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One of the fastest growing motorcycle brands has 3 wheels, not 2

Can-Am F3-S Special Series
Can-Am F3-S Special Series

Throughout the pandemic, motorcycle brands such as Harley-Davidson (HOG) saw a surprising boost in sales as Americans gravitated toward outdoor leisure activities en masse. Among the motorcycle manufacturers experiencing a heyday in growth in North American markets, Can-Am On-Road makes motorcycles that ride on three wheels instead of two.

“Can-Am On-Road [has performed] two times better than the motorcycle industry average,” Can-Am On-Road Director of Global Marketing Martin Ethier told Yahoo Finance. “So just that shows that it’s not only COVID [that is causing the motorcycle industry boom].”

Can-Am On-Road, a division of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (DOOO), or BRP, is a Canadian motorcycle manufacturer that specializes in three-wheeled motorcycles. BRP is also known for producing its Sea-Doo line of personal watercraft and its Ski-Doo line of snowmobiles.

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As for Can-Am On-Road, its current product lineup consists of the Ryker sportbike starting at $8,999, the Spyder F3 sport-tourer starting at $17,999, and the Spyder RT tourer starting at $23,899.

Ethier elaborated further on Can-Am On-Road’s sales momentum and market penetration seen throughout the pandemic.

“Since the Ryker launch [in 2018], we’ve tripled our market share in the motorcycle industry,” he said. “And on top of this, we tripled our business revenues. So that's why the momentum is not only associated with COVID.”

And according to Ethier, 43% of Can-Am On-Road’s customers for Q2 2021 were first-time Can-Am owners — up 2% from Q1.

“So that's why the industry of powersports is growing,” Ethier said. “And that's why it's so critical to give a hell of an experience to make sure [customers] stay with us after that.”

Trying to attract new riders

In terms of the Y-shaped design of their motorcycles, Ethier said that it is the stability and performance that the platform offers that attracts riders of varying skill levels to Can-Am On-Road’s products.

“[This] means that riding should be open to all, regardless of your gender, regardless of your age or nationality or experiences,” Ethier said. One way that Can-Am On-Road seeks to encourage new riders of diverse backgrounds is through its Women of On-Road program, which is “designed to help overcome the barriers that prevent women from experiencing the power of riding through inclusivity and education.” The program offers women of varying motorcycle riding skill levels with a community and educational resources in order to hit the road in a safe and enjoyable manner.

The company also offers its Can-Am Rider Education Program, a three-wheel riding course that allows new riders to pick up the basics and gain confidence in handling a 3-wheel vehicle under the supervision of a certified instructor.

“So those are just kind of stuff that we're doing that helped to remove the barriers,” Ethier said. “So that's why all those programs right now are paying up because we have many more new entrants coming to the sport.”

Thomas Hum is a writer at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @thomashumTV

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