High HOG - "High Adventure H-D® Style"

Ok, I get it. There are a lot of you who think the Motor Company is too little, too late building an adventure motorcycle. Or, that Harley's Pan America is simply butt ugly. Or, you'd be crazy to be yet another Harley-Davidson guinea pig.

Whatever! You guys are irrelevant. Pan America isn't.

The styling is bold, muscular, and fresh. I'm not looking for an adventure bike that looks like every other Nagasaki-Nut-Bucket out there. Who cares what the latest Euro-style is? Not me. People used to think the Jeep CJs were homely, too. Now look. Frankly, I think the angular lines and muscular stance are freaking awesome. And the full display of the V-Twin engine... Rad! Every other adventure bike designer has hidden their engine behind shrouding and engine guards... as if it isn't important. Sorry, it is. The Motor Company nailed it.

If the 1,250cc, DOHC, 60-degree V-twin engine, with a markedly smaller and integrated crankcase and transmission, runs anything like the 1,250 V-Rod engines, we're in for one helluva ride. Am I concerned about jumping in feet first with a new H-D engine design? Nope. I was an early adopter of the M8 engine in my 2017 CVO Street Glide. Sure, it had a couple of early issues, so what?

I have studied the Pan America from every angle. It looks like it is going to be an amazing pack-mule for off-road adventures. With its front engine-guard design, It has a feature no other adventure bike has; a great place to mount additional gear. I can see my hunting rifle, shotgun, or fishing gear mounted there.

This past winter I did a 128" build on my CVO with plans to go camping and long-distance touring. I got a few trips in, but COVID put a damper on a most of my plans. And, even though I got a few camping adventures in, the CVO proved to be precarious, at best, getting to some of the more remote tent camping spots. With that experience behind me, I'm going to retire the CVO to local rides and long-distance street touring.

Earlier this week, I put my deposit down on a Pan America at my local dealer so I can do some serious off-road adventuring across America. I'm first in line. I can't wait, and I'm looking forward to the virtual release in February so I can see some of the accessories.

Between now and my delivery day, which I'm hoping will be in March or early April, I have a lot of work to do to get my gear worked out. In January I'm planning my first cold-weather camping test in the Prescott National Forest. Later on, I will try my luck with a wet-weather test.

Fortunately for me, I am surrounded by OHV parks. They will give me an opportunity to get my dirt legs back again before I go on any long excursions. I have not been an enduro rider since my teen years. I grew up in the backcountry on Honda XLs.

I have decided that I'm going to video blog my entire experience. I'm a 60-something man about to regress back to my teen years, living a life of adventure, where everything is new and exciting. I can't imagine doing it any other way than on the back of the iconic-brand I love and relate with most.

With a 30" or so seat height, the Pan America will be the tallest Harley-Davidson ever made. So, I have decided to call my adventure channel, High HOG. If you are interested in the Pan America and adventure riding, and you want to be notified when my video stream goes live, send me a PM.

 

Lol...

This is a goof, right? Satire?

 

If you're serious, and this isn't a joke...

Make sure you get an InReach or Spot tracker, you're going to need it. 🙃🤕🦝🔥

 

Why, because YOU think that Harley-Davidson can't build a motorcycle?

Fine, I get it, you're a hater.

While you here hating, I will be out adventure riding, camping, exploring, and touring. If I have to shake out a bug or two, that won't make my Pan America any different than the new BMWs and Hondas I've owned.

Hate on... I don't care.

 

I don't hate the bike, I think I'm more worried about your ambitions!

Sounds like you need an RV, not an adventure bike.

Rifles, fishing poles, accessories... Good Lord.


You should get one of those weber grills too!



Please post the link once you begin, I'll be your first subscriber. I don't want to miss this. 👍

 

You forgot to list my drone and camera equipment. It's going, as well.

I have an RV... it won't go where an adventure bike will go. And my CVO and camping trailer won't go off-road, either. That's what adventure bikes are designed to do. Fishing, camping, and hunting off of an adventure bike is common stuff among adventure riders. You don't have to do all of the above on the same trip.

You fun about a weber grill, but you'd be amazed at what you can cook off-road with one of these:
I'm going to tackle the Trans American Trail and will do it well-packed on my Pan America.

You might enjoy this 30-day, 6,000 off-road adventure on video:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtH...awcksbm7Vj3w6w

 

Subscribed...
Looking forward to how you like it..

 

I have the same plans! I have the Limited and the RV too but looking to pick up the PA and doing the TAT (and Deadhorse, and Tuk). We should hook up along the way somewhere and become 2 PA's riding the TAT! I have my deposit down on one and I am #6 at my dealer. I am looking forward to the reveal.

 

I’m #1 in line at my local dealer.... I was told mid April timeframe for delivery..

 

I mean, doing the TAT on a large adventure bike like the R1200GS is virtually impossible for all but the best riders. Unless you want to spend 99% of the time following it via tar.

Hey, the PanAm is on my list for new bikes - I like the styling and hope it's a contender for a good ADV bike, but make no mistakes, an ADV bike of the GSA and PanAm's size is nothing more than a gravel road bike for 99% of riders. Buy a DR650, KTM 790ADV, Tenere 700 if you have any notions of riding "off road" and not killing yourself while travelling.