Bombardier Recreational Products ( BRP ) is finally bringing its storied Can- Am brand back into the motorcycle market in mid-2024 with the launch of a whole range of electric motorcycles that will rival the next-generation LiveWire machines from rival Harley- Davidson . The LiveWire ' Arrow ' platform , due to form the basis of the upcoming LiveWire S2 ' Del Mar ', shows how the adoption of a modular electric platform means multiple different styles of bike can be made around a single , shared core section . BRP ' s new Can-Am bikes will follow the same thinking with its own patent-appliedfor construction system . José Boisjoli , President and CEO of BRP , has confirmed the Can-Am motorcycle plans , releasing a statement alongside a teaser video that shows glimpses of some of the upcoming models . He said : " With the motorcycle industry shifting to electric , we saw an opportunity to reclaim our motorcycle heritage and to re-enter the market . This new product category is extremely important to us , and we are thrilled that Can-Am motorcycles are the first EV models in BRP ' s electric line-up to be confirmed to consumers . Many of us have very fond memories of riding the early ' Can-Am ' dirt bike models , and now we look forward to building on the rich history of the Can- Am brand to inspire and impress a new generation of motorcyclists and electric vehicle enthusiasts ."
14 AFTERMARKET MOTO DESIGN - MAY 2022
The bikes will reach dealers in mid- 2024 , but we can expect a full unveiling of the machines in 2023 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Can-Am brand , launched by BRP in 1973 . Can-Am ran as BRP ' s motorcycle arm until 1987 when the last Can-Am branded machines , by then made by CCM in the UK , were discontinued . Can-Am came back in 2006 , focused on ATVs and threewheelers , but the new electric models will be the first production motorcycles to wear the badge since the 80s . The teaser video shows four models : a naked street bike , an adventure bike and two more shadowy machines - one potentially a retro roadster or cruiser , the other a faired sports bike or sports tourer . Bombardier ' s patent is explicit about the company ' s shared chassis design being intended for a naked street bike , a sports bike , a trail or adventure bike , a cruiser and a retro model . The LiveWire Arrow modular platform includes a battery case that doubles as the structural part of the chassis , with bolt-on subframes to alter the bike ' s steering geometry and rear structure , as well as a variety of different motors , forks and swingarms . BRP ' s design follows similar thinking , but with a slightly different approach , using a tubular steel frame to hold the battery and control electronics , as well as the steering head , while the motor is mounted in the swingarm . That means the front frame section , battery and electronics can be shared across all models , with different motor / swingarm units , forks , seat subframes , footpegs and bars to change the geometry and riding position to suit each model . The angle of the whole frame / battery is altered to adjust the rake , where the LiveWire Arrow has bolt-on steering head subframes to achieve the same goal . BRP ' s combined motor / swingarm is also innovative . It positions the motor near the pivot , so while it moves with the suspension there ' s relatively little inertia . The motor drives a main reduction gear in the front of the swingarm that ' s attached the front sprocket , with a chain final drive to the rear sprocket . Unusually , the whole
Valeo reveals bargain electric powertrain
Valeo is one of the biggest automotive parts suppliers on the planet , so its decision to create a low-cost , compact , off-the-shelf powertrain for electric bikes could turn out to be a pivotal moment in the spread of battery-powered two-wheelers . While previously focused on cars rather than bikes , Valeo is a giant by any standards with 187 production facilities in 33 countries , 63 R & D sites and more than 100,000 employees . What ' s more , its motorcycle powertrain design is based on massmade components already being made for hybrid and electric cars , making for economies of scale that could radically slash prices , allowing small motorcycle brands around the world to grab a ready-made motor and transmission that ' s suitable for widely used 48-volt battery packs . Valeo demonstrated its powertrain in a modified Super Soco TC Max , replacing the original Chinese 60-volt battery and 5 kW motor with its own 9.4 kW , air-cooled motor and a suitable 48-volt battery , upping performance to something close to a 125 cc petrol-powered bike . Valeo already has a market share of more than 30 % of the global market for 48-volt hybrids , and the air-cooled motorcycle motor is derived from a starter / generator that also provides an electric power boost for mild hybrid cars . The same unit is also in mass production as the power unit for the Citroen Ami electric city car . For the motorcycle application , it ' s incorporated into a single-speed reduction transmission , in a package weighing less than 17 kg . With multiple motorcycle manufacturers converging on the idea of a 48-volt standard for swappable battery packs - such a standard has already been drawn out in Japan and a European consortium is hammering out similar specifications at the moment - the
Valeo motor / transmission , with integrated control electronics , promises to be perfectly placed to capitalize on that . While the petrol engines powering today ' s motorcycles are an integral part of their character , often used by brands to distinguish themselves from rivals , future electric models won ' t be able to use that tactic . Riders aren ' t likely to notice or care about who made the whizzing electric motor driving their bikes , or to be able chain is enclosed , protecting it from dirt and allowing it to run in an oil bath to vastly reduce wear , with an automatic tensioner to keep it taut . Enclosing the chain also reduces its noise . Chain rattle is normally drowned by exhaust roar on a petrol bike , but on an electric model it can be unpleasant to listen to . The use of a chain , rather than a belt , hints that the BRP machines are relatively highperformance . Notably , the naked bike pictured in the teaser video closely matches the design in BRP ' s patent , right down to the distinctive three-bolt system used to attach the rear wheel , so it ' s almost certain that the designs shown in the patent document are representative of the planned production models .
to distinguish one from another , opening the door to opportunities for a host of new brands , bolting off-theshelf suspension , lighting , instruments and powertrains to their own frames and styling in a way that ' s likely to see the most significant shake-up in the motorcycle manufacturing status quo since the rise of the Japanese industry . Valeo might remain a name that goes under the radar , but its powertrain could be a driving force towards that revolution .