1978 CCM 550 WORKS BIKE RESTORED BY CHIP WATKINS

[@teamgreen3629]

Remember in the 70's watching these race the likes of capras maicos and jappas still recall the ear splitting crack of the ccm's

[@AustenARW]

Beautiful bike, thanks for featuring it. Would love to hear what it sounds like!

[@Mustang-tt3zt]

Holy grail brother WOW 😲 what a wonderful master piece.

[@KaplanCycles]

Thank you kindly

[@scrappyhustler7467]

That hoop is not a lift point my uncle who rode back in the day I shared thus video and he said that aluminum hoop is to prevent ur knee from knocking off the spark plug boot also to prevent shock and he's right aluminum to save weight and be a guard seems right i asked him what CCM stood for he said clews competition machine.

[@benmanning4340]

Nice one Kap, my Dad has a CCM 650 thumper, man it's a beast! The CCM's of all ages are not so rare over here in the UK being a great Britsh brand. Keep up the good work, love from The UK :)

[@kevinsivertson5800]

Saw one race at the trans am at red bud in late 70s! So cool ! Tkx for showing,sharing Ken!!!

[@Bitterstone3849]

That is best looking 4 stroke MXer I've ever seen. Looking at it I can actually hear it roosting out of a corner. 👍🇬🇧

[@ryanrundle9177]

Sick motorcycle! Vic Eastwood used to run a race track near me in South Devon England. The epitome of a thumper for sure Ken 💪🏻

[@sonnyseabury4051]

That was one gorgeous bike, Brother. Gorgeous garage that guy had.

[@williamrizzo1285]

I believe that bar is to protect the spark plug.

[@scrappyhustler7467]

Correct that hoop was to prevent the shocker effect!

[@bigboremx6916]

Eye candy 🍭 Reminds me of Fear and Loathing This is what I imagined them racing through the desert! Thanks for sharing Kaplan appreciate ya

[@Friscorockhead]

That thing is so amazing. I love the super rare stuff like that. Nobody has those.

[@markschafer8275]

I went to Diamond Don's last year..took a pic of a CCM on the starting line..thought my 80 XR500 motor was big until I saw that thing...beautiful bikes

[@jethrox827]

Over here in Au, in the 70s Mr Moto Cross series, there was one guy on one of these chasing all the big bore 2 strokes, I remember these beast blasting down the straight right in the mix of front of the pack, magic

[@stewart-D]

I’m 61 and I remember exactly what you commented

[@brianmarsh4498]

Alan Clews Competition Machine [CCM] He purchased a lot of bits from BSA when they shut down and started building these bikes then when he ran out of bits manufactured his own, Some of the works BSA riders went to ride for him such as Banks, Eastwood. They had the 3 speed box as it was stronger than a 4 speed box [a week point] plus the amount of torque produced 3 speed was enough. Some parts were built down to light weight and that caused problems, cracking etc.

[@donbrashsux]

That CCM is gorgeous and would sound amazing

[@metalted6128]

Very sweet bike!! Never heard of one. Very cool!!!

[@Justthatguy420]

Wish I could have heard it run. I know kap would have turned it loose at his museum

[@richard9444]

BSA engine, modified of course ,this is a lovely example, regards Richard London UK 🇬🇧

[@strangecustoms8486]

We had a few custom built dirt and trials using Matisse frames here in NZ every years since I was a kid we had an endurance race up the top of Strange Rd plenty of similar racing. We still have an annual ride but it's a fun day to raise money it's no longer a race. Some of the bikes are still sitting in cousins sheds a bit the worse for wear. 🇳🇿

[@jaysongraft3627]

Nice bike, cool dogs 🐕

[@aussiebaz5363]

Cable activated brakes are common, the chain adjustment has virtually no effect on the shock angle, this system is BSA, along with the staggered fins on the engine, a works mod, and the alloy pipe on the engine is a spark plug protector. The copper lines behind it are the main oil feed pipes to the rockers on the B50, this one has the oil feed from the extra line where the tacho originally entered the motor. These were primarily MX engines, not well suited to the Isle Of Mann. Home work boys, buy "Rolling Thunder" it will give all the details you need.

[@lawrencefoster2120]

It's like the most different of its time and really nice.

[@markrusso9309]

Was wondering what happened to to Kaplan America. Good to hear from you

[@РоманДыльков]

Опять удивил!!! Супер 👍 👍 👍

[@slacquin]

just looking for some Clews!

