The thought crossed my mind before making the post, but it is a bespoke, hand built bike and not made on a production line.
It works for CCM in other words, judging by their order book; I hope it remains that way, and does not evolve into another mass produced product.

PR: I guess CCM did not release those pics but someone visiting the premises took a few snaps.

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Dave

Bespoke, hand builders should be even more aware of process, 6 sigma etc. Because they dont have line manufacturing techniques available to catch the inevitable human bad day at the office. The order book wont be so healthy if they get a reputation for making Italian bike makers look predictable. Mini and Aston Martin would be the model to follow IMHO.

Andy

That had me expecting a foot of swarf on the floor, benches cobbled together from old railway sleepers and a guy in a flat cap feeding sandwiches to his whippet next to Reggie's half built new bike.

Or was that just their last factory when my old skool CCM was screwed together?

Dear Mollydog,

Funnily enough the last new bike I bought was a Honda XL250 back in 74/74, which I heavily modified in order to ride it to Australia. The trip was a bit of a disaster, with the engine seizing in Germany and the specially made alloy fuel tank splitting (np aftermarket big tanks in those days). I returned home with my tail between my legs. The Honda was also a pig to ride fully laden.

I then switched to BMWs, which I rode home from Aussie, did North and South America, returned to Aussie and road around the continent on a 90/6. Back then this all involved a few rough roads and a bit of sand in Aussie, which the BMs did OK on even two up.

The CCM is a very different beast. It's a single and let's you know that, it's also a modern single and enjoys being revved, for only 40BHP it goes very well, must be down to the lightweight, but gearing limits top speed. It seems to be very happy in the 60-70 MPH zone. Most of the running in was done in a single day, 350 miles taking in all sorts of roads from Motorways to narrow muddy lanes in Devon and Somerset (there is some serious Banjo country down there). The bike is super light, steers wonderfully and during this long damp ride never seemed to put a foot wrong. The low seat is not comfortable, suspension seems to be great, lights are OK and spotlights really do work. The bags as supplied with the bike are a bit small, I'll probably fit my Monsoons and I have bought a smal Eduristan tank bag. I'm hoping to get all my camping kit on, but haven't done a trial pack.
The only off road riding Iv done was on the test ride, which was on muddy tracks and gravel roads in military training grounds on Salibury Plain. Seemed to be really surfooted to me and I haven't ridden off Tarmac for many years. One of the local guys who is into serious off road, told me that the CCM was the only "adventure bike" that handled off road like an Enduro after he tested one.

Bike did 220 miles before hitting reserve. 65mpg (imp). This gives me the range I want.

My only problem is the height, I specified a standard framed bike with the low seat, I'm struggling a bit with the 890mm seat height, sliding one buttock elegantly off the seat at traffic lights! Haven't found an elegant way to get off the bike yet. I'm not as flexible as I was. I will see how I get on with a fully laden bike and then see if I want to get it lowered.

The components seem to be pretty good quality and so far nothing has fallen off and it's a really pretty bike, the way the frame is constructed is brilliant

I'm off back down to Devon in the morning, to get first service. Would be ideal to take to Marocco in the Autumn.

Wow! Tough Crowd!
I tend to cut CCM staff some slack on this one. What I get from the pics of the shop is that you're getting a truly "hand made" bike. If the QA is there and the techs know their business ... should be a good bike truly built by one or two techs from start to finish.

I wonder if the motor is made with the same care?

Yea, things are a bit skattered. No robots like Japan and no automated overhead parts trollies like Triumph. Different style but doesn't mean it's bad.
I hope CCM is successful!

Thanks for the good review! Sounds ideal, I think you're just a better seat and lowering link away from near perfection.

I'm just 5' 6" so can relate. But you've got it right. Slide forward as far as you can, hang off to one side to tippy toe.

I've got "The Way" to get on and off the bike:
1. Engage side stand.
2. Stand up on pegs, leaning left onto side stand.
3. shift weight to left foot/peg and swing right leg UP and OVER to ground.
4. This works well even with luggage piled up on the rear rack.

Do reverse to mount the bike. Just like a Horse! Left foot on left peg. Reach in, grab bars, hold front brake on. Hoist up on left peg, swing right leg up and over, all the while leaning onto side Stand. YES, it will be strong enough.

You may consider Lowering Links for shock linkage. Typically brings bike down
1.5 to 2.0 inches. Raise fork tubes UP in triple clamps to match rear.

Have fun in Morocco!

Andy,

Six sigma blackbelt consultants hire themselves out at between £500 and £1000 per day, when you are a small company on tight margins I don't think that too much formal Process or QA is either affordable or required.

