I thought this was pretty good, for a more in-depth review, watch the one Law Abiding Biker put out. Harley invited Ryan and Lurch to come ride these at Sturgis and Ryan really covered a lot too. I think you might like it.
You killed it Baldy! I've seen a lot of videos, and most of them look pretty similar: - Express early skepticism about Harley pulling this off - Admit being wrong - Talk about stonkin' motor! - Describe bike features - Talk about how it rides on/off road - Talk about how it stacks up to competition This is the first video I've seen that goes in-depth into the height of the bike (and super well done with that, Baldy!) with the various seat options, as well as digging in to some of the P&A offerings. The explanation about the top case was fantastic! I thought I'd read about pretty much all there was to learn about this bike, to date, and that was definitely a new piece of information! Very cool! Just a super well-done video! Congratulations, and THANK YOU for giving us something different!
Thanks! I knew the pro moto journalists would cover performance and specs well, so I decided to try and answer the questions we had gotten on the live blog about comfort, fit, etc.-more what everyday riders are focused on.
@@robertp457 Not really sure what you mean? The Livewire has been available for sale for two years now, and the Street series has been available for sale since 2014.
I have to admit I was a sceptic when the Pan American was announced, but it's clear that Harley thoroughly researched the market, figured out what they could do to differentiate the bike, and executed very well to bring a true contender to market. Pretty impressive considering the company has never built an adventure bike before.
KTM had never made an adventure bike either. ...then they made the 950. I love that the most common comment about this motorcycle is exactly the same as yours; "I'm impressed for their first attempt" this isn't abject failure, but it's not a success either. The fact that people are only "impressed for a first effort" is a testament to just how far away H-D still is from making affordable, desirable, marketable motorcycles for motorcycle enthusiasts. This bike will never be successful. It's just bad philosophy. There is nothing about the company or the people behind it that lend itself to building motorcycles like these. ...and I'm not just talking about ADV bikes specifically, but any performance motorcycle made to a price point. The reason the KTM is so good is because they are an off-road motorcycle company. The reason the GS is so good is because they have been refining and redesigning it for almost 40 years. So..maybe in 40 years this bike will be great, or maybe if H-D buys up (and dismantles) a few more dirtbike companies they'll learn what they need to...but I wouldn't hold your breath.
Whoa this is by far the best Pan America video out right now. I love how it was shot and I get to see all my favorite journalists in one video give their highlights. I guess I don't expect anything less from ADVRider...
I'll be hanging onto the GSA for a while. This bike does look promising, but I'm always hesitant to get the first year of a new model before seeing if there's any issues that need to be corrected. That goes for every manufacturer, including BMW.
@@TimothyT230 oh I'm not switching any time soon, I'm just interested and looking forward to riding one of these. I have 2 BMWs right now, a 17 GSA and a 16 R nineT and I have no complaints about either of them.
I just test road one last week. I don't plan to do any serious off-road riding, but sport touring is my thing. I'm sold! Working on the financial end and the availability of the Sport saddlebags and top box. Great video! It was nice to hear that I'm not fooling myself...
OK. I have never, ever, had an interest in any Harley, but this bike is seriously amazing. I hope that HD can let the design ideas and corporate direction of the PanAm drive the company. I'm looking for a new ADV bike and this one will get me into a HD shop.
Really like this video format, especially the inclusion of other journalists' opinions. Good on you for having the HD reps explain some of the systems and features firsthand. This video is a cut above the others out there. Kudos.
What price were you quoted? I stopped by my local dealer and finally discovered that it was around $32,000 after I had to sit down and act like I was interested in purchasing it.
@@hdfbrider32 I have not gone shopping for any quotes... I assumed MSRP at $20k was the norm at dealers. It doesn't surprise me some HD dealers are being greedy and stupid. Hopefully most dealers are being reasonable cuz ADV bike competition is fierce.
I agree. I have to admit that as a long-time Kawasaki and BMW owner, I am very impressed with Harley’s engineering and attention to detail. If this engine is durable and reliable, they have a winner. I am not a real adventure rider, currently ride a K1200LT for long trips and KLR650 for backroad riding, but this engine looks like a great platform for a family of bikes. I’d love to see Harley build a luxury touring bike around the Revolution Max engine. They could give both Honda and BMW some real competition.
@@roadglide Have you ridden the “new” Gold Wing? It is not an impressive redesign at all. Even though Honda had 6+ years to analyze BMW’s K1600 series, they came out with a bike that is 80 lbs heavier, has less power, has less range, is less comfortable, has smaller luggage capacity and has poorer suspension. My wife and I test road pretty much every possible successor to our aging LT and not captured our fancy. In the same summer (2018) we rode the Gold Wing, K1600GTL, K1600GA, and Yamaha Intercontinental. Each had its strengths, but none were a better all-around touring package than is our 2007 K1200LT. If Harley puts the same level of detail in a luxury touring bike design as they have in the Revolution Max 1250 engine, they could easily give both BMW (its 1600 bikes are getting long in the tooth) and Honda (its Gold Wing wasn’t even state of the art when released in 2018) some serious competition.
So much this! It's great that Harley is making a good first impression on the marketplace. If I recall correctly, so did the M8 (with its sumping and trans oil transfer issues), and the Twin Cam (with its cam bearing and cam chain tensioner issues). Let's see how the beta testers do with it for a year or so then see how good of a bike it is.
These kind of "reviews" should be called what they are: advertisements. A bunch of influencers (I won't call you journalists) are wined and dined by the manufacturer in a tightly controlled setting and with very little time. There's no way you can make an independent and substantial assessment of the bike's weaknesses in a real life setting (all day touring over a few hundred miles at least over various roads). It was not mentioned the right knee gets a lot of heat from the exhaust pipe, the flimsy plastic heat shields on top of the valve covers don't prevent potentially burning your knees (a major design flaw in my view), that it has no quick shifter, has a cable actuated clutch, the seats are too soft for all day riding (as mentioned in a few other reviews), the windshield mechanism is cumbersome and becomes inoperable after a day in the dirt, how sturdy are the handguards, any heated grips or seats, how about the electrical outlets for accessories, the range and consumption, etc. You know, the stuff that really matters for long-distance touring. Also, the engine doesn't come alive until 6k RPM (6:10)? Who in real life rides an adventure bike like a 4-cylinder sports bike? This to me is a major engine characteristic that could turn off a lot of potential buyers and should have been focused on more.
