Ready For Take-Off

Bike heads for Bolton to watch the first CCM Spitfires roll off the production line. Expect tales of proper engineering, an if-we-build-it-theywill-come business plan and bacon sarnies…

- Jonathan Pearson

WHEN, IN LATE 2016, CCM lost the supply of BMW derived engines for their GP450 adventure bike, the Bolton company needed a new plan. And quick. Inspiration came during the firm’s daily 10am tea and bacon butty break: ‘We all sat around a table and talked,’ says company director Austin Clews. ‘We were looking for something to bring to market quickly using the UK MSVA (Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval) route for registering bikes. Chris (Ratcliffe – chief design engineer) had a few ideas, as did a few of the boys downstairs on the factory floor and we said, ok let’s give it a go.’

The MSVA rules enable a manufacturer of the scale of CCM to make a limited production machine with no catalytic converter, no airbox, a less restrictive silencer and no ABS. What they came up with was a unique interpretation of the street scrambler idea. Was it refreshing not having to comply with EU regulations to build the Spitfire? ‘Oh aye, hell yeah!’ confirms designer Ratcliffe between slurps of tea.