good others bad in fact if you read my post above it clearly states no bike is a1 gas gas ossa or any.

Keep riding?

Blue bar 2 day, yes, Alvie yes, 2 days in Richmond n yorks last weekend one observing at the mintex so im not sure your not wrong again? 

Snide remarks? What letting others know the truth about supported riders comments on how good the bike is?

 

Im not a sheep ive had nearly most makes in the last ten years, just like you i prefer one bike make at the moment.

[breagh]

I do feel Ossa brought a genuine  technological advancement to trials. 

 

Thing is 90% of riders would be as well on a Bultaco and the rest on a TY mono.

 

I love my Ossa and really like it just because it's different..

 

Sad what's happened but it joins a long list of trials makers that went under. 

 

Anyway i'm of to swap mine for a couple of empty crisp pokes (Scottish for bags) if I can find someone willing to trade.

 

Only kidding  I think it's got another 6 days in it.

 

 

 

 

[tony27]

If you're going through wheel bearings that often I'd be checking that the centre spacer is the right length & you're not squashing the bearings together when you tighten the axle

 

 

 

One thing i dont like about it :  it EATS front wheel bearings changing em every  6 hours, the rears have never been changed and theres still no play in em. If they were still making them i would probably buy a new one now that i understand them and how they work/ride etc.