Today in motorcycle history, October 28, 2005

 


 

 

  CCM launches two new bikes at the NEC show; a new version of its Supermoto and a pre-production version of the FT35 flat tracker.

 

  The R35 takes the look of the 644cc R30, but fits it with a smaller water-cooled 400cc to make a great looking Suzuki DR-Z400SM rival.

  To tempt riders even more, the R35 comes standard with WP suspension, Brembo brakes and an Acerbis mini fairing.  But wait there's more, CCM offers a whole host of options to drool over including leg-wetting carbon bodywork, carbon rims or full magnesium wheels.

  They also showed pre-production versions of its new FT35 flat tracker, one with 19" wheels and one with 17" wheels.

  Those of you who are non-English, non-motocross fans are asking, "what the hell is a CCM?"

  CCM (Clews Competition Machines) is a manufacturer of predominately off-road motorcycles based in Bolton, (near Manchester) England.  CCM was created after the collapse of BSA's Competition Department in 1971.

  When the Competition Department went out of business, British champion Trials and Scrambles rider, Alan Clews,  saw his opportunity and bought all the works parts that were available.   Clews began building motocross bikes in his garage.  Not having works engines just made Clews develop his own extensive improvements to the standard BSA B50 500cc engine.  His reputation began to grow as a builder of four-stroke motocross bikes that were capable of competing with the dominant two-strokes.  By the mid-1970's CCM racing was already achieving respectable results in the 500cc Motocross World Championships with John Banks in the saddle.

  Initially powered by BSA engines, the firm used Rotax engines during the 1980s and 1990s when production reached a peak of 3,500 annually.  Between 1983 and 1985, over 4,000 CCM motorcycles were licensed to export bikes to North America under the Can-Am badge.