Deep-Fried Sushi
As far as global brands go, few have garnered as large an appeal as Harley Davidson. The American motorcycle manufacturer is globally recognized, everyone knows what a Harley bike looks and sounds like. Everyone knows the "Freedom" moniker that it represents, Harleys are all bright paintwork and chrome and in recent years, have become incredibly pricey premium products for the well-heeled.
Facing declining sales figures and an aging client base, Harley Davidson Motorcycles sought to reinvent themselves and update their lineup, attempting to break into new markets and perhaps entice a new generation of buyers over to the brand.
Related: Harley Davidson Sportster S (2022) Review
We saw this with the completely new avenue taken by HD with machines like the LiveWire fully electric bike and the development of a new generation V-Twin engine called the 1250 RevMax which they proceeded to put into a new Sportster S and the subject of today’s review, the Pan America Adventure bike. Our friends over at Harley Davidson GoldRand offered us a week-long test on a new second-generation PanAm to see if the American brand had managed to change tack and lure over a new market segment.
Styling
One would be forgiven for not recognising the Pan America straight away, it doesn't look like a traditional Harley, and it's only when you get up close and see the HD branding that it clicks. Resplendent in all black without a hint of chrome, it's plain to see that this is an adventure bike but most likely because it's so new, people can't place it. Our test model had a few additional styling features that you won't find on a bog standard S model. Ours was fitted with a genuine Harley Pan Am top box and mag wheels, giving it a decidedly road feel.
The attention to detail is what really grabs you, all the small little styling tidbits such as the tank badge emblazoned with the Pan Am name and raised contour map, the multitude of HD shield easter eggs scattered all over the bike, and the rich gloss black colour scheme. There are of course other colour options like blue, gold, white, and red but the black just manages to maintain that muscle bike aesthetic.
It needs to be stated that this isn't just a Harley ADV bike but rather a purpose-built and styled adventure bike that happens to wear a Harley Davidson nameplate.
Tech and Features
One of the things that sets the Pan America apart from its Harley brethren is the suite of electronic trickey present. Starting with the 6.5" TFT screen that houses all the info you need about bike health. This is also where you will find the interface for the ride modes such as Road, Rain, Off-Road, and Sport. These modes will adust throttle input and suspension settings to maximize rider engagement depending on the environment.
One clever feature that we couldn't get enough of was the active suspension that will raise and lower on its own. When standing still, the suspension drops to a lower setting to allow those short in the leg to get their feet down but as soon as you pull away the suspension will raise itself to the correct ride height as per ride setting and will lower itself again once you come to a stop again, a very helpful feature that works great when you have a pillion rider on board.
Download the Harley app to your Smartphone and connect to the bike and it opens an entire world of connectivity to you, navigation, music, voice texting, and naturally, Bluetooth connection.
Engine and Drivetrain
The party piece of the Pan America is of course the 1250 Revolution Max engine. This fuel-injected behemoth pumps out 115kW and 127Nm and despite its size is actually rather quiet. It has a buttery smooth and linear power curve and easily accelerates without hesitation. The sheer torque that this engine produces at even lower revs astounds. This is very helpful when you are chugging around off-road, over rocks but is oh so welcome when you drop a gear and thunder past traffic on the tar.
The engine is mated to a 6-speed sequential transmission and sends power to the rear wheel via a chain drive. Active electronic suspension keeps the cast aluminium wheels firmly planted. Rolling on a 19" front and 17" rear, fitted with road-biased tyres, the Pan America is more suited for touring but it is plain to see that with just a few changes it can very easily be ready for a full African touring adventure.
Brakes come courtesy of Brembo, with 4 pot calipers up front and single pots at the rear. The brakes are progressive enough and bring the bulk of the Pan Am to a stop with relative ease rarely requiring the ABS to kick in.
Let’s ride
The easiest way to describe what riding the Pan Am is like? Did any of our dear readers ever ride a 1980's Honda CB750? The rider position is near identical! The impossibly long tank and high handlebars make this feel like a cruiser but then you realise you are quite a bit higher up off the ground and with 210mm of ground clearance that rocky trail just became manageable.
With the way your upper body is positioned, you automatically want to push your legs out in front of you and rest your feet on the crash bars, ala Harley Cruiser, it's a really weird feeling. You are greeted by a very satisfying mechanical thunk as you shift into and up through the gears, only adding to teh impression that this is still a Harley. Its also no secret that the Pan Am is a heavy boy coming in at just over 250kg's wet but you only ever feel that weight at slow speed manoeuvres very much like a GS.
HD say that the Pan America should return 5.1l/100km from the 21l fuel tank and with our total ride around and offroad excursion this was almost on point with us calculating 5.8l if our maths isn't wrong, we cant be 100% sure as the Pan Am's onboard computer doesn't have a readout for fuel consumption, only range per tank.
Model and Pricing
| Harley Davidson Pan America 1250 Special (2024) | R 259 999* |
*HD GoldRand and Mzansi are currently running an amazing special price on these Gen 2 models as long as stock lasts!
** Pricing correct at time of publication subject to change without notice
Pros and Cons
- Exciting and new
- Brilliant engine
- Crisp and clear TFT screen
- Fantastic suspension
- Amazing exhaust sound
- Incredibly comfortable for rider and pillion
- Top-box opening was difficult to figure out
- No traditional fuel consumption figures
- Windscreen mechanism is impossible to operate singlehandedly
Competitors
The Pan Am is entering the top end of a very brand-conscious market. It climbs into a ring with the market-leading BMW 1250(nee 1300) GS, the KTM 1290 Super Adventure R and if we're splitting hairs, the Honda Africa Twin. These bikes are all hovering around the 300k mark and all have very similar levels of electronic rider aids and accessories. Harleys first attempt can hold its head high as it equals and some places exceeds its market competitors.
Verdict
From a product point of view, as an adventure bike, this is an excellent machine that can proudly play on the same trails as the market leaders. As a Harley Davidson product, its so far removed from what you would normally expect and yet fits so nicely into their range. It does what it says on the can and then some. It may not be all American thunder and chrome but as traditionally American companies have proven, they can play in the same arenas as the Europeans and oftentimes, beat them at their own game.
Much like the fusion of different food tastes, it isnt going to appeal to everyone but in this case, we really like the Pan Am fusion cooking and can only recommend going and taking one for a test, they are priced on point and will deliver an exhilarating ride and it enables you to ride a Harley, offroad!
A special thanks to the team at Harley Davidson GoldRand for the demo unit. If you have any enquiries about the special sale of these units feel free to contact them at:
- Cnr Atlas & North Rand Road, Boksburg, Gauteng
- Email: info@hdgoldrand.co.za
- Phone: +27 11 823 3763
