Early history

Can-Am was created as a subsidiary of the Bombardier Corporation in 1972.^[3] 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 seasoned motorcycle racer Jeff Smith designed a competition motorcycle from scratch using engines supplied by the Austrian firm, Rotax, another Bombardier subsidiary.^[1][4] 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.^[5]

In 1974, Can-Am was the first brand to sweep the American Motorcyclist Association (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.^[3][6][7][8]

Can-Am enduro rider Skip Olson finished second to Dick Burleson in the 1976 AMA Enduro national championship.^[9] Can-Am's motorcycle racing success enhanced the brand’s image and they gained a reputation for their high horsepower outputs.^[3][10] 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 drop in sales of recreational vehicles, Bombardier was forced to cut back on their snowmobile and motorcycle production.^[11] Bombardier then shifted its priority from recreational products towards the transit equipment industry and then, several years later, into aircraft manufacturing.^[11]

As a result, investments in the young Can-Am division were reduced substantially and as a result, they were unable to keep up with Japanese manufacturers' pursuit of technology.^[11][12] In 1983, Bombardier licensed the brand and outsourced development and production of the Can-Am motorcycles to Armstrong-CCM Motorcycles of Lancashire, England.^[3][12] 1987 was the final year of Can-Am motorcycle production.^[1][3]

Rebirth and rebranding

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.