With the new Can-Am Canyon, BRP says it wants to “democratize all roads.” In other words, it wants adventure to be accessible to more people, not just those who have the skills to handle a 600-lb adventure bike. As a three-wheeler, the Can-Am Canyon won’t tip over, so riders need not fear the limited traction of unpaved roads.
Even though I’ve ridden thousands of miles on dirt, sand, and gravel on ADVs, I still get the willies on loose surfaces. I’ve had lots of tip overs – mostly minor ones but some that broke both bike and bone – and I know how quickly things can go from yeeha! to oh sh*t! But when I rode the Can-Am Canyon on sandy, rocky, muddy roads in Arizona, it felt carefree and nearly effortless.
Back to the Future
One of my first assignments as a wet-behind-the-ears staffer at Rider was to test the 2008 Can-Am Spyder RS a few months after it was introduced. I’d never ridden a trike or sidecar before, and the Spyder’s two-wheels-in-front “Y-architecture” was totally foreign to me.
Former EIC Mark Tuttle tossed me the Spyder’s key and said, “Hit the road.” So I did, spending the next week riding 2,600 miles through four states. That was a fun experience on a unique machine. Having tested various Spyder and Ryker models in the years since, I tip my hat to BRP for the steady evolution and expansion of its three-wheeled lineup.
What started out as a single model to test the Spyder’s viability in the market 17 years ago has since grown to include four model families: the compact, affordable Ryker; the cruiser-style Spyder F3; the touring-focused Spyder RT; and now the adventure-ready Canyon. In all, there are 13 models to choose from. Upwards of 300,000 Rykers and Spyders have been sold worldwide, so what was once a proof of concept has become a force to be reckoned with.
All Can-Am three-wheelers are powered by variants of the liquid-cooled Rotax ACE (Advanced Combustion Efficiency) engine. In Spyder and Canyon models, it’s the Rotax 1330 ACE inline-Triple that’s rated at 115 hp at 7,250 rpm and 96 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm. Mated to the engine is a 6-speed clutch-less semi-automatic transmission (upshifts are manual via paddle shifters, downshifts are automatic) with reverse, and power is sent to the rear wheel via belt.
The Grand Canyon
At the Canyon’s press launch in Prescott, Arizona, BRP reps made the point – several times – that despite its rugged, three-wheeled SUV appearance, the Canyon is an on-road vehicle. Unlike Can-Am’s ATVs and side-by-sides, the Canyon is not designed to go off-road, but it can handle rough unpaved roads riddled with rocks, ruts, and other obstacles.
To deal with such demands, the Canyon is taller than its Spyder and Ryker siblings. It has a high approach angle and 6.3 inches of ground clearance, compared to 4.5 inches on the Spyder RT and 4.8 inches on the Ryker Rally. It also has more suspension travel, with 10.2 inches in front and 9.2 inches at the rear (Spyder RT: 6.9/6.0 inches; Ryker Rally: 7.3/7.0 inches). And it has XPS Adventure tires with large tread blocks to provide traction on loose surfaces and grip on pavement.
To protect it from rocks, brush, and debris, the Canyon has handguards, a metal radiator grille, and a drive belt protector. A 5.6-inch handlebar riser provides an upright seating position and allows the rider to stand up over rough terrain. Anti-slip enduro footpegs help keep feet in place when the going gets tough.
Like Spyders and Rykers, the Canyon has a suite of electronic rider aids that includes stability control, traction control, hill hold control, ABS, and dynamic power steering (not available on Rykers). It also has four ride modes: All-Road, Sport, Normal, and Rally.
Behind the manually adjustable windscreen is a weatherproof glovebox with a USB-A port for charging a smartphone. A 10.25-inch touchscreen TFT display includes Apple CarPlay connectivity (with an iPhone plugged in and a helmet communicator paired). Android Auto is in the works, and once ready it can be added via an over-the-air update.
Three model variants are available. The base-level Canyon ($25,299) has all the features described above. Its front suspension consists of double A-arms with an anti-roll bar and a nonadjustable Sachs Big-Bore shock for each wheel, and its rear suspended by a nonadjustable Sachs shock. The Canyon XT ($29,799) adds a skid plate, removable rubber inserts for the enduro footpegs, self-leveling air preload adjustment for the rear shock, aluminum cases, a comfort seat, a passenger backrest, and heated grips for the rider and passenger. The Canyon and Canyon XT are available in Silver Sterling Satin.
The top-of-the-line Canyon Redrock ($32,299) is easily identified by its Moss Green Satin paint, which reminds my wife of a military vehicle, and my brother said it looks like “Rambo’s three-wheeler.” The Redrock has all the XT’s features plus KYB Smart-Shox semi-active suspension (which replaces the Sachs suspension), a back-up camera, and a Custom ride mode that allows preferences for throttle response, traction control, power steering, and suspension to be saved.