I think it was really smart to mention the dealer network. Assuming every Harley dealer will work on this bike, in my town alone there are 3 dealers in a 20 minute radius. The closest BMW dealer is nearly 3 hours away. The local Ducati dealer is always in a state of new ownership, and the KTM dealers aren't any better.
Hey Jim, there is another dealer factor not mentioned here and that is the friendliness of the network itself. As an ADV rider I have utilized the Harley network for a decade and have received unanimous support from mechanics with long beards and more tattoos than a prison yard. Those guys made me feel WELCOME, even on a BMW GS or on a vintage Kawasaki sport bike. Sure, they gave me good-natured ribbing for my Aerostich, like anyone else does outside of a BMW rally, but they were friends. Harley has advantages and the ones I think of as insiders are a whole different, and better, breed than the stoplight wannabees we love to make fun of.
Yes! Your right, you throw a rock in any direction and hit a Harley Dealer. Plus Harley is pretty good about advanced training for the mechanics, or at least that's what I've been told.
As a prior service manager for HD, the real question will be whether the dealerships near you have mechanics who received the training necessary to work on this bike.
I had talked myself into the Road Glide in the Spring always loved them but that got put on hold with the release of the Pan America. My first HD will be the Pan America just have to decide on the color.
Baldy - full stop your video is the best and most informative one I have seen come out of this demo weekend. I actually learned some things about the bike that I didn't catch just from reading the specs. Awesome work!
He did a good job and it was all "just the facts, ma'am!" and the last minute or so made it clear where it sits in the overall market, and it sits in a good place!
What a surprise a journalist gets a free trip for a couple of days of riding in the desert and is complimentary of the bike. I’ll be interested to hear about when a HD really ends up in your garage.
Cool to see a bit behind the scenes. I like the direction Harley is going. Hopefully they keep branching out to new areas, as they will actually gain new riders.
Harley needed a win, and they got it. I still love my Road Glide, but I'm going to consider the Pan Am. It may come in handy for the coming Apocalypse.
The accessories part was a real value add...nice work. You’ve added a whole lot to the information about this bike. It’s looking more and more like this is going to be a huge success for Harley.
Of course, they could have put those upgraded footpegs, lights, and radiator shield on stock, but then they wouldn't have had anything to sell you post-sales. And that's not how HD works.
Well, I purposely chose your video to watch on my information thirst for this bike. ADV guys wouldn’t waffle around. I will test ride this bike this week. I may go home with one. The bike does look great in the flesh.
Every new video teaches me about more features and options! Thanks for sharing this. I gave them a deposit as soon as they would take it. I sold my R1200GS and I’m impatiently waiting for my Pan Am 😁
@@TimothyT230 my plan is to maintain the chain until it is time for replacement and then swap to that new diamond coated chain developed for BMW. They claim no lube, no wear, ever. Cost about $300. 😁
I have been thinking how a self lowering seat could work for over 10 years. I am happy someone finally came up with the idea. Most dual sport bikes come with a 36"+ seat height. I lowered my KLR 650 2" and I still couldn't flat foot it at a stop sign. Great report and good information. My Ural does not matter for the seat height.
A true test would be to load PanAmerica down with camping gear, drive it 500 miles on the freeway with a group of similarly loaded BMW, KTM and other adv bikes. Then immediately take them deep off road 50 miles into the boondocks to a wild campsite, pitch tents, kick back, make supper, and swap lies. Then come home the next day by a different route. No support vehicles or nannies. Take anything you want -- so long as you carry it on the bike. That would tell the tale. In fact, Harley-Davidson should challenge other makers to do the above!
HD has done a good one here! I'm not interested in an adventure bike but the roadster they've shown built around the same engine really interests me. Please build it HD! For the 1st time in my life I might consider buying an HD product!
Is the HD Dealership network up to the challenge??? They're gonna have to change from full bagger mode. Hopefully, having lots of new customers asking a different range of questions to normal. Be interesting to hear opinions a year from now. I really hope it works out for HD. 👍👍
Thanks for the review. I have been waiting to see what real adventure riders think of this motorcycle and you are certainly a real ADV rider. It's too bad they charge extra for the low or tall seat rather than just giving the buyer the option. I also think it should have the radiator protection, skid guard, and wide pegs as standard since it is an ADV bike after all. I do understand that's how things work though and it helps keep the price of the bike down and other manufacturers do the same.
WOW! I was very surprised to hear the conclusion and also happy that Harley did such a good job on the initial version of this machine. The design suggests a rugged reliability aside from damage events which may highlight the front and low component placements even with the aluminum protectors. Time will tell. For those of you celebrating the ruggedness of the GS series over this bike I would share a personal experience during a riding school when our instructor log-hopped a brand new HP2 and landed the mid-frame directly on the oil pan, utterly cracking it and leaving most of its engine oil right there. Damage can happen to any of these huge bikes when we treat them like motocross machines, so keep the mission in mind. Thanks, Baldy, for sharing the valuable experience with us.
The tipping thing looked great on flat ground, could we see how scary that heavy of a bike is on a steep climb losing traction and falling? Yeah, best case scenario is a precarious perched bike that'll take a couple people to extract. Losing that bike to gravity at its weight would be the end of it. Also likely if it falls on you, you'll be going in the ambulance. The other thing is Harley is almost exclusively in the US on dealers, very little canada and almost no south america. Those dealers are all in big cities way away from adventure territory so good luck on parts if you ride anywhere outside the US. I think you found its right home...The deserts of America where it is just a giant trial no matter where you go. If you get out of mud puddles, dirt trail and into actual adventure riding, you really need a Tenere or old KLR.
