Near the desert town of Mojave, trails and service roads lie on top of the underground aqueduct. (Photos by Rob Day & Rob Glass)
The Los Angeles Aqueduct is an engineering marvel, a 233-mile channel that carries Sierra snow melt from California’s Owens Valley into the San Fernando Valley. Its five-year construction, completed in 1913, changed the face of Southern California. Without it, there would be no Los Angeles.
But because of it, there was tragedy. Draining the Owens Valley destroyed an entire farming region and turned to dust a lake once grand enough that steamboats crossed it. Building a dam to hold the stolen waters resulted in the second deadliest disaster ever to strike California when the dam collapsed.
Los Angeles Aqueduct ride route from Pearsonville to Santa Paula, California
Much of the aqueduct is open waterway, but the rest is a covered concrete channel. And most of that channel functions as a public road. We took a trio of Harley-Davidson Pan Americas and tried to see how much of it we could ride.
It was a hot May morning when we set out from Zakar, a compound that serves as base camp for RawHyde’s adventure motorcycle training school in the Mojave Desert. We wanted to beat the worst of the heat, so shortly after dawn we dashed up State Route 14 to U.S. Route 395 and exited at 9 Mile Canyon Road to catch our first leg of the aqueduct.
German-made steel plates were fashioned into massive pipes for this section of the aqueduct.
On maps, it’s called “Los Angeles Aqueduct.” Under our tires, it was a crunchy, crusty roadway, often covered entirely in sand and gravel, that followed the contours of the lowest reaches of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. We had to leave the hills after a few miles as the aqueduct went underground, running in tunnels through the foothills. (The aqueduct includes 142 such tunnels, comprising 52 miles of its total length.)
Back on the slab, we stopped for cold drinks at Robber’s Roost Ranch, and again at Jawbone Canyon Store, the “Mad Max” meets “Motocross Zombies from Hell” waystation popular with the off-road bike and buggy crowd. Further south, we were able to pick up the aqueduct again from Pine Tree Canyon Road. From there, we had a spirited 13-mile run of sand and concrete climbing high above the flat desert floor before dropping us down into the town of Mojave.
This store, located on Route 14 near the Jawbone Canyon OHV area, is a favorite of desert off-roaders.
The aqueduct left the mountains, taking us with it for a higher-speed run across the Antelope Valley. From Oak Creek Road we accessed the aqueduct again, then barnstormed our way through wind farms, skirted past Willow Springs International Raceway, crossed Tehachapi Willow Springs Road, and ran across the desert for 30 miles of flat-out fun.
It was a good chance to test the new Harley-Davidson off-roader in a desert setting. I had been impressed on previous rides by the bike’s behavior, but in the sandy sections I came to admire it even more (especially with the optional knobby tires). So did my colleagues. By the end of this stretch, even those of us who own GS or GSA machines agreed the Pan America handled the sand better than our beloved BMWs.
Portions of the aqueduct, which originally had a rounded top, now function as concrete roadways – where the sand hasn’t buried them.
Along here we also got to see several different types of aqueducts. There were sections with a flat concrete top, older sections covered in curved concrete ribs –the standard before someone figured out you could use the top of the aqueduct as an access road if you flattened it –and even a mile-long section of above-ground pipe, built from massive 12-foot-diameter rounds brought in by mule teams.
At State Route 138, we stopped at the Neenach Cafe and Market for a cold drink. From there, we rode tarmac into the foothills, through the towns of Lake Hughes and Elizabeth Lake, past the legendary motorcycle stop The Rock Inn and into Green Valley and San Francisquito Canyon.
Water ran through the aqueduct to a huge pumping station in San Francisquito Canyon. Hundreds of lives were lost when the dam broke, but some of its 100-year-old turbines still operate today.
It was in this canyon that William Mulholland and the brain trust behind the mighty aqueduct decreed that Los Angeles’ water should be stored. A concrete gravity dam –virtually identical to the Mulholland Dam that still holds up Lake Hollywood –was constructed in a narrow section of the canyon. The St. Francis Dam was completed in 1926. Two years later, and only hours after Mulholland had inspected the dam and deemed it safe and stable, the structure gave way.
