Just a few years ago, only loyal fans of this brand, who had outgrown the format of heavy cruisers, could dream of a touring bike from Harley Davidson. A lot of different factors contributed to the fact that the company has stepped so far beyond its reputation - as they say, the stars aligned. Here is the rapid aging of the main HD audience, and economic problems, and changes in management, and at the same time - the ongoing development of new engines and platforms, and the success of FTR, going far beyond the usual niche in the form of LiveWire, and new strategic plans (succeeding each other after leadership), and, of course, how dynamically the modern world is changing.
Even 20 years ago, Harley’s attempt to create a touring bike with dropsy would have been considered heresy, but now, in the era of start-ups and fusion (mixing styles and trends), it has gone just great. Moreover, it’s a tourenduro. After all, everyone loves tourenduros!
In any case, I love it. I had the opportunity to drive a Pan America for about 700 kilometers across a variety of terrain, from picturesque serpentine roads to jeep trails with sandy clearings. I tested both the road tires Michelin Scorcher Adventure, created specifically for Pan America, and the optional all-terrain Michelin Anakee Wild, as well as optional saddles, handlebar spacers and the ability to customize the controls.
So don't go too far! It will be interesting.
Two faces of Harley Davidson Pan America
The new touring bike from Harley Davidson comes in two versions: a basic one with magnesium wheels, with regular suspension and a slightly higher saddle. When equipped, it weighs 242 kg. By the way, spoked wheels for the basic version are available as an option: they will lighten the wallet by about 500 bucks and make the motorcycle heavier by 6 kilos.
The Pan America Special also comes standard with magnesium alloy wheels and weighs 253 kg. The cross-spoke test unit with the optional crankcase protection installed weighed 260 kg. Basically what makes the Special heavier is its optional equipment.
Additional equipment on the Special includes a center stand, roll bars, skid plates, an Ohlins steering damper, a tire pressure monitoring system, plastic handlebar mounts, an adjustable brake pad and a Harley Daymaker adaptive LED headlight. But the main difference between the Special is the semi-active Showa suspension and the ability to install adaptive height adjustment.
Harley Davidson Pan America
Adventurer Pan America from Harley-Davidson – take a closer look
The notoriously conservative Harley-Davidson community couldn't help but wince at the arrival of the first off-road motorcycle. Rumors and excitement have not subsided since the first announcement of the new product, back in 2021. It will go on sale this summer. Let's take a closer look at what the manufacturer offers us.
The emergence of radically new models is explained by the company's desire to attract motorcyclists from other segments who had not previously considered Harley-Davidson because it had nothing to offer them. But now there is a Harley-Davidson Pan America... the Regular version in dark colors and the Special version in a bright red color.
The motorcycle is powered by a 152 horsepower Revolution™ Max powertrain. With. Brand new 1,252cc engine. CM has liquid cooling, high torque and an extended power band. It is considered almost a new era in the history of V-Twin engines. The use of a double overhead cam (DOHC) allows the engine to rev higher and get variable valve timing (VVT) on the intake and exhaust cams, which the manufacturer says widens the powerband, increases torque and improves fuel economy. By the way, the engine runs so smoothly that it barely vibrates.
The location can also be considered a feature, since the power unit has become part of the chassis - the transmission is integrated into the same housing as the engine. Thus, the engineers took care of improved rigidity and lower weight without compromising handling.
Designers and engineers tried to convey the Harley-Davidson character in the new off-road bike. The developers spent a lot of effort to ensure that the model allows it to maintain high speed and controllability even in the case of maximum load of luggage and at extreme values of carrying capacity. The most interesting thing is that the dry weight of the motorcycle is 229 kilograms, and the curb weight is 245 kilograms. With these data it can compete with many competitors.
Fuel tank capacity is 21.2 liters. With a gluttony of 5.5 liters per 100 kilometers. Naturally, with more aggressive driving, gasoline will disappear faster. Exhaust system 2 in 1, pipe with catalyst.
Pan America has driving modes Road, Rain, Off-Road and Off-Road Plus. Each of them is directly related to engine performance, suspension settings, braking and ABS.
Including three manually configurable modes: Custom A, Custom B and Custom Off-Road Plus. The driver sets the power level, throttle response, engine braking and C-TCS settings, as well as the electronically adjustable Showa semi-active suspension found on the Pan America 1250 Special. In the stock version, the suspension needs to be adjusted manually.
An obvious negative that was noticed in the motorcycle's feature package is the lack of a bi-directional quickshifter. Yes, yes, that's right, he doesn't exist. I would really like to! The story of how modern gadgets have spoiled drivers.
It should be noted that the 19-inch front and 17-inch rear tires were created by Michelin specifically for this model.
Braking is handled by Brembo radial four-piston monobloc calipers: 320 mm at the front and a single-piston floating caliper with a 280 mm disc at the rear.
What else is there? A windshield that will provide the traveler with wind.
In terms of equipment, the motorcycle has a 6.8-inch TFT display with a viewable area of \u200b\u200bspeedometer, odometer, tachometer, gear, trip and fuel level information, clock, cruise control, low temperature alerts, side stand down, rollover and range alerts , Supports Bluetooth pairing with your phone to access calls, music and navigation.
The Harley-Davidson Pan America is already recognized as a competitor for popular touring motorcycles. Its load capacity, behavior on the road, and driving modes show that the engineers did not waste time.
The cost of a motorcycle starts from 1,600,000 rubles.
Pan America Adaptive Height and Suspension Adjustment
The Harley Davidson Pan America Special is equipped with a 47mm Showa fork and a linkage suspension with a monoshock at the rear, both suspensions have 19 centimeters of travel and are electronically adjustable with fully automatic preload adjustment and semi-active smoothing adjustment. Unlike other electronically adjustable suspensions, where the spring preload is manually selected (from schematic options such as Solo, Two, Two with Luggage), the Pan America system itself determines the load on the rear suspension and sets the sag (sag) at 30% of the suspension travel.
Adaptive Height Control (ARH) works in conjunction with the rear suspension's automatic spring preload adjuster. ARH is perhaps the most innovative component of Pan America: this system automatically reduces spring preload at stops, thereby reducing the motorcycle's seat height by 2-5 centimeters, making it easier for short people to hold the motorcycle at stops.
In automatic mode, the system lowers the Harley Davidson Pan America quickly during a quick stop, and more slowly during a normal, smoother stop. In Short Delay or Long Delay modes, the system's response to stopping becomes faster or slower. And in Locked mode, the adaptive height adjustment system is disabled, leaving the saddle height as it should be for riding. The ARH system is an option that increases the Special's price by about $1,000 more.
There are currently three seat options available for the Pan America Special, each with two seat heights. The stock seat height in the lower position is 79cm, and in the upper position it is 81.5cm. The high seat in the lower position gives a height of 81.5 cm, and in the upper position - 84 cm, while the low one allows you to reduce the height of the saddle to 76.5 cm. In combination with the ARH system under the rider, the saddle height can even reach 71.5cm, but this also depends on the load.
As for the suspensions, there are five modes of their operation, switchable manually. For asphalt driving, Comfort, Balance and Sport are intended, and for off-road driving - Off-road soft and Off-road hard.
Harley-Davidson
We waited for him for a long time. Many have already seen the photos, as well as the motorcycle itself at exhibitions. Some even without a glass box. And today it happened. We were shown not one, but two models - Pan America and Pan America Special. I’ll tell you about their main characteristics and differences. To begin with, general characteristics, selectively, only what everyone cares about.
