Recent Pan America Test Ride
#1
06-19-2021 | 04:51 PM
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Recent Pan America Test Ride
I am a long-time motorcycle rider with experience of both on-road sport and long distance riding as well as off-road adventure bike riding. I’ve owned 6 BMW GS bikes including my current water-cooled 1200GS and a ’91 GSPD.
Recently, I was fortunate to have a good test ride on the new H-D Pan America adventure bike. I have been following the development of this machine since ousted former H-D CEO Matt Levatich proposed it and I was glad to finally get a feel for it in person.
The pros:
The model I rode was the Special in the attractive orange/white livery with tubeless spoke wheels. Fit and finish was spot-on, meeting or exceeding standards of the competition. I very much appreciated H-D’s unique design take of not following the established trend of beaks, fake scoops, louvers and layers upon layers of plastic panels. Plastic, plastic, some of the current bikes seem almost like Fisher-Price toys because they use so much plastic. I like the attractive, monolithic aluminum fuel tank of the Pan America that, well, actually looks like a fuel tank.
Sitting on the bike, my 6’2” frame felt at home with ergonomics reminiscent of the 2016 BMW GS that I currently ride. Two salespeople, one male one female, attended to me and gave me a detailed overview of the bike. The female was especially keen on all the particulars of the controls. They later confided to me that The Motor Company had put their sales force through detailed training about the particulars of the bike as well as the type of people who would likely be looking at it.
The Pan America cockpit is replete with an extensive array of switches and TFT screen data. More on that later but for my initial launch I focused on the keyless start switch conveniently perched atop the right hand control and the on-the-fly mode selection switch near the start button. The mode switch allows you to instantly select from several programmed riding modes according to the conditions in which you are riding.
The bike started immediately with a press of the button and settled into a well-muted, VERY muted, idle cadence. If you listened carefully, you could discern that it was a twin but there was not much give-away about that in the smoothness and quietness of the motor. I’d rank it about where my 1200 GS places in that category.
Once underway, all of that changed. I started off in the Sport mode. The star feature of this motorcycle is the motor. Power delivery is breath-taking. Also, thankfully, when you task it with a little work the V-twin characteristics come to the forefront.
The engine pulls like a mule down low in several gears. At the upper end of the gearbox and RPM range, the engine is like a sport bike. H-D specs say 150 HP and 94 ft lbs. I don’t know what the true horsepower and torque ratings are but whatever they are, they are very strong throughout the power band. Just think, H-D supposedly designed this Revolution Motor with removable cylinders to allow for later Screamin Eagle big bore kits that can provide even more power! Way too much is about right for some folks.
My ride was being led by the male salesman on a H-D Tourer and, at my request, we covered a pretty good dose of terrible roads and construction zones with potholes and broken asphalt. During those times, I clicked the mode switch to another mode more appropriate for off-road type surfaces. I could feel the suspension and throttle response adapt. The forks and rear shocks soaked up the rough stuff very well since suspension travel is competitive with other brands. However, suspension of the bike leans to tautness in every mode. That’s not a bad thing for me. The bike felt very light on its feet, very nimble.
The Pan America 6-speed transmission is well designed with properly-spaced ratios and smooth clunk-less shifts. There is no gear-clash or rough spots between shifts that is so characteristic of many prominent European bikes. The Pan America does not have the electronic “quick-shift” features of some of its competition. That’s superfluous to me but maybe important for some buyers. My BMW GS has this feature but the gearbox is beset with enough clunky-ness that using the “quick shifter” is not an effortless and smooth affair. I rarely use it except to try it out of curiosity. This feature will probably be added by H-D to subsequent iterations of the Pan America simply to check that box and appease those who have mentioned its absence.
Once out on the highways, I went back to Sport mode and this thing will flat-out haul butt. It’s in a totally different league in that regard compared to my GS. In fact, I would have to concede that the Pan America is almost over the top, beyond the edge in speed performance. Many times, many times I felt the front wheel getting mighty light from throttle input alone.
On a stretch of Interstate, my dealer guide wicked his Tourer up to 80 or 90 and allowed some space between us. I then wrung the throttle in 5th gear for a moment at 80. The front wheel wanted to head for the sky and I really didn’t want to deal with that in those circumstances so I backed off.
I’m not trying to be over-dramatic but I would advise caution with this thing until a new owner is familiar with the Revolution Engine power curve. An unsuspecting rider could get into serious trouble with this thing, especially in the Sport mode.
