Can-Am Spyder RT on the road

Philippe Normand has a job which I envy, and you might not mind it either; he is the Marketing Manager for Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) Can-Am Spyder Roadster and he loves it. Who wouldn’t, though, as the Spyder inspires so many people from everywhere in the world to ask, “what is that and how can I get one?”

His job is to make sure they know what it is, how it works and where you can purchase one of your own. An interesting position to be in, wouldn’t you say?

The Spyder is not exactly a motorcycle and it’s certainly not a car, but it certainly looks fun to ride. It is a 998c.c. V-twin engine putting power to a single rear wheel and a very advanced drive system; the Can-Am Spyder RS on the road includes stability control, traction control, ABS, and more. But, the general public cannot decide exactly what it is – which category does it belong to in their minds? (Can-Am likes to refer to it as a “roadster.”)

It seems that this is probably the biggest challenge to Can-Am now, according to Philippe – name and product recognition. In Canada, and most of the northern US, people are rather familiar with the marque in one of their many forms. After all, BRP makes snowmobiles, ATVs, watercraft, and even marine engines and more. People in some parts of the US have never heard of Can-Am, much less the Spyder. This, however, is a challenge he and the company are meeting head-on and they are winning new converts every day.

This is one area where Normand does not have to worry about; well, not very much. He knows that if you can get someone to ride one, they quickly begin to understand what it is. To that end, you will see several marketing pushes around North America (and the world) and will focus on bringing people in to get to know the Spyder.

Oddly enough, the biggest demographics moving to the Spyder are non-motorcyclists, according to Normand. People who are used to snowmobiles, ATVs, watercraft, and/or automobiles are the ones who easily gravitate towards this machine. Normand refers to it as “democratizing motorcycling,” as the range of people who can own and ride a Spyder is quite wide – just about anyone can throw a leg over and go. He is absolutely right about that; he is making the reality of being in the open on the back of a V-twin accessible to many who it may not have suited before.

Of course, owning one is different than owning a motorcycle. It takes  just about anyone around one hour to get the hang of it. For a motorcyclist, we must remember that there is no counter-steering and you must lean around the bike, it stays level. Someone steps off of the machine after their first ride and the smile is glued on for the rest of the day. Normand says that, “the experience is surprising to them” in most cases – no doubt exciting.

The odd part of this three-wheeled bike to me was to find out that dealerships are actually very happy to have them. Dealers also like them because the Rotax engine powering them is rather reliable. They are in high demand – even in this economy  – and dealerships cannot keep them in stock. Certainly an advantage to having a product like this, which is just starting out, all movement is upward. In fact, Normand has stated that the dealers “…never complain, and the Spyder brings them more business in all areas.”

Perhaps it is the novelty, but maybe not…when I hear Normand speak of the Spyder, I hear honest connectivity – a sort of love we motorcyclists have for our machines. You can hear it in his voice as he regularly commutes to work on his – and never gets tired of it. He is surrounded by it, but it always excites. What more does anyone really need?