New 2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special First Ride: Just Hype? Or A Proper Adventure Bike?
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- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2024
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Never been a Harley fan. But I must admit, this bike really looks good. I hope they continue to develop motorbikes outside of the chrome cruiser category
They just evolved on the XB12X! A lot of Buell hidden in this bike
I'm waiting to see Harley build a 4 cylinder engine. An inline 4 is easier to counterbalance, smoother, less strain on the engine mounts, less shock on the chain and drivetrain, and a much wider usable RPM range, with power coming on at 2,800 rpms and going to 10,000 rpms. For fast sport touring, and cross country, a 4 cylinder would be amazing. They could model it similarly to the Triumph Rocket, or the 1932 inline 4 Henderson, just to make it different, and unique.
@@Ritalie HD isn't going that route. Bankruptcy likely once the poser T-shirt money dries up
I don't like this bike it looks really top heavy and unbalanced. I will stick with Honda and Kawasaki.
@@Ritalie Or a V4 "power bagger".
Since Yamaha are killing the Vmax, Harley could stuff two small 45° V twins side by side in the form of a 45° V4. Make it 1250cc and 150 HP with DOHC and independent VVT. Longer stroke than bore for better fuel economy, peak torque at 3000-6000 RPM, peak power at like 8000 RPM, 9000 RPM redline.
Then, make a 180 HP V4 power bagger with a 65° V4 engine. 2.5L displacement, DOHC, and VVT. Peak torque at 1500-4000 RPM, peak power at 7500 RPM, redline 8000 RPM.
Finally someone has made suspension that lowers at standstill...I've been waiting for that for years! (I am a stumpy legged, long backed mutant!)
I feel ya. John cena torso and Rey mysterio legs here
I have ridden harleys since 1982 , I hope this bike brings in a whole new generation of riders which can only be good for the company, well done H-D !!.
Regardless of how good the bike is, this has been a textbook example of a product launch done right. Whoever it is that is getting it into the hands of riders and reviewers is a master.
Launched 2yrs too early!
Agree dude, I think they're been brave with the design. You got to admire that. No beak in the front ;)
Yes,no hideous beak on the front.👍👍
Shaft drive would have put it over the top.
husqvarna did that too with the norden
@@travelinben1966 Shaft drive is gay.
@@motoman7445
But easy to maintain!👍👍
True!! if bike performs well, design grows on you anyways, most of the people don't like it new looking design, just like they didn't like the new s 1000 rr design.
I would genuinely say it's the best looking adventure bike out there.
With the wheels and the green paint it’s definitely up there
The least butt ugly one for sure.
try again
@@franciscoluna9596
It was,now I vote for the Moto Guzzi Stelvio.
The Harley Davidson panamerica 1250 is an awesome looking ADV bike. It looks superb especially in this military green, has great features and performance is pretty well . 😍😍😍 great value as well.
Bro ROYAL ENFIELD is working on 650 himalayan and 650 +cc on future what's your expectation
Definitely the best motorcycle reviewer on YT. It looks like it is competitive in the class, but I can't get over the super ugly light housing and I hate the bar and shield logo.
This bike really does look a lot better in person
Well compared to GS, KTM it's a gorgeous princess...remember that ADV bikes are all designed by the designer of ASICS sport shoes and don't seem to need to be pretty.
And, you can stick a Yamaha sticker over the bar and shield
I agree. excellent reviewer in every way. from delivery to video and audio quality.
When I first saw the pan America I hated it! I think harley made a mistake with that first white and orange one as the single colours look far better. Now I think it looks awesome and if I was in the market for this kind of bike this is the first one I'd try! How opinions change... 😅
I think it's a good looking machine. my beef with all the modern adventure bikes is the weight. when the first new design multistrada came out (2013?), it was under 200kg. I thought great finally they're going the right way with weight. since then it's all been climbing again and now look at these weights!