We didn’t do a whole lot of curvy roads but we covered a few. Again, in Sport mode, the bike was very tight and extremely stable. The Brembo brakes were super strong, hard and very responsive. This thing would be a hoot on mountain roads.
Back to the controls and data screen. Yes, there are a lot of switches and buttons. But, like playing a piano, once you know the location of what you want, it all becomes second nature. The European bikes have as many or more functions but they rely more heavily on using one switch to toggle different selections from a read-out screen with that same switch. In the same way, the Pan America tends to place more information all at once on the bright TFT screen and, when your eyes learn where to look, finding that info is not a problem. I personally found the characters on the screen very legible.
The stock windscreen performed better than I expected. It utilizes a simple but very functional trigger lever that allows you to raise or lower it. I did that maneuver several times during my ride. There is no wonky screw **** or mechanism to hang up. Wind protection from the screen and cockpit fairing was similar to my GS.
H-D has hit a home run with the simple and effective concept of its Adaptive Ride Height suspension that raises and lowers the suspension when you stop or take off. This accommodates short riders who have trouble with the tall nature of adventure bikes. Though I don’t need this feature, I was curious about it. I asked the salesman about it during the ride and told him that I wanted to try it out. He quickly replied that it was already on and I had been riding with it the whole time! I never even noticed it. I felt nothing. Yes, when I stopped I had plenty of reach to the ground from the stock-height seat but I was not aware that such was provided courtesy of the adaptive suspension. Before stopping, it drops the bike an inch or two. Once underway, it jacks the bike up an inch or two for ground clearance. Simple idea that I am amazed has not already been on the market.
Another home run hit by the H-D development team was building a high-horsepower motor that does not require regular valve clearance checks and adjustments. I typically do my own valve adjustments but it’s a task that can be a nuisance. We’ve been fed a line for years that these high performance engines must have solid valve trains and necessitate regular checks and adjustments for proper lash. BS. Thank you, boys and girls from Milwaukee for debunking this myth!
The cons:
Overall, I have few complaints about this machine. For a first-ever effort in a highly competitive market segment dominated by long-time brands like BMW that pretty much invented this type of bike, Harley Davidson has done a very proud job. A few things stood out to me, though, that I must mention amidst all the accolades that I and others rightfully lavish upon the Pan America.
First, when I was trodding through those stretches of wash-outs and broken pavement at relatively low speeds, I sensed a noticeable about of heat being blown up from the radiator fan. The ambient temperature was in the upper 80’s. Once at speeds of 20- 30 MPH or more, this was not an issue. I had the same experience on the water-cooled 1200 GS when I first test rode it. This is not a critical thing in my book and there may be ways of dealing with it. The many other positive aspects of the machine trump this side issue.
The other thing is a subjective thing. The Pan America is much more refined than I expected. I am partial to machines that feel like a machine. I like visceral feel and sound. I had a Guzzi Stelvio that was perhaps my favorite all-time adventure bike from a performance standpoint in large part due to its power-pulsing motor. I also have a Harley XR1200X roadster and I love its brutal nature.
One of my biggest criticisms of my BMW GS is that it lacks that soul, that visceral appeal for me. Other riders look at me perplexed when I talk like this. “You like vibration?” Well, yes, I do. The Pan America, with its 60 degree cylinder splay and added crank pin stagger fires like a 90 degree twin, like a Guzzi or Ducati. I was hoping to have a little more engine feel out of it.
I feel the same way about the exhaust note. The Pan America exhaust system features the required catalytic converter on the header pipes but then that dumps out into a huge breadbox under the bike before exiting through what appears aesthetically like a slip-on muffler. I guess this is all due to regulations but it sure emasculates what could be a much more visceral engine.
I do wonder how much of the smoothness and quietness is beyond regulations and more of a marketing attempt to placate the tender sensibilities of the aging demographic drawn to these bikes.
Summary:
The Harley-Davidson Pan America is a helluva machine that eclipses everything on the market. Engine, suspension and braking performance is on par or above anything else out there. Couple that with innovation features like no valve adjustments, automatic suspension height along with the overall quality fit and finish of the bike and selecting the Pan America over everything else currently available is a no-brainer for me. Oh, being an American brand with an extensive dealer network and a fantastic reliability record doesn’t hurt either.
Recently, I was fortunate to have a good test ride on the new H-D Pan America adventure bike. I have been following the development of this machine since ousted former H-D CEO Matt Levatich proposed it and I was glad to finally get a feel for it in person.