WEIGHT - 228 and 238 kg, respectively. The Special is heavier due to the bells and whistles, which will be discussed separately.
SUSPENSION TRAVEL – 190 mm. The suspension of the Japanese company SHOWA on both motorcycles is fully adjustable - both the front “inverted” and the rear monoshock absorber have three settings each - preload, compression, rebound. Only on the Special these settings are electrically driven.
TILT ANGLES - 42 degrees both to the right and to the left.
THE MOTOR is an old stock from V-Roda Revolution with a capacity of 1250 cc, to which they added a timing system and called Revolution MAX. It allegedly produces 150 horsepower at 9000 (!) rpm.
PRICE - from 17,319 dollars for PA, from 19,999 for Special.
The base price includes an entertainment system with a 6.8-inch touchscreen that can display a map and navigation instructions, and also allows you to control music and answer calls.
The Pan America 1250 is offered in 2 colors - black and River Rock Gray (as in the title photo). For the Special there are three, including black, gray and orange and white. As usual with Harley, NON-black motorcycles are more expensive.
Now about the most interesting part - why does the Special weigh and cost more?
As you already understood, the Special package includes not only a semi-active suspension that adjusts depending on the selected driving mode and road conditions on the fly, but also something new.
Moreover, for an additional thousand dollars you can order a motorcycle equipped with the ARH (Adaptive Ride Height) system, which maintains ground clearance depending on the load and the selected riding mode. The system can, for example, lower the motorcycle at low speed so that the rider can reach the ground with his feet more confidently. Harley declares that this is the first time such a system has been used on a standard motorcycle.
Another option only available on the Special is spoked wheels. Costs $500.
The Special also boasts an adaptive Daymaker headlight, which lights additional modules above the main headlight depending on the angle of inclination. UPDATE - the adaptive module can be purchased for $525 in addition to the regular Pan America.
Other differences in the rich configuration are not so noticeable, but little things also matter. The brake pedal angle is adjustable without tools, and the bottom of the frame is protected by a plate, like the radiator. Tire pressure monitors, heated grips, a center stand and a steering damper are installed.
Both trim levels offer a choice of luggage options - aluminum, plastic or textile saddlebags, as well as a tank bag.
Engine Harley Davidson Pan America Revolution Max 1250
Engine Harley Davidson Pan America Revolution Max 1250
The heart of both Harley Davidson Pan America variants is the new Revolution Max 1250 engine, built in the Wisconsin factory. The 1,252cc, 60-degree DOHC, four-valve, liquid-cooled V-twin combines traditional V-twin layout (the mainstream HD market won't accept anything else) with modern technology. The crankpins are offset by 30 degrees, which creates a 90-degree flash interval, which, in combination with two balancer shafts, provides smooth operation at steady speed and extremely charismatic, almost ragged powerful traction during acceleration.
The Revolution Max engine is equipped with an electronically controlled variable valve timing system. It works with both intake and exhaust camshafts and allows you to advance or retard the cam timing by up to 40 degrees of crankshaft rotation. The result is an even distribution of power across the entire rev range, however, the engine literally wakes up at the top - but I'll talk about that later.
According to Harley, the engine produces a peak of 150 hp at 9,000 rpm and 127.5 Nm at 6,750 rpm. It is preferable to fill it with 95-octane gasoline, but it can also operate on low-octane fuel without damage thanks to a knock sensor that adjusts the ignition to less knock-resistant gasoline (at the cost of power, of course).
The design of the camshaft drive allows them to be removed for maintenance (or replaced with tuning ones) without disassembling the head and, even more importantly, without dismantling the timing drive. By the way, about maintenance: thanks to the use of hydraulic compensators in the valve drive, Revolution Max does not need periodic adjustment of the valve clearance - it is enough to change the oil every 8000 km.
Unlike other Harley Davidson motorcycles that have a separate transmission housing, the Revolution Max has a unified housing that houses the six-speed transmission and light-slip clutch. The clutch has a cable drive and an adjustable lever. A quickshifter for this model is not yet available, and when asked persistently, Harley representatives respond that they “have no right to comment on future versions of products.” Well, since there are no comments about the quickshifter, it means that it is probably in the plans.
The Pan America air filter housing is located under the gas tank, which means the tank must be removed to service the filter. This may not appeal to those who often ride in dry dust, but a Harley representative assured that cleaning the filter is as simple as “unscrewing three bolts and lifting the tank.” Perhaps I’ll ask Pan America for a long test to check the veracity of these words. I wonder if they will?
The stock stainless steel exhaust weighs 7kg. The optional Screamin' Eagle doesn't sound much better, but it looks cleaner and weighs 3kg less.
Test drive of the first Harley-Davidson tour enduro
Harley-Davidson is a true legend in the world of motorcycles. For the classic biker, a Harley is a dream that will beautifully carry its owner into the sunset, and sometimes stand in the parking lot near the bar, collecting envious or admiring glances from passers-by.
But modern realities dictate their conditions - classic bikers who love prim cruisers became fewer and fewer every year, the company had to somehow modernize its bikes, trying to influence the minds and souls of younger customers.
And in 2021, unexpectedly for ordinary motorcyclists and expected for those who follow the work of Harley-Davidson, the heavy enduro Pan America 1250 Special appears.
This is a classic tourenduro, assembled in the spirit of the legend of this direction - “Goose” from BMW... and the price tag is corresponding - it starts at about 1.8 million rubles.
Brief history of the model
This motorcycle simply does not have a story as such - it itself is the beginning of a new story, because... created almost from scratch, in the hope of winning the hearts of lovers of travel in any conditions (and not just on highways and more or less good roads).
The Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special was created by the company's engineers not only to conquer buyers with authority, they say, this is Harley, he is a legend in himself! No, the bike turned out to be not just modern, it is literally crammed with electronics, which has never been the norm for classic Harleys.
Even the engine, a classic V-twin, was extensively modified, squeezing 152 hp out of it. and 128 Nm.
For an aspirated engine, such power is a lot, and in terms of power parameters, the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special surpasses even such a style icon in the class of heavy touring motorcycles as the new BMW R 1250 GS with its 136 hp.
Appearance
The first touring bike from Harley-Davidson looks ambiguous - there is some kind of massiveness and roughness in its appearance, the motorcycle looks like something industrially modern, heavy and reliable. In general, the appearance immediately attracts attention - the designers managed to create an outwardly rough men's bike that sticks out its brutality no matter which way you look at it.
The Pan America has nothing from the classic Harley, except for the characteristic, undisguised V-twin engine.
The frame is not solid, but made of three parts. This made it possible to reduce the overall weight of the motorcycle, increase chassis rigidity, and improve handling.
Some people don’t like such a frame, supposedly in an accident it will simply fall apart, but based on the real state of things, no solid frame today will help a bike survive a serious accident.
Engine and gearbox
The bike is powered by an all-new water-cooled Revolution Max 1250 engine, or at least the engine is claimed to be new. In fact, the old engine from the V-Rod model (which is no longer in production) was taken as the basis, and this is good - the engine is time-tested.
The old engine was so modernized that it can really be called new:
- hydraulic compensators appeared;
- electronically controlled variable valve timing system;
- some parts were made of lightweight materials;
- timing chain drive;
- dry sump lubrication system;
- balance shafts.
In general, the engine is more typical of sportbikes, rather than traditional Harley V-twins.
The engine is integrated into the chassis and is a load-bearing element of the structure, which is why it was possible to make the frame in three parts.