Just before midnight on March 12, 1928, a wall of water 180 feet high surged down the canyon. More than 12 billion gallons of water left the dam within the next hour. Entire communities were engulfed and swept away. At least 431 lives, and perhaps many more, were lost.
Emerging from the hillsides, the huge aqueduct pipes carry water overhead as it traverses mountains.
We rode our Pan Americas along a dirt path toward the original dam site. Beside the trail were massive chunks of concrete, some as big as a Winnebago, remnants of the fallen structure. Returning to the road, we continued down the canyon to Power Plant 2, where aqueduct water runs through turbines to create electricity. We’d only intended to admire the exterior of the building. But a building superintendent, noticing our bikes in the parking lot, let us in for an impromptu tour of the remarkable facility, which still uses the same turbines that were installed more than a hundred years ago –some of them recovered after the disaster from miles down the canyon.
Our interest wasn’t only in the disaster. There was a motorcycling purpose to our visit, too. The last person to see the dam before it blew was a motorcyclist named Ace Hopewell, who heard rumblings above the noise of his engine and stopped to listen before riding on.
There were motorcycle heroes, too. State Motorcycle Officer Thornton Edwards and Santa Paula Police Officer Stanley Baker were notified of the dam’s collapse, and at great risk to themselves raced from street to street in Santa Paula sounding the alarm. The two riders are credited with saving hundreds of lives, as the people they woke from sleep were able to escape being swept away by the rushing waters.
This statue in Santa Paula honors the two police officers who rode through the night to warn residents after the dam had collapsed.
To pay tribute to these men, we rode south from Power Plant 2, across Castaic, past Magic Mountain, along the part of State Route 126 that was once home to the motocross track known as Indian Dunes, and into the town of Santa Paula. To fortify ourselves we stopped at Rabalais’ Bistro for strong coffee, hot beignets, and plates of gumbo, red beans and rice with andouille sausage, and shrimp and grits.
At sunset, we stood near the old Santa Paula train station and admired local artist Eric Richards’ metalwork statue entitled “The Warning.” It depicts the two valiant motorcycle officers, one astride an Indian and the other a Harley, as they made their rounds that deadly night. As dark began to suggest itself in Santa Paula, we headed back, making as quick a trip as possible on pavement to return to our starting point. We’d ridden 180 miles to get to the statue of the two heroes, 50 of that on sandy aqueduct. It took us 100 miles of high-speed pavement to get back to Zakar.
Water pumped through the aqueduct powers electrical generators, which now get assistance from wind turbines in the Antelope Valley.
I’m thinking of writing a letter to Harley-Davidson boss Jochen Zeitz asking him to rename their new adventure bike the Pan Australia, rather than the Pan America.
There is no more suitable country than Australia for such a bike where half of the gazetted roads are dirt and the other half riddled with potholes and corrugations; where the dual-cab ute and SUV have taken over as the family vehicle; and where it’s a couple of packed lunches between servo stops.
Here the unaptly named Pan America stands proud as a conveyor of riders across everything from single track to freeways and even the daily commute.
Based on price, performance and efficiency, it sits toward the top of the growing heap of popular litre-plus behemoth adventure bikes.
Harley-Davidson’s first adventure motorcycle comes in two models overseas, but in Australia and New Zealand arrives in the up-spec Special model only, priced at $A31,995 ride away ($NZ33,995).
That’s fairly competitive when compared with Euro rivals from BMW, Ducati, KTM and Triumph.
The base model has mag wheels and is more road oriented, while the Special is an adventure tourer with electronically adjustable semi-active suspension, tyre pressure monitors, centre stand, multi-position rear brake pedal, hand guards, aluminium skid plate, Daymaker headlight, heated hand grips, cruise control and steering damper.
Tubeless spoked wheels
Options include tubeless spoked wheels like BMW’s GS and adaptive ride height which were fitted to my test bike at a package cost of $1485.
