Is this the president's new ride?

Durterte eyeing Can-Am Ryker

Even before most of us could walk, the man named Rodrigo Duterte from Davao has already been riding his motorcycles (mostly Harley-Davidsons) with his buddies around Mindanao and the country. Come 2016, he was sworn in as the 16^th President of the Republic. Being the Chief Executive of the land can be stressful, and sometimes he just needs to blow off some steam by doing what he really loves the most – riding motorcycles.

Unfortunately, age seems to be catching up with the president who is now 74 years old. Just a few weeks ago, he fell from his motorcycle while riding inside the Palace grounds. But, as with any rider, the President is eager to get back on the saddle again.

“Alam mo, the rules sa motor is 'pag sumemplang ka, kailangan sumakay ka ulit. Kasi 'pag hindi, abutin ka ng kaba [fear] then you are done. Takot ka na. (You know the rules of motorcycle riding is that if you crash, you need to ride again. Because if you don't ride again, fear will get to you, then you are done for.)” said the president during an interview about the incident. 

^{Courtesy of Sen. Bong Go, through his official Facebook page.}

Is the president gearing up to get back on the saddle again? We certainly hope so, but what bike? Photos have been circulating on social media on what seems to be a 3-wheeled motorcycle the President is contemplating riding – a Can-Am Ryker.

From Senator Bong Go's social media post, the president seems to be sitting on a parallel twin, 600 cc version of the Ryker. Some sources, however, have claimed that the 3-wheeler was, in fact, a 900 cc, 3-cylinder version. Whatever it may be, both the bike's engines are made by Rotax, the same engine supplier of 650 cc BMWs and Husqvarna motorcycles. The 900 cc version churns out 78 Ps of power at 7,100 rpm with 76 Nm of torque at 6,300 rpm. The transmission is fully automatic, like those found on scooters with a shaft as a final drive. Fuel capacity is 20 liters.

Being a 3-wheeler, specifically with 2 of its wheels in the front like that of a car, it is almost impossible to topple the Ryker on its side like a regular motorcycle. As for the rider aids, the bike is equipped with Can-Am’s Vehicle Stability System (VSS), which links ABS, traction control, and stability control to all work together. The bike also has two riding modes, with the Sport Mode allowing for a more aggressive riding that includes drifting.

These are all speculations, so far. Whether the president is going to ride on 3 or 2 wheels, it will be a spectacular sight to see since he's currently the only Head of State who's still riding motorcycles.

*Can-Am ATVs and side-by-side vehicles are manufactured by BRP / Bombardier Recreational Products, a Canadian company, once part of Bombardier Inc. Founded in 1942 as L'Auto-Neige Bombardier Limitée (Bombardier Snow Car Limited) by Joseph-Armand Bombardier in Valcourt, Quebec, Canada. Local Can-Am dealer is RDAK Powersports based in Cebu.