The story of CCM Motorcycles can be traced back to 1971 and the passion of one man, Alan Clews.
Clews was a top off-road competitor in the 1960s, who gained a reputation for modifying his bikes to produce lighter and more agile equipment. When BSA stopped its factory racing programme in 1971 he purchased as many parts from the works team as possible and set about developing his own motocross bikes based around modified BSA 500cc engines.
Called CCM, short for Clews Competition Motorcycles, the Bolton-based company built a reputation for getting the most out of big four-stroke motors while the sport gently gravitated towards lighter and more powerful two-strokes. The ‘70s saw Alan’s company carve out a niche in the world of motocross, trials and enduro racing, continuing to fly the flag for Britain in a sport once dominated by the likes of BSA and Triumph, while also being associated with famed stunt rider Eddie Kidd.
While still very much a niche brand, the 1980s saw expansion as CCM won contracts to supply motorcycles to the British Army. In 1981, a company named Armstrong acquired a majority share in CCM and together they developed the Armstrong MT500, which was powered by a single-cylinder Rotax engine from Austria.
The design was later licenced to Harley-Davidson, who produced their own version of the MT for the US military and armies in other NATO countries. This period also saw Armstrong enter (with reasonable success) a motorcycle in the 250cc Grand Prix road racing world championships.
Like most niche manufacturers, CCM struggled to keep afloat against the mainstream Japanese competition. By 1988 Armstrong had left the bike business, selling off the CCM brand to the Robsons, an entrepreneurial family who developed a small range of road bikes powered by Suzuki’s single-cylinder RM-Z400 engine.
They didn’t make much of an impact, although a pair of CCM 644s made an appearance in the movie Tomb Raider 2, where they were ridden by Lara Croft, the lead character played by Angelina Jolie. The Robsons were at the helm for just six years, before Alan Clews bought it back and set about building the new R35 supermoto – again powered by an RM-Z motor. Being true to the second ‘C’ in CCM, Clews returned to competition – taking advantage of a brief rise in the popularity of supermoto racing.
Although still a small volume maker of niche models, Alan was now joined by son Austin – an accomplished engineer in his own right. A significant moment came in 2013, when CCM introduced the GP450 Adventure, a lightweight, off-road capable adventure motorcycle.
Unlike heavier adventure bikes from mainstream brands, the GP450 featured a hand-built aluminium frame, a BMW-sourced engine, and a kerb weight of under 130kg. It may have been detuned and only produced around 40bhp, but its ability to genuinely take on the rough stuff made it a cult hit among hardcore adventure riders.
In more recent years, CCM also rebadged some Honda designed Chinese bikes for another military contract. One of our correspondents bought one and wrote a feature which you can read here.
Despite the GP450’s critical acclaim, sales remained slow and the company took a new direction. In an attempt to cash in on the ‘bike shed’ trend for minimalist, classically styled machines, CCM unveiled the Spitfire. Using one of the most evocative names from British engineering history, the Spitfire made a feature of its hand welded T45 carbon steel frame (T45 being the same metal used to build the iconic fighter planes).
Powered by a 600cc single-cylinder Husqvarna engine, the stripped back Spitfire was an initial success. Inspired by flat-trackers, it took CCM to a new audience and demand outstripped supply for the initial run of models. Unfortunately it would be the last model to be built under the stewardship of Alan Clews and he passed away in 2018, just before his 80th birthday. Austin took over the reins and continued to develop the Spitfire concept before retiring himself a few years ago.
However the CCM story is currently paused, as it becomes one of the latest victims in the motorcycle industry’s recent downturn. Having been averaging around 300 bikes sold each year, just 150 were produced in 2024 – a result of both a drop in demand and the closure of a key retailer in the Completely Motorbikes group.
Just 12 employees were reported to be working at CCM’s Bolton factory when administrators were called in last month. It’s unclear whether a buyer will come along to save this plucky underdog or not but, whatever lies ahead, great credit must go to Alan Clews – a man without whose vision CCM would never have existed.