The engine works perfectly - pick-up is present in a wide range of revolutions, there are no dips even if you turn it to the cutoff. The vibration traditional for Harley engines has disappeared, the sound of the engine has also changed, and now there are no “proprietary” extraneous noises.
But the gearbox works as usual - it is tight and characteristically clunking. After using Japanese bikes, you will have to get used to it, but for those who have previously ridden Harley-Davidson motorcycles, the gearbox will seem familiar and familiar.
Motorcycle suspension
The suspensions on the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 are from Showa with preload adjustment. The suspension of the automatic is adjusted in accordance with changing road conditions.
This motorcycle has nothing in common with the suspension of classic Harleys. On the one hand, this is good - a high level of comfort, on the other hand, if something breaks, the cost of repairs will be high.
Equipment level
The Pan America 1250 is equipped with the latest in motorcycle technology, from the TFT display to electronic passive and active safety systems:
- braking control;
- C-ABS;
- C-TCS;
- anti-slip;
- anti-slip;
- holding the motorcycle on inclines...and much more.
All systems are automatic, they are connected to the on-board computer and all the main components of the motorcycle.
Main technical characteristics
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special is a new milestone in motorcycle construction in the manufacturer’s model range. You can be sure that this motorcycle will find its fans - this is Harley, a legend. It’s difficult to say what problems this charismatic tourenduro will have, since the motorcycle is new, statistics on typical breakdowns will appear no earlier than in a year at best.
Tags
1200 cc Tourenduro motorcycles
Electronics Harley Davidson Pan America
The Pan America is one of the most sophisticated motorcycles I've ever ridden. The downside of this is that you have to learn all these things, and the system is not very intuitive.
The engine operates in one of five driving modes: Rain, Road, Sport for asphalt, and Off-road and Off-road Plus for dirt. All of these modes use a six-axis inertia sensing device to operate tilt ABS and traction control, as well as adjust throttle response. Harley calls these systems the Cornering Enhanced Traction Control System (C-TCS, which translates to something like a traction control system with improved tilt performance) and the Cornering Enhanced Linked Braking System (C-ELB, a system of combined brakes with improved tilt performance). The braking system electronically links two monoblock four-piston Brembo calipers on the front wheel with a single-piston Brembo on the rear. The harder the pedal or brake lever is pressed, the more the second circuit helps the first (for example, lightly pressing the rear brake pedal only activates the rear caliper, while pressing firmly adds force to the front ones). Communication between the circuits is completely disabled in the Off-Road Plus driving mode.
Pan America's traction control also works flexibly: its work is most noticeable in the Rain mode, then Road, Off-Road, Sports, Off-Road Plus. In addition to the ability to disable the combibrake, the latter mode is also needed to disable ABS on the rear wheel, stopper control and engine braking control. This system, which Harley calls Corner Enhanced Drag-Torque Slip Control (C-DSCS), adjusts traction at the rear wheel to reduce wheel slip during aggressive decelerations and downshifts. It works in combination with a slipper clutch.
But the anti-wheelie system (Front Wheel Lift Mitigation) in the Off-Road Plus mode is not completely disabled, its interference is simply reduced. In order to turn it off completely, you need to turn off the traction control, which is done using the button on the right remote control. ABS on the front wheel always remains in operation, even in Off-Road Plus mode (and this is good). By the way, there are a lot of buttons on the remote control, as well as information on the dashboard.
In addition to the five standard riding modes, the motorcycle has three customizable ones, allowing you to select throttle response, traction control intervention, level of engine braking, adjust ABS, suspension smoothing and the adaptive height adjustment algorithm. All these systems are configured using buttons on the left remote control or directly on the 6.8-inch touch screen of the instrument panel. The fully customizable Off-Road Plus mode is only available on the Special version.
You can connect a phone to the motorcycle dashboard via Bluetooth, and control music from the motorcycle, receive navigator tips, and so on. True, they didn’t remind me to install the Harley app, and I decided not to bother, because I control the music from the headset. There is a USB socket on the right side of the dashboard for charging your phone.
Harley-Davidson created a motorcycle for those who never liked Harleys
Harley-Davidson has been suffering for many years from the conservatism of its loyal fans, who are dragging the brand down. The average age of the owner of a motorcycle of this brand is growing, and sales are falling. Over the past couple of decades, two lines of bikes (V-Rod and Street), which were supposed to rejuvenate customers, have left the assembly line without direct heirs. And now - a new revolution, perhaps the most daring in the entire history of the company.
HD decided to enter the steadily growing segment of the adventure-touring motorcycle market. And although it seems that everything that was possible here has long been divided, Harleys hope to find a niche for their new Pan America product.
HD Pan America Special
Harley-Davidson
On paper, the model looks completely competitive. The new two-cylinder Revolution Max engine is liquid cooled and (a first for HD) variable valve timing. Its output is 152 hp. With. power and 128 Nm of torque. The engine is used as a stressed element, so the frame itself is not very large, and the curb weight is 245 kg. The Showa suspensions are adjustable and have 190 mm of travel, and the ride height is 210 mm. The large 6.8-inch touchscreen dashboard can display a navigator or several widgets with information from various motorcycle systems. There are also a lot of auxiliary electronics on board to optimize braking and protect the rear wheel from slipping in corners. But when driving off-road, some assistants can be turned off.
HD Pan America
Harley-Davidson
What definitely surprises Pan America is its design. It has nothing to do with the traditions of Harley-Davidson, or motorcycles in general. What we see is rather a very narrow pickup truck with a huge LED chandelier, the chopped shapes of which add brutality and recognition.
HD Pan America
Harley-Davidson
The motorcycle will be available in two versions: basic and improved Special (prices in Russia from 1.6 and 1.8 million rubles, respectively). The second sports an electronically adjustable suspension, a tire pressure sensor, an additional adaptive headlight, engine protection and heated grips. Only for the Special will the option of adaptive adjustment of the motorcycle height be available: to make it easier for the driver to climb on the bike or dismount, the suspension will be lowered as much as possible while parked, and after starting to move, it will return to the desired level. By default, the Pan America is equipped with cast wheels with Michelin Scorcher Adventure tires, and spoked wheels for tubeless tires are available for an additional fee.
HD Pan America Special
Harley-Davidson
Of course, it is still difficult to judge how seriously Pan Am will be able to compete with such pillars of the class as the BMW R 1250 GS, KTM 1290 Super Adventure or Honda Africa Twin. Still, the first experience of an American manufacturer in a new segment must first be tested on and off the road, and for this we will have to wait until the summer, when the first samples will arrive to Russian customers.
Harley Davidson Pan America On the Go
Harley Davidson Pan America
I left quite early, but the weather was already perfect: about 25 degrees. Harley Davidson Pan America rejoiced with me, going its 120 at a calm 4300 rpm.
Calm ones - for Pan America, of course. Most Harleys don't do much above 5000, but this one feels great between 3000 and 5000, the perfect range for cruise control and enjoying the views. You can even drive it at 2000, but it starts to twitch and vibrate, but if you spin it up to 3000, it feels just fine, just like I do on it.
Someone complained to me about a small itchy vibration at 4000, but even after removing the rubber inserts from the footpegs, I still did not feel anything unusual. In general, the engine runs very nicely when running smoothly.
