The motorcycle industry’s adventure section is populated by monster bikes. The big beasts dominate the market both visually and in sales. However, even within this flood of beasts, CCM, the small British firm is the only UK company to manufacture a middle of the range adventure bike which can effortlessly take the terrain its competitors show on promotional videos. The CCM GP 450 model is marketed as the machine which has sufficient power to defeat hard landscapes with admirable fuel efficiency.
Ride Experience
On village roads, the CCM GP 450 displayed rare agility and showed what an enjoyable activity a bike ride should be. The ride quality is more than comparable to its Japanese and more expensive counterparts. Effortless control is achieved by Renthal FatBars and the wide pegs. The rider’s head is positioned comfortably over bar clamps. The radiator cowls and wide fairing were not much noticeable. The seat is perfectly soft and super comfortable. It permits good grip with the knees. The clutch, although operated by a clutch, is so good that it feels hydraulic. The system was unbelievably smooth.
Although CCM, the manufacturer has recommended that the bike should be started in gear, the engine always started even when this was not followed. However, it was seen that at lower speeds, the bike in high gear, lead to the initial cough stalls, but this problems soon petered away. The problem with the bike began when the lanes turned slippery. The tyres with dual sport pattern was quite difficult to control. The GP 450 coped with single ruts in grassland and fast rocky trails with aplomb. Deep water crossings were also easily surpassed. The brakes, specially the front ones, were exceptional. It permitted the rider to enjoy complete control on tarmac or dirt. Not many dirt bikes can achieve 80 mph on the motorway.
Small Problems
The only problem with the GP 450 was the gearbox. The mechanism was loath to change for few seconds. The resulting occasional stalls can be quite annoying. The seat covers a 20 litre tank. The absence of any fuel gauge means that riders were forced to carry excess fuel. This contributed to more weight than what was needed.
When it came to hard off-roading, the GP 450 delivered and more. It tackled all sections and challenges which was in front of it. For the rider, this can be a hard thing to do. It became known that the bike could easily tackle sections which had inclines, declines, hard rocks and roots. These were made possible by the presence of heavy fuel load and dual sport tyres. The bike could even tackle a quite steep rock hill ascent with zero disasters and falls.
For the rider, using muscles to ride a 140 kilos of metal cannot be construed as fun. The GP 450 achieved it and earned the respect of riders in other bikes. The fuel tank has a 250 mile range. The engine is a reliable and powerful one. The bike handles exceptionally off-road. It can cruise without any hiccup all day on the motorway at high speeds.
