Christini has been around for quite a few years...1995 as a company with this concept first applied to a mountainbike and in 2002 they built the first dirt motorcycle with the system. Steve Christini is the owner/founder of this company and system, and he's seriously committed to the design. I've seen some videos of bikes with this system competing in enduros and even those extreme enduro events. They do amazingly well.

While it's hard to swallow the Chinese connection for many, I think China tends to build product to the quality demanded and paid for by the contract. China isn't just the backcountry, bamboo, trinket factory anymore. They make very high end components for many of the highest tier companies in the world. You pay more, you get more.

 

It uses a two ring set up..Upper compression ring and lower oil scraper or control ring. Testing has shown that our motor gets longer valve train life than the honda...Here a quote for one of our customers in Australia

"Had the head ripped off after 500kms and everything seems clean as a whistle. Really impressed as was my mechanic. His comment was " you can tell this isn't a ****ing Honda because everything is roughly in the right place". That's a huge comment from this guy as he paid for his last family skiing vacation due to Honda motors."

 

All I want for next Christmas is a Christini/GasGas!
Marzocchi/Fox suspended ripping fast 2T that will drive the front wheel?! I'm in serious lust for this bike. It would certainly come in handy on New England singletrack and in the sand.
The bicycle felt like I was cheating, just keep pedaling and it would go wherever and over whatever I pointed it at. The video of the guy at Erzberg looked like he was experiencing the same thing I did (just on the motorized version). Just keep the throttle twisted and it will go over anything.
Time to start selling stuff on fleabay so I can get the $$$ asap for one of these.

And many thanks to christiniawd for joining the forum to answer our questions!

 

Perhaps this is a question for Christini themselves, but I am wondering if there has ever been any attempt to mate fat tires to an AWD mountain bike?

The fat tires make a big difference in the snow and based on your above testimony MP, it sounds like you'd have a GREAT winter bike by marrying the two.

Pugsley | Bikes | Surly Bikes

 

2wd Moonlander! Even fatter tires than the Pugsley.

 

The fat tire bikes don't really need it, but it would be way cool!
A 2WD Moonlander would really be cheating for me at 140lbs. I currrently ride a singlespeed with a 2.7" front tire on a Doublewide rim and a 2.4" rear, and that does almost as well as my 260lb buddy on his Pugsley. When the bike won't go anymore, I grab the xc skis. Still, I would love a fat bike. I've put some serious saddle time in on one, it was the coolest bike I've ever ridden. Mud, sand, or snow is where they shine, same with the 2WD, so the marriage of the two would be incredible!

 

This 'seasonal' pic is from Christini's FB page. Winterize Schminterize!