As a Harley owner for yrs who also owns a KTM 790 ADV R, I thought HD would miss & make a 700# tank w/ no power & no suspension for off-road; I was wrong, I’m excited about this bike
The demo truck stopped at my HD dealer. Overall, I would consider the standard with some options vs. the special with all the bells. The base price is reasonable but you get sticker shock quickly when you jump into the catalog. I'm not completely sold yet.
Great video. It's so useful to know at least the height, and if possible the inseam and weight, of the reviewers. I'm 6'4" with a long midsection, and that has a huge influence on my purchases. Good job!
Good real world review Baldy. I have to admit, I never thought I'd like the Pan America. I currently own a R1250GSA and it's in no danger of getting replaced by the H-D. However, I sure like the Pan America and feel like H-D has gone above and beyond what most thought they could do in this segment.
It certainly has some cool stuff. @ 5'7" I think its cool that the suspension lowers. I ride a 2017 AT manuel clutch. Its tall on the trails even with the lower seat. I LOVE my low end grunt. Smh, Lots of stuff is nice in this bike, however 6000 rpm ? Weird torque curve for a bigbore adv. Baldy love the review,jealous you guys get to ride so much cool stuff. As a guy who has ridden about 300k street miles, harleys are great bikes. Most of those miles were on my harleys. Honestly, I think this bike will appeal to the road glide , Electra glide , road king guys. Lots of cool gadgets. But without low end grunt.... tough to call it ADV. I ride my africa offroad here in arizona. I dumped it in a feild of dinasoar eggs , man its a big bike. But I got it back up,no damage ( to the bike ). Those bars on the P.A. leave a lot to be desired. Then I used my low end juice to find more suitable desert rocks to happily bounce around on. Btw, 50 mph is just fine. Plenty of stupid happens at lesser speeds,no sense tempting fate. jeffswhirled:adv rider Again, thanks for living the dream and your review.
I gotta say that I initially thought Harley was out of their minds to build another big, heavy, expensive, ADV bike! Who cares, I thought? Man oh man, was I ever wrong! So wrong! I have watched multiple reviews of this bike over the weekend by people who are NOT Harley fan boys and are the absolute toughest critics on the planet and every single one has given a whole hearted thumbs up to Harley! Some act just giddy when talking about the bike! I have noticed that every time someone talks about the engine they start smiling! Looks like a great start for Harley in the adv class. Awesome! Great review!
Great video! I appreciate your rationale for buying the Pan America over the other competitors. Kudos to HD for coming out swinging for the fences! I'm sold too!
Looks and seems great. What I'm looking forward to is seeing this new engine in other applications, such as the Custom 1250. Massive potential in this new engine. Could be the game changer for HD, more so than any one bike. High HP, solid torque, liquid-cooled and valves that never need to be adjusted.
Great review! I rode a Pan Am last weekend alongside a KTM 1290, Africa Twin, and BMW GS where we all got turns riding each. Overall I honestly liked the Pan Am the best, it was simply the best overall compromise and package between the four IMHO.
I guess bikes are very personal when deciding what you like. I own a 2020 Africa Twin and after hearing all the hype about the Pan America was keen to buy one. I went for a ride on a Pan America and was so underwhelmed, I thought the power delivery was way better on the Africa Twin as was the gearbox and TFT screen. The PA gearbox was so agricultural when compared to the AT. The PA motor felt souless when compared to At. I did like the comfort of the PA, which is an important factor on an ADV bike, the stock Honda Seat on the CRF110L is like a plank. I walked away from the ride scratching my head thinking the PA is a mid pack ADV bike at best. I'm sure it will improve over time, so I'll take a look at the next iteration.
Nice to see they really thought through the ergonomics with the seat and bar options, in addition to the self-lowering suspension. And some reasonably good accessories available right out of the box.
Good job from HD they have caught up with the rest of the ADV world. Nothing new or ground breaking here, just "me-to" functionality, weigh and power. Good to see them producing modern motorcycles
I admit it. I was skeptical. Harley can put a nice finish on a bike. But you can put a shine on any turd. No matter, ALL of the big bikes are outside my financial ability. If I DID have the spare change, the Pan America would CERTAINLY be on my list to check out. The press photos didn't do the bike much justice.... though its still got the face only a mother could love. But there's potential. Harley truly seems to have done an outstanding job pre-release. I'm hopeful the market will roll their way and it will breathe some fresh air into the brand. You hit so many solid facts on "if i would buy". I think I would. After seeing a few reviews, with honestly yours being the best of them.... I really think the Pan America would be in my garage.
Man that bike is the real:deal. It’s nice to see a rider (who are generally brand loyal) choose it over all others in that category. Honestly shocked 😮. Great review.
This should be a breaker for the Asian market. The adapting suspension and reachability for those who are shorter, the nice pricing, plus the Harley brand that most Asian loves as it shows uniqueness and pride. Harley should put more in-depth effort for this market.
I took a test ride after watching this video and I'm sold, to the point where I'm getting rid of my 1290 superduke gt for the PanAm, what a magical bike....just for reference I use to have a 2018 GS Rallye...👍 Great review 👍
I'm thinking about getting one of these. I'm of similar age and stature. This video was very helpful. You covered some specifics about options, ride height adjustments, risers, etc. that I haven't seen on any of the other reviews. Thanks for the great work.
I like this bike. Haven't and probably won't get to ride one, but from all said, it sounds great. I wish they would put the engine in a sporty standard. I feel like most of the accessories should be stock components.
I agree with you on there being no valves to adjust and the vast dealer network. Hell, I had 3 Suzuki/Honda/Yamaha dealers within 40 miles and now it's down to one and not sure how long it will last. Reliability is what I'm waiting to see now.
