First pics of 2021 Harley Davidson Pan America

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Lightcycle

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Taken from a dealership in the US that just took delivery.

I have to admit, it looks better than the initial press pictures a couple of years back. Those pictures only showed the side-view which made it look super-bulky. The pics below include a full-on view, which doesn't make it look that wide at all. Certainly not as wide as a 1250cc boxer-engined bike.

TFT screen as per the fashion for current bikes these days. Comes with crash bars, looks like tubeless spoked wheels. That rear passenger carrier is SO R1200GS. Pretty much everything from the seat back seems cribbed from the BMW. The biggest difference is the engine, tank and Cylon Centurion face.

Specs are in line with the big adventure bikes, ~550lbs wet, 145hp, 90 ft-lbs from a 1250cc 60 degree V-Twin.

Wonder what the specs on the suspension are? Wonder if the type of customer HD is aiming this at really care...?

MoCo: "Not a hardtail."
Pan America Customer: "Thanks! Tells me all I need to know!"

Given the state of the BMW GS market these days, I think HD will definitely steal market share from the Starbucks crowd that wants to roll up on something not Blau Mit Weiss or Orange, and not really care if this thing performs on anything gnarlier than potholes and tar snakes..

I've been watching a lot of Long Way Up lately, and I was surprised to see an engine on the bike. I was expecting to see a huge battery.

Interesting, but I wouldn't buy one.

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Whoops, how did that get in here?

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The rock hard full knobby tires totally make the bike , they will make it a real treat for traversing wet manhole covers and riding on street car tracks.
 
Wonder if they are going to do a movie about this bike, cross contient adventure or something, would make sense.

Looks like a updated Vrod engine? (y)
 
I like it

the exhaust treatment looks a bit cumbersome though
looks easy to damage
but should be fine for getting over the curb into Starbucks

wonder if there is a more robust skid pan available?
 
I don't hate it, but I feel like HD needed to do something beyond offer a 60 degree v-twin to differentiate themselves in this segment. I just don't see anyone not already enamoured with the brand looking at this ahead of the umpteen other soft-roader options out there, all with very similar spec sheets. The whole point of diversifying the lineup was to start finding new customers, especially under 50. I'll be very surprised if this sells better than the V-Rod.

Styling is inspired by the current eff-off-biggest-grill-possible pickup trends, and those sell like crazy, so maybe I'll be wrong...
 
The bubblegum welds on the exhaust are pretty embarrassing when they are left right out in the open. It's almost as if HD thinks that the factory exhaust is only used for compliance testing and delivery but none will actually leave the dealer wearing it so why bother making something decent.
 
The headlite area is something they could have done a much more thought out job on
 
Skid pan! :cautious: if you sump that pig out going over something you did it all wrong, call a friend or call CAA
 
From the tank back it looks OK. I like the wheels. Very similar to BMW. Its not as bad looking as I was expecting. It would be nice to see with bags. I always think my R1200GS looks like crap without the bags

But that headlight looks like it was designed by a man with a ruler and an HB pencil... :)

I was thinking about replacing the GS as it has 280k on it but I don't think the Harley will be in the running.

Looks like its a little too little too late for Million $ Bogan though

Edit: Those welds look like I did them... LOL
 
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Just noticed something else in the vein of the Cylon thing that I can't unsee: the cylinders look like two friendly toy robots, straight out of a Pixar film. The cam circles (?) make the eyes, and "MILWAUKEE USA" makes the smile. They look super familiar, too. Maybe I'm thinking of Eve from Wall-E, but maybe there's another I'm forgetting...
 
Evoex said:
Wasnt this at the bike show last year in orange?

Its growing on me.
Click to expand...

Like mold on bread? :D

Yeah, the ones at the bike shows were pre-production. The one above is one of the first production bikes delivered to the dealership for sale.

sburns said:
Looks like a updated Vrod engine? (y)
Click to expand...

Revolution Max, so the next iteration of the V-Rod engine. They were also going to put this powerplant in the upcoming Bronx, before it got canned.

Priller said:
The whole point of diversifying the lineup was to start finding new customers, especially under 50. I'll be very surprised if this sells better than the V-Rod.
Click to expand...

I think they've done their homework.

The 50-under crowd are not buying as many motorcycles as they once were, and the 65-over crowd are quickly aging out of motorcycles as well. The fastest growing segment of motorcycling is the Adventure Touring demographic, and in that market, there's a huge disconnect between what riders *say* they want (a lightweight dirt-competent machine) and what they're *really* buying: a heavy, bloated luxobarge with huge powerful engines coupled with every electronic convenience integrated - albeit with a long suspension travel, tall seat height and a token skidplate. That and Faux-ADV sport-tourers like the S1000XR and Multistrada.

The Pan America specs are right on target to reach these customers. Will they outsell R1250GSs? No way, but a rising tide lifts all ships. This is HDs bloat... er, boat...
 
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Harley is not trying to capture traditional GS buyers as a primary focus, they are trying to retain Harley defections from HD to the GS.

Most rental fleets around the globe have GS units and once a rider has spent a week aboard one, it gets on their consideration list.
 
Not fond of the electrical tape look of the tank but if this had come out 15 years ago I would have snapped one up.

Alas, too old and too poor now.
 
Lightcycle said:
Whoops, how did that get in here?
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That's gold!

I don't hate it, but I don't like it either. I really wonder how the hell Harley could have screwed it up this much though. Retro looking stuff is super in right now, take for example the hype around the new Bronco. That stuff is right up Harley's alley.

Harley should have put a pause on this concept, and taken a look at the Indian FTR and Guzzi V85TT for inspiration.
 
Nobody here has enough money to buy one anyway. I suspect a total market flop, but strange successes do happen. Too much weight up top, those exhaust pipes are going to cook the engine, and why on earth is there what looks like regulator right behind the front wheel? As for the Cylon front end, it's growing on me because it's practical: it doesn't have its headlight pointing at the sky like some bikes.

Alas, the stupid thing is 550lbs wet. Like the rest of the oversized ADVs that pretend to be off-roadable, I'd have to get it for free before I would own it.
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