CCM (G. Britain) has the higher-end Chinese stuff

culcune · 02-13-2009, 03:59 PM

CCM, a motorcycle company in Great Britain with a decent amount of history, has been rebadging higher-end Chinese stuff with the CCM label. One of the latest is the rebadged Galaxy XTR250, which is sold by Puzey of South Africa in Australia and S. Africa, and by Pitster Pro in the US, and under some other names somewhere else in the world. Looks nice, and you Brits get the water-cooled version like Pitster Pro's version in the US.
http://www.ccmmotorcyclesuk.com/x-tr250/x-tr250.html

Jim · 02-13-2009, 06:06 PM

Looks good, any better pictures?

czowner · 02-13-2009, 08:34 PM

Funny CCM should come up, I have a CCM dealer not 6 miles from me!! A year ago when I had my Hongdou in bits I went along to see if the C-XR230 motor was the same. It wasn't, it was the 223cc OHV 5 speed motor (it now seems to be OHC). When pressed about spares they were very vague an tried to fill me with B.S. about the bikes origins. I don't believe the current range of CCMs is of the same quality as previous models. The fact that they're re-badging Chinese bikes seem to show things have hit a bit of a low. The 404 range is OK, the Retro models look OK in the pictures but when you see them in the flesh the fixtures and fittings are low end badly fitting universal stuff.

Jonathan

culcune · 02-14-2009, 09:25 PM

cz, having your lineup composed of other peoples' bikes would tend to dilute it a bit. When we got the Skyteam 200 enduro and motard here in the US rebranded through United Motors, or UM, UM also rebranded some of the Hyosung street bikes, so the local dealer in Yuma insisted the enduro and motard were Korean, even though the label on the frame said Skyteam Jinan China, or something like that! :?

I do think that the XTR 250 might be a good bike, not for being a CCM, but just a good Chinese bike. Pitster Pro in the US, who primarily sells a lineup of high-end pit bikes, just started relabeling them for our market. There is no mention on Pitster Pro's website of the Chinese connection for any of their bikes in their line-up, but they already have a reputation for top-notch, non-European or non-Japanese made bikes, and is a newer company here, whereas CCM has a historic name in the UK (but I wasn't familiar with them until they started rebadging that 230cc bike that you just mentioned a few years back).

If you have time, and the dealer has one in stock, if you could go see the bike in person, I would be curious as to what kind of bike it is. It did win its class, and 6th place overall in that rally in China last year, so it couldn't be all that bad....

czowner · 02-15-2009, 03:50 PM

Must admit I'm curious to see what they are like, I'll have a look along sometime this week.

Jonathan.

czowner · 02-20-2009, 02:17 PM

I had a wander along to the local CCM dealer, it turns out I know the sales manager, we worked together some years ago. We had a good chat about bikes in general and Chinese bikes in particular. They have a XTR 250 in stock (they have one of every model CCM), it does look better quality than what we're used to, and I dare say it looks like it might quite useful off road. Not serious off road use though. At Â£2870 ($4250) I can't see them selling many, for that sort of money you can get a very good clean XR, WRF, XT etc. The only Chinese bikes they've sold so far is a pair of CX-R230E's, and quote, "they were nothing but trouble" reading between the lines it's the usual things that we're used to. Spares don't exist, the parts they got from the factory were obviously from a dismantled bike. Now the CX-R 230 on the web site has conventional forks and a black OHC motor, the one in the showroom, it's been there over a year, has USD forks and a silver OHV motor, so there's been a change of model already. I think it's a pity that a well respected company like CCM has had to go down this road, if sales of the Chinese bikes improves it will ultimately damage their reputation

Jonathan..

culcune · 02-20-2009, 03:12 PM

Glad to hear they have the XTR, but your old friend didn't let you test ride it?

Oh, well!

