Magnum Offroad transformed a 2011 Can-Am Commander 1000 X into a wide, long-travel dune machine featuring custom suspension, a Class 1-inspired cage and carefully finished details throughout.
By Joey DiGiovanni
When UTVUnderground.com began looking for the first custom UTV to photograph for its redesigned website, one machine immediately rose to the top of the list: Magnum Offroad’s Can-Am Commander 1000 X.
Nicknamed “MOX” by Magnum Offroad owner and builder Danny Rosenzweig, the Commander had already attracted plenty of attention in the Glamis dunes. However, only those who visited Magnum Offroad’s shop had an opportunity to examine the fabrication and small details up close.
Following the Magnum Offroad Milk Truck
Rosenzweig, known to his friends as “Magnum Dan,” had been influencing the custom UTV industry since the Yamaha Rhino boom began in the mid-2000s. One of his best-known early projects was the 2006 Yamaha Rhino nicknamed the “Milk Truck,” a radical custom build that helped establish trends throughout Southern California’s emerging UTV scene.
The MOX Commander followed that same philosophy. Instead of simply adding a collection of bolt-on accessories, Magnum Offroad developed a complete build in which the suspension, cage, bodywork and finishing details complemented one another.
Magnum M4 Long-Travel Suspension
UTVUnderground watched the machine evolve over the course of approximately a year, beginning as a showroom-stock 2011 Can-Am Commander 1000 X and gradually becoming the finished MOX build photographed by Vincent Knakal of Mad Media.
A major part of that transformation was Magnum Offroad’s M4 suspension system. The boxed long-travel suspension widened the Commander to approximately 72 inches and produced a claimed 14 inches of front wheel travel and 15 inches at the rear.
The suspension was not rushed into production. Magnum Offroad reportedly developed three versions before releasing the system to customers. That development process reflected Rosenzweig’s reputation as a perfectionist and his willingness to seek advice from specialists throughout the motorsports industry.
The factory FOX shocks were retained but re-sprung and re-valved by Magnum Offroad to work with the wider suspension and the additional weight of the completed vehicle. Summers Brothers axles transferred power to the wheels.
Custom Class 1-Inspired Cage and Bodywork
The Commander’s custom Class 1-inspired cage is one of the build’s defining features. Designed and fabricated by Magnum Offroad, the low-profile structure gave the MOX a much more aggressive silhouette than a stock Commander.
Black powder-coated aluminum panels finished the cage and bodywork while preserving the vehicle’s purposeful appearance. The mostly black color scheme allowed the polished suspension components, HiPer beadlock wheels and sand tires to stand out without making the machine look overly complicated.
Inside, PRP replacement seats and 3.5-inch five-point restraints held the occupants securely in place. A Rugged Radios intercom and race radio provided in-car and vehicle-to-vehicle communication, while a Lowrance XOG GPS handled navigation.
Rotax Power for the Dunes
The MOX retained the Commander’s 976cc Rotax V-twin engine but received several upgrades intended to improve its performance in the dunes. These included a Muzzy Sport dual exhaust, Dynojet Power Commander V, Dynojet AutoTune, K&T Black Box, K&N air filter and Weller Racing intake.
For sand use, the Commander rolled on 12-inch HiPer Racing beadlock wheels fitted with 26-inch STU Sand Blaster paddle tires at the rear and Mohawk tires up front. Magnum Offroad also installed a custom rear sway bar system to help manage the wider suspension package.
MOX Can-Am Commander Specifications
- Builder: Magnum Offroad
- Make and model: 2011 Can-Am Commander 1000 X
- Claimed weight: 1,496 pounds
- Wheelbase: 79.8 inches
- Track width: 72 inches
- Suspension: Magnum Offroad M4 boxed suspension system
- Shocks: Factory FOX shocks re-sprung and re-valved by Magnum Offroad
- Axles: Summers Brothers
- Wheel travel: 14 inches front and 15 inches rear
- Engine: 976cc Rotax V-twin
- Exhaust: Muzzy Sport dual exhaust with coated headers
- Wheels: 12-inch HiPer Racing beadlocks
- Sand tires: 26-inch STU Sand Blaster paddles and Mohawk front tires
- Seats: PRP Commander replacement seats
- Restraints: PRP 3.5-inch five-point harnesses
- Communications: Rugged Radios intercom and race radio
- Navigation: Lowrance XOG GPS
- Lighting: 50-watt HID headlight conversions
- Performance upgrades: Dynojet Power Commander V, Dynojet AutoTune, K&T Black Box, K&N air filter and Weller Racing intake
- Additional equipment: Magnum Offroad custom rear sway bar system
A Standout First-Generation Commander Build
The first-generation Commander was important because it combined serious recreational performance with practical features such as a dual-level cargo box. In stock form, the Commander 1000 X used a 976cc liquid-cooled V-twin producing a claimed 85 horsepower. The X package added adjustable FOX piggyback shocks, 12-inch beadlock wheels, 26-inch Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 tires and other performance-focused equipment.
Magnum Offroad took that versatile platform in a much more specialized direction. The M4 long-travel suspension, custom cage, engine upgrades and sand-specific wheel-and-tire package turned the MOX into a dedicated Glamis machine while retaining the unmistakable shape of the original Commander.
More than a decade later, the MOX remains an excellent example of the ambitious custom UTV builds that helped define this era. Its clean fabrication and integrated design make it more than a collection of aftermarket parts—it is a complete vehicle built around one cohesive idea.
