On March 20, 2023, Can-Am parent company Bombardier Recreational Products, Incorporated issued a safety recall for certain 2020 through 2023 Spyder RT and 2022 through 2023 Ryker motorbikes due to a potential brake light fault. On affected vehicles, the brake lights may stay illuminated even when the rider is not braking, which could misinform other motorists on the road of a rider’s intention and increase the risk of a crash.
Affected vehicles include the following:
| Model and Year | Bikes Affected | Possible Number Affected |
| 2020-2021 Can-Am Spyder RT | All | 9,379 |
| 2022-2023 Can-Am Ryker | Certain serial numbers produced between February 25, 2021 and March 10, 2023 | 18,779 |
| 2022-2023 Can-Am Spyder RT | Certain serial numbers produced between November 10, 2021 and March 10, 2023 | 6,299 |
According to BRP’s chronology, in December, 2022, the firm began investigating reports of brake lights staying on longer than usual in MY2022 vehicles. Its analysis led to the subsequent discovery that a previous brake light design was not as watertight as a newer design. On those bikes with the older design, contamination by water could result in corrosion over time, which could cause the lights to stay lit up unintentionally. That’s one problem.
Another problem, wrote BRP, is that while the newer light design was more watertight, it had a separate issue that could cause “excessive friction” and also affect brake light illumination for a different reason. The use of these two different brake light designs is why this recall includes multiple models and years. According to BRP, no accidents related to this issue have been reported worldwide.
BRP will repair affected vehicles at no cost to their owners. The repairs for the affected Spyder RTs and Rykers will differ based on the specific brake light problem identified with their model. Here’s how BRP spells it out:
| Model and Year | BRP Recall Repair |
| 2020-2021 Can-Am Spyder RT | Replace, adjust, and add a spring to the brake light switch |
| 2022-2023 Can-Am Spyder RT | Add a spring to the brake light switch |
| 2022-2023 Can-Am Ryker | Adjust and add a spring to the brake light switch |
BRP will also perform the necessary recall service on all remaining stock within BRP dealer inventory. The OEM informed its dealer network about the issue on March 17, 2023. It plans to notify affected owners between April 18 and April 30, 2023. In total, approximately 34,888 vehicles may be affected by this recall.
Owners may contact BRP Customer Service at 1-888-272-9222. BRP’s official number for this recall is 2023-6. Additionally, owners may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
This isn't the first recall to affect these model years of Ryker and Spyder RTs. A recall for 2020 Spyder RTs resulted from a possible faulty brake mechanism support. Another recall was issued for 2015 through 2019 Spyder F3 and RTs that could have a faulty front sprocket. A separate recall for some 2019 through 2023 Rykers resulted from a wiring harness issue, and an additional recall for certain 2022 Rykers resulted from a possible handlebar issue. If you are an affected Ryker or Spyder RT owner, you may want to ensure that you have all applicable recall services performed on your vehicle.