When I first saw the spy shots a while ago I thought, oh dear another Harley that won’t appeal. Now, however, after a few review videos I really like it. I feel (and hope) that Harley are onto a real winner here. It seems to be equally matched to the competition and definitely competitive enough. Well done Harley - a bike for everyone. Thanks for another great review, Bob.
It’s because the orange looks shit. Should have always been darker colours to offset the out-there styling
@@chrispekel5709 The orange/white looks pretty good in person. Suppose its all in opinion and taste.
This channel is pure PR/Advertising channel. Every bike is the next best thing since sliced bread..
I love the looks, stands out in a crowd! Looking forward to your next update video after some more time in the Pan America saddle.
a 500 lb woman stands out in a bikini contest too.
I love the looks, and if Harley really keeps this in their lineup I will be upgrading to a Harley. The ride height is something I love and will be an option I will have. Thanks!
It’s a grower, it’s won me over. Big ADVs are too big for little ‘ol me so the trick suspension sounds just the ticket. Too right Bob, superb in Military Green.
finally a Harley that i would at least think about getting one, i mean their cruisers are more of a status symbol than anything else, they do look good but they are very flawed bikes, when you put them against their competition
After test-riding I ordered a Special in Deadwood Green with spoked wheels and ARH. Awesome bike, really looking forward to delivery in September, which cannot come soon enough! Ride On.
I want the Bronx to come back, with the 975 and the 1250 as a second option
Same here.
Same
Yup, me too. It would have been awesome!
harley is revealing a new bike on july 13. based on the revolution engine
There are a lot of people including cycle magazines suggesting HD dumped the Bronx. But that hasn't really been confirmed. HD didn't say they were scrapping the bike, only that they weren't coming out with it this year as originally planned. Due to the pandemic and demand for the Pan Am, they can barely keep up as it is. Releasing both the Pan Am and the Bronx at the same time probably would have been a mistake.
Harley have gone from not even being on my radar as a future purchase (as an American, btw) to now having 2 models models that have definitely piqued my interest. Can't wait to see your more thorough review vid of the Pan Am and the Custom when it gets released
I had the same feeling you had. However, once you go to a dealership (at least in the US), you will see how they remove themselves from your future purchase and become your most hated brand. Good luck with paying 10% APR and 5k+ markups.
@@mct6902 I mean, I expect there to be a higher cost of ownership with a brand like H-D, my only gripe with them as a company was that they’d turned into a clothing company that dabbled in making the exact same bike 18 different ways. Every time they’ve teased us by stepping out of making bikes for their geriatric rider base, they’ve “Lucy’d” us with that football. Buell? Ran it into the ground. VRod? Canceled it for some reason. This might just be the latest iteration of that, but I’m gonna hold out hope that they’ve finally realized they need to diversify their lineup and from the looks of it, they seem to have nailed this one
Sort of in the same boat.
The Indian Scout Bobber changed my mind along with the FTR series of bikes.
@@mrlynchify Agreed. I do love the pan America package especially at the MSRP they are asking for. But this company is still gonna keep going with their identity and high profit, low volume production as long as the foreign bike tariff is still sky high. To me I’m just not gonna pay markup plus huge profit together to just join a club. And I’m sure the club isn’t welcoming me anyways.
@@gmcrusher77 I firmly believe if it wasn’t for the Scout being a liquid cooled short stroke variable valve performance cruiser (and the fact that it sold so well) we wouldn’t be seeing Harley introduce the rev max engine. Indian proved there is a market for an American made performance cruiser/ADV
Nice overview…. Just bought mine last week here in the States after serious consideration of the BMW 1250GS and Ducati V4S. Look forward to your more in depth review!
I have had my Pan Am Special a couple weeks and simply put: it’s unlike any other bike I’ve ever owned. It’s lighter and quicker than my GSA 1200 was, better tech than my R6 Yamaha, and nothing like my Street Glide. Very agile, responsive, and the adaptive headlamp is really superb when riding at night and taking turns. Only complaints I have are that the engine heat really billows up when stopped in traffic and the parts are nearly impossible to get for the foreseeable months.
