| Headquarters | , Canada |
|---|---|
| Products | Motorcycles |
| Parent | Bombardier Corporation |
| Website | can-am |
Can-Am is a Canadian subsidiary ofBombardier Recreational Products (BRP) founded in 1972 and based inValcourt,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 theCan-Am Spyderthree-wheeled motorcycle. In 2024 Can-Am released two new electric motorcycle models.[3]
Can-Am was created as a subsidiary of theBombardier Corporation in 1972.[4] The barn that housed the original Can-Am headquarters still exists at the Bombardier test facility within the CircuitYvon 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 theCan-Am racing series necessitated the purchase of rights to the name.[2]
Based on theBultaco 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 former500cc Motocross World ChampionJeff 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 theInternational Six Days Enduro, is a form of off-road motorcycle Olympics which is the oldest annual competition sanctioned by theFIM dating back to 1913.[6]
In 1974, the Can-Am factory racing team swept theAMA 250cc motocross national championship with Can-Am ridersGary Jones,Marty Tripes and Jimmy Ellis, finishing first, second and third in the championship although, Tripes had raced for most of the season on aHusqvarna motorcycle before being hired by Can-Am for the last race of the season.[4][7][8][9]
Can-Amenduro rider Skip Olson finished second toDick 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 ccroad racing motorcycle. Using two 125 ccRotax motors with a conjoined crankshaft, the motorcycle featured a bespokeframe with an aluminumswingarm.[2]
When the1973 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 toArmstrong-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 itsCan-Am Off-Road range ofall-terrain vehicles (ATV). In 2007, the Can-Am brand was also used for theCan-Am Spyder, a new three-wheeled roadster.