Here’s something to ponder: Would Tesla be today’s leading EV manufacturer if it waited for major automakers to popularize electric cars before investing in the category? What if Honda, Toyota, Ford, BMW, or any other large-scale manufacturer had gone all-in earlier, taking early EV adopters with them? Would we still see throngs of Teslas at every red light, or would Tesla be the company that was late to the party?Impossible as that question is to answer, the underlying concept explains what we’re doing in Austin, Texas, aboard Can-Am’s Pulse (naked) and Origin (ADV) motorcycles. Not only are these the first (relatively) mass-produced Can-Am motorcycles since 1987, but they signal an entirely new chapter for the company—a chapter rooted in the belief that electric motorcycles will grow in popularity, and that to become a major player in the space you need to get your foot in the door early.OK, maybe it’s not early. Production electric motorcycles have been around for more than a decade (the Zero S launched in 2010), but Can-Am suggests interest in EV motorcycles is only now at levels electric cars were in 2018, and assumes the general trajectory will be the same. There’s an obvious sense of enthusiasm behind the project, too; this is not just a fad or haphazard attempt to influence corporate carbon footprint, but a long-term play for Can-Am.Related: 2025 Can-Am Pulse and Origin First Look

Two Bikes, One PlatformWhile being early pays dividends, it also comes with the challenge of having to find your way with limited references or historical inspiration to pull from. Luckily, Can-Am is under the Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) umbrella, meaning there’s no shortage of resources, technical knowhow, and experience across a wide range of products. The Pulse and Origin use technologies borrowed from—or inspired by—Can-Am side-by-sides and Sea-Doo watercraft, plus electronic components simultaneously developed for Ski-Doo’s electric snowmobile. So while these are new bikes from a company that’s just returning to two wheels, there’s a significant amount of experience (and testing) behind that hardware.Leading the charge (pun intended) is, of course, the 8.9kWh battery and Rotax E-Power unit that’s positioned at the front of the swingarm, enabling the main section of the bike to be dedicated to the batteries and control electronics. The entire system—including the battery, charger, inverter, and motor—is liquid-cooled to manage operating temperatures. That, in turn, helps maintain consistent performance and reduces the risk of battery degradation (aligning the temperature across the battery pack plays a significant role in overall battery health), while also lowering charge times, since the liquid-cooling functions while the bike is charging.

More borrowed inspirations come in the form of a sealed chaincase similar to what’s used on Ski-Doo snowmobiles. Benefits in this application? Silent operation, complete chain protection, and reduced maintenance, says Can-Am, adding that reduced maintenance is a big draw for new motorcyclists—most of whom are looking for simplicity, ease of use, and ease of ownership. This is a bike that needs to reach more customers than just hardcore motorcycle enthusiasts.Electronics are another big talking point, Can-Am having outfitted the Pulse and Origin with ride modes, traction control, and regenerative braking. Those systems are manipulated through a large, almost tablet-like 10.25-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay compatibility. Differences? The Origin comes with Normal, Eco, Rain, Sport, Off-Road, and Off-Road+ ride modes, whereas the street-oriented Pulse gets “just” Normal, Eco, Rain, and Sport+.

The Pulse rolls on 17-inch cast wheels, a nonadjustable 41mm KYB fork, and preload-adjustable Sachs shock. Suspension components offer 5.5 inches of travel front and rear. Meanwhile, the Origin uses tube-type 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels, as well as a nonadjustable 43mm KYB fork and fully adjustable KYB HPG shock, each with 10 inches of travel. That setup offers more ground clearance (10.8 inches total) but also results in a taller seat height; the Pulse’s saddle sits 30.9 inches off the ground and the Origin’s a less accommodating 34.0 inches from terra firma.Brakes consist of a J.Juan twin-piston brake caliper and 320mm disc up front, plus a J.Juan single-piston caliper and 240mm disc out back. Rear-wheel ABS and traction control are only switchable on the Origin’s, but don’t assume the ADV-inspired Origin holds all the advantages; the Pulse comes in at 390 pounds (versus 412 for the Origin) and uses its combination of better aerodynamics and smaller wheels to eke a few extra miles out of a charge.Can-Am’s advertised range is 100 miles for the Pulse and 90 miles for the Origin in relaxed city riding. Those numbers drop to around 80 miles for the Pulse and 71 miles for the Origin when riding in mixed conditions (highway and city streets). That, of course, is according to Can-Am’s testing; sustained high-speed cruising is an electric bike’s enemy and will drop range even further, based on our experience with the Pulse and Origin. Can-Am is quick to remind that numbers will vary depending on the conditions, and that the intended use is city riding.Related: Maeving RM1S Electric Motorcycle Review

Regenerative braking is available through Passive and Active modes. The former offers traditional regen braking as you roll off the throttle, while the latter is a more aggressive and energy-producing response managed by rolling the throttle forward. Both systems have Minimum and Maximum settings and can be turned off, which enables you to tailor the regen experience to your taste. Unique as it might be, Active regen is quite fun to use and allows you to slow the bike to your liking with very little brake. It would be interesting to conduct back-to-back tests to understand how much extra juice the system produces. Can-Am claims, “Active regen gives you up to four times more power to the battery.”Can-Am says charging from 20–80 percent takes 3 hours, 10 minutes using a Level 1 charger or 50 minutes using a Level 2 charger. The 0–100 percent charge time is 5 hours, 15 minutes for Level 1 charging and 1 hour, 30 minutes for Level 2 charging.