When the Pavement Ends
Arizona has over 75,000 miles of paved roads and nearly 1,900 miles of unpaved roads, and some of the best of both are in the northern part of the state. From our base in Prescott, which sits 5,300 feet above sea level in the foothills of the Bradshaw Mountains, our test ride began on the sweeping paved curves of Iron Springs Road.
I adapted to the riding style of Can-Am’s three-wheelers years ago. They don’t lean and don’t countersteer, but they do have handlebars, footpegs, and a motorcycle-style seating position. You turn by direct steering: pushing the outside grip while weighting the outside peg to counteract centrifugal forces.
GEAR UP
- Helmet: Shoei Hornet X2
- Jacket: Tourmaster Adventure Lite Mesh
- Airbag Vest: Dainese Smart Air
- Gloves: Sierra Peak Adventure Pro 2.0
- Pants: Tourmaster Adventure Lite Mesh
- Boots: Highlander Adventure
For this test, I rode only the Redrock model, the first Can-Am three-wheeler to be offered with semi-active suspension. On every motorcycle we’ve tested with electronic suspension that adapts damping in response to conditions, we’ve praised it for keeping the chassis stable and composed. The same is true on the Canyon Redrock, especially when bouncing over rough terrain. The damping becomes harder or softer as needed when accelerating, braking, or turning, and the base settings are different for each ride mode.
The Redrock delivers a plush, controlled ride on pavement, and the Smart-Shox do a better job of compensating for weight transfer and body roll than the nonadjustable suspension on Spyders and Rykers. Since it rides taller, the Canyon has a taller seat height – 33.2 inches versus 29.7 inches on the Spyder RT – but that doesn’t really matter since you don’t have to stand over the seat at a stop like you do on a motorcycle. A tall seat height is one of the leading barriers for many people who want to ride adventure bikes, and the Canyon eliminates that problem.
After some miles on pavement, I was eager to get the Canyon on unpaved roads. As it turns out, I had previously ridden much of our test route years before on a full-sized adventure bike, and I recalled that most of the unpaved roads had a firm base but their surface was covered with loose sand, dirt, gravel, or really rough embedded rock.
As soon as we left the pavement, I switched to Rally mode, which reduces traction control intervention at the rear wheel and selects the Normal engine mode, Sport suspension mode, and Minimum power steering level. Unlike Rally mode on the 668-lb-dry Ryker Rally, which turns off traction control completely to allow power slides and donuts, the Canyon’s Rally mode is more conservative, in part because it’s a 1,036-lb machine (curb weight for the Redrock).
Nonetheless, grabbing a handful of throttle spins up the rear wheel and allows some mild drifting. The key is to stay hard on the gas and steer into the turn. Since the Canyon is an on-road vehicle, ABS cannot be shut off, so some care is required when hooning around on loose surfaces. Stomp hard on the brake pedal, which activates the brakes on all three wheels (Brembo 4-piston calipers up front, 1-piston caliper out back, and 270mm discs), and the Canyon will come to a stop fast, pavement or not. But hard braking in a corner will cause the Canyon to push (understeer), which is unsettling on a dirt road that might have a ditch – or worse – on the far side.
Choose Your Own Adventure
Sandy corners, patches of mud, loose gravel and rocks – the Canyon eats it all up. I found the route much easier to ride on a Canyon than on an adventure bike because I never worried about skidding due to overbraking, tucking the front wheel on loose terrain, or any of the common tip-over scenarios.
You don’t have to play around like I did, but it was so much fun and drama-free that I couldn’t help myself. Many Canyon owners will probably take a more relaxed approach to navigating unpaved roads, and they’ll be handsomely rewarded. Whether you want to go camping, hunting, or just exploring, the Canyon is designed to be a flexible adventure platform to get you, your passenger, and your gear there in comfort. Can-Am offers 25 dedicated accessories for the Canyon lineup, which allows owners to tailor their machines to their preferred type of adventure.
The XT and Redrock’s 31.7-gallon (120-liter) aluminum cases are removable, and they can be added as accessories to the base-level Canyon. There are 21 attachment points for Can-Am’s exclusive LinQ system, and beneath the removable passenger seat is a large LinQ plate with Lite, Nano, and 16-inch attachment points. Storage options include modular boxes in multiple sizes, a cooler, a fuel caddy, and a tool kit. There’s also a larger 32-inch LinQ Adventure Plate that’s compatible with a 63-liter low-profile box or a 70-liter storage bag. Other accessories include inner bags for the aluminum cases, a small tankbag, GoPro camera mounts, an adventure front bumper, LED fog lights, headlight protectors, handguard deflectors, a trailer hitch, Sport and High windscreens, rider and passenger backrests, covers, and other items that are standard on the XT or Redrock.
Get Your Kicks
After our one-day test ride around Prescott, I loaded my gear into a Redrock and took a scenic route back home to California. After getting a good feel for the Redrock’s performance on unpaved roads, I wanted to get a better sense of its touring capabilities.