Really glad to see harley evolving with the times and tuning into a broader consumer. Great to see an out of genre bike for them. In addition to their electric bike harley are breaking out of the stereotype.
I’ve never had the desire to own a H-D. I’ve owned numerous GS’s going back to 2002, and most recently owned a Multistrada Enduro. After a long test ride, I put my money down.
My only complaints:
1. everything related to this bike is on back order. Bags, skid plate, EVERYTHING!
2. At low speeds, it puts out a bit of heat. Hopefully a full exhaust will help.
The bike is legit, I honestly cannot believe it’s made by H-D.
I've never been a Harley fan but I'm impressed with what they've been doing lately. If you look up MotoAmerica King of Baggers on RUclips, you'll be blown away with how HD is breaking (or at least attempting to break away from) all the slow Harley stereotypes.
Harley turning a new page and It’s great! Awesome review 👍🏼
While I am no longer in that market I am glad to see Harley did a pretty good job really for the first time in this market at this level. I give Harley a 👍 and happily keep chugging on my Tiger 900 while at the same time keeping an open mind on what this engine or what a derivative would do in a different platform
Had mine for 2 weeks now. I've been riding Harleys for 20 years (Dynas and Softails) and just had enough of the outdated heavy, bad handling, low suspension, that is fine for everyday but makes holidays like in Tuscany or Corsica a living hell. Hired the GS a few times but I just don't like BM. But after a lot of thought I wanted to stay with my dealer and stay with the brand and saw this bike 2 years ago is a proto. Ordered one last year, got my hands on a press bike a month ago at my dealer and that was that. Just completed the running in stage of 500 miles and first speeding ticket ! 52 in a 50. I mean WTF.
It's a lovely bike to ride. I'm coming from a lowdown (tuned) Fatbob to a modern motorcycle. A world apart for me. A brave move for Harley. The engine is fantastic and I'm only just discovering it. The riding modes are great, piloted suspension, huge brakes and a better seat (for me) than the GS comfortwise. It is high but I don't do a lot of traffic and I'm getting used to it. But beautifully balanced. 70 kg lighter than my Fatbob but it's an imposing size with all the weight up high.
My only gripe - and no journalist ever looks at this part because they only have it for a day - is the navigation system. Totally outdated. You have to go through the HD app to plan rides and you can't set waypoints or see 2D/3D options. For that you need to go online and use HD planner and import your ride. Can you see that happening on holiday ? And of course your phone will use up it's battery because it's in your pocket and not connected to anything. This is a big disappointment. They should have gone Carplay or whatever. So no options to see radar zones...
Connection through Bluetooth to my Shoei is perfect though and taking calls or music work fine.
As I can say is go and try one. If you buy one, get the Special with the height adjustment and add a crash bar to the silencer. Oh and the lighting is amazing. The extra top leds light up each corner as you turn. People say the front is ugly but it's not as heavy in the flesh as in the photos and hey, why be like everyone else.
Try it.
As an owner of the new Triumph Speed Triple, I can tell you that Triumph's navigation system isn't any better :D Pretty sure it's just a marketing gimmick and you're better off using Google Maps regardless of which brand's bike you ride :) It's a shame though, because I'd imagine it wouldn't be so hard to implement some basic improvements to the software
@@TzeiEm It's not been thought though. And if you spend 2/3 years plus engineering a new engine, where's the time spent on the "whole" user experience.
That goes much further than just turning the throttle. If you want to explore on an adventure bike you have to know where you're going - it would seem to me anyway. Ride safe.
44lesplumas - I am on the fence on getting one. I have ridden all types of bikes. All the technicals look fine but.....how is comfort in the seat. Can you realistically do 200 miles at a time? Or at what mileage does monkey butt cream in? I need it to be comfortable enough to do 400-600 mile days.
See my question below.
