By Martin Rickatson

Farmers in the market for a side-by-side UTV utility off-roader capable of serious mud-plugging and mountain-climbing are a key target market for new developments from Canadian maker BRP (Bombardier), which markets its machines under the Can-Am name.

The firm, which has a network of seven dealer branches selling utility ATVs and UTVs across Scotland, says it is looking to expand its coverage and increase market penetration in the agricultural sector, which is dominated largely by Japanese makers. To this end, for 2018 it has introduced a number of upgrades for both its UTV range and its ATV ‘quad bike’ line.

One of the most significant developments for the Traxter UTV range is a new Smart-Lok front differential, a design said to significantly improve traction in situations where loose surfaces or serious mud can result in individual wheels losing grip.

Designed to improve adhesion while also making the vehicle easier to control on loose and muddy surfaces, the key difference between Smart-Lok and the firm’s previous Visco-Lok design is in its engagement. The latter required a wheel to begin spinning before the problem was identified, with the spinning wheel then engaging a hydraulic pump. This engaged the clutch pack and locked the diff.

With the new, faster-acting system, engagement of the clutch pack is electronically actuated, improving response regardless of speed, said Can-Am. A set of sensors in the machine’s drivetrain are used to identify when the load at the wheels is reduced and speed increases, meaning traction is lost.

These can also detect the load difference between a wheel losing grip in forward motion and when cornering, and partially engage the diff in these latter circumstances.

Can-Am has also announced new options for 2018 Traxter models. These centre mainly around improved driver comfort, with a new premium rigid cab enclosure, an improved heater system and a cab insulation kit. Also new is an optional auxiliary battery installation kit.

Turning to its Outlander single-seater ATV line-up, where Can-Am currently offers 570cc (48hp) plus 650cc (62hp) 4x4, and 650cc plus 1000cc (82hp) 6x6 Outlander models, there are also new options for the 2018 model year.

These include improved 6-inch and 11-inch polycarbonate windscreens to reduce wind chill when travelling at speed. Also new are alternative container options for the rear rack of 4x4 models, which now include new zippable nylon storage bags.

On the engine front, electronic intelligent throttle control (ITC) technology is said to produce smoother throttle response. Maximum speed is set in the factory at 60km/hr.

Meanwhile, in a development that initially only applies to its sports models but could possibly have implications for longer-term development of working utility ATVs, Can-Am has introduced the industry’s first anti-lock braking system for all-terrain vehicles.

ATVs capable of more than 60km/hr (37mph) require ABS by law, and this primarily applies to the sports/leisure sector. This makes the top speed of these machines now a hair-raising 105km/hr (65mph).

However, for now Can-Am says the merits of this technology are more about stopping at speed rather than aiding braking down slippery fields, where low gear and engine braking are the best assistants to the ATV’s brakes. The cost of the technology also means it looks unlikely to come to farm-targeted utility ATVs just yet, but this may change in future.

Who are BRP and Can-Am?

In a sector where motorcycle names dominate the industry, it’s worth a refresher on where the less familiar name of Can-Am comes from and what lies behind its off-road pedigree.

French-Canadian Joseph-Armand Bombardier founded the business in 1942, after having developed and produced small numbers of a large snow vehicle design during the previous decade. The firm’s first true modern day-style single person snowmobile, the Ski-Doo, was introduced in 1959. Later decades saw the firm diversify into more widely-used transportation vehicles, including aeroplanes and trains.

In 1998, the firm entered the ATV market with the Traxter, which had a distinctive but since-retired ‘walk-through’ saddle design. In 2002, it claimed the introduction of the industry’s first model designed to safely carry two riders.

The following year, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) was carved off from Bombardier itself, with the Bombardier family retaining a 35% stake and the remainder sold to investors. As a result, to reflect the change in ownership in 2006, it adopted the Can-Am brand name for its off-road products, including the Traxter side-by-side UTV and the Outlander ATV ranges.

The company manufactures in six countries across three continents, and incorporates businesses which produce Ski-Doo and Lynx ski-mobiles, Sea-Doo personal ride-on watercraft, Evinrude outboard engines, Spyder on-road three-wheelers and BRP’s own Rotax engine business, which supplies the power for the ATV/UTV ranges, among other products.