TINY British firm CCM is to reveal its new “GP450 Adventure” model at this year’s Motorcycle Live show at the NEC.
Powered by the single-cylinder 450cc engine from BMW’s short-lived G450X enduro machine, don’t let the ‘Adventure’ name fool you into believing it’s yet another R1200GS-alike big trailie. Instead it’s a lightweight long-distance rally bike; think off-the-shelf Paris-Dakar racer and you’ll be near the mark.
Of course, it’s hardly a secret project; CCM has been showing the prototype off to the press and prospective buyers since early this year, but the final production version will be seen for the first time at the NEC.
Weighing just 135kg and with a relatively low seat compared to bigger adventure bikes, it’s intended to be easier to ride and have more real off-road ability than the GS-style machines that are currently so fashionable.
The engine is bolted to a frame made of forged aluminium parts which are bonded together using aircraft technology rather than traditional welding. That’s right, it’s glued together, but hopefully not in a Blue Peter sort of way.
Of course, that sort of tech, allied to the modern BMW engine, doesn’t come cheap. The CCM is set to cost £7995, although buyers at Motorcycle Live will get £500-worth of ‘goodies’ including a £250 accessories voucher. The firm will also be offering test rides at the NEC.
Director of CCM Austin Clews said: ‘For a long time the trend in the adventure sector has been for the bikes to get bigger and heavier year on year. We saw that not everyone wants that and so have designed and built an adventure bike that can be used and ridden in difficult conditions without the fear of dropping it and not being able to pick it up. It will also cruise on the motorway and even prove ideal on the daily commute.'
As for the bike’s drawn-out and public development, Clews said: ‘We really listened to what people had to say about the seat height and the luggage system, going back to the drawing board and redesigning things if necessary. It’s a unique approach we’ve taken with the design and build of this bike and we really hope the pay-off is a bike that will appeal to those riders currently frustrated by the choice of bikes available to them.’
What do you reckon? Is there are market for smaller ‘adventure’ bikes like this?