@@bradfigiel2203 Longest I've done so far in a day is about 200 miles. I've been doing a lot of different types of smaller roads and no highway to run her in so it takes a lot of time for a few miles. I've run her in now and need a few more miles to the first service and then it's off on holiday for a mix of highway and country roads. So it's too early for me to tell. I'll know a lot more in a month. But it has been very positive so far. The only other big trail I've ridden is the BM GS and the Panam is so much more comfortable - I would have butt ache after an hour on the GS and hated the way I would slip forward to the tank. The seat is not very soft but it's comfortable. But it's no where near as comfortable as my Fatbob with the touring seat that I could ride on for 8-10 hours a day. I would be lying to say anything different. I also have to get used to the riding position - going from a lo-down feet first cruiser to a more usual riding position with wide bars had given me some aches in my arms at first.
Go and try one. I think if you can get an hour on one you'll have a good feeling or not.
I'll post my thoughts on this when I get back from hols.
For what's it worth, I too have never been a Harley "fan" not my style, not my thing, BUT...the Pan America has changed my perceptions of the MoCo, so much that I actually purchased the first one in the State i live in back in May. It is truly an amazing motorcycle PERIOD. If any other company were to unveil and release this model, it would still be recognized as a brilliant bike, but...it is even more amazing to me since it was f'ing Harley Davidson to bring this beast to market. Have been riding it since May 14 and she still brings smiles to every ride.
Cheers!
Glad you’ll be doing an in-depth on this one! Looks like Harley may have done a lot better than expected branching out to a new genre, and I think a lot of other reviewers may be overlooking it.
Only the mother can love the face of this thing
This is surprising bike from H/D. Pretty sweet.
Harley have nailed it! Looking forward to the full review! I want one!
The power of internet Vloggers, I would have have shown little interest in this model (apart from gaming a little more respect H-D's way for creating this and the livewire in their line-up), as a possible purchase but your introduction to the PAN has changed my mind again, as did the Livewire, they are Decent bikes, well done H-D and MOTOBOB....
The headlamps remind me of bender from futurama
It's a gorgeous bike that doesn't look like a GS which is a good thing. HD needs to make a smaller version with QJ or Benelli help.
That would be awesome! A KTM 390 Adv sized Pan America 👍
I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to have a 800 version of that engine with 100bhp and shave 15kg off the weight... If it had a lowered seat, less tech and a sub 12k price..🤔
Wow a Harley with all NEW electronics...... what can go wrong? Just screams reliability! 😂
Harley killed Buell 11 years ago, now they’re coming out with this? Buell was already there, they could have been way ahead of everyone else.
I still have my 08 lightning ⚡️ damn good bike… lol fuel in frame is great till you gotta swap the pump 😂❤️
Love that bike! The styling is unique and the big is filled with goodies. My only two reservations are picking it up when it falls over and the ability to work on it out in the field. I think Harley Davidson built a really sweet adventure bike and the pricing is inline with other bikes in it's class. The automatic lowering is awesome.
Very nicely stated. A mention of the center of gravity feeling would be helpful. I feel that this bike is probably going to embarrass some sport bikes on twisties.
c'mon bob, just say "the yanks nailed it" .. beautiful shark nose too
I test rod one couple weeks ago and FUN and POWER are my words. My 1st seat is an Ultra full bagger. I am looking into pop around and fishing bike.
This and maybe the Multi are the only two ADV bikes that aren't ugly. When I first saw the pictures, I wasn't quite sure, but this looks pretty badass in person - especially in black!
If it's assembled in the US it probably won't be much better all the other Harleys
built since the 50's.
Harleys sold in the U.S. are assembled in one of four plants located in Wisconsin, Missouri and Pennsylvania. But the brakes and clutch are imported from Italy, the engine pistons are made in Austria, the bike suspension comes from Japan, and other electronic components originate in Mexico and China.Jul. 6, 2018
certainly a nice addition to the market , and to be honest I can stand to see GS everywhere .
Am I the only person who likes the look of this?
The beeline … perfect navigation..