Origin Ride ImpressionsIf range and the idea of frequent charging feel at odds with the promise you get from the Origin’s “go-anywhere” look, that’s because they are. In throwing a leg over the Origin you have to accept that your adventure will be short and sweet, with limited unplanned exploring.Our group spent part of the day riding 42 miles of wide-open backroads from lunch in Wimberley, Texas, to an off-road park outside of Lockhart, Texas. The bikes pulled in power-starved (power output tapers down when the battery becomes critically low), with 10 percent battery left on the Pulse. Battery life was an even bigger hurdle for an Origin that was equipped with saddlebags and no windscreen, modifications that affected aerodynamics, and thus range. Proper adventuring requires loading the bike down with luggage, but that creates range issues on the Origin, and unless you plan to spend a decent amount of time at charging stations mid-ride, you’ll need to carefully consider how you modify or load your bike. Not to mention how far you venture off the beaten path. Remember: city bike first.

The Origin has larger dimensions than the Pulse and feels more like a full-size motorcycle. The distance between seat and footpeg is tight, but the upright seating position and wide rider triangle are more accommodating, especially for taller riders. The dash doesn’t disappear from under you as it does on the Pulse and there’s still a sense of nimbleness to the bike. If there’s one concern for around-town riding, it’s that the larger front wheel and off-road-oriented Dunlop D605 tires don’t offer linear, confidence-inspiring steering. The bike resists turn-in initially, then falls quickly into the corner, constantly reminding you of its off-road-biased setup.Those sacrifices turn into benefits if and when you hit the dirt. Footpeg and handlebar position aren’t awkward in the standing position, as is the case with some street-oriented ADVs, plus there’s truckloads of feedback from the “chassis,” which allows you to dance through tight single-track trails with a surprising amount of confidence and feel at the contact patch. Torque delivery is not overwhelming or even “exciting” in Off-Road+, but a seamless response and smooth power delivery allows you to easily manage traction and squirt around smaller obstacles. Suspension on both bikes is on the stiff side to manage battery weight, and on the Origin that keeps the bike from bottoming or coming unwound in more spirited riding.Related: 2024 LiveWire S2 Mulholland Review

Pulse Ride ImpressionsThe Pulse doesn’t have to worry about the promise of adventure, thus it comes off as the more honest and practical option. Street-oriented suspension, wheel sizes, and tires allow for more natural handling though the bike still struggles with turn-in due to a high CG. It’s more planted than the Origin, resisting the tendency to follow highway grooves or dance around on uneven surfaces like its ADV sibling.The Origin’s smooth power delivery is carried over, but the combination of less weight and sportier rider position make the Pulse more exciting to ride, especially when you toggle over to the Sport+ riding mode and accelerate from low speeds. The beauty of an electric motorcycle is instant torque and you get that with these bikes, even if power starts to flatten out after the initial hit. There’s excitement, but in metered doses.

Another much appreciated aspect is how smooth and quiet the bikes are. Almost zero vibrations are passed through the handlebar or footpegs and driveline noise is essentially nonexistent thanks to the unique chaincase design. Is that a selling point? It depends on the type of experience you’re looking for. The added smoothness would be massively beneficial on a touring bike but is more of a nicety in this application given the lower miles you’ll be riding.Human Machine InterfaceIf it seems like the conversation continues to come back to range, that’s because battery life is still very much the main hurdle. Can-Am has done everything possible to maximize performance, but electric motorcycles are still handcuffed by current battery technologies and vehicle packaging—realities that motorcycle manufacturers currently have to live with.What Can-Am can control here is the experience and the sensation you get from the saddle, and this is where the company has done a good job setting itself apart. The large screen looks out of place at first, but it’s as intuitive as modern electronic interfaces can get and gives you an experience unlike anything else in the two-wheel world. Just as Tesla reimagined what the user interface is like in a car, starting a trend of bigger and bigger displays, it feels like Can-Am is doing the same. Again, is that a selling point? To traditional motorcyclists, maybe not; but to people who have grown up on modern tech and tablets, absolutely. There’s a sense of modernity and forward thinking that only comes from a fresh perspective, and you get that on these bikes.

Weirdly, that modern, high-quality look and feel is offset by an assortment of plastic covers that are less appealing. Both bikes come with USB-equipped storage compartments in the faux tank (1.7L for the Pulse and 0.7L for the Origin), but the plastic latch is flimsy and clunky in operation. The same goes for the panel that covers the charge port, which isn’t as solid as you’d expect given how often you’ll be popping the panel on and off. Not to mention the fact that these are $14,000 motorcycles ($13,999 for the base-model Pulse and $14,499 for the base-model Origin).

Final ThoughtsThere is a lot going for the Pulse and Origin and at the same time a few drawbacks conspiring against the bikes, which is a common story in the EV space right now. The limited range is frustrating, especially when it comes to the off-road-capable Origin. Current battery technology heavily dictates your ride and ownership experience, too. Extreme as the example might be, our ride included long stints of sustained speeds in 100-degree weather, which pushed battery temperatures beyond the threshold allowed for charging. Bikes had to cool down before we could charge them, and even if it wasn’t a long wait, the underlying point remains: Current technology still has its limits in motorcycle applications, and the best use case remains mellow, around-town riding.Viewed from another perspective, Can-Am has done a great job leveraging BRP’s experience in numerous industries to build two stylish and very forward-thinking motorcycles that will appeal to early adopters. Everything from the design to the user interface points to a willingness to not only break the mold, but to do so in a way that pushes the product forward and makes it exciting. Will the success story be as big as what we’re seeing in the automotive industry, where “small” companies overcame the heavy hitters through innovative designs and simply being in the game? Current limitations show there are still challenges ahead. But getting a foot in the door means being there to grow with the category, and Can-Am appears committed to doing that.

2025 Can-Am Pulse Specs

GearboxHelmet: Arai XD-5Jacket: Aether Draft Mesh Motorcycle JacketPant: Rev’It Davis TFGloves: Alpinestars ChromeBoots: Alpinestars CR-6 Drystar Riding Shoe