It’s a big day for BRP and its motorcycle brand, Can-Am. The launch of its first two electric motorcycles, the Can-Am Pulse and Origin, marks a return to grace for the legacy motorcycle maker that once dominated the tracks.
It’s been a while since we heard anything from Can-Am on the electric motorcycle front. But never fear, it doesn’t appear that Can-Am is going the way of Damon Motorcycles or other seemingly vaporware brands. Instead, Can-Am sounds like it is making good on its electric motorcycle promises dating back to early 2022.
The bike is priced at US $13,999, unless you want the Pulse ’73 model with a few extra colorway and body accoutrements, plus fancy LED lights, for a grand total of US$ 15,999.
Compared to the city-optimized Pulse, the Can-Am Origin is more of a dual sport that lets riders hit the trails on the weekend and then return to their two-wheel commute on Mondays.
The Origin comes with higher ground clearance and longer travel suspension, plus six riding modes. Riders give up a bit of storage with a smaller glovebox, but gain more freedom for off-road shenanigans as well as dual sport tires to help keep the rubber side down.
It costs just a bit more to get down and dirty, with the Origin starting at US $14,499 for the standard version or $16,499 for the Origin ’73 edition.
Fortnine on YouTube did a pretty nice review of these bikes the other day.
And I have to say, the motor/enclosed chain/swingarm assembly is brilliant.
Looks like one gets 90 miles per charge and the other 100. That’s pretty good. They’re kinda pricey though.
So you can drive about 80 “city” miles round trip for $16k? That’s insanely overpriced. For 25% more you can get a Zero with 100% more range. Of you can drive 72 “city” miles for $2k less. 8 miles for $2,000?? What? And this is all presuming you’ve got LFP cells in there charged to 90% before you ride, and you come right back home.
Good range for a city bike, sure. Bad range for anybody commuting into the city from the suburbs. And the price is foolish high for what you get.