As I left Prescott at 5:30 a.m., the sun was just coming up, and it was in the low 50s. The first thing I did was crank up the grip and seat heaters and raise the manually adjustable windscreen. Since I would be following major state highways and Interstate 17 to Flagstaff, I selected the Normal ride mode, which puts the engine in Eco mode, suspension in Comfort mode, power steering on Maximum, and traction control on Normal. Eco mode softens throttle response and slightly limits power to encourage fuel efficiency, but I didn’t notice much difference in response between it and the Normal engine mode. Power delivery is linear and smooth, with almost no detectable engine vibration.
The Canyon’s ergonomics lend themselves to long-haul comfort. The handlebar is wide and upright, the seat is wide, flat, and well-padded, and there is plenty of legroom. The windscreen and optional handguard deflectors ($99.99) part the wind smoothly, and the wide front fairing protects the rider’s legs from wind.
I stashed small essentials – a hat, a bottle of water, my Garmin inReach, etc. – in the optional LinQ Nano waterproof tankbag ($149.99), which clips securely to the fairing near the front of the rider’s seat and locks in place via two LinQ attachment points on either side of the ignition key. At gas stops, I turned the two LinQ locks 90 degrees and hinged the bag out of the way to access the fuel filler.
Even though the Canyon has a 7.1-gallon tank, it’s a big, wide machine that weighs 1,036 lb, so gas stops were frequent. My fuel economy ranged from a low of 22.9 mpg (162.5 miles of range) when riding at a fast pace to a high of 29.0 mpg (206.2 miles) when cruising. During my 678-mile ride from Arizona to California, I averaged 26.6 mpg (188.7 miles of range).
From Flagstaff, I followed Historic Route 66 as I rode west. Sometimes I followed the original road, such as through towns like Flagstaff and Williams, on a long stretch from west of Ash Fork to Kingman, and on National Trails Highway in California. Other times, as necessity required, I rode along Interstate 40, which replaced Route 66 in many areas. Whether I was riding through towns, on backroads, or on the interstate, the Canyon delivered a smooth, comfortable ride.
On Oatman Highway, by far the most technical section of Route 66, I put the Canyon in Sport mode, which selects the Normal engine mode, Sport+ suspension mode, Medium power steering, and Normal traction control. Hustling a big three-wheeler like the Canyon on a tight, twisty road requires effort because you need to push the handlebar back and forth and use leg and core strength to fight against g-forces, but it is responsive and the semi-active suspension eats up rough pavement like it’s nothing. The stability of the three wheels was very reassuring on numerous parts of Oatman Highway that were covered in gravel and sand from a recent flash flood.
Home Run
BRP has another winning three-wheeled platform on its hands with the Can-Am Canyon. It has the rugged styling that is so popular today on both adventure bikes and SUVs, and it has the capabilities to take more riders farther from civilization. The three Canyon models and the range of accessories provide lots of options for different buyers. In particular, the top-of-the-line Canyon Redrock is an exceptional machine equipped with state-of-the-art semi-active suspension and a full slate of useful features. I’m ready to load it up again and hit the road.
Check out more new bikes in Rider’s 2025 Motorcycle Buyers Guide
2025 Can-Am Canyon Redrock Specs
- Base Price: $32,299
- Price as Tested: $32,549 (LinQ Nano tankbag, handguard deflectors)
- Website: Can-Am.BRP.com
- Warranty: 2 yrs., unltd. miles w/ roadside assistance
- Engine Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse inline-Triple, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.
- Displacement: 1,330cc
- Bore x Stroke: 84.0 x 80.0mm
- Horsepower: 115 hp @ 7,250 rpm (factory claim)
- Torque: 96 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm (factory claim)
- Transmission: 6-speed semi-automatic w/ reverse
- Final Drive: Belt
- Wheelbase: 67.6 in.
- Rake/Trail: n/a
- Seat Height: 33.2 in.
- Wet Weight: 1,036 lb (factory claim)
- Fuel Capacity: 7.1 gal.
- Fuel Consumption: 26.6 mpg
- Estimated Range: 189 miles
What a great looking rig. Good write up. What are your thoughts on it handling rougher terrain like the White Rim Trail?
BRP/Can-Am says the Canyon is an “on-road” vehicle that is suitable for mild unpaved roads but not OHV trails.
Mad Max, way beyond Thunderdome!
I’d love to take that up Moki Dugway in Utah!
After 40 years on two wheelers I traded in my Goldwing for a Spyder RT four years ago and have never looked back. The Canyon is intrigueing but a bit pricey, and gas guzzling (my 2021 RT averages 33 mpg, more than 20% better than the Canyon’s 26). Just yesterday I met a Canyon owner who said that the smaller windscreen, as compared to the Spyder, offers little in the way of wind protection, so that would be a concern for touring. I need to take a demo ride myself.