SHARP Rides: Can-Am Goes Electric With Pulse and Origin Motorcycles
Standing in front of Can-Am’s electric motorcycles in Austin, Texas, we could feel the heat building despite the early morning start. It was already creeping towards 30 degrees Celsius, with another 10 degrees or so coming, but there was one key advantage working in our favour: a lack of engine heat. Anyone who’s had seat time on a motorcycle in the dead of summer knows how heat radiates off an internal combustion engine at stops and low speeds. Before our wheels even begin to turn, score one for this new challenger.
The road to Can-Am’s electric motorcycles has been a long one. First announced in fall of 2022, the Can-Am Pulse and Origin motorcycles were by no means the first to enter the segment, however that doesn’t make them any less noteworthy. Prior to Harley-Davidson’s electric sub-brand Livewire announcing the new (and smaller) S2 motorcycle, Can-Am undercut the entry price of Harley’s electric offering by roughy $11,000; the Pulse sells for $18,299, and the Origin for $18,999. Beyond that, the only real player in the game has been California’s Zero Motorcycles, who have very limited reach in the Canadian market thus far.
As is the case with any bleeding-edge tech, support is what makes or breaks a product, and Can-Am knew that from the very start. This coming year the brand will have 350 dealers spread across North America and parts of Europe, with the aim of adding 100 more in the subsequent year. No matter where you choose to ride, knowing that this network exists gives these bikes an upper hand in confronting rider hesitation. What’s more, EVs across the board are much more low-maintenance than their combustion powered counterparts, so riders can expect less time fussing and more time out on the road.
Pivotal to that maintenance situation is the way the power unit of the Pulse and Origin was built. While its battery pack occupies the space where a conventional engine would be found, its electric motor and sealed chaincase are a single unit. There’s no external chain to lubricate but rather an enclosed case that keeps both maintenance and noise to a minimum. but more on that noise factor in a moment.
With a full day behind the bars, Can-Am’s team laid out a route that suitably encompassed all aspects of living with both the Pulse and Origin. Despite sharing a platform, each motorcycle is designed for a distinct use case and rider type. The urban street-focused Pulse cuts a compact profile focused on commuters and canyon carvers, whereas the dual-sport Origin taps into the brand’s early motocross and enduro roots from the early ’70s. Though not a full-blown trail bike like its predecessors, the Origin serves double-duty for those wanting a balance of on-road comfort and off-road competence.
Chasing winding roads on the Pulse first, it proved hard to find an exact comparator in the conventional motorcycle scene. The Pulse is narrow and quite nimble, flicking through turns with ease. That said, its slender profile belies its mass — not to say that it’s overly heavy in any way, but most motos that stand in such a way are low-output lightweights that get blown around by heavy traffic, whereas the Pulse perpetually stayed well-planted. The first stretch of road led to an interesting learning curve for all of us without two-wheeled EV experience. On one hand, the silence of the ride was equal parts eerie and refreshing, though I don’t doubt that riders in noisy entry-level helmets would quickly be begging for better gear once wind noise became their only riding companion.
Next on the acclimation list came a beloved feature of all EVs: how and when to use battery regeneration effectively. Can-Am’s engineers spent ample time tuning the regen function on these motorcycles, offering settings of Min, Max, and Off for both passive and active regeneration. Each setting had its own learning curve, but within the first 30 or so minutes of riding each of us had narrowed our way down to our preferred settings. The use of active regen was easily the most interesting point of adaptation, as rolling the throttle forward provided added “braking” in a rather seamless fashion — once one’s brain gets past the idea of not grabbing brakes leading into a corner.
Once we reached the outermost point of our journey, a new challenge was laid before us. The Origin being a dual sport meant that we needed to play in the dirt, and despite being quite rusty this was an opportunity not to be turned down. Despite there being ample gravel roads in the outskirts of Toronto, our test course was vastly more interesting than that, and with a bit of a warmup the muscle memory returned and we had the Origin pushing and sliding just as it should. Once again the sound of silence proved a little unsettling at first, but it’s also quite the blessing for the off-road and adventure community when you think about it.
One of the biggest gripes faced in off-road communities globally is restricted access to terrain, and oftentimes those restrictions are a byproduct of noise complaints. Folks living in cottage country broadly desire tranquility, and the loud rumbles of motorcycles and ATVs constantly come under fire. One can’t complain about what cannot be heard, making the Origin an excellent cottage companion to keep the neighbours at bay.
Going into our test session it was hard to tell what to expect from Can-Am’s Pulse and Origin, however we came away quite impressed. Granted, much like the automotive EV segment, range and charging access will remain a factor for buyers. With Level 2 charging both models are capable of recharging from 20% to 80% in 50 minutes, which is a broadly reasonable figure, however with an overall range of 160 kilometres on the Pulse and 140 on the Origin, a proper riding day will take its share of planning. Those used to just hitting the road and improvising a ride day will need to put a bit more thought into their routes, whereas urban commuters should be able to make the most of these sleek new motorcycles without issue. Either way, the future is looking bright for Can-Am Motorcycles — there’s rumours of more models in the pipeline, and given the success of the Pulse and Origin thus far, we’re eager to see what comes next.
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