Published in MC avisa 28.09.2021 at 14:27 Last updated: 28.09.2021 at 14:30 Text Jarl Hole When the first images of H-D’s new venture into the adventure-touring segment, the Pan America, began leaking to the press, many shook their heads in disbelief at what they saw.
Apparently big, bulky and with a strange front end, it didn’t exactly scare off the competition.
When the final product reached dealers around the world, it was clear that Harley-Davidson had done a thorough job on the road from prototype to sales-ready version.
That it was a capable motorcycle was confirmed by the reports from the first test rides.
As far as MC-avisa is concerned, it was colleague Kyrre Hagen who had the honor of being the first to test Pan America.
Kyrre’s impressions and assessments can be read in MC-avisa 7/2021.
Unlike Kyrre, I’m not a gravel enthusiast.
My preference is for roads with solid surfaces.
In this context, it’s probably a fact that most so-called adventure bikes are mostly used on solid surfaces and not on gravel roads or out in the countryside.
When I was able to borrow Lazy Boyz’s own copy of Pan America in connection with this year’s edition of the Straand meeting, it was a great chance for me to get an impression of H-D’s latest product on paved roads of varying design and quality over a distance of 420 kilometers.
For the record, this is not a comprehensive test of the Pan America in all its modes, but my impressions of the product over a weekend.
For those who are considering buying a Pan America, what I write can serve as a supplement to Kyrre’s test.
The Revolution Max engine seen from the “brutal” left side.
The engine is a 150 hp powerhouse with smooth pull and low vibration.
A modern H-D engine is of course liquid-cooled with double overhead camshafts and variable valve timing – hooray!
The power transmission to the rear wheel is with a traditional chain.
The Pan America is a large bike with a relatively high step-in height.
This wasn’t a problem for me at 182 cm, but it can be a challenge for smaller riders and not least for the growing number of female motorcyclists.
I should add that the seat can be adjusted in height and that a model variant of the Pan America comes with a raise/lower function that effectively eliminates the problem of a high step-in height.
Perhaps a solution that other manufacturers should also consider?
Once in the seat, I sit comfortably with a good overview.
The screen on the distinctive front can be raised and lowered manually with a pistol grip and provides surprisingly good protection from high-speed winds and associated turbulence.
The instrumentation in the form of a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) display is clear and easy to read and the switches work well.
However, I find the operation of the cruise control to be unnecessarily fiddly.
Add to this the fact that the mirrors are positioned so that you can see more than your own shoulders and that there are protectors/wind deflectors on the right and left sides of the handlebars, and you have a very good “workplace”.
The right side of the engine has a more polished look even though the exhaust system is routed out on that side.
At the heart of Pan America is the large, newly developed, liquid-cooled V-twin engine called Revolution Max.
It has 1250 cc, double overhead camshafts and variable valve timing and produces 150 hp.
In other words, a whole new world from H-D.
The Revolution Max pulls smoothly and effortlessly through the entire range and impresses me with its flexibility and low vibration.
In this respect, it is not inferior to the engine in the Ducati Multistrada V4, which I also got to try during the Straand meeting.
H-D Vestfold had the H-D stand at the Straand meeting because Vrådal is in Vestfold and Telemark county.
They had as many as four Pan Americas for test drives, and all the bikes were more or less occupied the whole time.
Out on the road, the Pan America offers a relaxed, controlled and maneuverable ride.
The braking equipment supplied by Brembo works far better than on any other H-D I’ve ridden.
It’s simply a completely different world.
I never thought I’d experience braking an H-D with two fingers on the front brake, but it works fine on the Pan America.
The rear brake also works well.
My tank bag and “sausage bag” are in place and I’m ready for the trip home, but I stopped by the Indian stand to talk to people I know.
Some of the reports from the first test rides complain about clunky and slow transmission.
I don’t think the bike I rode stood out particularly negatively in this respect.
This could possibly be because it had a lot of miles on the clock and was well “broken in”.
In any case, it’s not the softest gearbox I’ve ever ridden, but it’s not the worst either.
Another objection is the lack of so-called “quick-shift”, ie.
i.e. the possibility of shifting without using the clutch.
This is an alignment that has come floating from motorcycle racing and over to us street motorcyclists.
I own motorcycles both with and without “quick-shift”.
I don’t see any obvious advantages to such a device on a street bike for touring, and regard it as a complicating “ornament” in the same way as silly spoilers on a fairing.
However, in response to the critics, H-D has decided that it will be possible to get “quick-shift” as an option in the immediate future.
Adding that gravel enthusiasts believe that the option of “quick-shift” is valuable to have on loose ground!
As a joke, Børge & Co. from Spinnin Wheel in Mysen covered Pan America with an Indian flag.
It created laughter, but perhaps Indian realizes that here H-D has come up with a motorcycle that will sharpen the competition between them quite sharply?
I don’t like the tires Pan America comes with as standard equipment and which were fitted to the example I was given.
They are neither bird nor fish, neither adventure nor street, but an obvious compromise between the two.
In my opinion, the tires limit the bike’s function on asphalt.
It’s like wearing bad mountain boots on Carl Johan or worn sneakers in the mountains.
As a customer, I would have paid to replace the tires with clean street tires if that’s where I spend most of my time.
It’s not easy to get rid of more than 100 years of baggage.
Harley-Davidson has taken a long and impressive step into the future with Pan America and the Revolution Max engine.
That’s a good thing!
We need up-and-coming American manufacturers with a modern product portfolio that can compete with European and Japanese manufacturers, even though most motorcycles today are produced in countries like Thailand – far from where the brands have their administrative headquarters.
A big thank you to Lazy Boyz by owner Tom Sylling and sales manager Rolf Kåre Valderhaug for the loan of Pan America!