Over the course of two weeks, I took it on pretty much every type of gazetted road in Australia from sandy single track, through some mud, B grade potholed country roads, suburban commuting and highways.
The big Harley may look like a big, black, plastic wheelie bin, but it certainly is a practical and accomplished all-roader.
What it isn’t, is a Harley; or at least it does not look, feel, sound nor perform like any of the hundred-plus Harleys I’ve ridden in the past couple of decades.
In fact, one of the world’s most recognised brand names is only discretely displayed on the wheels and rocker covers, with blank bar-and-shield logos on the tank.
The engine may be a V-twin like all other Harleys, but the new liquid-cooled Revolution Max 1250 feels, sounds and performs more like a parallel twin.
There is none of the thump and big-bottomed torque of Harley’s big V-twins. Instead, it is a refined engine with variable valve timing and a good spread of power.
With 112kW of power, it’s only beaten by Ducati’s Multistrada, while the torque monster BMW at 142Nm is the only big adventurer with more grunt than PanAm’s 127Nm.
However, maximum power and torque do require many more revs than other Harleys or the BMW GS juggernauts.
And it doesn’t have that iconic potato-potato sound that Harley famously and unsuccessfully once applied to trademark.
The engine is married to an un-Harley-like slick transmission where neutral is easy to find and the gears mesh so nicely you can cluthlessly shift up and down through most cogs.
At 100km/h in sixth, it is spinning at 3800rpm which is about 1200 revs higher than most Harley engines.
The spread of ratios allows low gearing for technical terrain as well as a reasonably vibe-free smooth run on the highway.
Here you can flick on the cruise control and be assured that you won’t cop a ticket for inadvertent speeding since it doesn’t pick up pace going downhill.
While other brands may be introducing adaptive cruise control that regulates the speed according to the vehicle in front, at least Harley’s cruise will protect your licence, albeit with a strange surging feel as it tries to stick to your selected speed.
Like most big adventurers, it stands tall with high bars, footpegs, windscreen and tank.
Yet the adjustable seat height is relatively moderate for adventurers at 850mm with an optional suspension dropping it to 830mm, so it should a wide range of riders.
Ergonomics are comfortable with a commanding riding position, plenty of leg room, a generous reach to the bars and a big, plush saddle for both rider and pillion who also gets massive hand grips that double as discrete mounts for panniers.
It’s accommodation that will convey rider and pillion hundreds of kilometres in comfort and with plenty of protection from the windscreen with three-level adjustment.
Adjustable windscreen lever
You can adjust the screen via a lever on the left so you can keep your right hand on the throttle. However, I found it a bit awkward to adjust on the fly, so I suggest pulling over to change the screen height.
On rough terrain, the standing position on generously sized footpegs with pop-out rubber inserts is also congenial without the need for bar risers.
Surprisingly, the company that previously boasted it made “heavy motorcycles” is not the heaviest of the adventurers at 253kg, which is 15kg less than the market-leading BMW R 1250 GS.
While no behemoth adventure bike feels at home on single track, the top-heavy Harley does not feel too awkward.
Despite the V-twin confirmation placing a lot of weight high in the chassis, it feels well balanced and not overly hefty.
However, in the standing position, you can’t see the front tyre which makes it difficult to precisely place the front wheel in or out of ruts.
All big adventure bikes are now marvels of technology and the PanAm is no different with a massive 6.8 inch TFT display showing speedometer, gear, odometer, fuel level, clock, trip, ambient temp, low temp alert, side stand down alert, tip-over alert, cruise, range and tacho.
All that info is available on the home screen, but the type on some info is small and difficult to read.
However, you can scroll through various screens where the information is tailored with larger and easier-to-read letters and numbers.
It comes with four preset riding modes (highway, rain, sport and enduro) that adjust throttle sensitivity, ABS, power output, traction control and suspension damping, plus a customisable mode that you can tailor to suit your needs and riding style.
You can also pair your phone to the bike and access phone calls, music and navigation through the H-D app.
