Hooligan with class-CCM FT35s
(First Published by Digest Publishing Ltd, February 2007 - http://www.theridersdigest.co.uk )
Back in the 1970’s, the era of my conception , psychedelic VW’s, Hessian décor and general flower powerism there was a gentleman called Mr. Alan Clews. Since the founding of CCM thirty odd years ago CCM or Clew’s Competition Motorcycles have gone down in history books race after race. British Side-Car trials, British Moto-Cross championships, A.M.C.A. super class championships, British trials championships, British 4-stroke championships…and not to forget 8th and 10th (in class) Paris-Granada-Dakar Rally and the highest manufacture finish rate and best self supporting team awards for the toughest event in the motor sport world. Famous riders that have that have got their leg over include; Vic Eastwood, John Banks, Dave Nicol, Bob Wright, Steve Tonkin, Niall Mackenzie, and Carl Fogarty. The firm keeps entering the spotlight over and over again with the beautiful Angelina Jolie AKA Lara Croft when she filmed Tomb raider aboard her 644 CCM, if ever I’d wanted to be a bike seat that would have been the one.
When I was approached by John and CSD to do a road test for the CCM FT35s it was as if Christmas had come early, as I, an Ex ‘DR’ was to be graced with the keys to a limited edition one of one hundred and twenty, lean mean hooligan machine.
I had the pleasure of colleting the CCM from Red Dog m/c’s in deepest wet wintry Edenbridge. I couldn’t have asked the holy one for more of a beautiful ride back to base, as soon as leaving Red Dog I was led to rolling twisty B roads as I tore through the garden of Eden disturbing everything and everyone with the barking of that megaphone style exhaust more familiar with a BSA or Norton from the good old days. My first impressions of the little pop pop was how torquey it is, this thing feels like it has a tremendous power to weight ratio there’s so much from the off, the front wheel skips all over the road, and me being a thousand cc torque seeker for the last decade I know what the stuff feels like, I’m almost fifteen stone and this thing has pull. My journey back to the regime of the courier world gave me an insight to the road capabilities of the CCM , flowing from curve to curve and catapulting past cars in the usual manner left no reminder that I was riding something with half the power and torque of my daily hack, albeit double the amount of gear changes. It just begs to be thrashed everywhere and without a single hint of struggle or hesitancy you quickly forget how much of a hard time you’re giving the little 400.
I was dubious over the capabilities of the tyres she wore. Getting used to them in the pouring rain was the best thing, as my previous experiences of Avon’s over the last twenty years has left me totally against them, but after a couple of days I was scraping the pegs at silly angles and now feel I can recommend the Distanzia to anybody, although I can’t help wondering why the bike doesn’t come standard with GPR’s or BT92’s, it must be the sport road rider in me forgetting why this machine was built in the first place.
So, on the way home that night I delved into some golf course tom foolery, with my Rohan heated vest so kindly lent, time had no relevance in the cold and I needed to try the bike off road. This happened two nights running courtesy of a nice little eighteen hole course just out by the M25, it’s quite a flat course with a good range of sand bunkers, long and short grass and an extremely bumpy muddy field of a car park…and closed at night, perfect. I soon learnt that the bike was completely useless off road, probably mainly to do with having road pressure in the ‘soft road’ tyres, but also as it has about as much ground clearance as a Tesco’s shopping trolley, and rock hard rear suspension, (even with my portly midriff). It’s partly down to the thinish seat, you’re almost sitting on the frame rails, but that PDS rear shock is hard core stuff, great on smooth roads as it carves you through the twisties, but hit a bump, pothole or even a small jump and you can feel your internals bouncing around inside like Friday nights lottery balls. I seem to remember from my off road days setting the rear suspension hard as possible when on hard pack rutted surfaces, so ‘rockardo’ excused as it helps you turn quicker on the hard stuff, but for road it needs softening a tad.