I've never considered having a harley sitting in my garage but overall reviews have been impressive. Once the high mileage reviews come out I may purchase one.
Great video! Entertaining, fast pace. I've watched a few of this Pan America review videos from the press, and you've got the best one. Looks like Harley did pretty well with the bike too!
I rode it today, and I have to say I am impressed. I took it out on the riding academy range first, and it U turns ,and serpentines really well, then I took it out on the road, it has lots of power that I didn't expect. The adaptive suspension is awesome , and it handles very well. There isn't really anything bad I can say about it except I don't like the look of the stock muffler.
Great review. You included off road experience and options. Also, you said why like or dislike. I'm not sure that this is the bike for me but its versatility is beginning to sell me more and more. Thanks.
The most amazing thing I saw (and there was a lot to amaze with) was the fact that they put REAL footpegs for the passenger. Passengers always seem to be an afterthought on almost everything less than a full tourer. Well done Harley! 👏 👏 👏
Great bike review, appreciate your insights into this bike. I see that Harley Davidson has done their homework in making this a competitive bike for this market. They have a lot of accessory options which makes me think that HD wants to nickel and dime customers for options that should be standard but over all it seems like a new model and it looks pretty good.
Great video. Diffrent presentation. Brief and lots of info on the important stuff. I was not expecting you say you'll buy the HD. I can't wait for May!
You guys deserve more subscribers! Great video! I'm subbed. I'm spending my morning watching all the same videos from this same Pan America launch and I must say this is the best review thus far that I've watched. Keep makin' them and we'll keep watching. ride safe, Scott
Great video thanks ! I think the biggest thing Harley has with this bike is the vast dealer network.. But if the dealerships don’t put parts on the shelf you will still wait to get your bike fixed.. I’m going to buy one in the near future !!
I really like the Pan America. However, I think Harley let their desire to sell accessories leak a bit too much, like on the footpegs. Why aren't the wide pegs standard? They are more comfortable in all cases anyway.
Great review ! Of all the reviews I've read or watched yours had way more info on options and accessories . As a Tiger 800 owner this bike has my attention .
Test drove one today in Albuquerque. I was impressed, especially as an HD hater. Scary fast, killer brakes, didn't feel that heavy though it's too big and heavy for my offroad ability and style. Loved the automatic seat lowering. Would be a great sport touring bike with pillion. I'd buy one today if I had the money. I did have some fuel injection stumble at low speed/rpm.
They've incorporated a lot of features from other bikes in the group. Like the swinging luggage from Triumph or the rubber peg inserts. I'm not sure I'm sold on these displays tho and for the same reasons you cite. KTM and BMW have similar displays-seems like you should be able to dim them or at least have a choice of dark or light and a couple of fonts. I think the valves thing is something I'll never understand why BMW hasn't gotten that done. Great review. It's goes a lot different than I expected. It will be interesting to see the longer term and real owner reviews to come.
Yeah, I agree, this is more "welcome to 2019" than it is "innovation", though the engine is innovative with the use of hydraulic valves for this segment as far as I can tell.
Thus far, this is the best video that covers the Pan America. Hands Down.
I thought this was pretty good, for a more in-depth review, watch the one Law Abiding Biker put out. Harley invited Ryan and Lurch to come ride these at Sturgis and Ryan really covered a lot too. I think you might like it.
I like how you conferred with your colleagues in the industry. Rarely seen, but a benefit to the viewer. Well done!
You killed it Baldy!
I've seen a lot of videos, and most of them look pretty similar:
- Express early skepticism about Harley pulling this off
- Admit being wrong
- Talk about stonkin' motor!
- Describe bike features
- Talk about how it rides on/off road
- Talk about how it stacks up to competition
This is the first video I've seen that goes in-depth into the height of the bike (and super well done with that, Baldy!) with the various seat options, as well as digging in to some of the P&A offerings.
The explanation about the top case was fantastic! I thought I'd read about pretty much all there was to learn about this bike, to date, and that was definitely a new piece of information! Very cool!
Just a super well-done video! Congratulations, and THANK YOU for giving us something different!
Thanks! I knew the pro moto journalists would cover performance and specs well, so I decided to try and answer the questions we had gotten on the live blog about comfort, fit, etc.-more what everyday riders are focused on.
@@Baldy Mission accomplished, sir! 👍
You can't blame people being skeptical after the Street series, Livewire and all of their "new" motorcycles they were supposed to release.
@@robertp457 Not really sure what you mean? The Livewire has been available for sale for two years now, and the Street series has been available for sale since 2014.
I have to admit I was a sceptic when the Pan American was announced, but it's clear that Harley thoroughly researched the market, figured out what they could do to differentiate the bike, and executed very well to bring a true contender to market. Pretty impressive considering the company has never built an adventure bike before.
Thought harley started with an adventure bike? Wasnt the first or 2nd bike they ever made an adventure bike?
KTM had never made an adventure bike either. ...then they made the 950.
I love that the most common comment about this motorcycle is exactly the same as yours; "I'm impressed for their first attempt"
this isn't abject failure, but it's not a success either. The fact that people are only "impressed for a first effort" is a testament to just how far away H-D still is from making affordable, desirable, marketable motorcycles for motorcycle enthusiasts.
This bike will never be successful. It's just bad philosophy. There is nothing about the company or the people behind it that lend itself to building motorcycles like these. ...and I'm not just talking about ADV bikes specifically, but any performance motorcycle made to a price point.
The reason the KTM is so good is because they are an off-road motorcycle company. The reason the GS is so good is because they have been refining and redesigning it for almost 40 years. So..maybe in 40 years this bike will be great, or maybe if H-D buys up (and dismantles) a few more dirtbike companies they'll learn what they need to...but I wouldn't hold your breath.
Whoa this is by far the best Pan America video out right now. I love how it was shot and I get to see all my favorite journalists in one video give their highlights. I guess I don't expect anything less from ADVRider...
