Yup.....same here. Usually it's a woman who wanted something "fun" to get around in.

We always have one AWD/4WD vehicle. Stupid not to in Wisconsin. No Jeeps for us though.

 

Seeing knobbies and a chain on the bike makes me wonder if Harley knows how it will be used? 2000 miles on the highway and those knobbies will be gone.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I don't understand the chain. I know KTM uses it, but BMW uses the shaft. I just don't see folks putting up with chain maintenance every 500 miles when they are touring. And as has been said here, highway riding is what it will be used for the big majority of time. Very little time will be spent on trails. Maybe I'm making too much out of the chain issue, and it won't be a sales deterrent after all, but I won't be buying one. And I was ready to trade in my Ultra on the new Pan Am, even though it was a first year model.

 

Yeah, I think Harley should have leaned into how they are really used....

A bike for people who want want to truly get lost on the highways or dirt roads. The reliability standard, it won't leave you stranded. Worked with a tire manufacturer for 12k tire life, easy service when you're on the road, a power port capable of running a compressor, can be dropped without major damage, 250-300 mile range, on and on. If you're gonna use a chain, then the chain and sprockets need to be changeable in the parking lot with supplied tool kit.

Target the big BMW GS and take the crown away (BMW reliability has gone to crap anyway in their attempt to save weight). I guess I'm saying if you're gonna be an adventure pig, shoot for best in show. Maybe they did and we'll learn about it later.

 

I am curious to see the service intervals and what's involved for things like AC, valves, etc. As far as looks, the bar and shield logo looks weird to me with the split in it. I think the Special paint job with the eagle wing tip on the other side of the tank console looks odd, too, jmo, and neither of which is of any real importance. I hope that they sell them by the boatload.

 

I don't get the fear of the chain thing at all. Ducati, KTM, Honda, among others use a chain for their big ADV bike. BMW was universally panned for their "flaming" final drives.

In my mind, the last thing an adventure bike needs is a complicated drivetrain. Keep it simple. My FJ09 has a chain and I simply lube it up and wipe it down every 500 miles. Takes me all of a minute while the bike is idling to warm up (back tire spins in neutral because it's cold). The bike has about 7000 miles on it and the chain and sprockets look great. I doubt it will need to be replaced until maybe 20K miles. Then it will take me an hour. And yes, I could do it in a parking lot if necessary, but I'll stick to preventative maintenance and do it well before the failure point.

As far as the knobbies - that's just marketing and an attempt to make it look like a legit contender in the adventure market. You're not going to see many PAs on the road with knobbies.

 

I too don't get the chain hate. I had a KLR, and it was simply a matter of spraying the chain down before a ride, and wiping it down when I got home. Not a big deal at all. Chains are simple to fix and replace. They're exactly what you want on an Adventure bike.

 

They have solutions for all you chain babies afraid to get your hands dirty.. 😋

http://www.scottoiler.com/products/esystem/

 

If someone I knew got that, I would probably tell them the whole "motorcycle" thing probably isn't for them.

 

Lol... Agreed. But I'm sure it works for some people.

Personally, I spend more time doing maintenance and tinkering than actually riding. Maybe that's an exaggeration, but I really enjoy spending time working on my bike. It's therapeutic.

Lastly, if the reason for the chain hate is because of time wasted, maybe you need to revaluate your priorities. If five minutes of your time is too much to share, maybe you're doing to much in life. Enjoy the simple things.

My theory anyways.

It's cool watching/reading why people like/dislike certain things, and what they find valuable to them. I'm glad we're all different. Makes life more enjoyable.

Edit: "share" was a typo, it was meant to be spare... But now that I've read it, I think share is more appropriate. Sharing your time with your bike is a good thing. 👍

 

and hand in their man card… I had a sportster with a chain on it, and had it converted to the belt drive… It might’ve been the stupidest thing I ever did on a motorcycle... ever…