The pros:
The model I rode was the Special in the attractive orange/white livery with tubeless spoke wheels. Fit and finish was spot-on, meeting or exceeding standards of the competition. I very much appreciated H-D’s unique design take of not following the established trend of beaks, fake scoops, louvers and layers upon layers of plastic panels. Plastic, plastic, some of the current bikes seem almost like Fisher-Price toys because they use so much plastic. I like the attractive, monolithic aluminum fuel tank of the Pan America that, well, actually looks like a fuel tank.
Sitting on the bike, my 6’2” frame felt at home with ergonomics reminiscent of the 2016 BMW GS that I currently ride. Two salespeople, one male one female, attended to me and gave me a detailed overview of the bike. The female was especially keen on all the particulars of the controls. They later confided to me that The Motor Company had put their sales force through detailed training about the particulars of the bike as well as the type of people who would likely be looking at it.
The Pan America cockpit is replete with an extensive array of switches and TFT screen data. More on that later but for my initial launch I focused on the keyless start switch conveniently perched atop the right hand control and the on-the-fly mode selection switch near the start button. The mode switch allows you to instantly select from several programmed riding modes according to the conditions in which you are riding.
The bike started immediately with a press of the button and settled into a well-muted, VERY muted, idle cadence. If you listened carefully, you could discern that it was a twin but there was not much give-away about that in the smoothness and quietness of the motor. I’d rank it about where my 1200 GS places in that category.
Once underway, all of that changed. I started off in the Sport mode. The star feature of this motorcycle is the motor. Power delivery is breath-taking. Also, thankfully, when you task it with a little work the V-twin characteristics come to the forefront.
The engine pulls like a mule down low in several gears. At the upper end of the gearbox and RPM range, the engine is like a sport bike. H-D specs say 150 HP and 94 ft lbs. I don’t know what the true horsepower and torque ratings are but whatever they are, they are very strong throughout the power band. Just think, H-D supposedly designed this Revolution Motor with removable cylinders to allow for later Screamin Eagle big bore kits that can provide even more power! Way too much is about right for some folks.
My ride was being led by the male salesman on a H-D Tourer and, at my request, we covered a pretty good dose of terrible roads and construction zones with potholes and broken asphalt. During those times, I clicked the mode switch to another mode more appropriate for off-road type surfaces. I could feel the suspension and throttle response adapt. The forks and rear shocks soaked up the rough stuff very well since suspension travel is competitive with other brands. However, suspension of the bike leans to tautness in every mode. That’s not a bad thing for me. The bike felt very light on its feet, very nimble.
The Pan America 6-speed transmission is well designed with properly-spaced ratios and smooth clunk-less shifts. There is no gear-clash or rough spots between shifts that is so characteristic of many prominent European bikes. The Pan America does not have the electronic “quick-shift” features of some of its competition. That’s superfluous to me but maybe important for some buyers. My BMW GS has this feature but the gearbox is beset with enough clunky-ness that using the “quick shifter” is not an effortless and smooth affair. I rarely use it except to try it out of curiosity. This feature will probably be added by H-D to subsequent iterations of the Pan America simply to check that box and appease those who have mentioned its absence.
Once out on the highways, I went back to Sport mode and this thing will flat-out haul butt. It’s in a totally different league in that regard compared to my GS. In fact, I would have to concede that the Pan America is almost over the top, beyond the edge in speed performance. Many times, many times I felt the front wheel getting mighty light from throttle input alone.
On a stretch of Interstate, my dealer guide wicked his Tourer up to 80 or 90 and allowed some space between us. I then wrung the throttle in 5th gear for a moment at 80. The front wheel wanted to head for the sky and I really didn’t want to deal with that in those circumstances so I backed off.
I’m not trying to be over-dramatic but I would advise caution with this thing until a new owner is familiar with the Revolution Engine power curve. An unsuspecting rider could get into serious trouble with this thing, especially in the Sport mode.
We didn’t do a whole lot of curvy roads but we covered a few. Again, in Sport mode, the bike was very tight and extremely stable. The Brembo brakes were super strong, hard and very responsive. This thing would be a hoot on mountain roads.
Back to the controls and data screen. Yes, there are a lot of switches and buttons. But, like playing a piano, once you know the location of what you want, it all becomes second nature. The European bikes have as many or more functions but they rely more heavily on using one switch to toggle different selections from a read-out screen with that same switch. In the same way, the Pan America tends to place more information all at once on the bright TFT screen and, when your eyes learn where to look, finding that info is not a problem. I personally found the characters on the screen very legible.