Jumping from a BMW to a Harley. I never thought I’d consider it...but here I am. Congrats HD!
Same for me . 1250 GS to the new HD special pan america
I'll be hanging onto the GSA for a while. This bike does look promising, but I'm always hesitant to get the first year of a new model before seeing if there's any issues that need to be corrected. That goes for every manufacturer, including BMW.
@@TimothyT230 It's a good trade off for valves that NEVER need adjusting and cheaper maintenance overall.
@@TimothyT230 yeah, I've owned plenty of them. Kawasaki Ninja 650R, Honda CBR 600RR, Ducati Panigale 899, etc. Why?
@@TimothyT230 oh I'm not switching any time soon, I'm just interested and looking forward to riding one of these. I have 2 BMWs right now, a 17 GSA and a 16 R nineT and I have no complaints about either of them.
I’ve watched a bunch of Pan America videos and this is the best one by a wide margin.
I'm not to sure about that. I'll have to think about it.
Definitely!
I concur
Strangely enough, all the small things you covered e.g. accessories, were of great interest as no one else has mentioned them in any depth,.
just like harley to sell a bike with accessories probably needed/wanted ..
instead of just including them..
@@lonarbuckle9788 What other manufacturer includes tall and low seats, both spoke and cast wheels and luggage? Maybe you're just jaded against Harley?
I just test road one last week. I don't plan to do any serious off-road riding, but sport touring is my thing. I'm sold! Working on the financial end and the availability of the Sport saddlebags and top box.
Great video! It was nice to hear that I'm not fooling myself...
OK. I have never, ever, had an interest in any Harley, but this bike is seriously amazing. I hope that HD can let the design ideas and corporate direction of the PanAm drive the company. I'm looking for a new ADV bike and this one will get me into a HD shop.
Really like this video format, especially the inclusion of other journalists' opinions. Good on you for having the HD reps explain some of the systems and features firsthand. This video is a cut above the others out there. Kudos.
Wow, so happy that HD did this right- and with respectable pricing. Bravo!
What price were you quoted? I stopped by my local dealer and finally discovered that it was around $32,000 after I had to sit down and act like I was interested in purchasing it.
@@hdfbrider32 I have not gone shopping for any quotes... I assumed MSRP at $20k was the norm at dealers. It doesn't surprise me some HD dealers are being greedy and stupid. Hopefully most dealers are being reasonable cuz ADV bike competition is fierce.
I think they have a potential winner. Reliability will be the final exam.
and... how soon can they actually get them out. Went to my dealer, nothing till July/August for those who didn't pre-order.
I agree. I have to admit that as a long-time Kawasaki and BMW owner, I am very impressed with Harley’s engineering and attention to detail. If this engine is durable and reliable, they have a winner. I am not a real adventure rider, currently ride a K1200LT for long trips and KLR650 for backroad riding, but this engine looks like a great platform for a family of bikes. I’d love to see Harley build a luxury touring bike around the Revolution Max engine. They could give both Honda and BMW some real competition.
@@LTVoyager
Giving an engine engineering juggernaut like Honda is a pipe dream. BMW’s Boxer possibly.
@@roadglide Have you ridden the “new” Gold Wing? It is not an impressive redesign at all. Even though Honda had 6+ years to analyze BMW’s K1600 series, they came out with a bike that is 80 lbs heavier, has less power, has less range, is less comfortable, has smaller luggage capacity and has poorer suspension. My wife and I test road pretty much every possible successor to our aging LT and not captured our fancy. In the same summer (2018) we rode the Gold Wing, K1600GTL, K1600GA, and Yamaha Intercontinental. Each had its strengths, but none were a better all-around touring package than is our 2007 K1200LT. If Harley puts the same level of detail in a luxury touring bike design as they have in the Revolution Max 1250 engine, they could easily give both BMW (its 1600 bikes are getting long in the tooth) and Honda (its Gold Wing wasn’t even state of the art when released in 2018) some serious competition.
So much this! It's great that Harley is making a good first impression on the marketplace. If I recall correctly, so did the M8 (with its sumping and trans oil transfer issues), and the Twin Cam (with its cam bearing and cam chain tensioner issues). Let's see how the beta testers do with it for a year or so then see how good of a bike it is.
Harley really hit a home run coming out of the dugout never playing the game in many many years.
These kind of "reviews" should be called what they are: advertisements.
A bunch of influencers (I won't call you journalists) are wined and dined by the manufacturer in a tightly controlled setting and with very little time. There's no way you can make an independent and substantial assessment of the bike's weaknesses in a real life setting (all day touring over a few hundred miles at least over various roads).
It was not mentioned the right knee gets a lot of heat from the exhaust pipe, the flimsy plastic heat shields on top of the valve covers don't prevent potentially burning your knees (a major design flaw in my view), that it has no quick shifter, has a cable actuated clutch, the seats are too soft for all day riding (as mentioned in a few other reviews), the windshield mechanism is cumbersome and becomes inoperable after a day in the dirt, how sturdy are the handguards, any heated grips or seats, how about the electrical outlets for accessories, the range and consumption, etc. You know, the stuff that really matters for long-distance touring.
Also, the engine doesn't come alive until 6k RPM (6:10)? Who in real life rides an adventure bike like a 4-cylinder sports bike? This to me is a major engine characteristic that could turn off a lot of potential buyers and should have been focused on more.
I think it was really smart to mention the dealer network. Assuming every Harley dealer will work on this bike, in my town alone there are 3 dealers in a 20 minute radius. The closest BMW dealer is nearly 3 hours away. The local Ducati dealer is always in a state of new ownership, and the KTM dealers aren't any better.