Cruise control allows you to rest your wrist, but it is controlled by three buttons, although two would be enough. They are located rather strangely - on top of the left console. The first couple of times, instead of cruise control, I turned on the heated grips, and turning it off by simply pressing the same button one more time did not work - I had to look away from the road and look at the remote control to find a separate button to turn off the warm grips. In short, there are a lot of buttons, and even too many for my taste.
Stock wind protection is naturally neither fish nor meat. Fans of tall windshields will be clearly disappointed, but in my opinion, it would be better if it were lower. I kept mine in the down position, but the helmet still shook quite a bit. The windshield adjustment mechanism works somewhat unclearly at speed, but it is still possible to adjust it on the go.
From the highway I descended onto a small mountain track, where the Pan America surprised me by exhibiting much more torque than you'd expect from an HD V-twin. After 5000, as it turns out, it just wakes up and rushes incredibly powerfully until the cutoff of 9500 rpm. I drove in third or fourth gear almost the entire day.
The box feels much more modern than most Harleys I know. The clutch is depressed quite softly, and shifts occur quickly, clearly and quietly. Clutch slip and Engine Brake Control smooth out aggressive downshifts flawlessly.
Harley Davidson Pan America
I tried all the asphalt modes and found Rain too soft, but Road turned out to be the ideal universal option. True, I spent almost the whole day in the Sporty: a little more aggressive response, a little stiffer suspension - ideal for the roads on which I rode. The handling is fairly neutral - it doesn't turn in too quickly, but it doesn't force you to fight to enter corners. Gently press the handle - and it leans where you lead it, confidently holding its trajectory. The pendants - how can I describe them... confident, but soft. They work out the bumps, but stay with changes in speed or direction.
At first, I kept the adaptive height adjustment feature turned on. It works flawlessly, you don’t even notice it, but when you stop, the ground is a little closer, which allows you to plant your foot confidently. I'm definitely not short, on a good day (with a good stretch) I'm 189cm tall, but even I really liked this feature. I left it in automatic mode and was glad that it was there. I think this is a really great invention for tall tourer bikes.
I also really liked the combination brakes. Simply because they work perfectly, and for confident, controlled braking, a lever on the steering wheel is enough (I don’t know if it can now be called a “front brake”). ABS worked a couple of times, but did not interfere at all. In Sport mode, the traction control allows the Harley Davidson Pan America to wobble a little before it intervenes - but if you want to lift the front wheel, you need to turn off the traction control completely. And in advance - the motorcycle must be stopped and idling.
The stock tires work great on asphalt, providing confident grip and good feedback. At some point we drove onto a dry dirt road covered with what looked like gray sand - and these tires worked great there too. Even in deep sand, the tires confidently keep the motorcycle on line.
This is where I started playing with the two Off-Road riding modes, predominantly Off-Road Plus for the minimal intervention of the traction control, which allows you to lock the rear wheel a little before intervening. On less aggressive tires and for beginners, the standard Off-Road mode is better suited.
I didn't like the side stand. The eyelet for its extension is much further than it seems, and if you leave it folded when installing it on the central stand, then you won’t be able to put the side one out - the central one will get in the way. As a result, it is necessary to remove it from the central assembly very carefully. I also didn’t like the way the rear brake pedal was positioned. Or rather, the way it is pressed in the stance - even when I turned the pedal on the lever to the “high” position, it turned out to be not high enough. Fortunately, I then adjusted the lever itself.
Harley-Davidson will produce a touring enduro
Harley-Davidson Pan America
Harley-Davidson's report published July 30, 2021 in MILWAUKEE detailing its 2022 strategy, titled "More Roads at Harley-Davidson," states that the company will produce enduro touring. The first model, called "Pan America", has already been previewed and will go into series production at the turn of 2019/2020. After preliminary tests, the company plans to release at least two such enduro-touring bikes: Harley-Davidson Pan America (500 cm3) and Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 (1250 cm3).
We have pictures of these bikes and basic assumptions about the strategy. For obvious reasons, we don't have technical details because the bike is in a fairly preliminary conceptual phase and a lot can still change. Early information reveals that the Pan American America 1250 is a heavy-duty enduro design in which the engine has been developed in a V-Twin system. The pictures look quite representative, but very large-scale. We don't know the weight of the model that designers will ultimately settle on, but it will be a design comparable to heavy enduros: BMW R1200GS, KTM Adventure R 1290. So you can count on more than 200 kg. The competition in this customer segment is quite strong and is pushing elbows as hard as possible. For Harley to compete in this new look without looking around the field, it will have to offer something truly special.
A full complement of features from navigation, abs, traction control at no extra cost and many more extras seems a must on a good day, in a new concept. Considering that in 2021 an additional Euro 5 standard will be introduced for new motorcycles registered in Europe, this will be even more difficult. Thus, Harley-Davidson will enter a new, difficult area in which it is very easy to slip and lose ground. Moreover, if a manufacturer is serious about the European market and meets the strict Euro 5 standard, it will have to develop not only a new engine, but also create a cohesive and compact design that will compete with the best motorcycles.
Harley-Davidson Pan America
In an interview with Michelle Cumbier, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Mr. America will have "a lot of cutting-edge technology." It looks like the president was right. Looking at the pictures, several conclusions can be drawn. "Pan America" looks like a very complex structure. Will this moto be too difficult in the field?
Let's start with his “heart”. The engine is completely dedicated to the new design of the DOHC stove with a capacity of 1250 cc, in a V-Twin with an inclination angle of 60°. Harley wants to release several engines of this type: 500-1250 cm3. Depending on the capacity, the kit will be coupled to two engineered boxes and further power transfer to the entire rear wheel will be via a chain drive kit rather than a driveshaft.
Harley-Davidson Pan America
When it comes to appearance, the front prototype is especially important. We pay special attention to the front light housing. In any case, this element is very different from other components. There is an element of ugliness in its modularity, but it is so interesting that it catches the eye. Other elements of equipment: turn signals, mirrors and others indicate the high enthusiasm of the engineers during the design. You can see that this will be a premium moto. Perhaps these additions are too many. Because then our new enduro is acquiring more off-road vehicles than race tourism. You might be a little concerned about how you handle such pampered elements during a bit of cutting in the field, which is, after all, not without its gutsy ride. Will fancy mirrors and turn signals still be equally useful?
Harley-Davidson Pan America
Another interesting element that attracts attention from the front of the motorcycle is the wind deflector. You can see that this was intended to protect the driver from the wind in a comprehensive manner. The very high, adjustable wind protection is great for fairly fast riding.
The height of an enduro motorcycle is of utmost importance. It's about good seat to ground proportions. Just to be able to reach your feet and be able to support yourself while riding, and at the same time have a sufficient supply of engine components from the ground. Because on rough roads there may be stones and small obstacles that can get caught in the bottom of the engine. At this stage, the ground clearance from the engine cover to the ground can only be determined visually. Their height is also determined by the size of the rims. It seems that these proportions were chosen classically. There are 19-inch front wheels and 17-inch rear wheels (the same proportions as the BMW GS 1200). Unfortunately, we don't know the towing capabilities of the motorcycle. We also don't know what the maximum front/rear suspension will be, how it will work and thus be able to overcome obstacles. Whether the motorcycle will have a progressive suspension or whether you can adjust the rear shock absorbers is also unknown.
Harley-Davidson Pan America
Most competitors also add traction control as standard without having to pay for additional traction control (BMW's ASC Automated Stability Control, KTM's MTC system) Harley still hasn't had features like traction control on motorcycles, while control traction did not have such an impact on the road, its usefulness is much higher. Such additions to a major touring enduro work well in practice, so the manufacturer will have to change its own philosophy to some extent and introduce some completely new pieces of equipment, and what's more, offer it at no additional cost.
