First Ride: Can-Am Goes Electric With the All-New Origin Motorcycle

The last time a motorcycle rolled off the Can-Am assembly line was 1987. That bike was called the 500 ASE, and it was truly the stuff of legends. We’re talking about a 482cc two stroke monster that weighed all of 270 pounds filled to the brim with premix. The 500 was short lived, but during its short tenure it was probably responsible for more broken bones than every Bird scooter combined over the last 10 years. A proper widow-maker.

How strange then, that after a nearly 40-year hiatus Can-Am would herald its triumphant return to two wheels with the slick all-electric dual-sport you see here. Where once there were clouds of smoke and the wail of two-cycle combustion, the Can-Am Origin now offers complete silence and zero emissions.

There’s no denying the new Origin is dripping with technology and innovation, but it’s a far-cry from the image Can-Am built their brand on. Can this new motorcycle live up to the legend, or is that two-stroke void being filled with smoke and mirrors? We took to the streets of Austin, Texas, to find out firsthand.

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Can-Am’s New Two-Wheel Tech

Forty years is a long time to plan a comeback. Before we get into our actual riding impressions, let’s take a quick look at some of the industry-first tech that Can-Am is rolling out with the Origin electric motorcycle.

Two-Way Throttle

Few things are as fundamental to motorcycling as twisting the throttle. The twist of the wrist is so integral to the two-wheeled experience that it’s literally the gesture of choice for “motorcycle” in American Sign Lanugage.

With the exception of a few early designs in the 1800s (one of which was actually steam powered), the twist grip throttle has only moved in one direction: toward the rider. Can-Am's new throttle functions both forward and backward, so whether it’s an innovation or a rebirth, it’s new to mass-production.

So what’s the point? The main purpose of Can-Am's two way throttle is to manually control regenerative braking. The Origin features both “passive” and “active” regen, the latter of which is activated only when the rider rolls the throttle forward beyond it’s natural stopping point.

Push the throttle forward as you go to slow down, and you’re greeted by extra stopping power, much like the engine braking on a conventional gas-powered bike. It’s a smart design that adds an extra layer of manual input to the riding experience, something that’s traditionally lacking on shift-free electric powertrains.

Sealed Chaincase

Another industry first found on the Origin is it’s unique chaincase swing arm. With this system, the chain and sprockets are both housed within a sealed case, which also functions as both the swing arm and the housing for the electric motor. This design is actually borrowed from the snowmobile industry, and comes with a few unique advantages.

The first is maintenance. Unlike your typical chain and sprocket setup, there’s no need to regularly check, clean, and lubricate the Origin's final drive. Because the chaincase is completely sealed and incorporates an automatic chain tensioner, the system only needs to be flushed with new oil once every 6,200 miles and inspected every 15,000 miles.

The other major benefit to this unique design is that because the motor, sprockets, and rear wheel are all connected as part of the swing arm assembly, the Origin essentially eliminates rear end squat under acceleration. More on that later.

Last but not least, because the chain itself is kept inside a sealed enclosure, the Origin is incredibly quiet, even for an electric. We got our first taste of this sensation while testing Zero’s latest DSR-X electric adventure bike, but Can-Am's design is the quietest to date.

Structural Battery

While a liquid-cooled battery is nothing new in the e-moto space, Can-Am's liquid-cooled Rotax E-Power pack marks an important milestone: it’s the first production battery that’s also the core structural linchpin of the entire motorcycle, meaning the Origin is completely frameless.

Every major component of the Origin including the front end, the swing arm assembly, and the subframe are all directly attached to the case of the battery. Can-Am says this allowed them to keep the Origin’s total weight to a minimum while also showcasing the battery itself rather than hiding it beneath a bunch of bodywork.

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Riding the Can-Am Origin: Road Test

Our test ride of the Can-Am Origin took place around the city and outskirts of Austin, Texas. This route was intentional, as the bike is intended for two main applications according to Can-Am: urban commuting and off-roading.