Living with the CCM day to day is a hoot. If you’re like me with a 20 mile commute you start to get a little bored screaming along at 95 for half your journey, but if I ever moved back to the smoke I’d be well up for one of these. It’s a town bike in it’s own right, smoking R1’s through the traffic down the A13 is all very well but the little CCM is best at home on single carriage way A roads and twisty B roads, but throw in the odd staircase and golf course and you feel a great sense of freedom and fun, taking you back to those days of teen ageism and not giving a monkeys. You’ll easily get your knee down at the slowest of speeds, and the power wheelies are effortless. Pull away in first gear, upto 4k , stay there a mo and whack open the throttle and up she comes with no need to dip the front as the power is there , and with enough power to keep her up through the change into second. After a couple of days I’d mastered the art of second gear power wheelies which says it all, ok they weren’t stonkers, but they were wheelies.
The combination of Suzuki’s DRZ400 engine and CCM’s tuning giving the rider a real spread of the useable power on tap.
It’ll happily return 75 miles to reserve on an eight quid fill, and considering you’re on the main jet 99 per cent of the time that’s pretty good economy from a little 400 that has a fettled carb and an air filter that looks more like it’s been stolen from somebody at Santa pod.
The CCM comes as standard with the PDS rear shock and White Power 48mm upside down forks married to a single Brembo 320mm arrangement. This being controlled by a gorgeous set of Renthal Fat Bars gives you so much stoppie power you are in your element. At first getting the weight transfer far enough over the front end was quite different compared to my low slung sports bike but after a few attempts and a change of riding position I was soon managing 40 mile an hour rolling stoppies which had me grinning for about ten miles. The Renthal’s also giving you a great amount of leverage to literally throw the bike around. The addition of an Acumen SP500 digital speedometer brings the bike from the retro to modern age giving you a classy L.E.D. readout but without a rev counter which I would like on a bike like this.
The bike looks real trick, from the headlight, ally fork guards, hand made polished ally tank, USD front end, and not forgetting the limited edition plaque stating what number build, and the gorgeous spoked ally rims, the bike turns heads wherever you go.
In summary, it’s a top bike that’ll surprise many a sports bike. It’s like riding a mini super motard, but with the same power and equal sharp edged handling and stopping power. If you’ve ever ridden a Ducati you’ll have a similar feeling aboard the FT35s. An almost royal like essence making you want to give the royal wave as you pass, as you’re on a limited edition English bike that looks the dogs, goes like a greyhound and has nothing but top components. All this thrown together with a bit of competition history and your on a winner. The bike is totally composed on the road, you just look at where you need to be and there she goes, but hit a large bump while cranked over and the rear will skip, nothing that a bit of adjustment wont sort, and throw in a set of super sticky tyres at the same time and you’ll be in serious trouble with the law. Having a totally upright position, with those wide Renthal bars and a seat that tilts you toward the tank you're comfortable all day long, the pegs are perfectly placed too, and when you're 6'1" you need something you can do more than half an hour on.
The CCM FT35s comes new on the road at £5442, and a hell of a lot of road presence. If I were to buy one I’d spend another grand on the Remus gp can and the 436cc big bore kit , if I had that kind of spare cash that extra would be pocket money to spend on my new toy.
It’s just such a shame that when people stop at the lights and ask you what it is, you say ‘CCM’ and they say ‘a what?’ Where have they been all their lives? Hopefully our exposure here will combat that a little!
Specifications - FT35s
Engine; Suzuki DRZ 400
398cc Optional 436cc
5 speed manual
Carburettor intake
4 - stroke
4 valve,single cylinder
max power :42HP
Chassis
Steel tubular frame
Cast alloy swing arm
Steel tubular removable sub frame
Suspension:WP upside down front 48mm
PDS rear shock
Wheels: spoked 17" wheels
Tyres:
Brakes: Brembo 320mm front, 260mm rear disc brakes
Polished Alloy fuel tank
Price FT35s £5442 (OTR)
