What is everybody complaining about? Yes, this is an amazing one-off bike AMAZING, this is not the first time Harley has made a bike like this, is anyone remembering the Harley Buell Ulysses?

Well yes most of us do, read Peter Egan’s Very Long-Term Buell Ulysses review here just to get an idea of what a great bike that was and is!

I currently own a Harley and a monstrous BMW R1200GS and yes, I love both, but thinking seriously to move on and up to this awesome bike!

Harley-Davidson has revealed the full details of their Pan America adventure bike – and it has the potential to knock the crown off the GS’s head. The Pan America isn’t just one of the most advanced Harleys ever, it’s arguably one of the most advanced adventure bikes ever.

On paper it has the measure of every competitor out there and, let’s be honest, none of us saw it coming. Of course, Harley hasn’t just released one model: there’s the Pan America and the Pan America Special, which is the really exciting version.

The heart of the Pan America is Harley’s new 1,250-cc, liquid-cooled, 60-degree V-twin Revolution Max engine. While a big V-twin is something we’d expect from the folks in Milwaukee, this engine is a radical departure from the air-cooled tractor-like engines that generally live in the brand’s big touring bikes.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Engine

The Pan America is powered by the all-new Revolution Max 1250 engine, a liquid-cooled V-twin that produces 150 horsepower and is hooked to a six-speed transmission. The front frame, the mid-frame, and the tail section bolt directly to the powertrain. This design results in a stiffer chassis and less weight. This frame is mounted to a cast-aluminum swingarm that minimizes unsprung weight.

The Pan America has a similar weight to others within the large-displacement adventure motorcycle market. Harley claims 534 pounds wet for the base model and 559 pounds wet for the Special.

• Four rider modes: Road, Sport, Rain, Off-Road, and Off-Road Plus. The base features one customizable mode and the Special offers two customized modes.
• Cornering ABS
• Cornering Traction Control
• Hill Hold Control
• Cruise Control
• TFT touchscreen instrumentation that hooks to your mobile device. Free Harley-Davidson App supplies navigation for iOS and Android devices. The screen’s touch feature is disabled while the Pan America is in motion
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
• Center Stand
• Multi-Position Rear Brake Pedal
• Brush Guard for Radiator
• Aluminum Skid Plate
• Heated Hand Grips and Hand Wind Deflectors
• Steering Damper

Pricing begins at $17,319 for the base model and $19,999 for the Special. The Pan America 1250 and Pan America 1250 Special models will hit Harley-Davidson dealerships in spring 2021

2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America (Special) Specs

Engine

• Type: Revolution Max 1250
• Displacement: 76.3 cu in (1252cc)
• Bore x Stroke: 4.13″ x 2.84″
• Maximum horsepower: 150 @ 9000 rpm
• Maximum torque: 94 ft-lbs @ 6750 rpm
• Compression Ratio: 13.0:1
• Valvetrain: Chain-driven, DOHC, hydraulic self-adjusting lifters, intake & exhaust VVT; 4vpc
• Cooling: Liquid
• Transmission: 6-speed
• Primary Drive: Gear
• Final Drive: Belt

Chassis

• Front Suspension: Fully adjustable Showa 47mm inverted fork (Special: Showa semi-active electronic suspension w/ aluminum triple clamps)
• Rear Suspension: Linkage-assisted fully adjustable Showa piggyback shock (Special: Showa semi-active electronic suspension)
• Wheels: Cast aluminum (Wire-spoke tubless optional)
• Front Wheel: 19 x 3
• Rear Wheel: 17 x 4.5
• Tires: Michelin Scorcher Adventure (Michelin Anakee Wild optional)
• Front tire: 120/70 19
• Rear tire: 170/60 17
• Front brakes: Brembo, 320mm discs with/ 4-piston caliper
• Rear brake: Brembo, 280mm disc with floating 2-piston caliper
• ABS: Cornering aware

Dimensions and capacities:

• Wheelbase: 62.2 inches
• Trail: 6.2 inches
• Rake: 25 degrees
• Seat Height: 34.2 – 35.2 inches (Special: 33.4 – 34.4 inches)
• Fuel Capacity: 5.6 gallons
• Curb Weight: 534 pounds (Special: 559 pounds)

We’re calling it Special for good reason. Designed to compete with the top-of-the-line ADV bikes in the segment, the 1250 Special is loaded with premium features.

