Launch: Can-Am Spyder F3

The CEO and president of Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), Jose Boisjoli, has been “happy and frustrated” with the Can-Am Spyder family since it was first released in 2007.

Since then, sales for the three-wheelers have reached over $200 million, with customers gravitating towards the Spyders for reasons including stability and safety, ease of riding, appearance and style, a point of differentiation, and the ability to satisfy the “couples” market. But there’s a much bigger story to be told, and that’s where the new Spyder F3 makes its entrance.

The RT (touring), ST (sport touring) and RS (sport) Spyders have been up and at it, but the yawning gap has been in the absence of a beefcake cruiser, so to speak. And with the cruiser market dwarfing all others in volume by a fair margin, the F3 could be the final – and most profitable – part of the jigsaw.

There are two F3s – the standard one and the F3-S, which shares the same mechanical and chassis platform as the F3 but with a unique “S” trim signature, machined deep black high gloss front wheels, a black suede seat with red stitching, premium front fenders with LED running lights, and electronic cruise control.

The F3 exercise is a lot more than just plonking a ‘save-as’ machine into a new segment; it’s an evolution. And riding it for two days through the majestic scenery of French-speaking Quebec has only crystallised that thinking, as it’s more fun to ride than all the others, less taxing on the upper body, has a lower centre of gravity for more performance-orientated riding, and the Vehicle Stability System (VSS) has been recalibrated for more rider autonomy, with extra refinement coming from the ride-by-wire throttle. VSS incorporates stability control, traction control and anti-lock braking.

Of course, commonsense dictates that the VSS had to hold a tight leash back in 2007, as launching a new range and then having people crash them isn’t a great look… But now, the F3 has the VSS maturity that I reckon people will appreciate more, and features like the Ufit system -- which allows riders to customise peg positions and choose from a number of handlebar options – and the new 1330cc in-line ‘Ace’ triple are parallel inducements. Ace stands for Advanced Combustion Efficiency, a meld of design features to reduce mechanical friction.

Outside of the exposed engine, styling has changed markedly on the F3, especially around the front end. According to the design gurus at BRP, the F3 bears an “animal-like expression” that also has a little bit of iron man thrown into the mix. I don’t have an abstract bent, but I’ll take their word for it… The styling is definitely more strapping though with the more angular bodywork, alongside the larger grille.

The name of Australia's own movie star Hugh Jackman was even thrown up during the early F3 project brainstorms, alongside the words "maverick", "authentic" and "confident". BRP obviously hadn't seen his zip-lining stunt on the Oprah Winfrey show, otherwise "foolhardy" may have been thrown in as well...

As well as the 115hp/130Nm Rotax-made triple – which is also found in the 2015 model RT while the others are still in the hands of the firm’s 998cc V-twin – the F3 has a shorter final drive ratio. BRP claims 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds, and that animation was put straight to the test when the launch began at a hangar near the town of Saint-George – after arriving there in a Bombardier Learjet from another small airport just outside Montreal. BRP and Bombardier are now completely separate companies, but you’d like to think BRP got a mate’s rate for the aircraft hire…

BRP got us doing full-biscuit starts on a feeder airstrip and, yes, the 15-inch rear wheel actually squeals with a hard take off in first gear! After the initial seat-of-the-pants excitement the VSS takes over, but by then the 386kg F3 is seriously on the march. In all the clamour of acceleration and gear changes – I was riding the six-speed manual -- the soft-action rev-limiter was reached a few times (around the 8500rpm mark), but that aside it was obvious the triple was going to be a good match for the F3 on the open roads with its lusty mid-range – between 4000-6000rpm torque never dips below 122Nm. The gearbox isn’t quite as silky smooth though, and requires quite a deliberate action to get the job done. No missed gears though, just stiff – a little like the clutch on the manual transmission version. The F3 also has a reverse gear, activated by the push of a button.

The F3 has Eco mode assist, where an indicator on the dash alerts the driver when to shift for maximum fuel economy. Even without Eco mode, BRP claims the F3 is good for about 400km/h from its 27-litre fuel tank.

Quebec turned it on with a fabulous ‘Indian Summer’ – warm, dry weather in a Northern Hemisphere autumn – which meant the temperature hovered around 78 degrees Fahrenheit (24 Celsius) for most of the launch. And that was perfect, as there’s no windshield on the standard F3, but there are three accessory units which can be purchased standalone or as part of what BRP is calling a   ‘Touring Escape Package’, which also includes seats, detachable backrests, a choice of three handlebars, fog lamps, saddlebags and chrome rims. The other two packages are ‘Muscle Attitude’ and ‘Urban Nights’.

