Armstrong-CCM Motorcycles
Encyclopedia
Armstrong-CCM Motorcycles was a British motorcycle
manufacturer. Based in Bolton
, England. Alan Clews formed CCM
in 1971 from what was left of BSA
's off-road competition team and bought spares to produce his own motorcycles. This was a successful business and the Bolton factory was established. In 1981 Armstrong
bought a majority share and Clews designed a road race
competition motorcycle. They acquired the rights to the Rotax
engine enduro
motorcycle SWM
XN Tornado from the Italian owners and developed the Armstrong MT500 military motorcycle used by the British Army
in the Falklands War
.
For most of the 1980s Armstrong-CCM was producing about 3,500 trails and motocross
bikes, as well as the military off-road machines. Electric start models were built for the Jordan
ian and Canadian armed forces.
In 1983, the Canadian company Bombardier Recreational Products
licensed the brand and outsourced development and production of the Can-Am motorcycles
to Armstrong-CCM, who produced Can-Ams until closure in 1987, when Armstrong sold the military motorcycle business to Harley Davidson and CCM back to Clews, who continue to produce motorcycles as of 2010.
Armstrong's Road Racing department including plans, remaining stock, tooling and manufacturing rights were sold to Colin Hopper of CWH Developments in Lancashire. CWH produced the 350 cc CM36 engine for several years in the form of the CWH Armstrong F2 sidecar outfit and supplying parts for solo machines that were campaigned in races such as the Isle of Man TT
and Manx Grand Prix
up until the late 1990s. CWH's Armstong equipe was later sold to a Super Kart manufacturer in Bolton, who in 2009 passed the CWH-Armstrong concern onto Rave Motorsport Ltd, in Surrey.
The new company are initially producing spare parts for existing machines with plans to re-manufacture replicas of the Armstrong CM36 250 cc and 350 cc road racers for the Post-Classic racing series. An official Rave Motorsport / Armstrong Road Racing relaunch is scheduled to take place at the VMCC Vintage Motorcycle Club's Festival of 1000 bikes at Mallory Park in July 2010, with several of the ex-Armstrong GP and TT riders displaying their machines.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
manufacturer. Based in Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, England. Alan Clews formed CCM
Clews Competition Motorcycles
Clews Competition Motorcycles or CCM for short, is a British motorcycle manufacturer based in Bolton, England.-History:CCM was born out of the collapse of BSA's Competition Department in 1971....
in 1971 from what was left of BSA
BSA
-Organizations:* Baltimore School for the Arts* Bank Secrecy Act* Bearing Specialists Association* Belarusian Socialist Assembly* Bhutan Scouts Association* Bibliographical Society of America* Birmingham School of Acting...
's off-road competition team and bought spares to produce his own motorcycles. This was a successful business and the Bolton factory was established. In 1981 Armstrong
Armstrong
- Places :* Armstrong Creek , various placesArgentina* Armstrong, Santa FeAustralia* Armstrong, VictoriaCanada* Armstrong, British Columbia* Armstrong, Ontario* Armstrong, Thunder Bay District, OntarioUnited States...
bought a majority share and Clews designed a road race
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
competition motorcycle. They acquired the rights to the Rotax
Rotax
BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co KG , commonly known simply as Rotax, is an Austrian engine manufacturer. It develops and produces four-stroke and advanced two-stroke engines for Bombardier Recreational Products products as well as for motorcycles, karts,...
engine enduro
Enduro
Enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run on courses that are predominantly off-road. Enduro consists of many different obstacles and challenges...
motorcycle SWM
SWM (motorcycles)
SWM was founded in 1971 by Piero Sironi and Fausto Vergani and was based in Milan, Italy. SWM manufactured Observed Trials, Enduro, Motorcross and off-road motorcycles in the 1970s and 1980s. They started with small capacity Sachs engined enduro bikes and began making Rotax engined trials bikes in...
XN Tornado from the Italian owners and developed the Armstrong MT500 military motorcycle used by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
.
For most of the 1980s Armstrong-CCM was producing about 3,500 trails and motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
bikes, as well as the military off-road machines. Electric start models were built for the Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
ian and Canadian armed forces.
In 1983, the Canadian company Bombardier Recreational Products
Bombardier Recreational Products
Bombardier Recreational Products or BRP is a Canadian company that traces its roots back to the year 1942 when Joseph-Armand Bombardier founded L'Auto-Neige Bombardier Limitée in Valcourt in the Eastern Townships, Quebec.In 2003, Bombardier Inc...
licensed the brand and outsourced development and production of the Can-Am motorcycles
Can-Am motorcycles
Can-Am is a motorcycle producing subsidiary of the Bombardier Recreational Products, a Canadian corporation.In 1973, under the direction and leadership of an American Engineer named Gary Robinson and former motocross World Champion, Jeff Smith working with a team of California desert racers,...
to Armstrong-CCM, who produced Can-Ams until closure in 1987, when Armstrong sold the military motorcycle business to Harley Davidson and CCM back to Clews, who continue to produce motorcycles as of 2010.
Armstrong's Road Racing department including plans, remaining stock, tooling and manufacturing rights were sold to Colin Hopper of CWH Developments in Lancashire. CWH produced the 350 cc CM36 engine for several years in the form of the CWH Armstrong F2 sidecar outfit and supplying parts for solo machines that were campaigned in races such as the Isle of Man TT
Isle of Man TT
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...
and Manx Grand Prix
Manx Grand Prix
The Manx Grand Prix motorcycle races are held on the Isle of Man TT Course every year for a two-week period usually spanning the end of August and early September. The 'MGP' or 'Manx' is considered to be the amateur riders' alternative to the Isle of Man TT Races held in May and June...
up until the late 1990s. CWH's Armstong equipe was later sold to a Super Kart manufacturer in Bolton, who in 2009 passed the CWH-Armstrong concern onto Rave Motorsport Ltd, in Surrey.
The new company are initially producing spare parts for existing machines with plans to re-manufacture replicas of the Armstrong CM36 250 cc and 350 cc road racers for the Post-Classic racing series. An official Rave Motorsport / Armstrong Road Racing relaunch is scheduled to take place at the VMCC Vintage Motorcycle Club's Festival of 1000 bikes at Mallory Park in July 2010, with several of the ex-Armstrong GP and TT riders displaying their machines.