British motorcycle maker CCM Motorcycles has revealed the fifth iteration of its runaway success Spitfire series of handmade bikes.
Clews Competition Machines, a small outfit based in Bolton, Lancashire has been making premium racing motorcycles ever since 1971. The company’s GP450R adventure motorcycle is the epitome of what an ADV should be, with long travel suspension, large fuel tank, 40 hp from a 450cc liquid-cooled single and a dry weight of just 128 kg. Along these principles of minimalism and elegance, CCM also launched a new motorcycle called the Spitfire in February 2017.
Unlike the GP450’s engine, which was sourced from the BMW G450X, a new 600cc liquid-cooled fuel-injected single cylinder powerplant was developed in-house by CCM. The engine produces 55 hp and 58 Nm at 5,500 RPM. It went on a motorcycle which had a hand-welded steel frame and swingarm, quality suspension and brakes, and the absolute bare-basic essentials needed on a road-legal machine. The limited edition Spitfire, of which only 150 examples have been made, was sold out within a week of opening sales. Such was the success of the bike that CCM has been making derivatives of the same. The Spitfire saw siblings like the Scrambler, Cafe Racer, Flat Tracker, all of which were again wildly popular, leading CCM to come up with another bike.
The Spitfire Bobber is every bit authentic as a Bobber should be, probably because it was stripped-back and lithe, to begin with. Like the name suggests, the Spitfire Bobber has all superfluous components removed. Gone is the longer seat of the stock Spitfire to be replaced by a floating single seat. The tank is aluminium, and the front fender is carbon-fiber. The monoshock mounted directly under the seat, is a springless nitrogen charged unit. Brembo supplies excellent stopping power to the CCM with top-spec calipers biting a 320 mm disc up front and 240 mm disc at the rear. Exhaust is routed via twin underslung peashooter pipes. There is LED lighting all around, and the Bobber gets swept back handlebars. It also gets 16-inch spoked wheels with chunky whitewall Avon Cobra tyres to really nail the retro look.
The CCM Spitfire Bobber doesn’t just talk, it walks it with authority. All the 55 hp is produced in an ultralight body weighing just 135 kg. Isn’t low weight and high power a recipe for fun? You bet. Add to that the Bobber’s impeccable style, and CCM surely has a winner on its hands. The CCM Spitfire Bobber will go on sale later in the year, in limited numbers.