Our preliminary findings suggest that this won't be a particularly revolutionary heavy enduro concept. Pan America 2019 is a pretty well put together tourism. The conventional suspension, radially mounted Brembo calipers, wheel sizes, tank size and overall belligerent appearance prove that the Pan America 1250 will be a city bike. Good street driving, but with some off-road penalties. What? Meanwhile, this is a “sweet” mystery that will become known only after test drives.
It seems, however, that HD has no intention of blindly copying and creating another version of the BMW GS. Thus, competing with mature models from the German - it is quite an urban tourer with nice chrome, a brilliant original and powerful engine that will sometimes jump to the side and handle calmly on easy terrain. The bike will be able to cross light gravel and onto asphalt roads, but it will not compete in the Dakar and is not suitable for other sport riding.
And this is coupled with the fact that it has a pretty good concept and development. The moto looks in line with the current Harley philosophy. As always, there are many questions and answers about engine power and torque, fuel economy on the road, tank size and price of the Mr. Motorcycle Adventure. America™ 1250 Harley-Davidson™. However, let's wait for the premiere and test drives. By 2020, anything can happen.
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Off-road day at Pan America
On the second day I rolled out later than on the first. The Harley engineer spent a couple of hours setting up the controls. It was here that he and I adjusted the position of both paws to suit my motorcycle boots, and at the same time turned the levers on the steering wheel lower. Some also asked to install steering wheel spacers, but I didn’t. With my height, the standard height is enough for me.
But the high seat is good. Even with the adaptive height control turned off and the suspension at its highest setting, I could still reach the ground with both feet. So, for myself, I would choose a high saddle - preferably a rally one, without a step between the driver and passenger parts, so that I can move the weight comfortably.
I decided to tweak my own Pan America ride mode: off-road throttle response, stiffer suspensions in off-road mode, engine braking down one notch. Next, we select a custom map, hold the Mode button on the right remote control, the map is highlighted in purple, letting you know that the Off-Road Plus mode is turned on, which means the rear ABS is turned off, traction control is limited and combined braking is turned off.
Harley Davidson Pan America
So I drove for a few kilometers, and then I accidentally pressed the traction control button and turned it off completely. I think most riders with average off-road skills will still be better suited to the limited traction control of the Off-Road Plus - it allows just enough wheel slip for safe fun. But for experienced people, the ability to turn off traction control completely is also good.
Then a glitch happened: the device displayed an error message and switched to Road mode, turning on the traction control and ABS. One of the Harley engineers did some magic with the diagnostic mode on the dashboard, reset the ECU, and the error no longer appeared. In general, engineers actively downloaded diagnostic information from our motorcycles to configure and eliminate glitches on production models that will soon go on sale.
The first half of the day was spent on rocky jeep roads with occasional sandy drifts. In the beginning, I set the suspension to soft mode, as Harley employees recommended, but after 50 km/h this mode is completely useless: it is too soft, and the bike rocks like jelly and at the same time transmits impacts more harshly than in hard suspension mode. In general, anyone weighing at least 90 kilograms should immediately set the hard mode. Even at low speeds it will be both more comfortable and more stable.
I think the average rider will find the Pan America Special stable and comfortable for average off-road use. It confidently holds its trajectory and easily goes 50-60 km/h on the dirt road. But for a more experienced rider, the Pan America limit is 80, well, a maximum of 90 kilometers per hour on a dirt road. Here the not very high ground clearance plays a role, and the suspensions begin to break through on rocks and landings.
Harley representatives would not allow me to lower the tire pressure, even on motorcycles that were supposed to be off-road. On a tourenduro I usually bleed up to 1.7-1.9 atmospheres, but the pressure control system at some point showed 3.3 atmospheres in the rear wheel. I think the guys were worried I'd blow a flat tire on the rocks, but I ended up just testing out the Pan America in novice mode.
And you know what I’ll say? In its current state, the Harley Davidson Pan America is very asphalt. It is not at all as soft as you would expect from an expensive tourenduro with semi-active suspensions. This may be to a large extent due to overinflated tires, but I was not allowed to find out.
My motorcycle had an optional crankcase protection, more powerful and wider than the standard one. I think this would be worth installing on the Special as stock - because with the stock one, even the relay-regulator sticks out right under the wheel.
And next to the relay-regulator there is a battery. Harley engineers claim that there are no problems with this arrangement, but the optional large crankcase protection somehow looks more reliable. But what’s bad about it is that it’s angular (just like the shape of the fins of the relay-regulator), and if it hits a stone, it will get caught and not slide over it. Well, again, even though the relay-regulator is super-reliable, dirt from under the front wheel obviously won’t do it any good, even in terms of cooling. This is probably the first case in history of water cooling of motorcycle electronics - but is it worth doing? Not to mention the fact that the low-mounted battery and RR can clearly become upset when crossing fords.
All this makes me think that Pan America was not really made for fords and liquid mud. This model is more about pushing the boundaries of Harley Davidson than serious off-road riders. This is a very pleasant motorcycle on light off-road, comfortable and easy to control, and at the same time very nimble on medium-sized dirt roads. I think it’s exactly this kind of roadless stuff that it’s designed for—and that’s great.
On the way home I dried off. And completely by accident, without trying to find out the real power reserve. It turned out that if you crank the engine up to the cutoff, jumping from bump to bump in third gear, then the real power reserve will be 290 km.
Harley-Davidson Pan America owner's chronicles: purchase experience and the first 3000 with two and panniers. I will tell you my impressions of owning a Harley Davidson Pan America after 3,000 km with a double and heavy panniers, as well as about the thrash of buying this “elite” brand and the further thrash of owning it, as well as the various extras that I installed. There are already quite a lot of reviews on this model on the Internet, in many ways my conclusions repeat what has already been said, but they are more likely from the point of view of reviewers, I will broadcast from the owner’s bell tower and, of course, I will smooth out some corners to justify my choice. Who is too lazy to read - the motorcycle itself is simply gorgeous with some minor exceptions, everything else is a disappointment. Fortunately, I was buying a motorcycle, and not all this. UPD At the moment it has already passed 10,000, but more on that later.
For the last 8 years, I have driven more than 200 thousand in a BMW KS on roads from Baikal to Barcelona through Kyrgyzstan and even sometimes fucking (that’s why it’s easier for me to compare with a KS, and not with a GS, as many do). In addition to it, there are a couple of medium-sized motards. I have been looking for a replacement for a long time, I wanted to change the class to something also touring, but more endurable, or motard, or simply comfortable for our roads, and not sporty. I tried to ride three days in a row for 1000 km in Africa, a 1200 liquid goose and an 850k on serpentines, gravel and bad asphalt in Montenegro (except for the serpentines, the roads there are similar in many ways). Good motorcycles, but they lacked some kind of drive, for me they are soft and insipid, kind of sluggish, well, the kind that doesn’t blow in, but dents. A heavy goose doesn’t seem to be bad, but it’s too obvious a choice, plus it sits like on a toilet or on a perch, and with my 2 meters tall, I constantly trip over pots when I’m rolling in the parking lot.
