Rob your pretty much right in what your saying. but the problem is if one has a CCT failure it's going to cost a lot of money to fix, possibly a new engine. There are loads of people that have had failure's here in the UK and the rest of the world. Just look on ebay and how often do you see engine's for sale because of CCT failure. Most of them with no front cylinder head, which is the more common one to fail, and most of them probably the people who bought a VTR and did not become a member on a forum where they could be pre-warned so they can take preventive measures. There's even a seller on ebay selling a complete CCT failure repair kit at the moment including head, all ready to go straight on. It's a rear cylinder though which is a shame.
There is no early warning that there is going to be a failure, so it's not like you can leave it and when it starts to rattle a bit, change the CCT. Some have had a failure with less then 10,000 on the bike and some with a lot more. Some have gone on to 70-80 though with no problems at all. There is just no logic to it. Touch wood it don't happen, but you could go out next week and bang you have a failure. So where's that leave you. A major headache and expense. When all you have to do is either spend nothing, well 50p for a couple of bolts, and do a stopper mod or spend £40 and fit manuals. Peace of mind and a lot cheaper than a rebuild.
Honda supposedly fixed the later models and CCT's you buy as replacements which have an Orange dot painted on the side of them, but people have had these fail and Honda cannot back their claims that they fixed them.
I'm coming around to the idea that the stopper mod is the best option. Too many people are not mechanically minded enough and have problems with either fitting properly or the adjustment with manuals. I cringe every time I hear someone has overtightened their manuals or it is so loose it's rattling when they don't even understand the workings of an engine and the consequences of these things.
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