I’ve been looking to get my first adv, i have drove multiple adv’s but have never owned one. I wasn’t planning to get one, i was thinking i was gonna get another big road focused bike. Never like the looks of adv’s but this one has sold me on it. I’am getting an pan america soon, my first harley ever.
That’s a great value alternative to the big GS and it’s going to hit zee German’s hard. How hard remains to be seen.
That I very much doubt lol.
They first have to hit aaaall the GS suitors first
Why buy an adventure bike for the motorway instead of a big touring bike? I can give you about 400 reasons! The PA weighs 559lbs and is more powerful. Not to mention the fun factor this bike gives. It also has those self adjusting valves with the hydraulic lifters or whatever 🤷🏻♂️. They never require servicing is the point. According to a friend of mine, that’s huge! He has a triumph tiger that he hasn’t ridden in months because where we live there isn’t a qualified and reputable tech to service his motorcycles engine! He’s going to have to trailer it, haul it 2.5 hrs away, drop it off, come home another 2.5 hrs, drive back when it’s ready, and then either drive it back or just trailer it back again. Point is, it’s a big deal.
I would wrap the tank and all plastics on the front end in a matted to a triumph khaki green with no logo, and remove the little grill from the head light. If money was object also matting the exhaust to a high temp black. Anyway, the channels the best on YT, congrats.
Absolutely love the looks of this bike! Looks like something from Blade Runner
I gotta get one of these before they stop making them!
Love this thing. Was at a dealer last week and it looks epic. Aiming for a test ride next.
You're the best motorcycle reviewer on YT atm
2:20 "It has 150bhp and does not feel stressed at all"
Jesus Christ man: I got my first big bike recently, it has 87bhp and 78.5Nm of torque (it's a 796 Monster) and these specs already make it a breeze to overtake!
The bike looks great in the flesh and it's refreshing that it's not a GS Clone. Enjoyed the initial review and looking forward to the more detailed video.
Fair play to Harley - loving this one.
I grew up in the North East U.S. and hated Harleys more than the Dallas Cowboys. But this might be the one that changes my perception of the brand moving forward. I was shocked at the asking price here in Aus.
It's well under the 50k mark that some Harleys are going for. And the special is the only option which makes the only hard decision being the factory options and colours. Gotta get one now before the price gets jacked.
Great review. Mine arrives 7/15.
Well it’s 7/16. Waddaya think? Which model and any accessories?
Ive thought it looks fantastic since first time seeing it, they were a bit late tho, jumped on the tiger900 rally pro which i am very happy with, but, i reaaally hope they drop a light 750/950cc version too, also, they need a new dealership in sthlm or i wont be bothered 🤓
Appreciate the review as always!
Not a big fan of Dora the Explorer bikes, but it is a decent looking thing, & the price is right, I hope it pays off for them.
That thing looks absolutely stunning. Way to go for Harley, and proof that they can definitely do other types of bikes. Waiting on the new Sportster S to be revealed today!
What a beautiful machine. GREAT JOB HD.
Green bike in Green background.
Beautiful.
If it were shaft drive,I'd be all over it.
one thing not discussed is reliability, compared to the others
Good screen, excellent, nothing more annoying than wind-roar and buffeting. Great bike by the looks of things.
That actually looks amazing.
Great video, feels professional and has information as well as beautiful scenery. Keep it up! :)
I saw it in person and thought it looked nice and well constructed. I do find it odd that they had the Ulysses which was similar which they discontinued. Rebranded!
This is a VERY good looking bike simply because it’s so different.
This is a step in the right direction.... they need to make a hyper naked with the same engine and Öhlins... a cool scrambler and a cafe racer that they can use the 975 motor for. You’re welcome for the free and obvious advise.... trim the redundant models down and drop live wire.... leave the small bikes to other manufacturers for now...
G'day BOB. A good first review. I'm glad Harley is trying something different, i just hope it sells.
Heck yea Harley has already done it the bike looks nice i like the front end
For a short guy like me, that suspension is really selling it.
