Motorcycles at the Canadian Automotive Museum

Canada’s first motorcycles were produced in southern Ontario in 1903, but two-wheeled motor transport never caught on in Canada in the same way cars did. Canadian troops used motorcycles heavily in both World Wars, but it wasn’t until the mid-1960s that motorcycle touring and commuting truly became popular. To this day, they still remain less popular than, for instance, snowmobiles, probably due to the difficulties of using a motorcycle during harsh Canadian winters.

Canada’s motorcycle landscape has long been dominated by imported vehicles, mainly from England, the United States and Japan. The vast majority of vehicles sold here are either imported or built by Canadian subsidiaries of foreign companies, with Can-Am, the motorcycle branch of Bombardier, being the major exception.

Click on the image of a vehicle to learn more!