ACCESSORY PACKAGES

The sit-in aspect of the F3 compared to its Spyder counterparts is quite evident, with the seat height just 675mm. That’s producing the desired comfort, cruiser type of feel, but the lower centre of gravity for the F3 also makes it far less taxing on the upper body as the legs and torso now take a lot of the pressure off. The steering fundamentals haven’t altered – there’s no counter steering – and you have to push on the outside footpeg through a bend, which then brings the handlebars into the equation to turn the thing. And if you’re in a lower gear and grab a handful of throttle on the way out VSS won’t totally spoil the party.

Instead, the F3 occasionally lifts a front wheel on exits as the rear wheel fights for traction. It’s just about the right amount of rough and tumble, as there obviously has to be a VSS limit. However, the gap between mellow and displaying those types of ‘expressive traits’ is much larger on the F3 than the other Spyders, which is a good thing. But there’s still peace of mind, which is important on a vehicle like this.

All that corner fun was being had on the run up to Mont Megantic Observatory, a research centre for astronomy located at an altitude of 1100 metres. It was a fun climb, but we certainly weren’t skimming from one peak to another in Quebec: it’s quite flat. Instead, our launch route was more an exercise in gentle undulations, which was the ideal environment for the F3 to show its wares.

We enjoyed plenty of runs up to the observatory, and there were a number of riders oversteering on the tight turns. The panacea soon became obvious: tip the F3 in a bit later and then with all the transfer of weight and handlebar business the back end soon comes around. It’s an entirely different business to riding motorcycle, as you don’t necessarily do what the bike does, which explains the different physical sensation of riding the F3. It’s different, and it’s fun.

The impressive handling has a lot to do with the F3’s frame, which is now much stiffer than the other Spyders, 40 per cent so according to BRP, thanks to two massive torsional spars either side of the bike. The new set-up is also designed to reduce weight, although the F3 is heavier than its closest sibling, the RS. Most of that is probably down to the 1330cc engine, which is massive – and is visible in all its glory, unlike the other Spyders.

Interestingly, one of the earliest Spyder prototypes had an open engine design, but by the time it went into production for the 2007 model year BRP had decided to fully enclose the powerplant. I’m pleased that BRP has stepped back in time.

We saw the early prototype during a visit to BRP’s Design and Innovation Centre at the company’s headquarters in Valcourt, which is about 125km east of Montreal. We also took in a BRP factory tour in Valcourt as well – with multiple assembly lines for the Spyders and Ski-doos -- and concluded the stopover with a look through the fascinating J. Armand Bombardier Museum, named after the resourceful company founder.  Standby for a story on the museum.

The front suspension on the F3 is double A-arm with anti-roll bar, complete with Fox aluminium front shocks, while the front bakes are radially mounted Brembos. Not that a ‘front’ brake is used, as the F3, like all Spyders, has a hydraulic foot-operated three-wheel brake distribution system.

Stomp on the brakes at serious speed and the F3 bites exceptionally hard – quite brilliant really. My only quibble is that the lever sits quite high in an awkward position, but apparently that’s a safety-mandated requirement.

The suspension absorbs plenty, and I went out of my way to find some nasties on the road to really test its bona-fides – but came up short. It really is akin to a magic carpet ride. Comfort-wise, the cruiser-style riding position is ultra-relaxed and the massive footpegs are great, but the base of my back did start to ache a little after a few hours in the saddle, not quite forming a close enough relationship with the lip on the back of the seat. Of course, if you spend time fine-tuning with BRP’s Ufit system, an ideal posture is probably just around the corner. UFit has five different peg positions, which can be changed in minutes, and four separate handlebar options.

Pricing on the F3 is yet to be announced for Australia, but it was mentioned in passing at the launch that “it will be commensurate with the Diavel”. The Ducati power cruiser base model retails for $23,990, while the lowest priced Spyder is the manual version of the RS at $19,990.

The F3 makes a lot of sense from a company like BRP, which has other products like Sea-Doo and Ski-Doo in its inventory. The F3’s not a motorcycle and doesn’t pretend to be, but it definitely fills a void between car-like steadiness and the freedom of a motorcycle. And does it very well.

The motorcycle market is crowded, with manufacturers all chasing what is a shrinking number of enthusiasts – at least in Western countries. BRP hasn’t bothered treading that path, and 25 per cent of the people who buy Spyders are non-motorcyclists, so it’s tapping heavily into a new frontier. As well, a fraction less than a quarter of its buyers are women, so there’s another path that’s proving to be fruitful.

The F3 has a calm disposition but won’t disappoint the performance rider. That’s where the evolution of the Spyder has taken BRP, and it could be the company’s best take on the formula yet.

SPYDER F3 SPECS
SPYDER RIDING GEAR