To date my experience with CCM has been pretty good.

I received my bike since at the end of March, I had a test ride in February, put down a deposit subject to trade in, and got a build slot. The trade in didn't happen, because of the difficulty in valuing a heavily modified 1982 BMW, so I sold it privately, so there was a bit of back and forth over spec. The bike arrived, built to my spec, a day early. (Norton, please note) No faults that I can find and I've just had the first service at one of the new dealers, Devon Wheels to work at the princely sum of £50.00.
Max the boss at Devon-wheels was really helpful, especially in finding a way to Lower my bike, without having to go through the full lowered spec.

Fitting a lowering link or something else and how much did you lose from the original 890mm seat height?

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Dave

It's not certain yet, we can lower the forks a bit and there is lots of adjustment left on the rear shock preload, so it is a question about how much we can take from that. Max is talking to CCM about the options. Nothing settled yet.

Any other suggestions gratefully received

Backing off on Rear Pre load is not the way to lower your bike. You'll simply put the suspension all out of sorts. Better to set the preload correctly, based on your weight. First check static sag, then get on the bike and check Race Sag. Adjust preload as needed. Now add a lowering link to set ride height ... your preload setting will remain the same. (more or less)

A lowering link is dead simple and cheap to do, IMO, most cost effective way to properly lower the rear of the bike without messing up the suspension performance. Check Kouba links or others.

YES ... you lose a bit of travel and ground clearance, but looks like the CCM has about 12 inches, so plenty to spare in the interest of being able to touch feet down.

The front is a different story, and you can cut the fork tubes, but this is expensive ... better to slide tubes UP in the triple clamps as far as you can to match rear ride height. Front to rear balance is VERY important.

The other possibility is using a Ride Height adjuster on your Shock to fine tune ride height. Your shock most likely does not have this adjustment. Shocks like Ohlins (and others) DO have ride height adjusters.

This changes ride height without affecting preload and is used on race bikes to fine tune geometry. (to aid in quicker turning or to make slower turning and more stability)

Good luck!

You dont need a consultant at this stage, you can buy a book for a tenner and introduce labelled racking, nothing on the floor rules, peg boards for tools, a weekly walkround with the foreman, 8 minute tidy-up and home 2-minutes early.....

CCM have a bad reputation from the old company. That photo, which should never have been allowed and is a sales management error, makes you think its a hobby company run by a bloke in an old shed. CB500s and upgrade kits look better through a lack of pretty basic control. Its a mised opportunity to differentiate themselves from both the old reputation and a percieved risk by the customer.

Andy

Interesting stuff on ADV from people who have owned and used CCMS

CCM 450 Adventure | Page 128 | Adventure Rider

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Charles CCM450, BMW R90/6, BMW R50
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...a/027_27-1.jpg

Good thread above, nice to hear from owners who've done actual mileage on the CCM and share experience ... good and bad.

just come back from a trip down to the bottom of France, bike works pretty well in the travel bike category, lots of range from the 20 litre tank, getting usually between 60 and 65 MPG, i usually refuelled at around 200 miles, leaving lots of miles spare.
I was camping off the bike so taking around 30 KG of luggage, luggage does not seem to change the handling to any degree, which is a refreshing change from all other bikes i have used.
The bike is very nimble, just a tad of pressure on a footpeg to change direction, it seems to combine that with lots of stabilility, but like any other light bike gets moved around a bit by big trucks.
The bike is smooth enough for a single, feels happiest at between 60 -70 MPH, it does have the low emissions issue of too lean a mixture at low revs, with resultant surging but happily booster plug are working on a solution.

Now done 2700 miles with no real issues to report, everything has stayed together properly

Unhappily the bike was stolen from my garage last night so if anyone sees a CCM for sale at a unreasonably low price get in touch.

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Charles CCM450, BMW R90/6, BMW R50
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...a/027_27-1.jpg

Glad you like the CCM, Sorry to hear that it was stolen, my sympathies, Ive had a DR650 stolen before and I know the feeling - bike thieves are utter scum.
Be a good idea to post the information on as many motorcycle/travel forums as possible, the CCM is still a rare bike, cant be too many coming up for sale or for parts.

Good Luck and I hope your insurance coughs up and you get back on 2 wheels soon.

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Cheers
Grif

'11 KTM 450 EXC
'09 Suzuki DR650
'00 Discovery Series 2 V8
'95 Defender 90 300 Tdi Overlander
http://gipperstravels.blogspot.ca