[@dogtownbrogers2796]

Cool bike, not sure it’s a works bike as that’s a 2 valve base model not the 4 valve that came out in 78. I still have my Dads original 76 550, prob the most highly documented CCM in the US. One of only 5 imported to Aero PA in 76.

[@andybowyer3602]

Very competitive were CCM built 30 min up the road from me🤪❤️👍

[@derekcurtiss3061]

Awesome bike

[@donniebaker5984]

Dang there is some serious knobs on that rear tire ...hey while im thinking about and maybe i shouldn't ask and maybe you shouldn't answer yet .... But i would like to see you guys get Husqvarna next ... And omg that gasgas you guys are raffling off . The parts on that thing factory teams would like to see on their own. And yes im a CCM fan boy ..the 1988 XR600R is the only year honda ran individual stainless steel header pipes all the way back through the frame to a dual inlet muffler painted flat black...super trapp made a werks looking muffler made from stainless steel with a dog leg in the middle of the pipe that used the four inch diameter tunable plates for a full stainless steel super trapp exhaust system that looks about like a CCM ...and with about 30 plates and cnc milled billet aluminum revers open cone end cap it sounded great on a 1996 XR600R ...but what amazed me believe it or not the cnc milled billet aluminum reverse open cone end cap seemed like it gave a little low end torque and would buzz out at higher rpm never leaning out with a slightly better torque range all the way to top end ..you can get stamped steel open cones for super trapps at most place the sell super trapps for bikes ..ive tried them on the 1996 XR600R but they dont sound like or make as much power as the aluminum cones made for cars i got from summit racing. But i just looked and they dont have them any more but they got then for 5 inch super trapps And darn it they are sold out ..they were only around $70 bucks japan.webike.net/products/23383751.html?gclid=CjwKCAiA3KefBhByEiwAi2LDHPtOmAnfRgNd8mC2mBVQ9Z7HsqBfYKy5lY7daiaUbBc5WuZI0Nv3fRoCfd8QAvD_BwE Heres the 5 inch from summit .a bit pricey www.summitracing.com/parts/sup-502-1010 you can 5 inch diameter super trapps for cars that are selective fit inlet and length are various size and look great on Harley's ....l would like to see individual dual pipes and slip-on 5 inch dual super trapp with the billet reverse cone end capc

[@kingdavidcoffee]

I remember one that was raced at Pepperell, Mass. I think his name was Arlo Englund.

[@elcapitano1972]

There’s one of these for sale atm down ere in West Oz 😍 $22500 . Beasts! 💪🏼✨🎨❤️🏡

[@timothykelly5588]

spark plug guard?

[@Donnyboyy]

My dad has the same bike fully restored I always wonder what it would be worth

[@shoominati23]

I think CCM stood for Clewes Competition Motorcycles . I also love the Rickman and Cheney BSA's and the Barigo Hondas

[@petermoody3526]

Might have been cooperation

[@bnol03686]

That bar has gotta be there to protect the spark plug

[@AAs-vb7pv]

Foot pegs welded to the engine side covers iv not seen one of them but I see a lot of the newer ones here in the UK the supermoto version s

[@kingkong81icloud]

There’s a documentary on KZbin about the CCM factory back in the day

[@KaplanCycles]

Put the link here!

[@jackgroom8543]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmGYl6eedr2GsKcsi=9OPI4eyDyPWmGvhy

[@borehole8631]

Amazing.

[@adamwinstanley6614]

Amazing 👏

[@aryfitriaji9620]

❤

[@EarthSurferUSA]

Will you also sell vintage Mt. Bikes? I have a 94 Titanium framed Nuke Proof, (when they were in Michigan USA. I worked there.), that may be the most complete bike left in existence, and I am sure not going to give it to a hippy bicycle museum. It won a "Mt. Bike Action Magazine" Ti frame bike shootout ion 94 or 95, but those hippies don't have the past issues or knew how to look for them so I can get a copy. I contacted Nuke Proof in England, (who my old boss sold the company to), and offered it to them for historical reasons, but they did not reply (care). If you want to show it and sell it, I would do that. But otherwise, I feel like cutting it up on a band saw and sending it to Nuke Proof in England.

[@tuesdaytv]

Brake on the left shifter on the right?

