You got a Can-Am Defender HD11 because you know it’s great for getting chores done and going for rides on the weekend. With 95 HP, 70 lb-ft of torque, tons of towing capacity, and a huge cargo box, it’s a powerful platform to build off of.
And that’s what we’re doing today. We’re taking your stock HD11 and showing you what kind of upgrades and accessories you can add to make it even more purpose-built and capable than it already is.
We’re not just going to throw random parts at you, either—these are real upgrades that you can use to make hard work and hard play better.
If you don’t have a Cab or Limited HD11, you’ll want to build yourself a weather-ready cab. When you can handle all kinds of weather, chores become less tedious and your weekend plans won’t depend on the weather.
First, get yourself a windshield. Windshields aren’t one-size-fits-all, though. We have windshields for different ride styles and different budgets.
Once you pick out a front windshield, you NEED a rear windshield. That’s because running a front windshield on its own causes air to get pulled in from the sides while you ride. And that means the air pulls in the dust your front tires kick up. A rear windshield prevents that suction action, so you end up with a more comfortable cab.
Now consider adding an aluminum roof. A lot of HD11 trims come with one already, but if yours doesn’t, this is a game changer. An aluminum roof keeps rain off your head, sun off your skin, and completes the top half of your cab to give you more control over your climate.
Finally, we’ve got doors to finish the cab enclosure. We have:
Primal Soft Cab Enclosure Doors that can help seal up the side of your cab with a tough fabric and vinyl combo. It’ll keep the elements out, and it’s strong enough for off-road use. It’s also a relatively more affordable door option for your Defender.
Convertible Cab Enclosure Doors give you full polycarbonate cab doors for better visibility out the side of your cab. Plus, they can be converted to half doors or fully removed easily.
Whether you’re trying to fix a fence on your property line or exploring a backwoods trail, you need protection and recovery.
Our Winch-Ready Front Bumper is made from 1/8-in steel plating to give it tons of durability. But it does more than just protect your plastic. It has cutouts designed for our recessed cube lights, tow shackles, and, of course, a mounting point for our 4500 lb. and 6000 lb. Black Ops Winches.
Add our 6000 Lb. Black Ops Winch to give your Defender HD11 some serious pulling power. It’s great for getting yourself or others out of ditches or mud. It can save the day whether you’re working hard or hardly working.
The stock bed on the Defender HD11 is big, but you run into issues when you want to keep yourself organized. You don’t want your cooler getting buried by a load of mulch any more than you want your fishing poles getting smashed by a spare tire.
That’s why we always recommend our Outfitter Roof Rack. It’s a true work and play upgrade that adds roughly 12 square feet of storage and a 600-pound static load capacity. And you get even more with our Outfitter Rack for MAX models. Plus it has tons of tiedowns, light mounting points, and adjustable rails. Keep in mind that it’s only compatible with SuperATV roofs.
You can carry gear, property maintenance tools, and supplies all week long and switch to coolers, tents, and fishing poles for the weekend.
Add a chainsaw mount to free up even more space while you’re working too.
And we’d regret not mentioning our Plow Pro Snow Plow. You can leave the quick-connect mount on all year round and throw on the Plow Pro Blade quickly when the snow starts falling.
Your first defense against the trail is your skid plate, and so you want to make sure you’ve got a good one before you start worrying about ground clearance.
Our 1/2-inch ARMW skid plate gives you front-to-back coverage using our special blend of UHMW. Let’s go over why this skid plate is such a sensible upgrade:
If you have an XT or X mr model, you already have a pretty tough skid plate. You’ll want to compare ours carefully and consider it an upgrade or replacement for those models.
There are a lot of excellent ways to upgrade your suspension with SuperATV, whether that’s with beefed-up A-arms, upgraded shocks, or a lift kit. Choosing any of these will help you navigate trails and property alike. Adding all three will transform your Defender HD11.
Our Atlas Pro Arms are the strongest we’ve ever built. They use 1.5” diameter tubing for extreme strength. But what really sets Atlas Pro apart is the 1/4” sidewall we use in the outer, structural tubing (aka the first tubes to take a hit if you run your suspension into something). This combination of wall thickness and tube diameter makes for an extremely tough A-arm.
But that’s just the start. It also sports 1.5-inch high-clearance bends that help you avoid banging into obstacles on the trail. And they have a 1.5-inch forward offset. That forward offset gives the Defender more tire clearance. With that extra tire clearance, your Defender can fit up to 34” tires.
SDi Terrain Master 2.1 shocks add adjustable compression and quick-adjust preload, piggyback reservoirs, rebuildable seal heads, and more consistent damping under heat. What’s that mean for you? You can adjust them to deliver a smooth ride across all kinds of different terrains, and you can dial them in to prevent sagging when you’re hauling heavy loads.
They’re a big investment, but they make a huge difference for people carrying a lot of weight either from cargo or other upgrades.
If you find that the extra clearance from the high clearance A-arms leaves you wanting more, you should consider adding our 2.5” lift kit. This is a shock spacer lift, which means it uses billet aluminum shock spacers installed on your shocks to lift your machine.
Two-and-a-half extra inches of ground clearance makes a big difference depending on the terrain you’re moving across. That can make the difference between slamming into a hidden stump and cruising over it without ever knowing it was there.
Don’t forget about adding extra lighting! The winch-ready bumper from earlier already has room to add recessed cube lights. The Outfitter Roof Rack also has room to mount cube lights. Consider using those to light up your bed and work area, and add one of our combination spot and flood lights to light up the trail ahead.
Whether you’re working late (or early) or hitting the trails after dark, better illumination will give you confidence and clarity in the dark.
So now you’ve got a solid list of upgrades that can make your life easier all week long and through the weekend.
But remember to check these upgrades against your trim, and make sure these upgrades address your needs. Odds are, if you buy everything we mentioned, you’ll have: 1. a badass Defender HD11; 2. some upgrades that don’t actually make a difference for your work and ride style.
Focus on your pain points first, and build from there. And don’t forget to check out the rest of our Can-Am Defender HD11 parts and accessories. We have all sorts of parts to help you get the most out of your hard-working, rooster-tail-throwing beast.
Disclaimer: This article was written by an employee of SuperATV. The views, opinions, and recommendations expressed in this blog are the writer’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of SuperATV. This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as safety advice or official technical guidance. Modifying vehicles and using aftermarket parts can impact performance and safety. Readers are responsible for ensuring proper installation, compatibility, and safe operation. SuperATV makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of this information and assumes no liability for any actions taken based on it.
