A suggestion by a financial analyst has led to an interesting statement by an executive from Bombardier Recreational Products.
According to the Canadian Press, Benoit Poirer, a Canadian financial analyst, recently suggested BRP get back into the motorcycle game as part of its growth plan. Of course, Bombardier currently builds the Can-Am three-wheeler, but haven’t made motorcycles since the 1980s (some history here, if you’re curious). So, the suggestion sounded intriguing, but most motorcyclists wouldn’t expect Bombardier to take it seriously.
Except, a company official did not poo-poo the idea when asked. The CP article quotes BRP spokesthingie Sylvain Morissette as saying “Motorcycles could be an option.” That’s far from saying they are actively planning to once again sell motorcycles under the Can-Am brand, or any other, but it’s not a flat-out no, which is what we would have expected to hear.
Sadly, even if we did see a new Can-Am two-wheeler, there’s a possibility production could end up in Mexico, thanks to NAFTA — that’s where much of BRP’s current lineup of recreational vehicles is already built (the Spyder is made in Quebec). Remember, too, that even the original Can-Ams weren’t 100% built in Canada — they had help from people like Rotax, and if we ever saw the name revived for motorcycle use, expect similar deals.
Spyder
ONE EXTRA WHEEL. That’s it!. Everything else Exactly the same as a ‘Motorcycle’. And because of ONE EXTRA WHEEL our Only Canadian MOTORCYCLE Manufacturer is Shunned from all so-called ‘Motorcycle’ Magazines & Media etc & hence get virtually Zero coverage anywhere…
As someone who drove ‘Motorcycles’ both on & off road most of my now fifty years? including! when the Honda Big Red came into being & was fully accepted as, just another off-road bike!?! by all the Mags I subscribed to? I call complete utter BS on this whole foolishness…
I don’t care what its ‘Classified’ as or whatever? ITS CANADIAN! & its all we got…
two stroke comeback there is a market look at ktm they never stoped and they cornered the market today and they are the most expensive bike out there
[…] on the heels of last week’s talk of Bombardier Recreational Products reportedly showing interest in motorcycles again we have news […]
Will they be better than the bikes they made in the seventies. These Enduro bikes had amazing 2 strokes engines, unfortunately suspensions were behind the pack ( KTM. ..Maico…..and the likes)….BRP if you get back in the Enduro market proudly make us a great made in Canada bike, which is as good or better than your competition…and priced competitively in your home market 😉
Listen. I’m at the BRP 2017 Launch right now. This company has a new factory in Mexico and is going to invest $120 million in Valcourt for production consolidation. This campany is fuelling to grow and watch out.
I would not surprise me in the least if they had a made in North America solution up their sleeves.
We need to buy local especially when the product can stand up to the best.
I wish BRP the best.
http://media.photobucket.com/user/PsychoPsonic/media/Funny/notthisshiatagain.jpg.html?filters%5Bterm%5D=not%20this%20shit%20again&filters%5Bprimary%5D=images&filters%5Bsecondary%5D=videos&sort=1&o=13
Hehehe, “back” into motorcycles. Even you guys don’t think the Spyder is a motorcycle. 😛
Spyder is a fun toy but far from a motorcycle. Its more sled then a bike. Would be wrong to classify them as the same. They each serve a purpose
Well, let’s see – BRP currently owns Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Can-Am Spyders, ATVs and side-by-sides, Sea-Doo watercraft, Evinrude outboards and Rotax engines.
They have the designers, engineers and technology to build pretty much anything they please, so the question is why would they and what would they ?
As has been suggested, maybe its a ‘me too’ thing keeping up with Yamaha and Polaris ?
My would guess is they would either venture into high end cruisers, ADVs or off-roaders, I can’t see them building sportbikes or standards.
But I could be wrong….?
How about clean 2 stroke power.
What Don said.
That would be brilliant and would bring them a lot of attention from the start.
Yes, they did have a 500cc road bike based on a snowmobile engine they were working on in the 70s. That would be a cool idea to resurrect.
They already have 600 & 800cc snowmobile engines. Big power and light weight. How about a 300-350 cc ala rz350.
This the one? http://www.canned-ham.com/index.php/the-bikes/road/
Also interesting. In the bikes menu under Flat Tracker is a reprinted Factory MX to FlatTrack conversion manual..
Its about time – we need more ” Made in Canada by Canadians ” out there! Hopefully! It or the assembly won’t be shipped off to some foreign land is search of cheap labour cost !
That would the smartest thing to do …
Bruce Macaulay they should do it! Canadian bikes, heck yes!
Risky but it makes sense because their main competitors Polaris and Yamaha are already there using that growth option.
If they don’t do it and those other companies do well with their motorcycling divisions they’d fall behind.
IMHO they should go for it, they got the engineering competence, the dealers network and they can build in a cheap location (ie: not Canada).
An idea, why not get into electric motorcycles? By the time they’re ready for market battery technologies should be better.
I work for BRP in valcourt, Quebec.NAFTA was the absolute worst thing that Brian Mulroney and his cronies did for manufacturing in Canada!!!