Hey Jim, there is another dealer factor not mentioned here and that is the friendliness of the network itself. As an ADV rider I have utilized the Harley network for a decade and have received unanimous support from mechanics with long beards and more tattoos than a prison yard. Those guys made me feel WELCOME, even on a BMW GS or on a vintage Kawasaki sport bike. Sure, they gave me good-natured ribbing for my Aerostich, like anyone else does outside of a BMW rally, but they were friends. Harley has advantages and the ones I think of as insiders are a whole different, and better, breed than the stoplight wannabees we love to make fun of.
Yes! Your right, you throw a rock in any direction and hit a Harley Dealer. Plus Harley is pretty good about advanced training for the mechanics, or at least that's what I've been told.
As a prior service manager for HD, the real question will be whether the dealerships near you have mechanics who received the training necessary to work on this bike.
I had talked myself into the Road Glide in the Spring always loved them but that got put on hold with the release of the Pan America. My first HD will be the Pan America just have to decide on the color.
Orange!
Best video so far I've seen on the HD Panamerica. Great and really honest review.
Baldy - full stop your video is the best and most informative one I have seen come out of this demo weekend. I actually learned some things about the bike that I didn't catch just from reading the specs. Awesome work!
I agree, I love the style and flow!
He did a good job and it was all "just the facts, ma'am!" and the last minute or so made it clear where it sits in the overall market, and it sits in a good place!
What a surprise a journalist gets a free trip for a couple of days of riding in the desert and is complimentary of the bike. I’ll be interested to hear about when a HD really ends up in your garage.
Those final words are music to my ears.
Cool to see a bit behind the scenes. I like the direction Harley is going. Hopefully they keep branching out to new areas, as they will actually gain new riders.
Having switched from a chain drive bike to a shaft drive bike several years ago, I don't think I ever want to go back to a chain drive.
Harley needed a win, and they got it. I still love my Road Glide, but I'm going to consider the Pan Am. It may come in handy for the coming Apocalypse.
I rode a Pan America. I definitely want one now.
i want one! saw one at the dealer on saturday, even better in person.
The accessories part was a real value add...nice work. You’ve added a whole lot to the information about this bike. It’s looking more and more like this is going to be a huge success for Harley.
Of course, they could have put those upgraded footpegs, lights, and radiator shield on stock, but then they wouldn't have had anything to sell you post-sales. And that's not how HD works.
Well, I purposely chose your video to watch on my information thirst for this bike. ADV guys wouldn’t waffle around.
I will test ride this bike this week. I may go home with one.
The bike does look great in the flesh.
Incredible, I’m amazed. I pray Harley does the same thing in a smaller /light weight platform. Make a big thumper or light weight 800 twin!
I agree its a great bike👍.
Nice informative vid
thanks for showing.
This bike is pure engineering GENIUS.
Every new video teaches me about more features and options! Thanks for sharing this. I gave them a deposit as soon as they would take it. I sold my R1200GS and I’m impatiently waiting for my Pan Am 😁
@@TimothyT230 yes if you count a KLR650 with aluminum boxes. 😁 I got the Pan Am two days ago and I couldn’t be happier!
@@TimothyT230 my plan is to maintain the chain until it is time for replacement and then swap to that new diamond coated chain developed for BMW. They claim no lube, no wear, ever. Cost about $300. 😁
@@TimothyT230 here’s the story.
wonderfulengineering.com/bmws-new-industrial-diamond-coated-motorcycle-chain-would-not-require-any-maintenance/amp/
Best review of the Pan America I've seen so far.
What review?
I have been thinking how a self lowering seat could work for over 10 years. I am happy someone finally came up with the idea. Most dual sport bikes come with a 36"+ seat height. I lowered my KLR 650 2" and I still couldn't flat foot it at a stop sign. Great report and good information. My Ural does not matter for the seat height.
A true test would be to load PanAmerica down with camping gear, drive it 500 miles on the freeway with a group of similarly loaded BMW, KTM and other adv bikes. Then immediately take them deep off road 50 miles into the boondocks to a wild campsite, pitch tents, kick back, make supper, and swap lies. Then come home the next day by a different route. No support vehicles or nannies. Take anything you want -- so long as you carry it on the bike. That would tell the tale. In fact, Harley-Davidson should challenge other makers to do the above!
HD has done a good one here! I'm not interested in an adventure bike but the roadster they've shown built around the same engine really interests me. Please build it HD! For the 1st time in my life I might consider buying an HD product!
Is the HD Dealership network up to the challenge???
They're gonna have to change from full bagger mode. Hopefully, having lots of new customers asking a different range of questions to normal.
Be interesting to hear opinions a year from now.
I really hope it works out for HD.
👍👍
Thanks for the review. I have been waiting to see what real adventure riders think of this motorcycle and you are certainly a real ADV rider. It's too bad they charge extra for the low or tall seat rather than just giving the buyer the option. I also think it should have the radiator protection, skid guard, and wide pegs as standard since it is an ADV bike after all. I do understand that's how things work though and it helps keep the price of the bike down and other manufacturers do the same.
WOW! I was very surprised to hear the conclusion and also happy that Harley did such a good job on the initial version of this machine. The design suggests a rugged reliability aside from damage events which may highlight the front and low component placements even with the aluminum protectors. Time will tell. For those of you celebrating the ruggedness of the GS series over this bike I would share a personal experience during a riding school when our instructor log-hopped a brand new HP2 and landed the mid-frame directly on the oil pan, utterly cracking it and leaving most of its engine oil right there. Damage can happen to any of these huge bikes when we treat them like motocross machines, so keep the mission in mind. Thanks, Baldy, for sharing the valuable experience with us.
The tipping thing looked great on flat ground, could we see how scary that heavy of a bike is on a steep climb losing traction and falling? Yeah, best case scenario is a precarious perched bike that'll take a couple people to extract. Losing that bike to gravity at its weight would be the end of it. Also likely if it falls on you, you'll be going in the ambulance. The other thing is Harley is almost exclusively in the US on dealers, very little canada and almost no south america. Those dealers are all in big cities way away from adventure territory so good luck on parts if you ride anywhere outside the US. I think you found its right home...The deserts of America where it is just a giant trial no matter where you go. If you get out of mud puddles, dirt trail and into actual adventure riding, you really need a Tenere or old KLR.
