This one from Bild.de:

https://translate.google.com/transla...search&pto=aue

More poor auto-translate from Google - but you can get the general drift!

Is that really supposed to be a Harley?

Harley takes off: The US manufacturer wants to stir up the travel enduro market with Pan America

From: JAN HORN
April 13th, 2021 - 4:33 am
Harley-Davidson wants to stir up the big travel enduro market and compete with the BMW R 1250 GS with the Pan America 1250. Does it work?

Place there! Or better: Get out of my way! Because that's how she comes across. The Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 works. Stately, present, a mighty piece of metal, a self-confident pile of mechanical engineering.

It has to be like that. That's the league. The league of the big travel enduros around the BMW R 1250 GS, Ducati Multistrada and KTM Super Adventure. These large enduros are high-tech high seats that move across the board with a burst of prestige and the best all-round properties. Travel, scramble, hump, tick off Alpine passes - that already includes your basic training.

Harley wants a piece of the pie

Thanks to its versatility, among other things, the BMW GS is the best-selling motorcycle in Germany. It goes without saying that Harley would like a piece of this cake. The prophecy of AUTO BILD MOTORRAD: Not only a few crumbs will land on the American plate.

The two cylinders of the V2 are slightly offset, which improves the power output

All control programs can be finely adjusted via the central display. Seven driving modes are available

Drivers up to 1.80 size will find the best wind protection behind the adjustable windscreen - taller pilots should order the higher windscreen from the accessories

The Americans do almost everything right

Pan America has the right facilities, the right self-portrayal, the right price. The Pan America's 1250 cubic cylinder with 152 hp shines with a wide range. From the basement of revs, he starts off with a juicy start. Then comes a middle that is as soft as it is powerful. And the engine is not afraid of wringing out into the red area either.

Two balancer shafts tame the mass unrest. The engine works cultivated and yet robust enough for this displacement league. Great: In the sport mode, the Revolution-Max engine tears the chain with full enthusiasm even with a slight acceleration, and at the end goes into the rev limiter with a wonderful grumbling.

Completely different in rain mode. The control electronics of the throttle valve elements gently portion the Newton meters in the direction of the drive. Really successful: The transmission shifts extremely cleanly and snaps comfortably. You can hear the mechanism, but never feel it scratching uncomfortably under your foot.

The V2 doesn't sound like Harley

A shame on the other hand: The V2 sounds like - let's say it very clearly - nüscht! Harley has not rehearsed voluminous bass keys or any other angry rumble with the Pan America.

But the Americans were with her in the gym. Five hundredweight on paper? Where are the above walking pace? If the big enduro is only minimally in swing, you will be amazed. You can really thresh it forward, resolutely push the entrance to the curve, anchor courageously. Pan America copes well with the pace. Motorway, 200 km / h upwards, fully on the gas, plus a slight incline: here nothing twitches, commutes or stomps.

Cruise control programmed without errors

For this purpose, Harley has programmed the drive control without errors. The electronics filter out slippage at the end of the bend finely and quickly, but never in an unsuitably strict manner.

In an inclined position, the Pan America submerges pleasantly binding. In doing so, it does not sag overzealously over its weight, nor dives listlessly into the bend - it leans down rather dignified, takes a stoic leaning position that fits the radius.

It is a lot of fun to let the Brocken flow along winding country roads with such fine viscosity. Also because you sit on top of and in the middle of the machine at the same time, despite the upright position and the knee angle that is suitable for travel, you can feel all maneuvers.

Two off-road driving programs make riding on gravel easier

Suspension works sensitively

Drivers up to 1.80 size will find the best wind protection behind the adjustable windscreen. Larger pilots should order the higher lens from the accessories, otherwise the helmet will tumble in the loud vortex area above the plexiglass edge. A shame: the setting mechanism of the shield is ingeniously designed, but difficult to reach and is only moderately backlash-free in its plastic sockets in strong headwinds.

To complete the little gripes: the driving mode button can only be found under the twisting of the right hand with the thumb or forefinger, and the rear seat cushion should like to cling more tightly to its lower shell.

The rest: a party. The clutch lever (cable) wants to be pulled with a tight fist, but then doses it very sensitively in the direction of frictional connection. The brakes can be applied in a cultivated manner with light operating force, as well as biting forcefully when the hand lever is pulled more tightly. The suspension also works sensitively, the multimedia equipment with fast smartphone connection and good graphic display on the large touch screen is set up in an exemplary manner. So much for the street motorcycle.

Driving the Pan America 1250 over winding country roads is really fun

The off-road motorcycle is also great

And then there's a second machine in the Pan America: the off-road bolide. The well thought-out giant. It starts with little things: The footrest rubbers can be removed almost while driving and put in your jacket pocket - you immediately have grippy claws under your muddy boots.

In addition, the brake lever can be raised in seconds to make it easier to ride while standing. In off-road mode (there are two of them) throttle response and ABS control are also adapted; so the big Harley feels unexpectedly sensitive over gravel and Co. And it follows, driven standing, passably the knee of the driver.

Should he be one of the short-legged off-road candidates: The Harley adjusts the rear suspension strut and, as a result, the seat height by up to 50 millimeters using an electric motor. Sssst - and in no time the thing makes a polite curtsey. In addition, the seat holder offers a second bracket so that the saddle can also be adjusted by 25 millimeters. You could also say that Pan America adapts quite nicely.

Or better: She could become everybody's darling.

 

How is the German press getting to ride the bikes before the Americans?

 

Asian and European trade shows happen before the US ones I guess. Harley is really targeting Europe with this bike too. But they are coming around the circuit here. they will have them for demo days on 5/7-9 in Peoria, IL.

 

There are 6 bikes currently making the rounds in Europe for dealer familiarisation. I think they started in Belgium and are now in Germany. One will be in the UK on May 8th at a dealer near me, so I will go and see it in the flesh.

 

One of the local dealers has the HD demo truck coming Friday. They will have one PA. I will look at it then but not ride it as I'm sure there will be a good wait for it. However....I will be headed down to central Texas this week end for my reserved demo ride. Harley has 3 days of Pan America exclusive demos going on. My ride is Sunday morning, I'll post my impressions when I get back home.

 

Please do. We'll be really interested to hear what you have to say.

In other German PanAm news - here's a 30 minute review and road test. Does anyone speak good German - I'd love to know what they are saying:

 

There a journalist on Reddit answering questions and participating in a press event in Germany. I'd guess this is open to international press. He is very positive about the Pan American.

 

Our local dealership had the demo truck for employees only end of last month. Owner speaks highly of it there were KTM BMW and a Ducati for them to tried it out. Some local riders were able to sit on it but we were in Death Valley that weekend.

 

Yeah there are trucks going around to show dealers here in the US, but they aren't allowing the dealers to make videos about it.