The Origin is billed as a “dual-sport” rather than an adventure bike, and that’s an important distinction to make. Dual-sports are primarily off-road motorcycles that happen to be street legal, whereas adventure bikes are long-haul touring rigs with decent off-road manners.

We make that distinction up front because despite Can-Am's legitimately impressive innovations, the Origin is still beholden to the same energy density limitations as any other electric two-wheeler. In the case of the Origin and its 8.9kWh battery, that translates to a claimed 90 miles of range in city traffic and 71 miles of mixed highway/city use. We’ll get back to that in a moment.

As for the riding itself, the Origin is well suited to every scenario it encounters, like a good dual sport should be.

Around the city the advantages of electric power couldn’t be more obvious. With no clutch to manage or gears to shift, the single speed simplicity of an e-moto feels tailor made to an urban environment. The Origin’s 412 pounds feel light between the knees, the seating position is commanding and comfortable, and the steering is so effortless and agile that riding really couldn’t get much easier.

Another important advantage we noticed is that even under the blazing sun of a Texas summer, the Origin’s liquid-cooled power plant gives off virtually zero heat. It’s a consistent non-issue from stop and go traffic to full-speed highway travel, which is rarely the case on the emissions-restricted ICE bikes of today.

Speaking of highway travel, while our two-lane time aboard the Origin was limited for obvious reasons, we did find the bike was plenty comfortable at speed, especially with the optional windshield installed. Curvy roads are about as common as bottlenose dolphins in the great state of Texas, but from what little exposure we had to changes in direction, the Origin’s KYB suspension feels well damped and it’s J.Juan brakes (Brembo’s budget-friendly sister brand) provide plenty of stopping power.

The Origin has a limited top speed of 80 mph for efficiency reasons (high speeds drain batteries very quickly), but it goes from a dead stop to top speed with serious hustle thanks to the instant torque of its electric powertrain. Claimed 0 to 60 for the Origin is a respectable 4.3 seconds, which means it gets off the line as fast as the latest 480 horsepower Mustang GT.

So yeah, the Can-Am Origin is a good time on the street, and happy to tackle any manner of hooligan antics when left in “sport” mode with the traction control switched off. The other three street modes on offer (normal, rain, and eco) offer varying levels of power output and delivery, with each being a bit more mellow and energy-friendly than the next for range-minded commuters.

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Can-Am Origin Review: Off-Road

Performance is a tough thing to quantify when you’re riding a motorcycle around a crowded city. Lucky for us, the off-road portion of our test took place at Spoaks Moto Park, a dirt lover’s dream in the middle of Lockhart, Texas.

It’s here we had a chance to properly flog the Origin over an assortment of fast doubletrack and tight singletrack trails, and it’s here that the Origin really shined. Can-Am's new dual sport may not carry you great distances between charges, but it’s a proper off-roader in every sense of the word.

Take the Origin’s 47 horsepower output, for example. While that figure isn’t exactly impressive for a street bike, it’s about 10 more ponies than you’ll ever need in the dirt. The Origin’s flat power curve and instantaneous delivery will break the rear end loose on demand as needed (off-road modes include selectable traction control and ABS), but the sense of control and predictability over the rear wheel is downright impressive.

Sliding around the dirt is also the first time we got to experience the advantages of the Origin’s all-in-one swing arm design. Because the motor, sprockets, and rear wheel are all aligned on the same plane and pivot around the same point, there’s virtually zero rear end squat when you crack on the throttle.

This anti-squat behavior also serves to effectively “push” the front tire into the ground under acceleration, creating an incredibly planted feel at the front contact patch. The Origin might be the most confidence inspiring bike we’ve ridden for getting squirrel-y in loose dirt, as there’s never really any question about how the bike will respond to the rider’s inputs.

