If you've been paying attention to the escalating trade tensions between the US and our neighbors to the north in Canada, then you're probably already aware of the latest news: that the United States government has now taken measures to ban certain dairy products, most alcoholic beverages, and also motorcycles from Canada.
At the time of writing, unless something changes in the next 20 days (it's September 9 as I write this, and the ban is currently scheduled to go into effect on September 29), the state of trade talks between the two neighboring North American countries is in a fairly dire state.
This move follows the August 22 tariffs imposed by the US of 50% on around 5% of Canadian products in these three categories, as well as the September 8 retaliatory tariffs on the Canadian side against around 6% of US goods that are imported into Canada. And yes, this includes the Harley and Indian motorcycle tariffs that we've previously discussed here at RideApart.
What This Means (And Doesn't Mean) For Can-Am Fans
Naturally, the first people I wanted to reach out to upon learning of the impending Canadian motorcycle ban were the folks at Can-Am's parent company, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP).
When many people think of motorcycles, they frequently think of two-wheeled vehicles. But Can-Am's reverse trikes are also licensed as motorcycles in the US, and they're popular enough that the MSF offers dedicated three-wheeler courses on Can-Ams, in addition to its two-wheeler-focused Basic RiderCourse and other traditional motorcycle-based RiderCourse offerings.
It also becomes a more complicated question regarding geography and production facilities. Just as not all American-badged vehicles are made in the US, not all Canadian-badged vehicles are made in Canada. That's been the case for some time now, and is also the case with most large companies that manufacture goods and sell them around the world.
To answer my questions, I reached out directly to BRP to ask what impact the September 29, 2026 Canadian motorcycle ban would have on its products, and how it could impact their US customer base. Here's what a BRP spokesperson told me.
We acknowledge the measures announced by the U.S. government on some Canadian goods imported into the U.S.
On the basis of the information available at this time, we can confirm that our Can-Am Spyder and Canyon models produced in Valcourt, Canada, will be excluded from importation into the U.S., starting September 29, 2026. The impact of these new U.S. measures are expected to be limited on our fiscal 2027, as the vast majority of production and shipments for the current season are completed.
I also asked specifically whether the Can-Am Origin and/or Pulse would be affected, but the BRP spokesperson indicated that only two of Can-Am's three-wheeler models will effectively be banned because they are produced in Valcourt, Canada (which the Origin and Pulse are not).
So far, other BRP powersports products (side-by-sides, quads, and PWCs) are not impacted by this ban. However, these are uncertain times we're living in, and news is frequently breaking at a rapid pace. As and when any additional powersports-related changes arise, we'll be sure to keep you updated here at RideApart.