As a Harley owner for yrs who also owns a KTM 790 ADV R, I thought HD would miss & make a 700# tank w/ no power & no suspension for off-road; I was wrong, I’m excited about this bike
I am really starting to fall in love with this motorcycle. I've always wanted a USA made motorcycle and this is the first H-D I ever wanted.
I really want to see one in person, this bike would be awesome if I was younger. I do believe Harley made a great decision getting into this market.
The demo truck stopped at my HD dealer. Overall, I would consider the standard with some options vs. the special with all the bells. The base price is reasonable but you get sticker shock quickly when you jump into the catalog. I'm not completely sold yet.
Awesome video, I was gonna buy one just 'cause I want it. Now I'm really sold.
Yes, it is a great advertisement. I'll wait for the reviews myself.
Great video. It's so useful to know at least the height, and if possible the inseam and weight, of the reviewers. I'm 6'4" with a long midsection, and that has a huge influence on my purchases. Good job!
My dad went there also. He enjoyed it. Said he constantly changes suspension settings because it was fascinating. Good video explaining things man
Impressive! I never thought I would consider a Harley..
Good real world review Baldy. I have to admit, I never thought I'd like the Pan America. I currently own a R1250GSA and it's in no danger of getting replaced by the H-D. However, I sure like the Pan America and feel like H-D has gone above and beyond what most thought they could do in this segment.
Best review yet! Might have to get another Harley with a different purpose.
It certainly has some cool stuff. @ 5'7" I think its cool that the suspension lowers. I ride a 2017 AT manuel clutch. Its tall on the trails even with the lower seat. I LOVE my low end grunt. Smh, Lots of stuff is nice in this bike, however 6000 rpm ? Weird torque curve for a bigbore adv.
Baldy love the review,jealous you guys get to ride so much cool stuff.
As a guy who has ridden about 300k street miles, harleys are great bikes. Most of those miles were on my harleys. Honestly, I think this bike will appeal to the road glide , Electra glide , road king guys. Lots of cool gadgets. But without low end grunt.... tough to call it ADV.
I ride my africa offroad here in arizona. I dumped it in a feild of dinasoar eggs , man its a big bike. But I got it back up,no damage ( to the bike ). Those bars on the P.A. leave a lot to be desired. Then I used my low end juice to find more suitable desert rocks to happily bounce around on. Btw, 50 mph is just fine. Plenty of stupid happens at lesser speeds,no sense tempting fate.
jeffswhirled:adv rider
Again, thanks for living the dream and your review.
I gotta say that I initially thought Harley was out of their minds to build another big, heavy, expensive, ADV bike! Who cares, I thought? Man oh man, was I ever wrong! So wrong! I have watched multiple reviews of this bike over the weekend by people who are NOT Harley fan boys and are the absolute toughest critics on the planet and every single one has given a whole hearted thumbs up to Harley! Some act just giddy when talking about the bike! I have noticed that every time someone talks about the engine they start smiling! Looks like a great start for Harley in the adv class. Awesome! Great review!
The best reviews Baldy... thanks for this.
Great video! I appreciate your rationale for buying the Pan America over the other competitors. Kudos to HD for coming out swinging for the fences! I'm sold too!
Looks and seems great. What I'm looking forward to is seeing this new engine in other applications, such as the Custom 1250. Massive potential in this new engine. Could be the game changer for HD, more so than any one bike. High HP, solid torque, liquid-cooled and valves that never need to be adjusted.
Great review! I rode a Pan Am last weekend alongside a KTM 1290, Africa Twin, and BMW GS where we all got turns riding each. Overall I honestly liked the Pan Am the best, it was simply the best overall compromise and package between the four IMHO.
I guess bikes are very personal when deciding what you like. I own a 2020 Africa Twin and after hearing all the hype about the Pan America was keen to buy one. I went for a ride on a Pan America and was so underwhelmed, I thought the power delivery was way better on the Africa Twin as was the gearbox and TFT screen. The PA gearbox was so agricultural when compared to the AT. The PA motor felt souless when compared to At. I did like the comfort of the PA, which is an important factor on an ADV bike, the stock Honda Seat on the CRF110L is like a plank. I walked away from the ride scratching my head thinking the PA is a mid pack ADV bike at best. I'm sure it will improve over time, so I'll take a look at the next iteration.
Nice to see they really thought through the ergonomics with the seat and bar options, in addition to the self-lowering suspension. And some reasonably good accessories available right out of the box.
Great job Baldy!!! Your videos have really gone Pro!!! Glad you like the bike!! It looks like a winner!!!
Good job from HD they have caught up with the rest of the ADV world. Nothing new or ground breaking here, just "me-to" functionality, weigh and power. Good to see them producing modern motorcycles
I admit it. I was skeptical. Harley can put a nice finish on a bike. But you can put a shine on any turd. No matter, ALL of the big bikes are outside my financial ability. If I DID have the spare change, the Pan America would CERTAINLY be on my list to check out. The press photos didn't do the bike much justice.... though its still got the face only a mother could love. But there's potential. Harley truly seems to have done an outstanding job pre-release. I'm hopeful the market will roll their way and it will breathe some fresh air into the brand. You hit so many solid facts on "if i would buy". I think I would. After seeing a few reviews, with honestly yours being the best of them.... I really think the Pan America would be in my garage.
Man that bike is the real:deal. It’s nice to see a rider (who are generally brand loyal) choose it over all others in that category. Honestly shocked 😮. Great review.
This should be a breaker for the Asian market. The adapting suspension and reachability for those who are shorter, the nice pricing, plus the Harley brand that most Asian loves as it shows uniqueness and pride. Harley should put more in-depth effort for this market.