• Semi-Active Front and Rear Suspension with Vehicle Load Control
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) 
• Center Stand
• Multi-Position Rear Brake Pedal 
• Brush Guard

• Aluminum Skid Plate 
• Daymaker® Signature Adaptive Headlamp
• Hand Wind Deflectors 
• Heated Hand Grips
• Steering Damper 

• Factory Installed Option: Adaptive Ride Height

All-new Revolution^® Max 1250 Engine 

FOR A NEW GENERATION OF ICONIC BIKES The next chapter in a century of legendary V-Twins is here. Revolution^® Max is a liquid-cooled powertrain with 150 horsepower, full of ample torque, and a surging powerband tuned to maximize rider control. 

DUAL PURPOSE POWERTRAIN The Revolution^® Max 1250 is a structural component of the motorcycle chassis, eliminating a traditional frame — which significantly reduces overall weight and keeps handling taut. This is performance you can feel, with the center of gravity low and the chassis super rigid. 

PEAK PERFORMANCE WHERE IT COUNTS 
Double Overhead Camshafts (DOHC) facilitate higher peak horsepower, and independent Variable Valve Timing (VVT) broadens the overall powerband and improves torque management. All this to say you’ll have as much low-end acceleration off the line and high-RPM horsepower you can twist. 

Adaptive Ride Height

REVOLUTIONARY SUSPENSIONAdaptive Ride Height makes its debut on the Pan America 1250 Special. This factory-installed option unlocks confidence you can feel by lowering seat height when stopped, and maintaining a constant, optimum suspension sag at speed by adjusting preload while continuously sensing weight inputs.

SEMI-ACTIVE FRONT & REAR SUSPENSION190mm (7.48 inches) travel on Showa® BFF™ (Balance Free Forks) fronts and a BFRC™ (Balanced Free Rear Cushion-lite) coil-over rear shock with electronic preload control and semi-active damping. The rear suspension incorporates a linkage system connecting the shock, swingarm, and frame which provides a progressive feel through the stroke.

SUSPENSIONRIDER COMFORT 

Vehicle Loading Control

This system senses the weight of the rider, passenger and luggage to select optimum suspension sag by automatically adjusting rear preload.

Semi-Active Suspension System

This system reacts to suspension position, vehicle speed, vertical acceleration, roll angle and rate, throttle, brake inputs and the selected Ride Mode to maintain the desired comfort setting. There are five pre-programmed profiles, which are baked into each Ride Mode: 

• Comfort: More suspension compliance and isolating the rider from rough road conditions.
• Balanced: A balance of ride comfort and ride control, for all-around riding.
• Sport: Maximum ride control with higher damping rates – what we call “spirited riding”
• Off-Road Soft: Reduced initial damping to increase suspension compliance to better absorb larger obstacles and to reduce kickback: ideal for logging roads, washboards and rocky terrain.
• Off-Road Firm: Increased initial damping for aggressive riding or when less body float is desired: ideal for soft/loamy terrain.

OFF-ROAD READY

The 1250 Special has several enhancements as standard for when you take the road less traveled.

• Aluminum skid plate protects the engine crankcase from impacts.
• Brush guards protect the radiator and help support the motorcycle in a tip-over.
• Steering damper to enhance dynamic performance during aggressive off-road riding.
• No-tool-needed adjustable brake pedal, which can switch between two positions to improve control and comfort when the rider is standing. 
• Semi-Active front and rear suspension with a specific Off-Road mode programmed to help the rider maintain traction and control over rougher roads and terrain

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Pan America 1250 models are equipped with the latest technology you’d expect for the category: six-axis IMU, customizable ride modes, Bluetooth connectivity and moving map navigation features in a 6.8″ (173 mm) touchscreen display.

Available as a factory-installed option, the stainless steel spokes are inserted through the aluminum wheel rim outside of the tire bead. These wheels offer the rider several advantages over the cast wheels in off-road conditions. 

Utilizing the ABS IMU to determine the lean angle of the motorcycle, this system automatically projects additional light into corners to illuminate areas of the road that may be unlit by an LED headlamp without this tech.

Everything Is A Road 

On February 22 officially launched Pan America – watch the documentary film and explore the web experience that tells the story of how H-D arrived to this moment and what it means for the future of the pursuit of adventure.