We haven’t seen an adventure bike branded by U.K. micro manufacturer Clews Competition Machines (CCM) since 2017 when the company’s popular GP450 was nixed from the lineup just as it was headed to U.S. shores. The cut was made primarily because the bike’s fuel-injected DOHC 450cc single, a discontinued BMW design, did not meet evolving emissions standards in Europe. At the time, an all-new 600cc version was teased as its replacement.
Well, seven years and a buyout later, a new middleweight adventure bike entry said to be inspired by the GP450 has been unveiled as CCM’s yet-to-be-officially named “Project X.” Specs on the bike are thin at the moment, but we know the new machine will be powered by the fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, four-stroke single used in the company’s Maverick scrambler, which for reference delivers 55 horsepower and 43 ft-lbs of torque.
Project X, a bike CCM describes as offering a blend of “off-road spirit and urban practicality,” will likely weigh in on the lighter side, a hallmark of all the company’s models (the GP450 weighed just 276 pounds dry). The bike will come with a dirt-friendly 21” front and 18” rear spoked wheel set and CCM mentions “increased suspension travel,” so hopefully as leggy as the GP450, which provided around 9.6 inches of travel.
CCM says a newly designed, long-range fuel tank — the largest capacity in their bike lineup — will ensure riders can tackle longer distances without a second thought, while a gel-inserted, waterproof seat keeps them comfortable on those long rides. Rather than using the bonded aluminum frame of its predecessor, the new 600cc adventure bike incorporates a TIG-welded chromoly steel frame for strength and durability.
As judged by the unveiled prototype, the look of the Project X machine is retro, with a cool vibe similar to Royal Enfield’s Himalayan, but with more high-end, custom-level spice. The bike’s headlight cowl and windscreen are said to be inspired by vintage Dakar bikes and multiple luggage choices will be offered, including trendy soft cases or larger hard cases for longer excursions.
No word yet on whether a low seat version will be available in a Project X lineup, as it was for the CCM GP450.
For 40 years, CCM has been known for its handcrafted quality and cutting-edge innovations, so we expect the new 600cc Project X to be top-grade from tip to tail. The company, founded by Alan Clews in 1971 when he took what was left of a failed BSA’s off-road department and reimagined the parts in a Bolton, England shed, has deep roots in dirt riding, and reached championship levels in Motocross, Rally Raid and Trials over the years. Alan’s MX-champion son Austin eventually took over the business, running it alongside his brother-in-law Gary Harthern.
Then along came businessman Anil Pitalia in 2021, also from Bolton, England, who became so smitten by the company’s bikes that he was inclined to invest, assistance the Clew family was happy to accept. “This investment is beyond our wildest dreams and will allow us to do a lot of things we simply couldn’t before,” said CCM’s Head of Customer Operations John Drogan in 2021 of the Pitalia Capital Investment infusion.
Project X is promised to officially launch in the U.K. in the summer of 2025 and hopefully it will eventually reach our shores.
Photos by CCM
Author: Jamie Elvidge
Jamie has been a motorcycle journalist for more than 30 years, testing the entire range of bikes for the major print magazines and specializing in adventure-travel related stories. To date she’s written and supplied photography for articles describing what it’s like to ride in all 50 states and 43 foreign countries, receiving two Lowell Thomas Society of American Travel Writer’s Awards along the way. Her most-challenging adventure yet has been riding in the 2018 GS Trophy in Mongolia as Team AusAmerica’s embedded journalist.
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