They already had a big PanAm launch in India. Same situation there with average height.
I took a test ride after watching this video and I'm sold, to the point where I'm getting rid of my 1290 superduke gt for the PanAm, what a magical bike....just for reference I use to have a 2018 GS Rallye...👍 Great review 👍
I'm thinking about getting one of these. I'm of similar age and stature. This video was very helpful. You covered some specifics about options, ride height adjustments, risers, etc. that I haven't seen on any of the other reviews. Thanks for the great work.
Pretty amazing you put this ahead of the GS. Can't wait for my test ride next weekend!
I like this bike. Haven't and probably won't get to ride one, but from all said, it sounds great. I wish they would put the engine in a sporty standard.
I feel like most of the accessories should be stock components.
Wow! Surprised and delighted to see this from the home team.
I agree with you on there being no valves to adjust and the vast dealer network. Hell, I had 3 Suzuki/Honda/Yamaha dealers within 40 miles and now it's down to one and not sure how long it will last. Reliability is what I'm waiting to see now.
Hi Baldy, great stuff Harley killed it in there first entry to this segment.
so glad i found your videos today great information and now i’m sold on the day maker lights too.
I've never considered having a harley sitting in my garage but overall reviews have been impressive. Once the high mileage reviews come out I may purchase one.
Great video! Entertaining, fast pace. I've watched a few of this Pan America review videos from the press, and you've got the best one. Looks like Harley did pretty well with the bike too!
Lovely work.
The bike sounds great.
I wonder though, why don’t all manufacturers have a radiator guard as standard.
Thanks for taking the time.
I rode it today, and I have to say I am impressed. I took it out on the riding academy range first, and it U turns ,and serpentines really well, then I took it out on the road, it has lots of power that I didn't expect. The adaptive suspension is awesome , and it handles very well. There isn't really anything bad I can say about it except I don't like the look of the stock muffler.
Great review. You included off road experience and options. Also, you said why like or dislike. I'm not sure that this is the bike for me but its versatility is beginning to sell me more and more. Thanks.
excellent video! wished for some more off-road footage and prefer seeing your eyes when you present. Thanks for killing it!
The most amazing thing I saw (and there was a lot to amaze with) was the fact that they put REAL footpegs for the passenger. Passengers always seem to be an afterthought on almost everything less than a full tourer. Well done Harley! 👏 👏 👏
Great bike review, appreciate your insights into this bike. I see that Harley Davidson has done their homework in making this a competitive bike for this market. They have a lot of accessory options which makes me think that HD wants to nickel and dime customers for options that should be standard but over all it seems like a new model and it looks pretty good.
Way to go Harley-Davidson, very happy to see this innovation in their fleet and to the ADV segment. Good review Baldy.
Great video. Diffrent presentation. Brief and lots of info on the important stuff. I was not expecting you say you'll buy the HD. I can't wait for May!
A really comprehensive vid. Well done. I loved hearing about all the detail touches. Clearly the designers put some love into this :)
I test rode one wow. I have had the Tiger, 1150 GS and the Harley was amazing and surprised me. They did their homework.
They got almost everything right at the first try, very well done, Harley. This engine will power many new models for sure!
You guys deserve more subscribers! Great video! I'm subbed. I'm spending my morning watching all the same videos from this same Pan America launch and I must say this is the best review thus far that I've watched. Keep makin' them and we'll keep watching.
ride safe,
Scott
Thanks Scott! I just watched your review of the Moto Guzzi V85. Oooo, I need one of those too.
Great video thanks ! I think the biggest thing Harley has with this bike is the vast dealer network.. But if the dealerships don’t put parts on the shelf you will still wait to get your bike fixed.. I’m going to buy one in the near future !!
Great review. I’ve never ridden an adventure bike. But I want one of these. Well done HD.
Brutally honest review and a few little tidbits we didn’t know about. Harley really did do their homework
Nice deep-dive thnx! Could you display SI units on-screen when talking about size/weight/speed
Nice job Chris! Never thought I'd be looking at a Hardley... until now.
I am so excited to ride this bike. Thanks for your review it means a lot!
YES. The only other dual sport biggy I'd consider is the 1200 Triumph. Harley has done themselves proud.
I really like the Pan America. However, I think Harley let their desire to sell accessories leak a bit too much, like on the footpegs. Why aren't the wide pegs standard? They are more comfortable in all cases anyway.
You really answered a lot of questions I had about this bike, especially since my local dealer sucks and they never know anything about tech specs.
Very nice video and the image quality is outstanding!
Great review ! Of all the reviews I've read or watched yours had way more info on options and accessories . As a Tiger 800 owner this bike has my attention .
Dont do it Bob! Tiger clan must stick together
Great Review! It certainly answers the most important questions any buyer will want to know.
Not convinced having to buy an accessory radiator screen is a good look.
At any price.
Well, pretty much all the accessories come on the special.
Wow I wasn't considering this bike at all until I heard you can toss a tactical skid plate on it. Game changer
Test drove one today in Albuquerque. I was impressed, especially as an HD hater. Scary fast, killer brakes, didn't feel that heavy though it's too big and heavy for my offroad ability and style. Loved the automatic seat lowering. Would be a great sport touring bike with pillion. I'd buy one today if I had the money. I did have some fuel injection stumble at low speed/rpm.
They've incorporated a lot of features from other bikes in the group. Like the swinging luggage from Triumph or the rubber peg inserts. I'm not sure I'm sold on these displays tho and for the same reasons you cite. KTM and BMW have similar displays-seems like you should be able to dim them or at least have a choice of dark or light and a couple of fonts. I think the valves thing is something I'll never understand why BMW hasn't gotten that done.
Great review. It's goes a lot different than I expected. It will be interesting to see the longer term and real owner reviews to come.
Yeah, I agree, this is more "welcome to 2019" than it is "innovation", though the engine is innovative with the use of hydraulic valves for this segment as far as I can tell.