[@paulwhittaker606]

That bar is a crankcase breather

[@biggussniffus5537]

I think that bar around the spark plug would be so you don't get zapped/burnt on your leg. And that swing arm adjuster would work quite well, and it would also raise/lower the height

[@EarthSurferUSA]

1:36 Ahhh, that is a guard so something, (probably during a "tip over"), can't break the spark plug,---- as easily as you can still get to it.

[@BarryLuxton-f2e]

CCM stands for Clews Competition Machines, As Alan Clews went to BSA for spares for his BSA he was told you want spares you have to buy the who competition shop, asBSA went bankrupt. then re working B50 engines and making frames and stating CCM in 1973

[@Grumpy-sy7wr]

That frame bears quite a few hints of Eric Cheney, not sure if he had anything to do with them, or it was just standard British engineering of the time.

[@daffyduck9901]

Allen Clues spawned the Clues Competition Machine

[@lucky-rowe2623]

Cool!

[@jonb3311]

Vic Eastwood rode with No 7 on his bike. He had a bike shop in my town and used to practice in the fields behind my house. Vic rode in GPs when they'd have 2 legs and combine the results tor the overall winner. If you DNF in either race, you'd score no points. Vic never won a GP because of that stupid rule, despite winning a few single legs.

[@andybowyer3602]

CCM stands for CLEWS COMPETITION MOTORCYCLES

[@Ggreg1962]

Wow

[@98.SUPPORTER]

Where can i get a fuel tank cap like that?

[@tomtheplummer7322]

Oil filled frame...I guess rust wouldn’t be an issue 🤷‍♂️😉😆👍🏻😎

[@johnmurner2418]

Take that thing for a holeee hole holeshot Kaplan!!! 🤪 3rd gear lol

[@EarthSurferUSA]

NOTE: This was just before 2-strokes made bikes,-----less expensive, (and the sport took off to 10 times the size it is today.). That is the difference between a real free market, and EPA/government dictator force.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

So for the historical timeline, (which I lived much of it in the USA since 74). They used 4-strokes in Europe after WW2, then people developed the simpler lighter and more powerful 2-stroke (at first, it was not more powerful, early tuning learning curve.), and less expensive to manufacture. Japan jumped in at the dawn of the effective 2-stroke, and 50% of the kids in every rural area of the USA was getting a bike, (some quit after 1 bike, some did not). It was the 1986 FIM production rule (some say AMA, but the FIM runs the AMA), that first hit the industry at the knees, as we wobbled to a $5,000 price tag because of that intervention, over doubling the cost of a bike in a shot 5 years. Of course sales started slumping, (and riding areas were being closed with neighbors private land being off limits. It was not like that in 74-95 in my area). The biggest hit too the industries leggs off, the EPA dictatorship force of the road race engine 4- stroke on the industry,--over double the price again. Sales are in the toilet for that reason (and land closures). Interesting though. For movements like that to happen,the industry has to agree, (Economic force is used. the EPA uses that power over "our" industries.). Yamaha was the first manufacture to agree, the manufacturing spearhead of both the production rule and the 4-stroke. And Yamaha is the only Jap brand left making a full sized 2-stroke. Now that is an amazing (and immoral) business strategy, when working with a dictatorship.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

So with a look at the entire industry and how accessible it is to consumers, we can rationally say the only good thing about the modern 4-stroke MX bike, is the fact that the engine does hook up better to the ground, (and they got amazing power out of them). But the tracks got faster with more injuries, the bikes got very expensive, the complexity went through the roof, (with a generation who is not good at figuring things out, sorry. Pick up a 1985 MXA),--so the only good thing is the fact that the engine hooks up better. The EPA got lucky there, or we would still be riding the less expensive 2-stroke today, (unless more force was used, as will be with electric).

[@EarthSurferUSA]

But even with that great hook up oif the modern 4-stroke engine,---the FIM only has 15 riders on a 40 rider gate at the MXGP's. What does that tell you?

[@jayo7799]

Bad to the bone ! I always loved these but I've never seen a seat like that ? , Is that leather ?

[@KaplanCycles]

It's the original seat cover! Dyed leather or vinyl I think l !

[@EarthSurferUSA]

It is a crime to set that bike up with today's "rotated forward" freestyle bar set up. Nobody rode with bars like that until freestyle took off around 2000, anywhere in the world.

[@daveyt4802]

Chip who??