The XTR 250 from Pitster Pro in the US (via Puzey of S. Africa/Australia) can be had for $3400 shipped to your home, if you don't have a local Pitster dealer. Pricier than the Qlink XF200 (UK Sinnis motard), and definitely in (good) used Japanese territory! I would still consider one, more to spoil myself, rather than making a rational decision. It seems a shame that CCM has such a poor quality lineup, from what you have seen and researched, but at least the XTR might, just might, be something to hold them together until they can start manufacturing their own stuff.

forchetto · 02-21-2009, 01:17 AM

I sometimes feel they should let those old, prestigious, and proud names die with some dignity, rather than stick a name like "Norton Manxman" on a pile of gaudy missmatched bits like this:

The rest of the "Norton" range here:

http://www.eco-wheels.com/Norton_Vil...n_Villiers.htm

AJS, another prestigious name are at it as well:

http://www.ajsmotorcycles.co.uk/new_AJS/docs/main.htm[/url]

czowner · 02-21-2009, 07:47 AM

CCM do make their own bikes, the larges ones, and they are selling reasonably well. It seems that most dealers and retailers (of any consumer item) seem to be obliged to have the "budget alternative" in their range. This may ultimately lead to their downfall. If we haven't found it yet here's a link to CCM, http://www.ccmmotorcyclesuk.com

Jonathan.

culcune · 02-21-2009, 10:24 AM

Angelina Jolie rode a CCM in Tomb Raider, one of the 644cc bikes if I am not mistaken.

culcune · 02-21-2009, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forchetto

I sometimes feel they should let those old, prestigious, and proud names die with some dignity, rather than stick a name like "Norton Manxman" on a pile of gaudy missmatched bits

Come on, you know you want the Norton Firefly 50...

forchetto · 02-21-2009, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by culcune

Come on, you know you want the Norton Firefly 50...

Oh yes please!. I find 50 lbs of Chinese extruded polyvinyl very desirable...

Mind you, these days I'd rather go for real German engineering integrity and build quality in the shape of a legendary KREIDLER like this one:

Wait a minute...I've seen that bike somewhere before! 8O

Here's the rest of the range: http://mot.kreidler.net/

culcune · 02-21-2009, 05:16 PM

I'm waiting for the Harley Davidson-badged Zongshen Sierra 200!

While the Qingqi might not have the reputation of the old Krieglers, at least it probably has far more quality! 8)

czowner · 02-22-2009, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by culcune

I'm waiting for the Harley Davidson-badged Zongshen Sierra 200!

I can remember back in the mid 70's when H-D re-badged some Italian 125/250 2 strokes. Viewed by some as collectable now, going by the prices on E-Bay.

Jonathan.

02-13-2009, 03:59 PM	#1
culcune Join Date: May 2006 Location: Yuma, Arizona Posts: 9,056	CCM (G. Britain) has the higher-end Chinese stuff CCM, a motorcycle company in Great Britain with a decent amount of history, has been rebadging higher-end Chinese stuff with the CCM label. One of the latest is the rebadged Galaxy XTR250, which is sold by Puzey of South Africa in Australia and S. Africa, and by Pitster Pro in the US, and under some other names somewhere else in the world. Looks nice, and you Brits get the water-cooled version like Pitster Pro's version in the US. http://www.ccmmotorcyclesuk.com/x-tr250/x-tr250.html
	0

02-13-2009, 06:06 PM	#2
Jim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Posts: 4,880	Looks good, any better pictures? __________________ "Be excellent to each other" "We are all human. Let's start to prove it!"
	0

02-21-2009, 01:17 AM	#8
forchetto Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Gijon, Asturias,Northern Spain Posts: 396	I sometimes feel they should let those old, prestigious, and proud names die with some dignity, rather than stick a name like "Norton Manxman" on a pile of gaudy missmatched bits like this: The rest of the "Norton" range here: http://www.eco-wheels.com/Norton_Vil...n_Villiers.htm AJS, another prestigious name are at it as well: http://www.ajsmotorcycles.co.uk/new_AJS/docs/main.htm[/url] __________________ Jincheng Monkey JC50Q-7 (two of them) Skyteam Dax replica ST110-6 (two of them) Zongshen ZS125-43 Qingqi QM200GY-BA Super Motard Yamaha Virago XV1100 Triumph Bonneville SE Qingqi QM110GY PGO Bug rider 250 Buggy
	0

02-13-2009, 08:34 PM	#3
czowner Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North East England Posts: 313	Funny CCM should come up, I have a CCM dealer not 6 miles from me!! A year ago when I had my Hongdou in bits I went along to see if the C-XR230 motor was the same. It wasn't, it was the 223cc OHV 5 speed motor (it now seems to be OHC). When pressed about spares they were very vague an tried to fill me with B.S. about the bikes origins. I don't believe the current range of CCMs is of the same quality as previous models. The fact that they're re-badging Chinese bikes seem to show things have hit a bit of a low. The 404 range is OK, the Retro models look OK in the pictures but when you see them in the flesh the fixtures and fittings are low end badly fitting universal stuff. Jonathan
	0