As for the suspension, we found the non-adjustable KYB front end did an excellent job of soaking up big hits, and we only managed to bottom out the fork once when lofting the front wheel off a steep drop. Even when pushed to its limits, the Origin was able to regain composure quickly, which saved us from blowing through turns into nearby trees on a few occasions.

Truth be told our only real complaint on the Origin’s off-road prowess comes from the frameless design: because there’s no downtube on the back of the battery, we had a tough time finding anywhere to anchor ourselves to the bike when standing on the pegs. The Origin does employ a set of heel guards that could potentially serve this purpose, but they’re fairly slippery plastic pieces that bend under pressure, so an aluminum upgrade would go a long way here.

Battery Life: Range & Charging

And now, the elephant in the room. If you’ve been following the evolution of electric motorcycles for the last few years, you’ll know that while huge improvements have been made in technology and sophistication, range remains the limiting factor for any battery powered two-wheeler. The Origin is no exception.

As noted above, the Can-Am Origin’s battery yields about 70 miles on a full charge under standardized testing procedures. As is always the case with e-motos, however, real world riding and government range testing rarely see eye-to-eye.

If you plan to ride the bike in its full power “sport” setting as most likely will, we typically averaged about 50 miles of range on a full charge. There are a few caveats to note here including the role summer heat plays on battery life and how hard we tend to whack on the throttle, but motorcycles are built for fun, and batteries drain quicker as the fun factor ramps up.

Off-road use seemed to fare a bit better, as the comparably low speeds and regular hard braking contribute to the bike’s regenerative efficiency, but you’re still looking at less than two hours of playtime before it’s time to plug the Origin back in.

If you’re considering the Origin for adventure duty, chances are you’ll fair even worse. Adding the weight of soft bags and tools to the equation will tax the battery even further, as will a knobbier tire, especially when running either at speeds above 50 mph.

Around the city, on the other hand, there’s no denying the Origin’s efficiency. Twenty minutes of light-to-light testing and low speed maneuvers only cost us about 2 percent of our battery life, thanks largely to the Origin’s highly efficient regen performance. You could easily commute on the thing for a week on a single charge, assuming you’re staying within the city limits.

As for charging, the Origin plays nicely with a level 2 charger, assuming you’ve got one conveniently located along your route. The bike goes from 0 to 80 percent in about an hour, while the last 20 percent or so takes another 30 minutes, as is often the case with lithium cells.

Closing Thoughts on the Can-Am Origin Electric Motorcycle

How should we think about the new Can-Am Origin? This is a motorcycle that delivers real innovation and serious off-road performance, but it’s also one that’s tragically kneecapped by the limitations of battery technology.

The Origin looks cool, performs well, and promises years of relatively maintenance-free reliability, but it also costs $14,499 and needs to be charged every 50 to 70 miles. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a bike that’ll need to be trailered to and from whatever dirt you want to ride, but it also comes with a silver lining: It’s made by the largest powersports brand in North America.

Why is that significant? Two words: Dealer support.

Unlike just about any other e-moto you can currently buy, the Origin leverages a network of over 2,800 dealers worldwide. That means warranty issues, maintenance, parts availability, and custom service will be available from Day One.

That’s a big vote of confidence for early adopters and e-curious folks looking for an excuse to take the electric plunge. The same could be said for Can-Am’s standard two-year warranty for the Origin and five-year warranty for its battery.

Will either be enough to sway enthusiasts away from their gas-powered bikes? Probably not, but again, they aren’t Can-Am’s target market at the moment. The Origin will be available to the public in early 2025, and while it’s future success is anyone’s guess, we have no doubt Can-Am’s innovations will shape the future of e-motos for years to come.

Can-Am Origin Specs

• Engine: 
• Battery: 8.9kWh lithium-ion
• Horsepower/Torque: 47 hp/53 lb-ft
• Transmission: Single speed, chaincase final drive
• Seat Height: 34 inches
• Weight: 412 pounds
• Range: 90 miles (city), 71 miles (combined)
• Price: $14,499

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