Harley-Davidson turn the adventure bike market on its head with the new Pan America

[Dodgy69]

Horrible thing.

[Cousin Jack]

Don't like it, and if I really wanted an 'Adventure bike' I would want something a LOT lighter. Similar weight to a GSA, and I wouldn't want one of those for the same reason

OTOH it perhaps shows that HD have woken up and smelt coffee.

[G.P]

I think its interesting looking. I'm sure all the guys with a collection of Harley's and a BMW for riding "fire Roads" will be really interested.

For the rest of us, 150bhp must surely get your attention? Same weight as a 1250 GSA with 15bhp more...

It might save Harley in the short term and that's got to be a good thing, Right?

[mangocrazy]

Harley Davidson decide to chase a trend that peaked about 10 years ago. I guess it means they're catching up. Slowly.

Personally i wouldn't touch an adventure bike with your bargepole. And an HD one, with their history of tractor building? Not a f'n chance, mate.

[Bigjawa]

which helps to bring overall weight of the standard model down to 245kg and the S model to 258kg.

Fuck, you ain't gonna pick that fucker up

It's America, they'll phone their mate in the National Guard and borrow a Chinook.

I hope that 258kg is the all up weight, if it's the dry weight they might as well take a Gold Wing off road.

150bhp in something the size of that behemoth off road is for the very brave or very stupid. They should have put the engine in a road bike, not something that looks like a Transalp that has been comfort eating for a decade.

It's fucking hideous.

[Wossname]

I do wonder if market research is no longer a thing. Who is going to buy that? Americans? Nope. Anyone else? Nope. There you are then.

Why didn't they just ask me?

[KungFooBob]

How does it turn adventure bike market on its head its just another tractor...
Harley producing a short stroke 150bhp motor is much more interesting, but no they 'lose' it in this POS.
Stick it in an XR750 rep and they might actually sell a few

They were going to use it in a cool looking (for a Harley) Street Fighter thing... but cancelled it. Which is rubbish because it actually looked half decent.

[G.P]

Leccy bikes seem to be where the attention is. Given the relatively successful "long Way Up", There's apparently quite a lot of interest in the USA for a silent Harley.

[Skub]

Leccy bikes seem to be where the attention is. Given the relatively successful "long Way Up", There's apparently quite a lot of interest in the USA for a silent Harley.

It'll be back to a clothes-peg and a bus ticket on yer spokes to make the soundtrack!

[G.P]

Leccy bikes seem to be where the attention is. Given the relatively successful "long Way Up", There's apparently quite a lot of interest in the USA for a silent Harley.

It'll be back to a clothes-peg and a bus ticket on yer spokes to make the soundtrack!

proper lol

[The Spin Doctor]

150bhp in something the size of that behemoth off road is for the very brave or very stupid. They should have put the engine in a road bike, not something that looks like a Transalp that has been comfort eating for a decade.

They did. The new management cancelled it in August. It was called the Bronx. (And actually the first Harley I liked the look of in eons).

My guess is that the Bronx will reappear down the line. I suspect there's too much invested in the motor for it to disappear into a niche market bike.

[Whysub]

I hope that 258kg is the all up weight, if it's the dry weight they might as well take a Gold Wing off road.

Back in the days of the original VisorDown, someone (Keith? SouthernSupermoto?) had a Goldwing he used off road. I've a photo of it somewhere, mid flight.

Edit-Found it.

20210301_211107.jpg (103.73 KiB) Viewed 892 times

[KungFooBob]

Good review here...

https://www.asphaltandrubber.com/review ... -gSq1oE_P0

The adaptive ride height system sounds interesting, like them busses that lower at the bus stop to let pushchairs on

[The Spin Doctor]

What IS surprising is that they did all the R&D on the motor with a totally new bike called the Bronx as the platform it would be used in:



It was actually the first Harley since the flat tracker of about 1980 that I have liked the look of.

Perhaps that's why it was cancelled last autumn in the big Harley shake-up designed to stop the company haemorrhaging cash.

[Asian Boss]

I'd learn it on my auld XL200. Off road anyway.

[cheb]

What IS surprising is that they did all the R&D on the motor with a totally new bike called the Bronx as the platform it would be used in:



It was actually the first Harley since the flat tracker of about 1980 that I have liked the look of.

Perhaps that's why it was cancelled last autumn in the big Harley shake-up designed to stop the company haemorrhaging cash.

Either it needs some air in its tyres, or it's so heavy they've been flattened. Neither is good.

[Bigjawa]

The American Dream.

Made in Thailand.

[KungFooBob]

Nice dig at BMW trying to break into the Cruiser market at the end of the review...

The Pan America thus makes a more than impressive entrance into a market where the bar is set very high. And one thing is for certain: the Harley-Davidson Pan America is much better as an ADV bike than the BMW R18 is as a cruiser. So, there’s that.

[Rockburner]

Nice dig at BMW trying to break into the Cruiser market at the end of the review...

The Pan America thus makes a more than impressive entrance into a market where the bar is set very high. And one thing is for certain: the Harley-Davidson Pan America is much better as an ADV bike than the BMW R18 is as a cruiser. So, there’s that.

Really?

What does the R18 not do in cruiser-world? (apart from make 'potato-potato-potato' noises). Asking seriously btw as I know only a little about cruisers, and what I do know is that they seem to be designed solely for being uncomfortable to ride, and only at slower speeds.

[The Spin Doctor]

Either it needs some air in its tyres, or it's so heavy they've been flattened. Neither is good.

Or the floor could be soft.