The stock windscreen performed better than I expected. It utilizes a simple but very functional trigger lever that allows you to raise or lower it. I did that maneuver several times during my ride. There is no wonky screw **** or mechanism to hang up. Wind protection from the screen and cockpit fairing was similar to my GS.
H-D has hit a home run with the simple and effective concept of its Adaptive Ride Height suspension that raises and lowers the suspension when you stop or take off. This accommodates short riders who have trouble with the tall nature of adventure bikes. Though I don’t need this feature, I was curious about it. I asked the salesman about it during the ride and told him that I wanted to try it out. He quickly replied that it was already on and I had been riding with it the whole time! I never even noticed it. I felt nothing. Yes, when I stopped I had plenty of reach to the ground from the stock-height seat but I was not aware that such was provided courtesy of the adaptive suspension. Before stopping, it drops the bike an inch or two. Once underway, it jacks the bike up an inch or two for ground clearance. Simple idea that I am amazed has not already been on the market.
Another home run hit by the H-D development team was building a high-horsepower motor that does not require regular valve clearance checks and adjustments. I typically do my own valve adjustments but it’s a task that can be a nuisance. We’ve been fed a line for years that these high performance engines must have solid valve trains and necessitate regular checks and adjustments for proper lash. BS. Thank you, boys and girls from Milwaukee for debunking this myth!
The cons:
Overall, I have few complaints about this machine. For a first-ever effort in a highly competitive market segment dominated by long-time brands like BMW that pretty much invented this type of bike, Harley Davidson has done a very proud job. A few things stood out to me, though, that I must mention amidst all the accolades that I and others rightfully lavish upon the Pan America.
First, when I was trodding through those stretches of wash-outs and broken pavement at relatively low speeds, I sensed a noticeable about of heat being blown up from the radiator fan. The ambient temperature was in the upper 80’s. Once at speeds of 20- 30 MPH or more, this was not an issue. I had the same experience on the water-cooled 1200 GS when I first test rode it. This is not a critical thing in my book and there may be ways of dealing with it. The many other positive aspects of the machine trump this side issue.
The other thing is a subjective thing. The Pan America is much more refined than I expected. I am partial to machines that feel like a machine. I like visceral feel and sound. I had a Guzzi Stelvio that was perhaps my favorite all-time adventure bike from a performance standpoint in large part due to its power-pulsing motor. I also have a Harley XR1200X roadster and I love its brutal nature.
One of my biggest criticisms of my BMW GS is that it lacks that soul, that visceral appeal for me. Other riders look at me perplexed when I talk like this. “You like vibration?” Well, yes, I do. The Pan America, with its 60 degree cylinder splay and added crank pin stagger fires like a 90 degree twin, like a Guzzi or Ducati. I was hoping to have a little more engine feel out of it.
I feel the same way about the exhaust note. The Pan America exhaust system features the required catalytic converter on the header pipes but then that dumps out into a huge breadbox under the bike before exiting through what appears aesthetically like a slip-on muffler. I guess this is all due to regulations but it sure emasculates what could be a much more visceral engine.
I do wonder how much of the smoothness and quietness is beyond regulations and more of a marketing attempt to placate the tender sensibilities of the aging demographic drawn to these bikes.
Summary:
The Harley-Davidson Pan America is a helluva machine that eclipses everything on the market. Engine, suspension and braking performance is on par or above anything else out there. Couple that with innovation features like no valve adjustments, automatic suspension height along with the overall quality fit and finish of the bike and selecting the Pan America over everything else currently available is a no-brainer for me. Oh, being an American brand with an extensive dealer network and a fantastic reliability record doesn’t hurt either.
The following 12 users liked this post by leafman60:
'05Train (06-20-2021),
btreinen (06-28-2021),
FLSTFI Dave (06-22-2021),
Jed Clampett (06-19-2021),
LoneWoolf (06-27-2021),
and 7 others liked this post.
#2
06-22-2021 | 11:03 AM
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,665
Likes: 4,109
From: Northeast, NJ
Excellent review....thanks!
I test rode one a few weeks ago and agree with much of your assessment. Tremendous capability that's a touch too refined. I currently ride a 2013 Dyna Switchback and it definitely has "soul" compared to the PA. I found the idling sound very mechanical, lots of valve noise, not too dissimilar from the test ride I remember of the GS. Like you, I had purposely aimed for pot holes and road imperfections, and found the suspension just awesome. One thing I made sure to test was the low speed / low rev smoothness of the engine. I previously had a 2007 Suzuki SV1000S (liquid cooled 996cc V twin) and distinctly remember it being very far from smooth at low speeds / low revs. The PA was excellent in this regard.
