Talk about motorcycles and ATVs and the discussion inadvertently turns towards Can-Am. Being the most noted brand on various racing tracks, Can-Am is the prime choice of the gear heads, and therefore, dominates every conversation that is even remotely associated with adventure biking.
Owned by BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products Inc), Can-Am has been predominantly ruling several racing tracks for several decades now. From ATV terrains to snowmobiles, riders generally prefer riding the true king of off-road adventure that Can-Am is.
Every Can-Am vehicle is a combination of marvelous engineering, a powerful engine, and robust auto-parts. By offering the best line of vehicles for both on-road and off-road adventures, Can-Am is the brand preferred by everyone from novice recreational riders to the most experienced racers.
The history of Can-Am
Can-Am is the brainchild of BRP, and its history dates back to 1971. That year, BRP introduced Can-Am as a motorcycle brand to produce motocross dirt bikes. Owing to the high-performance of the dirt bikes, the brand became an instant hit on the track, and since then, there has been no looking back.
After tasting success in the dirt biking section, Can-Am moved to conquer other tracks, and in February 1998, it launched ATVs. BRP launched the first model of Traxter, a utility-based ATV. Just like their dirt bike, the ATV too received a lot of love and appreciation, so much so that the ATV magazine crowned the BRP Traxter ATV, the “ATV of The Year”. In the same year, the company began preparing for their next ATV to please the sports enthusiasts. They began working in full force on DS650, their first sport ATV.
In the year 2000, BRP added a new ATV in their family, Traxter XL, a 4X4 all-terrain vehicle, which was a variation of Traxter. It was followed by Traxter MAX, which was a two-seat ATV. Launched in the year 2002, it was the first manufacturer-approved two-seater ATV.
The brand welcomed the year 2005 with great news. BRP became the talk of the town after Antoine Morel from France won the Dakar Rally, which is counted amongst the toughest off-road races in the whole world, won the race on their outstanding model, BRP DS 650X. In the same year, in October, BRP again hit the headlines after winning its first GNCC Series Championship on Outlander 800 ATV in Utility Modified ATV Class. After winning 12 GNCC Championships in four seasons of GNCC Racing, BRP became a household name.
Again, in the same year, in September, BRP launched the APACHE track kit, an exclusive OEM ATV Track kit compatible with most of the ATVs.
Just like 2005, 2006 also proved to be a great year for the company. In May 2006, the company released the news that Bombardier ATV has become Can-Am ATV. The following year, BRP worked on rebranding its ATV segment to Can-Am.
The very next year, BRP incepted a new plant in Juarez, Mexico. The manufacture and assembly of the two most popular line-ups of the brand, i.e. Can-Am Outlander and Renegade ATV, along with Rotax engines, happened at their new facility.
The newly branded Can-Am continued its success story by winning the Dakar Rally yet again and dominating the ATV category. The three stars of the rally Antoine Morel, Juan Manuel Gonzales, and Alain Morel covered around 9000 km covering Lisbon, Portugal, Dakar, and Senegal in Can-Am ATVs in the 2006 Dakar Rally creating historic wins.
After tasting success in various segments, Can-Am climbed the ladder to conquer another segment and launched their first side-by-side ATV, Can-Am Commander, in the year 2010. By 2011, the brand managed to enhance the Commander line-up by launching six models offering two engine size options to their buyers. The Can-Am Commander 1000, with its 85-hp Rotax 1000 V-Twin engine, became a sensation and was felicitated by the “Best of the Best” Award by Field and Stream magazine in the year 2011.
In the year 2013, Can-Am launched Can-Am Maverick, its second side-by-side vehicle. This sport side-by-side ATV came equipped with a robust 976cc Rotax V-Twin engine producing 101 horsepower.
The following year, in September 2014, Can-Am launched a side-by-side ATV with turbo straight from the manufacturer. With a 121-hp Rotax 1000r turbocharged engine in the hood, the Can-Am Maverick X ds Turbo became the most powerful side-by-side ATV.
In 2015, Can-Am shifted its focus on the line of its recreational side-by-side ATVs and came up with the Can-Am Commander MAX Limited Model in this segment.
It isn’t over yet
From being an unrivaled champion at the Motocross race tracks to registering multiple wins at the most difficult ATV race, the Dakar Rally, Can-Am has always proved its mettle. It is a one-of-a-kind name that has vanquished the land, snow, and water and is here to stay.
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