CCMs

[firko]

Here's a shot of my friend Ben in Englands 4 valve CCMs. Bens's also got a couple of HLs, a Curtis Honda, a magnificent BSA Goldie scrambler and a shitload more, all of them exotic and immaculate. I like the gold fork legs :

[Maico31]

Those bikes are trick Firko. I'd love to have a '79 or '80 CCM like one of those but don't know if i could handle the gearshift on the wrong side. When i was at the MX des Nations in England a few years ago i spoke to Jimmy Aird and he had one for sale for 1,500 pounds but i didn't do anything about it. In hindsight.....

[090]

I had a look at a CCM last night. I was told,and have no reason to disbelieve him, that it is the first CCM. 1972,BSA copy. Pretty cool.

[vandy010]

WOW!
CCM's and HL's in the same stable.
now that what i call lifestyle!
nice bikes firko!

[firko]

All early CCMs are BSA based. When the BSA factory went belly up, Alan Clews bought all of the remaining B50 engines and  tooling and started making his own frames housing the highly modified Beeza engines he named Clews Strokas (later changed to Clews Competition Motorcycles or CCM for short). As the years progressed, the engines gained more and more CCM mods but even the above 4 valve '79 models are still very much BSA based. Here's the ex works 72/73 model ridden by Bob Wright in the '73 Trans-AMA.             
 

[090]

Thats the one i looked at Firko.

[LWC82PE]

its actually very easy to get used to the gear lever on the otherside. i thought it would be hard but i found it easy to get to used to and can jump from jap bike to brit bike with no problems. some of the brit bikes also have down shifting instead of the usual up shifting on japs bikes but again it doesnt take too long to adapt.

how the heck do they get the fork legs gold? is it gold hard chrome?

[vmxrider]

aahh CCM's i love em. Remember as kid back in about 1975 stumbled across an MX meeting a Tailem Bend in south aus while on holiday with the oldies. Amoungst all the crackely two strokes came this most fantastic sound of a CCM being piloted by Lester Rowley, and he was winning. I could not believe it, a 4 stroke, out in front.  Some things you never forget.   

[firko]

Alan Jones in Sydney and Peter Lawson in Perth both supposedly own ex Lester Rowley CCMs. If anyone wants to read a really well researched book on the history of CCM, Rolling Thunder by Bill Lawless (long out of print) is a great read.  It occasionally pops up on UK eBay but it's never cheap. John Matthews was selling reprints at CD4 FOR $50.

[firko]

A great example of the recent jump in CCM prices, have a look at the price this incomplete basket case 79 model went for on UK eBay. If you add the costs of re nickeling the frame, rebuilding the engine, finding an original front end, front wheel, tank, seat and guards, rebuilding the forks,shocks,wheels and all of the little things that crop up during a resto, there's not a lot of value in Au 6k plus!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&&item=170169058382&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:AU:1120

[vmxrider]

If anyone wants to read a really well researched book on the history of CCM, Rolling Thunder by Bill Lawless (long out of print) is a great read. John Matthews was selling reprints at CD4 FOR $50.

hhhmmm, I wont be happy now until I get a copy of this book. Thanks a lot Firko

[DJRacing]

Hi Brit boys
The CCM is one very cool bike.

[Wombat]

I recall a bike racing in the 'Brisbane scene' around 78/79; it was a 600 CCM motor in a Maico frame and it had a white or alloy tank.
At least that's how I remember it...
He was either a B or C grader - and it had the best note ever!
Does anyone else remember that bike/rider?

[brent j]

I remember seeing a CCM in '75 when Gaston Rahier raced in NZ. The sight and sound of it won't be forgoten.

If anyone can locate a copy or reprint (is the guy doing anymore?) of Rolling Thunder I's be a starter with the $

Brent

[GD66]

Well spotted Brent, that was ridden, as has been documented on other threads, by the New Plymouth rider Reg Dixon, a folk hero in those times, he had a Cheney B50 before that, but it was on the CCM that he used to perform extraordinary deeds to the crowd's delight, specialising in long, low tabletop jumps before they had been invented. Never, ever saw him again after he packed it in, but I can assure you, and him, he has never been forgotten....