Plenty has been said about the CCM GP450 Adventure roaring into a yawning gap for a nimble, off-road adventure bike that packs a decent punch. Now it seems the British motorcycle manufacturer is also winning over arguably the most overlooked sector of the adventure market; shorter pilots who want a lower and lighter ride.

The CCM GP450 Adventure certainly ticks both boxes — with a dry weight of 276 lbs (125kg) and an optional factory lowered seat height of 31.1 inches (790 mm), it beats its two closest competitors — the Yamaha XT250 and CSC Cyclone RX-3.

CCM has announced four different ride heights for the GP450:

The lowest bike option uses identical parts to the standard model with the exception of 100mm shorter suspension travel. This equates to 165mm of travel on the lowered bike riding on a dirt-friendly 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel.

CCM team member Jo at 5’4″ tall demonstrates how the GP450 fits riders of smaller stature.

But what of the CCM GP450 Adventure’s other qualities that quicken the pulse? Not only is this an adventure-ready bike needing very little prepping off the showroom floor, but it also boasts an impeccable engineering pedigree. The light-weight bonded aluminium chassis is the first of its kind, the powerplant is BMW’s detuned DOHC G450X and mated to a five-speed gearbox that can be converted into a wide-ratio six speed transmission.

The catch is the rather weighty price tag of £7,995 ($11,819 USD), more than double that of the Yamaha XT250, and over three times more than the CSC Cyclone RX3. Then again, some won’t mind paying a premium for a hand-built dual sport machine with top-shelf components designed for the express purpose of meshing off-road performance with comfortable touring. Add the careful thinking around seat height and suspension, and it’s clear CCM is deadly serious about claiming the vacancy in the smaller, lighter, off-road-oriented adventure bike category.

CCM will seek US EPA approval for the GP450 towards the later part of 2015. Read more here about the CCM GP450 and how it compares to other dual sport and adventure bike models. 

Specs Comparison