​What Is The Top Speed Of A Can-Am Maverick X3

The seemingly simple question “what is the top speed of a Can-Am Maverick X3?” has a rather complicated answer. For one, there are several versions of the Can-Am Maverick X3, each of which having its own top speed and idiosyncratic limitations. Second of all, the top speed of a 2-seater Can-Am Maverick X3 will be different than that of a 4-seater Can-Am Maverick X3 MAX. Add to this the different model years of the Can-Am Maverick X3 and you’ve got yourself a real quagmire to wade through. Because of this, we decided to get deep into the weeds and parse through the details that determine the top speed of a Can-Am Maverick X3!

What Is The Top Speed Of A Can-Am Maverick X3 X MR?

If your aim is to go as fast as possible, the Can-Am Maverick X3 XMR may not be the right machine for you. Due to the knobby tires, even the 195HP version of the stock XMR is limited to around 67 MPH. This is just an ECM speed governor, though, and there are a couple of ways to get around it. On the 2020 Can-Am Maverick X3 XMR, you can simply disconnect the speed sensor. Although your top speeds won't display correctly on the speedometer after doing this, using a GPS will prove that you’ve gone around the factory-imposed MPH limiter for faster top speeds by disconnecting the speed sensor.

Another way to remove the built-in speed limiter on a Maverick XMR is to find a willing participant within the service department of your local Can-Am dealership to flash the ECU. If they change the model number on the ECU to that of, say, an XRS, you can potentially reach top speeds of 90 MPH with RPMs in the range of 8,200.

Alternatively, aftermarket accessories like ECU tuners can also be used to eliminate electronic speed and rev limits. A DynoJet tuner or the Stage 3 ECU flash by Evolution Powersports both work wonders. And if you upgrade the fuel pump and intercooler, add a Flowmaster dual exhaust with a cat delete, and install some EVO charge tubes with blow off valves, you could improve upon the 78 MPH stock top speed of a 2021 Can-Am Maverick X3 X MR Turbo RR to hit rates upwards of 95 MPH!

What Is The Top Speed Of A Can-Am Maverick X3 X DS Turbo RR?

We’ve seen guys hit 93 MPH in a stock 2021 Can-Am Maverick X3 RR, and that pace drops down to around 89 MPH on the bigger X3 MAX RR. With four adults in a 2020 Maverick X3 MAX XRS RR, it’s possible to hit 93 MPH -- 96 MPH if there’s a slight downward slope. Like with the XMR, the R and RR editions of the Can-Am Maverick X3 are also limited by speed and rev governors from the factory. But even without a governor delete, you should still be able to hit mid 90s in a Turbo RR.

While it is possible to reach triple-digit MPH numbers in a modified Maverick X3 RR, you’ll need to add a few things to your rig before passing the 99 MPH threshold becomes possible. Gutting the catalytic converter and adding an aftermarket exhaust is a good place to start, and an STM clutch as well as an EVO 3R tune with 91 octane fuel should get you the rest of the way. To protect your turbo at these speeds, it’s wise to have a blowoff valve installed. And even if you’re using a high-speed belt designed for extreme temperatures, the forces present at 100 MPH+ speeds are enough to grenade even the best X3 belts.

Moving your spring settings up should give you 200-300 more RPM, and if you recalibrate your speedometer after adding things like bigger tires, the speedo will be more accurate when measuring your vehicle’s top speed.

Can-Am Maverick X3 Power Specs

X3 editions with a 120 horsepower engine include the Maverick X3 DS Turbo, the Maverick X3 X MR Turbo, the Maverick X3 X RC Turbo, and the Maverick X3 MAX DS Turbo. The next level up in terms of HP are the Maverick X3 DS Turbo R, Maverick X3 RS Turbo R, Maverick X3 MAX DS Turbo R, and Maverick X3 MAX RS Turbo R -- each of which coming stock with a 172 HP engine. Finally, the most powerful engine size found in stock X3s is the 195 HP engine, and the Maverick X3 MAX RS Turbo R, Maverick X3 DS Turbo RR, Maverick X3 X MR Turbo RR, Maverick X3 MAX X DS Turbo RR, Maverick X3 X RC Turbo RR, Maverick X3 MAX X RS Turbo RR, and Maverick X3 MAX X MR Turbo RR all come equipped with 195-horsepower engines!

Final Thoughts On The Top Speed Of A Can-Am Maverick X3

Long story short, the top speed of a Can-Am Maverick X3 is roughly 80 MPH. But as we mentioned earlier, there are several reasons why your X3 Maverick could be slower or faster than that figure. You might find that your X3 gets a bit squirrelly at these speeds, and if you install heavier tires / wheels without adjusting the vehicle’s clutching as well, your top speeds won’t be nearly as fast. 

As far as factory speed limiters go, Can-Am seems to be all over the place, with the typical governed speed being 80-82 MPH. You’ll know if you are hitting the speed limiter because your machine won’t accelerate and the RPMs will start to drop despite your foot being on the accelerator. And although the gray key is typically the performance key whereas the green key is the beginner key, some dealers have colored them differently, so pay attention to the info that scrolls across the dash display when the vehicle starts up. This will show you whether or not you’re using the performance key or the beginner key. But if you’ve got a key programmed for performance, all the requisite aftermarket modifications, and Jupiter is aligned with Mars, you just might be able to push your Can-Am Maverick X3 to a speed that it has never reached before!