Behind the scenes at CCM
Steeped in racing history the Bolton company now has big plans for more road bikes
CCM are going through a renaissance and it’s all thanks to their beautiful new Spitfire. Even Carl Fogarty has joined the Bolton-based outfit, not just to wave the flag, but to get stuck in with new model development.
They’ve been around since 1971, but we road riders will probably remember CCM for producing the 644cc single-cylinder Rotaxengined R30 back in 2001, when supermoto was on the up and backing it in was the thing to do. But if you’re in to your dirt bikes you’ll know how successful CCM have been off-road, too. They even produced bikes for bus-jumping daredevil Eddie Kidd. Those with an even longer memory will remember CCM’s tie-up with Armstrong back in the 80s, when they built world class, championship-winning off-roaders, military bikes and the carbon Kevlar 250cc racer that took young hotshot Niall Mackenzie to four British titles. CCMs also finished first, third and fourth in the 1981 Junior TT and campaigned a bonded aluminiumframed MX450 crosser in the British championship.
Things went sour in the early noughties when CCM went bust, but since 2004 they’ve chipped away, producing low-volume, hand-built bikes and have got back into racing. The Dakar-inspired, BMW-motored GP450 came along in 2013 (400 were made) and now order books are bulging for the new Spitfire. “We’ve been producing 25-30 Spitfire Scramblers a week,” says CCM boss Austin Clews. “They’re all sold and we’ve got another 650 orders in the book.”
As well as the Scrambler model, the minimalist retro is available as a Bobber, Café Racer and limitedrun RAFBF 100 and there’s not also
a Foggy Edition model. All use the same motor and tubular steel frame, with the rest handbuilt to spec. Although the engine and fuel tank are Italian, CCM strive to use as many British parts as possible, as their recent switch from Brembo to HEL calipers proves. All Spitfires are sold with Single Vehicle Approval, but plans for Euro4 models will allow CCM to sell into Europe. Perhaps one of the more unique things about CCM is there’s no dealer network, as Clews explains: “We sell directly. It makes more sense for the relatively small number we sell. Customers can also call us for servicing and we’ll come to their house and do it there.” CCM recognise delivery times have sometimes been longer than expected; something they’re working hard to change. Clews adds: “With the GP450 we were set-up to make about 200 bikes a year with 15 employees. Now we’ve got 50 staff trying to make 1000-1200 bikes a year, which is a big jump. We’re investing in a new IT system, which will streamline the process.”
The future looks bright for the British firm with plans for new models, which include electric bikes and forged carbon fibre modular chassis technology. Clews concludes: “We’ve got a very good opportunity for growth with projected sales of up to 5000 a year in five years time.”