CCM in administration again

[Hall]

really bad news as the niche products served a market

[DavidS]

Sad but they are just too niche.
I think I have only ever seen one of the ‘modern’ ones on the road.
My mate had one of the earlier SMs…jeez that was uncomfortable. Fun for 20 miles but like sitting on a piece of 4x2….upright.

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

a report here

https://www.business-sale.com/news/admi ... ion-227628

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

Earlier this year, I was asked to participate in a 'customer clinic' on behalf of CCM.
The impression given was that a HNW individual had acquired the company and was looking for ways to take it forward.
In response to this I produced a SWOT analysis which I sent them.
I doubt anything will come of it now, so here it is:

\CCM

Weaknesses, Strengths, Threats and Opportunities

An analysis prepared by Richard Simpson


Weakness: Small-scale niche manufacturer, with little buying power based in a high-cost manufacturing economy

Weakness: Currently surviving as a niche manufacturer serving a limited Domestic market for ‘boutique’ motorcycles

Weakness: Difficult to expand out of the Domestic market, without ETA/EPA

Weakness: Little technical resources to meet the legislative requirements of ETA/EPA. High cost of doing so



Strength: A strong brand with historic competition heritage and reputation for innovation

Strength: Goodwill towards the ‘British underdog/bulldog’ brand in Domestic, European and American markets

Threat: Legacy of dissatisfaction following issues with poor finish and engine mapping from the otherwise attractive and well-received GP450 Adventure

Threat: A perception that CCM does ‘one thing at a time’ and once a short production run has ended, owners are abandoned to sort any legacy issues and source parts while CCM launches its next big thing. This hurts resale values and customer loyalty, both of which are keys to success for smaller manufacturers.

Threat: Growing competence of Chinese manufacturers in the trail, adventure, and rally niche markets. Japan served notice on the world with involvement in the Isle of Man TT in the late 1950s. Now China has served notice on the world with involvement in the Dakar Rally

Threat: Using a proprietary engine can lead to a customer perception that the offering is a ‘me too’ or unauthentic product

Threat: Carrying over the SWM engine currently used in the CCM Spitfire for use in a purposeful travel/adventure bike would bring it into direct competition with the established AJP PR7 machine which uses the same unit



Opportunity 1): Pierer Mobility (KTM + legacy brands Husqvarna and Gas Gas). Europe’s largest motorcycle manufacturer and with a strong heritage in MX/enduro/rally/adventure segments in severe financial trouble, in part caused by technical failures in the vertical-twin engine, and a reluctance to rectify these in a speedy and honest manner. Also chaotic British Leyland style marketing with near identical products competing against other Pierer brands. Creates an opening for CCM to offer an alternative in the Adventure and Trail segments.

Opportunity 1a): The KTM 690 Enduro product line. This is not actually an ‘enduro bike’, it’s a big supermoto fitted out as a trail bike with a class-leading 4-stroke single cylinder engine. Currently offered in supermoto and enduro/travel formats, under all 3 Pierer brands but with little difference other than colour between the KTM (690) Gas Gas (700) and Husqvarna (701) versions.
Could CCM source the class-leading 690 engine and frame from a cash-strapped Pierer Mobility, and use it to build a bike that picked up where the CCM GP450 left off? There are numerous (and expensive) kits available from the likes of Rade Garage and its competitors to fit the 690 Enduro and its stablemates out with fairings, luggage and additional fuel tanks, so demand to turn this platform into a true adventure-equipped machine exists. The engine is already compliant with ETA/EPA emissions standards, so a turnkey solution.
An additional use for the 690 engine would be to produce a ‘street scrambler’ styled after the iconic CCM motocrossers of the late 1970s, using a CCM frame with twin-shock rear suspension and a conventional fuel tank (the KTM, Husqvarna, and Gas Gas all carry their fuel behind the seat). The Triumph Scrambler range (from 400 to 1200 cc) is an example of the kind of commercial success that this might achieve.
Neither of the machines outlined above would be direct competitors for the Pierer Mobility product, but would enable Pierer to leverage additional profit from an established engine platform.

Opportunity 1b) CCM to obtain the old (and much missed) RFS four-stroke engine that led KTM to its breakthrough into enduro market domination in the years 2000 – 2016 and offer it in an enduro/trail bike where local regulations permit. Ordinary riders maintain that the 400 RFS engine was as good as KTM got with four-stroke enduros.

Opportunity 2) What growth there is in the UK motorcycle market is clearly in the 400-500cc segment, with particular interest generated by British-badged (but Indian-built) four-stroke single-cylinder machines (Triumph, Royal Enfield), plus novel entries from China. Is there an opportunity to revive the GP450, in a variety of guises (adventure, trail, street-scrambler, flat-tracker, roadster, café-racer)? The 500cc Fantic Caballero is a good example of how one design can be configured to suit various niches, and given the recent switch by Fantic from a Chinese to an Italian-built engine might also suggest a possible new engine for CCM if the old GP450 engine proves unworkable. Additionally, with the revival of the DR-Z400 in fuel-injected form, Suzuki might perhaps return as an engine supplier to CCM.

[DavidS]

I replied better on the KTM forum Richard - spot on re the 690 engine.

[Tramp]

They where and always have been a company that put good stuff together badly and when problems arouse ...walked away...no place in the current market...they have always had a very small parts supply for older models ...no spares bikes are parts bins..

My ccm644 was dreadfull ...the best bits where it's wheels, engine and suspension...

RIP...

[redbikejohn]

Good ideas there richard. Still can't understand why ktm has always refused to make a 690 adventure bike. I waited and waited then bought a xt660z instead. When replacement time came I looked at ktm and ...... bought a 700 tenere. All ktms offerings are expensive and ugly ( with poor reliability too).
Ref ccm - my mate had a 600 ages ago. The one with a suzuki engine. Seemed nice enough. Came with two sets of wheels. Then he realised it was too big and got a crf250x. CCM's 450 never really got off the ground. Anyone who bought one reported issues and then it just went away and from what I recall they just began re-baged Chinese bikes?

[PaulinBont]

Spot on Richard; I bought a new GP450 . Nice concept but was soon dropped in favour of the‘boutique bikes’……if they had only pursued and perfected it
Luckily I was able to get rid of it for a CB500x ; which I have still got; a great bike, excellent.

Threat: A perception that CCM does ‘one thing at a time’ and once a short production run has ended, owners are abandoned to sort any legacy issues and source parts while CCM launches its next big thing. This hurts resale values and customer loyalty, both of which are keys to success for smaller manufacturers

[Asgard]

Yet the GP450 is still holding strong prices on the second hand market.
Why is that?

2 on ebay right now, One 13000 miles at 5 grand and one with just 330 miles at 11 grand

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

Yet the GP450 is still holding strong prices on the second hand market.
Why is that?

2 on ebay right now, One 13000 miles at 5 grand and one with just 330 miles at 11 grand

I suspect that once sorted with a remap etc they are fine machines.

The core was good, but as Tramp said they haven't always been put together with enough care, and sometimes rushed to the market leaving owners to do the final R&D.

Still sad to see them go..I'd still have mine if I hadn't been concerned that the airbox design allowed the engine to fill with water and debris.
If I was more technically capable, I'd have made my own airbox...or maybe persauded a Suzuki one to fit!