In principle, I didn’t even look closely at Harleys or Pan-Americans, but tired of the torment of choosing between scrupulously verified options, I freaked out and made an advance payment on the very first day the prices for them were announced on the Russian market. And then it began to seem that I was looking for a wife for the rest of my life, and not involved in motorcycling. Therefore, it was somewhat of a gamble, since at that time there was not a single review of this motorcycle and essentially took a pig in a poke according to the specs, although it must be said that it was the cheapest motorcycle from its classmates (although on the very first day the prices were announced raised by 100 thousand, but this did not change the situation). But I’ll tell you about the purchase itself and the suffering associated with it and after that separately at the end.
At the moment, I have covered 3,000 km on it, having gone on a test trip to Khakassia with a double and loaded with three panniers.
First about the motorcycle:
The most exciting thing for me about the motorcycle itself is the engine.
It’s peppy, pulls without explosions, but has constant excellent pickup from 3 thousand to the very top of 9 thousand revolutions, a very dynamic and provoking engine and I don’t feel like I’ve lost anything after the engine - it’s even more fun and exciting to drive. When I picked it up from the dealer and drove home 280 km, the cruiser easily stayed above 170 km/h. The cruiser dropped slightly to 150-160 when it began to ride loaded and with a two-wheeler, although in general the engine and motorcycle did not feel the load and rather psychologically stuck to a slightly lower speed. Many people note that the engine gets hot and blows in the leg, but I ride only in hiking boots and did not feel this problem, I rode in a raincoat for several hours in a row and the pipes did not leave any marks on it. There are practically no vibrations, nothing turns into itching, 700 km per trip and I never caught myself thinking that I felt any unpleasant vibrations on my legs or arms.
The suspension is semi-active in the special version, the dive is not particularly noticeable, even when loaded, if both brakes are applied, it squats rather than bites, especially in sport mode. It may bite a little after a wave on the asphalt in soft modes if you press the front. The rear almost does not sway even when fully loaded, only on waves. Although this reason with the buildup is exactly why I didn’t like it most on Africa and on the 850k.
Switching dynamic modes really works, at first it is obviously noticeable in the operation of the throttle, and when I had already rolled a decent amount, I noticed there was a build-up on the waves of asphalt in Khakassia - I switched to sport mode and everything calmed down, in much the same way I struggled with this in the cop. I must say that the fresh GTL1600 and RT1200 that were traveling with me also switched to a tougher mode due to the same problems in this section. I haven’t had the opportunity to check the offroad mode and how traction works - neither the capabilities nor the skills yet). In general, now switching to sports, I notice a serious difference in swallowing joints, bumps and holes. In the rain mode, the throttle is more likely, but I believe that the other settings are really more suitable for rain.
I really like that the motorcycle steers very easily: at near-zero speeds it feels not like a heavy motorcycle, but like a much lighter one. At speed it also lays down more than easily, at first I oversteered and kept a lower speed than it allowed. Psychologically, the tank is narrow, the motorcycle is perceived as already a skinny goose, you are happy to climb into the aisles with it, the size does not bother you, climbing in the city is a pleasure.
Gearbox The gearbox works great, it’s light, but at the same time I can clearly feel everything shifting even in heavy motorcycle boots. BUT! In addition to switching between first and second: you feel the harshness of the transition at the beginning of the movement of the paw and at the same time it immediately throws it over neutral, it can be very difficult to dose the force necessary to catch neutral, it is almost impossible to get into neutral from the first gear, from the second it is not a shift, but a calculated touch neutral is turned on. Sometimes annoying. I’ve never had a quickshifter on any motorcycle, so I don’t see its absence as a loss, although for a modern motorcycle it’s probably a minus. At the same time, the clutch is incredibly light and informative; clicking through gears is a pleasure and happens quickly.
The rear brake is rather weak, you have to push it with your whole foot until the abs is activated. At the same time, the motorcycle doesn’t brake so much, maybe this is good for enduro so that it doesn’t lock up ahead of time - I haven’t gotten around to it yet. There are no questions about the front. Overall I would say the brakes are adequate.
As for the stand - I installed spacers from Aliexpress, with them, with my height of 2 meters, I can stand at least fully straightened - that's enough, to improve the position in the stand, you can buy bumpers for the tank so that your legs don't slip, but for aesthetic reasons I won't stand on the orange tank ) The saddle is simply gorgeous, I rode 600 km a day with a double and nothing went stiff, there is room to warm up. The seating position is generally very comfortable for me, perhaps the first motorcycle that I don’t perceive with my height as something I need to get used to, I sat down immediately and was very comfortable. Maybe I’ll straighten my legs a little more thanks to the low running boards, but it’s not critical yet. At the same time, while on the move, the moto is perceived as nimble, steering and immediately getting into all the holes.
According to her words, the seat is also quite soft and comfortable, only at 600 km does it begin to become numb and only in the place where it sits. There is enough space in the back even with the trunk installed, but I would like the handles for the passenger to be spaced a little wider. They are much more convenient than on the 850 or Africa, but worse than on the big goose. It doesn’t shake from behind on bumps; it also passes on gravel without even noticing the bad road. I myself don’t feel it at all behind me: it doesn’t lean on me when braking, it doesn’t hit my helmet with its helmet. For me, one of the most comfortable motorcycles for traveling together.
The mirrors seem to be a little small, but you quickly get used to them and after adjustment they are sufficient.
Footrest - at first, this system of fixing the footrest is very inconvenient; you first have to tilt the motorcycle in the opposite direction, and then be afraid that it will start to fall when it enters the groove, but you quickly get used to it and it even seems comfortable.
What constantly irritates me is the turn signal switch - it’s small, you can tactilely feel the turn signals turning on, but turning it off is a particular pain. On the KS they are spaced apart on both sides, but that’s okay, we won’t compare, but on the wife’s Honda it’s just a pleasure after the Harley to click them back and forth. I have never seen anything worse than here.
Sometimes there is a problem with starting - you can hear an electric sound, but the engine does not start or does not start right away (to start it, you don’t have to press the starter button, you have to press it at the same time and then it starts on its own). I heard the same sound on my single-cylinder engine when the piston rose at top dead center and the auto-decompressor did not work - the starter did not have enough strength to turn the engine. But on the second attempt it starts, apparently by pushing the position of the pistons in the first approach. Doesn't bother me.
The sound of the engine is not to say that it is gorgeous, but after the high-frequency buzzer (thanks to which I can recognize its sound in dense traffic several tens of meters away)) it is more than pleasant. It doesn't bother me at all when driving. But this is clearly the sound of just a modern engine with a huge muffler and all sorts of euros, and not the rich sound of a Harley.
The windshield is a little low for me, but there is no turbulence, my head doesn’t wobble, my shoulders don’t feel pressure, after the rain the dirt on my pants is mostly below the knee - otherwise it covers everything well. In general, the stock wind protection is good, especially given the visually small size of the motorcycle.