It would be great to see someone review the standard model and not the top spec
I had the Special but with no accessories from Harley UK straight after this. Got another vid on the way
Don’t think this bike is at all ugly...just rugged, like a Jeep Wrangler! Just wondering, are you banned from Bristol Harley-Davidson? 🙂
Haha no I’ve never been there actually! But I met the Cardiff guys a while bike and it’s a great shop. Also do most of my filming in South Wales so makes little difference whether I pick a bike up here or over there 👍
I think they nailed it.
2:26 Very strange that you didn't comment on the comically tiny font on the dash. Anything apart from the speed and revs is pretty much impossible to read while on the move.
You can change the dash by choosing widgets, and everything will be much bigger shown on the screen...
Nope, all changeable. Try to keep up bud.
@@motoman7445 Nonsense, font size isn't adjustable. The info shown is. Do your homework.
@@TheUrbanEpicure You can pick what you want to veiw and its bigger. Do YOUR homework.
The looks have grown on me , looking forward to a demo on one next year , could be a replacement for my Tiger .
What is the best? Pan America or the new Tiger 1200?
My next bike will be a dual purpose bike. Hoping Indian will do something with the ftr
It looks pretentious and try hard sort of a machine similar to it's competition.
If I consider CFMoto, the 650MT comes across as an adequate fit to purpose machine that is well specked and reasonably priced. Fantastic value for money here in Australia. Nice, simple, capable and not too heavy on the wallet unlike the Harley Davidson.
Hey what’s up with the weight numbers? KTM is published 215Kg for the s and 215Kg for the R. That’s a huge difference from what’s in the video those are the numbers on the US website anyway, is a dry weight vs wet weight thing?
i think this bike is on to a winner! never doubted it and i dont now.
Pan America has the best quick shifter on the market
Wouldn’t mind one sitting next to my XR1200 And ‘79 shovel turd. Especially for two up riding. Unfortunately the dealers near me (northern Ohio/southeast Mi. U.S )haven’t been trained yet and don’t know when they will get the Pan Am and other variations of the 1250....very bummed.
Such a good looking bike!
No chrome or gold which is a massive plus! I'm not totally sold on the headlamp, almost like something is missing.... but that may be because im so used to looking at my GSA.
Scrambler exhaust and a proper harley round headlight and itll be perfect.
Thanks!
looks like a great bike, and right in the sweet spot for MSRP. I just hope to be able to ride one before putting a deposit down. My dealer tells me they're being bought sight unseen, so until I can get a feel for it, i'm not gonna part with 20 large.
if alot of the R&D that went into making this bike is used in the next gen sportster.harley may be on their way to making bikes (not an image) that people want to ride,without making alot of noise while going nowhere quickly.
I think the Yamaha Tenere is a better bike for the price !
Looks cool too.
Hey how is the engine heat management system - can I ride it in city in sports shorts 🩳
Rob. @ 3:20 - When I test rode the bike, I found the foot pegs were quite buzzy at motorway speeds (around 4000 rpm in top) even with the rubber inserts in. What was your experience?
Hmmmm didn’t find it too bad myself and I recently did a 400 mile day on one. The GS is certainly smoother though. But I could still do a full day of riding on the Pan no problems
@@motobob Ah, OK. Might just have been the example I rode then, as it was really noticeable.
@@motobob could you give me your thoughts on long distance comfort. Seats, arms, riding position? My biggest concern is after an hour your rear is on fire. Road a BMW 700 in NZ for a week and it was torture. My vstrom was much better.
You are late to the party. There is no hype, all the other reviews say it’s great. I own one, and it is great.
Harley have finally joined the modern market with this great looking bike. Hooray! 150 HP is a significant output for the size, hopefully the research has been done to improve their reliability beyond the minimum to be near to BM so Australia outback's a real possibility. Fuel range is often the issue as we have distances beyond 300K even on normal road conditions, off road is anything you can get. Bm have made the twin 1200 get up to 600km on 98 grade fuels, the target is set!
Great vid on a surprise from HD.
Looks something the soviets would design