On the trail with Can-Am’s latest Defender side-by-sides

The Machine

Can-Am brought in two 2024 Defender side-by-sides for us to test drive. One was a two-seater Defender Limited (rear, above), and the other was a Defender Max Limited, which has an extended cab and can fit four people. Both machines have a peppy 82-horsepower, 976cc, V-twin, liquid-cooled HD10 engine and feature all the mod cons, including a full windshield, air conditioning, a tilting bed, and, luckily for us, a powerful 4,500-pound winch (more on why that was important in a minute). Oh, and they were spotless, though that wouldn’t be the case for long.