Another big irritation is the tidy: a huge display, but it’s completely inconvenient to use due to the small font. It's been a little rainy and droplets of dirt make reading the inscriptions completely impossible, you have to duck down to look out for the readings. At the same time, there is a lot of empty space for enlarging the font, you can choose the readings you need and in general everything would be fine if it weren’t for the size itself. I hope this will be fixed by updating the widgets. Another big drawback to the tidy is the built-in navigation. More precisely, it is not built-in, but is output from the native application. So, you won’t be able to install this application on your phone, because in the Russia region it is not present either in Apple Store or in Google. I found an apk for Android and installed it, but it required an update to work and could not be updated. It is possible to find the current version, but losing navigation on the road because the application has been updated in the store and requires it from you is not an option. As a result, I found an old iPhone separately and registered in the USA to gain access. In general, the navigation knows our roads well and even knows small villages around me, including showing places of eating and sleeping areas, but the information on them is quite old - in my city for three years now some of the establishments that it shows have been closed. The problem is that it is impossible to cancel the route using the steering wheel controls - you cancel, confirm the cancellation, it disappears for a couple of minutes and then starts leading you to the same point again, and so on endlessly. But when you stop and turn off the ignition, on the contrary, it loses the route, i.e. if you stopped on the side of the road for your difficult but quick business, then you need to take out your phone again and enter the route after turning on the ignition and this is a very nerve-wracking moment. By the time of my trip to Khakassia, I had not yet cheated with the application, so how well it knows the roads will only be assessed after a trip to Altai in a week. Something else I still haven’t figured out with the tidy is how to switch it to dark mode. In a bunch of photos and reviews, I see a dark device, but I have a white one, and driving with it at night is quite stressful - there is a function for automatically adjusting the brightness, and at night, every time you drive under a pillar of light, it starts to drive the brightness back and forth like on old cheap phones , which is naturally annoying. The dealer cannot help me with switching the tidy, he suggested that it would be possible to change it in the application - but this setting is not there either.
The relationship with the dealer is a different story altogether: So in March I decided to take the pig in a poke and made an advance payment for Pan America to my nearest dealer. I chose the configuration from the list of those motorcycles that were available and were supposed to be included in the first batch - I take it in the maximum configuration, with everything that is there, except for the auto-lowering function (because why would I need it with two meters in height). At the same time, delivery was promised before June, most likely even in April, but according to the contract they hedged their bets and entered a date until June 30 (at my request they added a date; initially there was no date). The amount under the contract is a deposit with all that it implies. I’m leaving to go on vacation with my children to the south, worrying only that while I’m away I can get him for a motorcycle and it will be waiting for me upon arrival.
By the end of the month of June, I timidly inquire about the fate of my motorcycle, seeing the joyful stories of Panama unboxing. At the same time, I inquire about the availability of accessories in the form of trunks. On the fifth day of July, I remind myself about both questions - they answer me that the delivery did not include my equipment and that I need to wait for the next batch - and this is already the end of July. They give incentives for axes, they contact me and tell me that everything is not very good for panniers either - they are not expected.
And I’m already planning a trip to Vladik to pick up my wife’s money and a return march across the whole country to Crimea wearing two helmets. Okay, I'm starting to fuss about how to solve the panniers, hoping that the Panama will be by the end of July at least. There is absolutely nothing in the world for Panama yet, I decide to put the trunks of the Minsk guys with a bison case - the guys go to the meeting, promptly make trunks and receiving frames, bags, and promptly send them to me in the wilderness, in Siberia. On Alishka I find several important accessories for a Panama hat (on world forums they agree that this is the original, only without labels) - I order them. Soon I meet all this at the post office and agree that they will quickly make me a cage for motorcycle panniers. What about Panama hat? But they can’t tell me until the last minute when it will be available and whether it will be in the next delivery. I'm languishing in languor.
And here's the call! receive/sign for it - your Panama hat is not included in this delivery and it is unknown when to expect the next one. At the same time, in the dealer’s showroom there is a configuration similar to what I ordered, only with a squat function and at a price higher than the spring pre-order prices (they are also official prices from the Harley website) by 600 thousand. I say: “How can this be? sell me this one, I’m ready to pay extra for a feature I don’t need, but only at the prices that were when I made the pre-order,” to which they shave me off – “if you want, take it from stock for 600 more, or not at all.”
At this moment I, of course, became depressed. I was just at a meeting of BMW drivers and there was a desire to take the deposit and buy a goose and not warm the brains of either myself or other people. A week goes by, I have already agreed with a friend to pick up the s1000xr from him (well, I can’t talk myself into a goose), I almost buy plane tickets and at that moment the dealer calls me and offers to pick up the bike almost as I need it, but without the spokes and with a function I don’t need and a mileage of 2000 km after the director’s rides around the region, but at the same price as with spokes and as if no one’s ass had ever sat on it. Those. more expensive than it is in the official Harley prices and also with a mileage of 2000. The landlord has already exercised the right of the first wedding night and deigns to extend it to me.
I went through all the stages from anger to acceptance. But the market is the market. And judging by the pictures, I had already gotten used to it and it didn’t seem as ugly to me as at first. I've even become somewhat close.
I took it. Well, at least they did TO-0 for free, and thank you)) ah, they let me twitch the bell as if I had bought a new one! ) coffee was poured, in general the manager Anton was a great guy, he tried to smooth it out as best he could.
The trash didn’t end with this: now they don’t even have service books, and there are no user manuals either in paper or electronic form. The dealer cannot provide it to me in Russian or any other language. Damn, I don’t know how to check the oil level - on the side stand, hold it vertically or on the center stand? to screw in the dipstick or not to screw it in? how to check chain tension? how... in short, writing to the dealer on WhatsApp for every minor question is annoying, and there aren’t always answers. There is only one excuse: they didn’t ship it to us.
And it’s okay if they didn’t ship it because they don’t have this manual yet. But when I took the left route, replacing the region, installed the HD-app application on my phone and entered my VIN into the system, guess what link they gave me? To the Pan America user manual in Russian! Those. Harley already has this manual, but the dealer cannot provide it to me either in paper or electronic form! And yes, it was only after that that I was completely bombarded. But few people will end up installing this application.
I believe that Harley is completely unprepared to sell this model. There are no accompanying papers, no accessories, no repair base for sure (it’s interesting that they found a service manual or the same as with the user’s manual, but on TO-0 they handed it over to everyone at least they knew when?) and I don’t want to solve this. I would like to make money on the hype, 600 thousand on top on the older model and 400 thousand on the younger one just by selling and shooting tik-toks. And this is the best dealer in the Russian Federation, it’s hard for me to imagine what’s worse.
The icing on the cake was that a couple of hours after I drove away from the Harley dealer, my phone received several dozen calls from different numbers with “pre-approved loans,” “loan for a vehicle.” Apparently, every time after visiting the salon, Harley owners are forced to urgently look for money, even at a high percentage. I don’t use this phone at work in any way, on average I have a couple of calls a day to a couple of numbers, I don’t communicate via phone, not a single account is opened for me in any bank, moreover, I was in such a procedure that no Not only will the bank not give me a loan, it won’t even issue me a debit card. Even added to my wife's bill. Those. I am absolutely not interested in financial organizations... I was until this moment. SMS messages are still coming.
I’m a very low-conflict person, so when I got boiling, I went and yelled in the toilet, pissed in the sink and wrote this post. I’m not waiting like Julia Roberts to have my ass licked in stores after I took out my wallet and I don’t feel any special reverence for the legendary brand, I’m not hysterical in search of justice and the department of complaints and suggestions so that they call me back and fix something there - the first impression cannot be returned. But I wanted to speak out.
I liked the motorcycle so much that these little things do not spoil my pleasure from riding it. He really got into it and you know what is the most important thing about him for me? besides this: the engine, comfort, appearance - this is all secondary, it brought back to me that feeling of the first season when every day you rush to the garage to sit down and go. At least a little, but ride it. Again, I don’t care that there are clouds, that it’s late, that it’s hot, that there are midges, that the kids are screaming - asking for a tit. Behind all the logical selections of the right motorcycle, looking at sales reports, reviews, and analyzing the dealer network, the most important thing was somehow forgotten. And Pan America returned to me that state of high from the very possibility of driving.
