The definition of maverick: an unorthodox or independent-minded person
As me and my family looked through the excursion list of things to do on our Canary Island holiday, an activity linked to my fanatical interest in cars caught my attention in particular. Buggy driving was an opportunity to discover Lanzarote in a more engaging and exciting way compared to conventional touring methods, and since we had undertaken something similar on a previous vacation, we knew that the experience would meet our expectation.
There was no hesitation in booking the expedition, the chance to explore Lanzarote in such an interactive and interesting way was too good to turn down. The business we were booked with was called Lanzabuggy, which from a marketing perspective gives a good impression to tourists. With the company headquarters situated near the small town of Yaiza, there is some distance between our hotel destination in resort town Puerto del Carmen and the location of our outing.
To transport us there and back was a Lanzabuggy coach that accommodated tourists, the expedition itself was set to last about three hours from start to finish. And with our experience commencing at 9:30am on a Tuesday morning, we were given an 8:10am time slot at our pickup point. That earlier meetup at the collection spot was a chance to see Lanzarote from another perspective. It’s something I appreciated, as I like to make the most of every moment.
As we walk the pathway to our waiting area for the coach, the weather is not the picturesque scene you might imagine. The sky is overcast as light grey clouds block the sun from shining through, a rarity in Lanzarote. It takes the intense heat out of the morning, yet the temperature is still warm, and the ambience is still humid. It may be a dull start to the day, but the climate reminds you of the more tropical and exotic location, especially so compared to Britain.
"A mini dust tornado spiralling around your head makes it hard to see and breath, even more so when you're driving"
Casual clothing was our recommended dress code, so I paired a long sleeve top with jean shorts. But I opted to wear my running shoes for the experience, considering the rugged terrain we would be driving over. We also brought a bandana for this same reason, as the combination of dust disturbed by the buggies and air rushing into the cabin is not a pleasurable mixture for your lungs. As for your eyes, a pair of sunglasses is the only sort of available protection you can provide yourself with.
A mini dust tornado spiralling around your head makes it hard to see and breath, even more so when you're driving, so we take the precautions. Of course, if you were fortunate enough to have your own high-performance buggy, you would have your own crash helmet, and all the appropriate clothing. But since I don’t have my own buggy, I have none of that ensemble, as much as I would like to. And if I did, I probably wouldn’t be doing this buggy excursion.
As we arrive at Lanzabuggy headquarters, the coach occupants get off and proceed to sort out the paperwork, which includes us. After that’s complete, our group gathers in anticipation of expedition that’s about to begin. I’m keen to get acquainted with what we will be driving for the next several hours, and as I glance across the courtyard, I notice the congregation of buggies waiting to be driven.
I recognise the shape instantly, and walk towards where they are parked. There is no mistaking the silhouette. To use the technical term, it’s an all-terrain vehicle, called Can-Am. This brand is a division of Bombardier Recreational Products, a Canadian company known for making off-road and high-performance buggies. They are considered to be one of the most reputable marques, so I’m curious to remind myself what this particular product is like to drive.
The model that I will be piloting is a Maverick Trail 700 T. On the ratio between high-performance and all-terrain, this version is more orientated towards the latter than the former. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s slow, just that it’s not very fast compared to other Can-Am products. Prior to starting our expedition, we are briefed on how to operate the Maverick Trail. I listen patiently, but none of the instruction is unfamiliar, as I have driven one before.
And anyway, driving a Can-Am is intuitive, and not unfathomable to work out by yourself. With the pep talk over, we are ready to begin. Looking at the Maverick Trail close up, you come to recognise the features that noticeably distinguish the Can-Am brand. From every angle, the exterior has a practical purpose that adheres to the philosophy of form following function. It’s kitted out with an integrated front steel bumper, injected full body skid plates as well as mudguards and mudflaps.
Just from that, you get the sense that there has been a rationale design process here, it’s functional not frivolous. That’s reassuring to know that what you’re driving over treacherous terrain is a serious product, it gives you peace of mind. I pull the latch to open the door, it has an assured and sturdy feel, despite the door itself feeling quite light. As I set my eyes on the interior for the first time, that same vibe is apparent.
If you’re after sumptuous comfortability, look elsewhere. I step into the seat and stare around the cabin. Pragmatism is the buzzword that comes to my mind. Also stepping into the cabin is my younger brother Ross, he’ll be my co-driver for the excursion. I strap myself in, and reach to press the on/off button – the Maverick Trail rumbles into life. It has an automatic gearbox, and as we are about to depart, I slide the lever into drive mode. With my bandana and sunglasses in place, it’s time to go.
"as we pull away, something doesn’t feel right. I quickly realise that the steering is out of alignment"
However, as we pull away, something doesn’t feel right. I quickly realise that the steering is out of alignment. It’s not to the extent that it can’t be driven, but it’s enough to sharpen your focus, as I recalibrate my approach and adapt to the challenge. The trail we are following is a combination of on road and off-road surfaces, and as we leave Lanzabuggy headquarters, we get the chance to experience what the Maverick Trail is like on asphalt first.
Despite the dodgy alignment, the steering feels firm, same with the throttle and brake pedals. You have to be deliberate with your actions, it doesn’t respond to slight inputs. It gives you an idea about how the Maverick Trail has been setup, with a certain type of terrain and purpose in mind. The other aspect which catches my attention is audible, it is really quite loud in this cabin. There’s no concealing the inherent and fundamental nature of what a Can-Am product is.
