They can be expensive, but quirky weekend toys open the door to a whole world of fun beyond what cars and bikes can offer. Canadian company Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), parent to Can-Am and Seadoo, has been busy refreshing its lineup for weekend warriors, unleashing a new Can-Am Spyder and Maverick alongside an updated Sea-Doo Spark.
Can-Am Spyder F3 Limited
The Can-Am Spyder sits a little awkwardly in the motorbike world. It's a bit geeky, because it removes the two-wheeled romance from the whole caper and replaces it with three-wheeled stability.
Although it doesn't make for a particularly exciting image, the Spyder's design has made it a capable two-up tourer. To leverage these talents, the new F3 Limited has been given a removable top-case and backrest with room for two full-face helmets.
In the interests of highway comfort, the F3 Limited is fitted with self-leveling air suspension, heated handgrips, footboards and a six-speaker stereo. The F3 Limited even sees the addition of a Sport mode that gives riders the ability to pull out controlled rear tire spins.
Sea-Doo Spark Trixx
As PWCs have become bigger, heavier and thirstier, sales have fallen steadily. In the midst of that fall, Sea-Doo has found a good niche in the market with its Spark. Offering up accessible, efficient fun at a much cheaper price than the big-boys, the Spark has been tweaked to open up a wider range of tricks to riders.
Small changes like the adjustable handlebar risers make it easier to get comfortable, and an extended version on Sea-Doo's variable trim system means the handling can be more precisely adjusted based on the tricks the rider wants to do.
Also new to the Sea-Doo lineup is the Rotax 1500 HO engine. It's 15 hp (11 kW) more powerful than the model it replaces, and that power is more accessible through the midrange. In an attempt to keep running costs down, the motor has been tuned to run on regular pump gas instead of premium.
Can-Am Maverick X3
Not to be confused with the BMW SUV bearing the same name, the X3 is designed to be an off-road toy with lightning performance. Power for BRP's flagship side-by-side comes from a turbocharged three-cylinder Rotax engine pumping out 154 hp (115 kW) of power and 153 Nm (113 lb-ft) of torque, which is enough for a 4.9-second 60 mph (98 km/h) sprint time.
It'll accelerate like that across almost any terrain thanks to a FOX 3.0 Podium RC2 HPG suspension system with 24-inches (61 cm) of travel, and Can-Am says the 102-in (259 cm) wheelbase (which is 12 in longer than the nearest competition) and 72-in (183 cm) track make it comfortable in the rough stuff, which it should hold up to thanks to a fully welded chassis. BRP says stability at high speeds on uneven terrain is also helped by the 44/56 weight distribution and 30-in tires.
And if you don't like the X3, you won't have to wait long for another option as BRP has committed to releasing a new side-by-side vehicle every six months up until 2020.
Source: BRP