Competitors of Harley Davidson Pan America
Pan America in basic configuration starts at 1 million. 600 thousand rubles Special - from about 1 million. 700 thousand rubles, and in the configuration as they gave me for testing, with adaptive height adjustment and on spoked wheels, almost 2. These figures allow HD to compete not only with BMW and KTM, but also with Triumph and Suzuki.
At the same time, Harley understands perfectly well: the KTM is a much more off-road motorcycle, and, in fact, is not really a competitor. Pan America was designed as a universal model. The KTM has a higher seat height and this alone can be a limiting factor for many shorter riders.
The new Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT Adventure doesn't even come close to the performance, technology and workmanship of the Pan America. The Triumph Tiger 1200 XCa is more expensive, but it is not as balanced and is more difficult to handle both on asphalt and off-road.
So of all these motorcycles, Harley Davidson primarily competes with the BMW R 1250 GS/GSA, which, comparably equipped, will cost about the same amount. I'm tall, but even I find GSA intimidating with its size. Compared to the flagship boxer in the BMW lineup, the Pan America is much more accessible in terms of handling, more compliant and simpler. But if you have the skills and desire to drive a BMW, you can drive it much harder!
Harley Davidson Pan America
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 officially presented: features, specifications and price
The company's first touring bike, first shown in prototype form at EICMA 2018 in Milan, has reached mass production: in June 2021, the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 and its sophisticated version, the Pan America 1250 Special, will appear in Russia.
MOTOGONKI.RU, February 23, 2021 — The key feature of the motorcycle is its engine and set of control electronics. Yes, Harley-Davidson is gradually moving away from the concept of “dumb hardware,” although in the company’s cruisers this remains a peculiar feature - the absence of any electronic “controllers” and improvers.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 (2021)
And in general, the motorcycle package looks exactly like what the company wants to say about the Pan America 1250 - we can build modern motorcycles for experienced, cool riders who know what they want and know how to use it. Overall, the bike has the potential to compete with the veteran manufacturers in the touring market.
Revolution Max
The Pan America 1250 was developed from scratch, they created a platform and an engine for it, and equipped it accordingly. The big touring bike features a 1252cc 60-degree V-Twin Revolution Max. 152 hp
, which is unusual for HD.
Engine Harley-Davidson Revolition Max 1252 cc. (2021)
The engine concept is reminiscent of the one created jointly with Porsche for the V-Rod motorcycle (VRSCA): for Harley-Davidson it was a real revolution in 2001; the engine was increased to 1247 cc. and 125 hp in 2008. The 8-valve VRSCA engine was liquid-cooled with dual overhead cams and connecting rods positioned side-by-side to produce more power. A special version of the VRXSE Destroyer was equipped with an even more sophisticated 1300 cc 165-horsepower engine.
Engine Harley-Davidson Revolition Max 1252 cc. (2021)
Pan America 1250 is equipped in a very modern way. The Revolution Max engine has a smoother, wider response and, unlike the M8 (Milwaukee-Eight), has virtually no vibration. Each cylinder is equipped with two spark plugs for better, guaranteed ignition of the mixture. The VVT (variable valve timing) system allows you to develop more power where competing engines only pick up.
In addition, Harley-Davidson claims combined fuel consumption of just 5.9 l/100 km.
The engine is the load-bearing element of the chassis; there is no frame as such: the front part (steering column) connects the engine to the fork, the swingarm and suspension are mounted directly on the engine. Wheelbase - 1580 mm. The front wheel is 19″, the rear is 17″.
Ribbed tires as standard on the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 (2021)
As a base, the motorcycle is equipped with very aggressive Michelin Anakee Wild radial tires with a high block to ensure good traction especially on off-road. According to reviews from owners, the tires are extremely noisy on asphalt and are not suitable for long trips, so they even recommend taking earplugs with you.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 (2021)
However, all presentation photographs show a completely different set of tires - these are Michelin Scorcher Adventure, Road/Off-road tires. And these are completely different tires.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 (2021)
Harley-Davidson's suspension partner is SHOWA. The Pan America 1250 is equipped with a cartridge fork “upside down” of the “1 by 1” series with a diameter of 47 mm. The monoshock absorber with remote compensator is attached through a lever system, providing the suspension with progressive characteristics. Suspension travel is 190 mm, preload, compression and rebound are adjustable. Ground clearance - 210 mm.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special (2021)
The regular version and the Special will be visually distinct, with only the Special getting a bold orange livery, while the base versions will come in black and dark green.
The Pan America 1250 Special also comes with a semi-active suspension with Adaptive Height Control (ARH) technology. Its point is to make the motorcycle taller while moving, and when stopping, lower the ground clearance so that the rider can get off/get off the bike more comfortably. Suspension height and ground clearance are adjusted automatically, depending on the selected driving mode.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 (2021)
The curb weight of the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 is 242 kg, the weight of the Special is 254 kg. The maximum declared load capacity of the motorcycle is 200 kg. Not the lowest performance for a touring enduro; one like this on the Moscow-Magadan-Moscow tour may turn out to be a bit heavy. Yes, and for shooting through deserts, too, although HD is trying to convince us of this ability with official photographs.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 (2021)
The bike looks more road-ready, like the BMW R 1250 GS. A 21.2 liter fuel tank should provide an autonomy of 340-360 km, taking into account the declared efficiency indicators - not bad for touring, when you need to move from asphalt to hard ground or gravel.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 and Special look more road-ready, like the BMW R 1250 GS
Even the basic configuration of the motorcycle looks rich. IMU, Ride-by-wire, traction control, 5 riding modes, cruise control, smartphone integration system and built-in navigation system - this is already in the base; smart ABS system with support for the Hill hold function (holding the motorcycle when starting uphill) and monitoring the position of the motorcycle in space to correct braking force in turns.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 (2021) - Brembo monoblock brakes as standard
Brembo has been making brakes for premium Harley-Davidson models for a long time. And the Pan America 1250 is equipped with radial monoblock 4-piston calipers from the Italian company with 30 mm pistons and brake discs with a diameter of 320 mm, and a 280 mm disc at the rear.
At first glance, the only weak element in such a heavy motorcycle, designed to conquer off-road, at first glance, is the chain drive to the rear wheel.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 (2021) - rear wheel chain drive
More than half of the components on this American motorcycle are either made in Europe or Japan.
Actually, Harley-Davidson wants to hit the positions of the two most obvious leaders in the touring enduro market in Europe - BMW and KTM, which have all these features (or almost all) already, and for more than one year. The key factor for promotion in the market will be price.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 (2021)
Price
In the US, the MSRP for the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 will be $17,319, for the Special - $19,999. If converted into rubles, it turns out much cheaper (almost 600,000 rubles) than the KTM 1290 Super Adventure S (2.0 million rubles) and BMW R 1250 GS (2.0 - 2.3 million rubles) But official prices for Pan America in Russia have not yet been announced, Deliveries will begin only in May, and motorcycles will appear in showrooms in June 2021. And before that moment, a lot of things can change.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 (2021)
One way or another, you can safely add 30-40 percent to the dollar price in the States, and then the final price will be closer to the market average. But traditionally, manufacturers regulate RRP prices in different regions, so HD can organize some kind of special price for the Russian Federation so that it remains significantly lower than for KTM and BMW.
But with the price of the Honda CRF1100 Africa Twin (1.2 million rubles) and Adventure Sports (1.33 million rubles), the new Harley-Davidson product can hardly compete. Let's see!