The source creating that sound comes from the single cylinder, liquid cooled 650cc Rotax engine. Sure it’s modest in size, but it’s a feisty unit. The noise it makes is unfiltered, and you can hear it in such distilled clarity that, when you give it full throttle, the single cylinder yells out an angry growl. It feels alive, and the vibrations reverberate through the entire chassis. The Maverick Trail pulses with such tenacity that the 55bhp it produces makes you think it can overcome any challenge in its way.
As our convoy cruises the roads of Lanzarote, me and Ross take the chance to glance at the volcanic landscape. After a while, the processional cavalcade doesn’t stimulate the senses much, so I resort to slowing down from the buggy ahead, dropping some distance behind, before putting my foot down, flooring it, and catching up to the back of it again. It’s a fun game when you want to entertain yourself, which is why I repeat it a handful of times until we approach the first off-road section of our expedition.
It’s time to put that Can-Am resolve to the test. We turn off the smooth asphalt, and what comfortability there was just ceases any longer. Now it’s an uneven surface made from dust and stone, where the track has pitfalls that try to catch you out. To drive the path of least resistance, your eyes scan the track surface ahead for protruding stone fragments and potholes. The fastest route through the dust bowl is on the harder sections that give better traction.
Off-road is a different challenge altogether compared to on road, but it’s a terrain the Maverick Trail was made for. The human driver on the other hand was not, and if they come unprepared for the conditions, they will end up choking on a mixture of dust and air. Thankfully, we suffer no such trouble, as the bandanas me and Ross are wearing are providing an invaluable protection from the elements. What was overlooked in this regard however were our eyes. A pair of sunglasses is better than nothing, but when dust and air is gushing into the cabin, they are barely adequate.
Consequently, your eyes are being blasted by grains of sand that are propelled by airflow. Your sunglasses take the edge off, but it is nonetheless an eye watering experience as you squint to see where you are going. It’s another dynamic to add to the equation, and one which would be solved with a crash helmet. Not that it’s much help now; it’s just something to bear in mind. After trundling along in convoy, I want to push the Maverick Trail harder than I have been.
That will have to wait a bit longer however. The first off-road stage is almost done as we are about to re-join the smooth asphalt. Unsurprisingly, the Maverick Trail operates quite differently on the contrasting surfaces. It feels more in its natural habitat off-road, but it works well on it besides. We venture through some villages on route; it’s an insightful look into how local people live. These are the slowest and narrowest roads we drive on, where you can see life unfiltered for what it is in Lanzarote.
"Now off-road on another track, I slow down and put some distance between the buggy in front. With a gap to play with, I stamp on the throttle"
As we drift through the villages, it is interesting to witness. The thoughts it stimulates distract me for a moment from the expedition we are on. That is until we leave them and continue our excursion on an open stretch of road. The Maverick Trail cruises comfortably without breaking a sweat. It’s not the fastest, yet it’s unflustered. We reach the next turning to start our next off-road section. It’s a chance to push the Maverick Trail and put it more through its paces.
Now off-road on another track, I slow down and put some distance between the buggy in front. With a gap to play with, I stamp on the throttle. The Maverick Trail awakens on the rough surface, and it becomes an event in doing so. The double A-arm suspension fitted with sway bar takes the brunt of tough terrain at the front, as the speed rattles the chassis scampering over dusty rocky surface. The torsional trail-arm suspension complete with sway bar absorbs the ground at the rear. The clatter gets louder the faster we go until I’m forced to jump on the brakes as we catch the buggy ahead.
It’s a stunt I repeat several times, much to my enjoyment. To help tackle the terrain, the Maverick Trail has selectable two wheel drive and four wheel drive as well as a lockable rear differential. This technology helps distribute torque to where it’s needed, which is paramount when off-roading. Although, the Maverick Trail isn’t the Can-Am buggy of choice for rallying. There is a preferential option which I shall mention in a moment.
This is where the limitations of the Maverick Trail hold it back, as it’s not the optimum tool for performance purposes, but that’s because it serves a different one. Our expedition trail has several stop off points that break up the excursion between driving on road and off-road. And as we near the end of our adventure discovering Lanzarote, on our return to Lanzabuggy headquarters, I take some time to reflect on the experience of piloting the Maverick Trail.
The Can-Am brand doesn’t tend to disappoint, and the Maverick Trail lives up to that reputation. Fundamentally, it’s a utilitarian product that‘s unpretentious. In cars terms, it’s like the original Land Rover Defender. It can be relied upon when confronted with some really quite challenging conditions, and there is that sense that there are few terrains that are insurmountable in the Maverick Trail. There is a lot of fun to be had in it, and you would rather have a go than not.
At £13,907, it isn’t what you would call affordable, and it remains out of reach for most people, despite this being the most attainable Can-Am model money can buy. For the remit in mind, when the Maverick Trail was conceived, Can-Am has by and large nailed that brief. Moreover, the Can-Am range fits the Maverick name it’s been given perfectly. My quibbles with it as such are not particularly about the product; rather they are more about my own personal growth.
It’s looking back at the Lanzabuggy experience that I realise that my threshold for enjoyment has long outgrown driving the Maverick Trail. Like I said, it’s got next to nothing to do with the buggy, and in fact everything to do with me. The Maverick Trail is for trekking across terrain, not racing across it. However, there is a Can-Am product to better meet those needs though. It’s called Maverick X3, and it’s the high-performance model more suitable if you feel the need for speed.
Note to self: next time I go buggy driving, select the Can-Am Maverick X3, and go buggy racing!
Photos: Callum & Nigel Alexander
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