I test rode a 2014 GSW (ironically, my local HD dealer was carrying them at the time), but I don't have the ADV backround, so it's great to get your comparisons. It seems the GS is the "standard" in this bike category. My buddy just picked up a GS310 as a fun bike / commuter to NYC, and while at the dealer, I sat on a GS Triple Black. Visually, a really nice bike and I'll admit it, my wallet did tremble a bit.
I fully give HD kudos for this bike. Really really great execution for this type of ride. However, while the price is comparatively good, it's still pricey for me. Also, as a 1st year design, I have some serious pause vs the very evolved design of the GS. I've read HD is already looking at adding a quick shifter (not that I really care one way or another), and I would guess there will be a V2 in the not too distant future that rectifies/evolves some things.
I test rode one a few weeks ago and agree with much of your assessment. Tremendous capability that's a touch too refined. I currently ride a 2013 Dyna Switchback and it definitely has "soul" compared to the PA. I found the idling sound very mechanical, lots of valve noise, not too dissimilar from the test ride I remember of the GS. Like you, I had purposely aimed for pot holes and road imperfections, and found the suspension just awesome. One thing I made sure to test was the low speed / low rev smoothness of the engine. I previously had a 2007 Suzuki SV1000S (liquid cooled 996cc V twin) and distinctly remember it being very far from smooth at low speeds / low revs. The PA was excellent in this regard.
I test rode a 2014 GSW (ironically, my local HD dealer was carrying them at the time), but I don't have the ADV backround, so it's great to get your comparisons. It seems the GS is the "standard" in this bike category. My buddy just picked up a GS310 as a fun bike / commuter to NYC, and while at the dealer, I sat on a GS Triple Black. Visually, a really nice bike and I'll admit it, my wallet did tremble a bit.
I fully give HD kudos for this bike. Really really great execution for this type of ride. However, while the price is comparatively good, it's still pricey for me. Also, as a 1st year design, I have some serious pause vs the very evolved design of the GS. I've read HD is already looking at adding a quick shifter (not that I really care one way or another), and I would guess there will be a V2 in the not too distant future that rectifies/evolves some things.
#4
06-22-2021 | 01:48 PM
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,557
Likes: 1,060
From: Eastern IA
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#5
06-22-2021 | 03:26 PM
5th Gear
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 9
Likes: 7
From: Florida
Great review! I tested one this weekend as a sceptic and walked away very impressed. I can't believe how good of a job they did and this is version 1.0. Ended up ordering one and cant wait till it gets here. It's really not needed but one thing I would like on it though is a quickshifter. Hopefully they'll sell it as an add on.
#6
06-22-2021 | 04:23 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 5,768
Likes: 2,481
From: UK
Great review! I tested one this weekend as a sceptic and walked away very impressed. I can't believe how good of a job they did and this is version 1.0. Ended up ordering one and cant wait till it gets here. It's really not needed but one thing I would like on it though is a quickshifter. Hopefully they'll sell it as an add on.
Nice to have? Yeah.
Big miss? Not really.
The following users liked this post:
Jed Clampett (06-22-2021)
#7
06-23-2021 | 07:07 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 5,747
Likes: 6,017
From: East TN
Rode over to dealer yesterday to confirm that the change, no more orders with Laced wheels does not effect my order. My order was in before the stop for laced wheels. Yea
Last edited by FLSTFI Dave; 06-23-2021 at 07:16 AM.
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#8
06-23-2021 | 07:19 AM
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 770
Likes: 514
From: Detroit Metro Area
#9
06-23-2021 | 07:58 AM
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 7,556
Likes: 6,609
From: Canada
What is this stop ship on laced wheels? Is it something wrong with the wheel or are they just plain out and cannot build that combination anymore?
As far as I know my bike has not even been scheduled yet and I ticked the box for laced wheels. It sure is looking like 2022 for me now.
As far as I know my bike has not even been scheduled yet and I ticked the box for laced wheels. It sure is looking like 2022 for me now.
#10
06-23-2021 | 08:34 AM
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 770
Likes: 514
From: Detroit Metro Area
Gotcha, thanks. All of the sudden the 'stop ship' and recall on the laced wheels for the R1250GS/GSA rushed into my head. It makes sense on the demand issue however. The accessories are out of stock everywhere too! It is a good issue to have for HD but sad for us customers...