| Headquarters | , Canada |
|---|---|
| Products | Motorcycles |
| Parent | Bombardier Corporation |
| Website | can-am |
Can-Am is a Canadian subsidiary of Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) founded in 1972 and based in Valcourt, Quebec. [1] [2] The company produced off-road motorcycles from 1972 to 1987. In 1997, the company was reformed and began production of ATV vehicles as well as the Can-Am Spyder three-wheeled motorcycle. In 2024 Can-Am released two new electric motorcycle models. [3]
Can-Am was created as a subsidiary of the Bombardier Corporation in 1972. [4] The barn that housed the original Can-Am headquarters still exists at the Bombardier test facility within the Circuit Yvon Duhamel and is located a few miles south of Valcourt, Quebec. [1] The right side of the barn housed the offices for design and engineering, and the left side was used for fabrication. [2] Can-Am's name was the result of a Bombardier employee competition based on the anticipated Canadian vs. American market, though the existence of the Can-Am racing series necessitated the purchase of rights to the name. [2]
Based on the Bultaco design principle of a standard-size frame that could accommodate a range of differently sized engines, engineers Gary Robison, Bob Fisher, and Camille Picard, and former 500cc Motocross World Champion Jeff Smith designed a competition motorcycle from scratch using engines supplied by the Austrian firm, Rotax, another Bombardier subsidiary. [1] [5] Their design featured steering head bearing cups that allowed for the adjustment of the steering head angle; these were mainly driven by simplified production on the assembly line. [2]
The machines made an immediate impact, with riders winning Gold, Silver and bronze medals at the International Six Days Trial. [1] The International Six Days Trial, now known as the International Six Days Enduro, is a form of off-road motorcycle Olympics which is the oldest annual competition sanctioned by the FIM dating back to 1913. [6]
In 1974, the Can-Am factory racing team swept the AMA 250cc motocross national championship with Can-Am riders Gary Jones, Marty Tripes and Jimmy Ellis, finishing first, second and third in the championship although, Tripes had raced for most of the season on a Husqvarna motorcycle before being hired by Can-Am for the last race of the season. [4] [7] [8] [9]
Can-Am enduro rider Skip Olson finished second to Dick Burleson in the 1976 AMA Enduro national championship. [10] Can-Am's motorcycle racing success enhanced the brand's image and they gained a reputation for their high horsepower outputs. [4] [11] In 1983, Can-Am released a 250 cc road racing motorcycle. Using two 125 cc Rotax motors with a conjoined crankshaft, the motorcycle featured a bespoke frame with an aluminum swingarm. [2]
When the 1973 oil crisis precipitated a decrease in sales of recreational vehicles, Bombardier was forced to reduce their snowmobile and motorcycle production. [12] Bombardier then shifted its priority from recreational products towards the transit equipment industry and then, several years later, into aircraft manufacturing. [12] As a result, investments in product development were reduced substantially and, Can-Am was unable to keep pace with Japanese manufacturers as rapid advancements in motocross technology progressed during the 1970s and 1980s. [12] [13] In 1983, Bombardier licensed the brand and outsourced development and production of the Can-Am motorcycles to Armstrong-CCM Motorcycles of Lancashire, England. [4] [13] 1987 was the final year of Can-Am motorcycle production. [1] [4]
In 2006, Bombardier reintroduced the Can-Am brand with its Can-Am Off-Road range of all-terrain vehicles (ATV). In 2007, the Can-Am brand was also used for the Can-Am Spyder, a new three-wheeled roadster.