02-14-2009, 09:25 PM	#4
culcune Join Date: May 2006 Location: Yuma, Arizona Posts: 9,056	cz, having your lineup composed of other peoples' bikes would tend to dilute it a bit. When we got the Skyteam 200 enduro and motard here in the US rebranded through United Motors, or UM, UM also rebranded some of the Hyosung street bikes, so the local dealer in Yuma insisted the enduro and motard were Korean, even though the label on the frame said Skyteam Jinan China, or something like that! :? I do think that the XTR 250 might be a good bike, not for being a CCM, but just a good Chinese bike. Pitster Pro in the US, who primarily sells a lineup of high-end pit bikes, just started relabeling them for our market. There is no mention on Pitster Pro's website of the Chinese connection for any of their bikes in their line-up, but they already have a reputation for top-notch, non-European or non-Japanese made bikes, and is a newer company here, whereas CCM has a historic name in the UK (but I wasn't familiar with them until they started rebadging that 230cc bike that you just mentioned a few years back). If you have time, and the dealer has one in stock, if you could go see the bike in person, I would be curious as to what kind of bike it is. It did win its class, and 6th place overall in that rally in China last year, so it couldn't be all that bad....
	0

02-15-2009, 03:50 PM	#5
czowner Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North East England Posts: 313	Must admit I'm curious to see what they are like, I'll have a look along sometime this week. Jonathan.
	0

02-20-2009, 02:17 PM	#6
czowner Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North East England Posts: 313	I had a wander along to the local CCM dealer, it turns out I know the sales manager, we worked together some years ago. We had a good chat about bikes in general and Chinese bikes in particular. They have a XTR 250 in stock (they have one of every model CCM), it does look better quality than what we're used to, and I dare say it looks like it might quite useful off road. Not serious off road use though. At Â£2870 ($4250) I can't see them selling many, for that sort of money you can get a very good clean XR, WRF, XT etc. The only Chinese bikes they've sold so far is a pair of CX-R230E's, and quote, "they were nothing but trouble" reading between the lines it's the usual things that we're used to. Spares don't exist, the parts they got from the factory were obviously from a dismantled bike. Now the CX-R 230 on the web site has conventional forks and a black OHC motor, the one in the showroom, it's been there over a year, has USD forks and a silver OHV motor, so there's been a change of model already. I think it's a pity that a well respected company like CCM has had to go down this road, if sales of the Chinese bikes improves it will ultimately damage their reputation Jonathan..
	0

02-20-2009, 03:12 PM	#7
culcune Join Date: May 2006 Location: Yuma, Arizona Posts: 9,056	Glad to hear they have the XTR, but your old friend didn't let you test ride it? Oh, well! The XTR 250 from Pitster Pro in the US (via Puzey of S. Africa/Australia) can be had for $3400 shipped to your home, if you don't have a local Pitster dealer. Pricier than the Qlink XF200 (UK Sinnis motard), and definitely in (good) used Japanese territory! I would still consider one, more to spoil myself, rather than making a rational decision. It seems a shame that CCM has such a poor quality lineup, from what you have seen and researched, but at least the XTR might, just might, be something to hold them together until they can start manufacturing their own stuff.
	0

02-21-2009, 07:47 AM	#9
czowner Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North East England Posts: 313	CCM do make their own bikes, the larges ones, and they are selling reasonably well. It seems that most dealers and retailers (of any consumer item) seem to be obliged to have the "budget alternative" in their range. This may ultimately lead to their downfall. If we haven't found it yet here's a link to CCM, http://www.ccmmotorcyclesuk.com Jonathan.
	0

02-21-2009, 10:24 AM	#10
culcune Join Date: May 2006 Location: Yuma, Arizona Posts: 9,056	Angelina Jolie rode a CCM in Tomb Raider, one of the 644cc bikes if I am not mistaken.
	0

02-21-2009, 05:16 PM	#13
culcune Join Date: May 2006 Location: Yuma, Arizona Posts: 9,056	I'm waiting for the Harley Davidson-badged Zongshen Sierra 200! While the Qingqi might not have the reputation of the old Krieglers, at least it probably has far more quality! 8)
	0