USB accessories charger
All controls are easily reachable on the plethora of switches and buttons on the two big switch blocks.
Harley has long had sidestands that lock so they won’t roll forward and fall over. The PanAm continues that sensible tradition, but it’s a bit short and too far forward for my liking, making it difficult to deploy on flat ground or where there is a slight uphill on the left.
The massive centre stand is welcome, but difficult to deploy without assistance from a pillion or riding buddy.
You can dress up the PanAm with a wide range of Harley accessories, including three durable luggage systems, as well as adventure riding gear for men and women developed in collaboration with respected European motorcycle apparel specialist, REV’IT!.
Pan America Special tech specs
Price: from $31,995 ride away (test bike included tubeless spoked wheels and adaptive ride height at $1485).
Warranty: 2 years/unlimited km.
Engine: liquid-cooled, VVT, Revolution Max 1250cc V-twin.
Power: 112kW @ 9000rpm.
Torque: 127Nm @ 6750rpm.
Gearbox: 6-speed, chain drive.
Weight: 253kg.
Suspension front/rear: 47mm inverted fork with electronically adjustable semi-active damping control. aluminium fork triple clamps / Linkage-mounted monoshock with automatic electronic preload control and semi-active compression & rebound damping.
So, Harley-Davidson has made an adventure bike.And you know what? They’ve had a red hot go at doing it and it’s actually pretty damn good!
Harley-Davidson Pan America
Milwaukee have evaluated the established peerage in the adventure-touring sector, examined what those bikes do well, where they could be improved upon, and then looked for points of difference they can bring to market in order to stand out from the crowd and make a statement.
The Pan America is expected to arrive in Australia soon at a competitive $31,995 Ride Away. Tubeless spoked rims and adaptive ride height suspension will be optional extras that come together as a package priced at $1485.
And Pan America is quite a bold statement
At the recent Australian launch Harley-Davidson head honcho Nigel Keough started proceedings by declaring, “we compete to win and aim to make Pan America Australia’s #1 adventure-touring motorcycle and we believe it will be a game-changer’”
It wasn’t said with rodomontade, Nigel is fairly softly spoken, but the intent was clear nonetheless.
Looking at the list of features you can tell how well Harley have studied the competition in the sector, examined the ingredients that make for a successful recipe, then for the most part simply added those same components before blending and then putting it in the oven to bake.
All the ingredients for success are there
Adventure Tourer check-list
150 horsepower twin – check
Radial Brembo stoppers – check
Lean-angle sensitive ABS and traction control – check (Bosch)
Electronic semi-active suspension – check (Showa)
Cornering lights – check
Tyre pressure monitoring – check
Cruise control – check
Heated grips – check
20+ litre fuel capacity – check
350km+ range – check
Comfortable ergonomics – check
Steering Damper – check
Slip-assist clutch – check
Hill Hold Control – check
Engine Braking Control – check
Ride Modes linked to corresponding different tunes for the suspension, ABS and traction control systems – check
Adjustable seat height – check
Adjustable screen – check
Large TFT screen with mobile app driven navigation – check
Powered USB ports at dash and under seat – check
Luggage systems both hard/soft as accessories – check
That’s a pretty damn good start!
Harley have then added a couple of points of difference that will genuinely improve the experience for many.
Single-piece aluminium cylinders with nickel silicon carbide-surface galvanic coating are a lightweight design feature. Rocker covers, camshaft covers and primary cover are lightweight magnesium.
The all new Revolution Max engine utilises hydraulic lifters that activate tiny roller-rockers thus there are no valve clearance checks required.That $500+ saving every 32,000 km or so though is somewhat clawed back by the fact that Harley have set the minor service intervals at 8000 km, rather than the now industry norm of 16,000km.That said, if you go 16,000 km without doing an oil change yourself at least once during that period between dealership visits on any modern motorcycle, then I reckon you’ve got rocks in your head. Oil and filters are pretty damn cheap and if you plan on doing any serious adventure riding, then it also pays to get to know your motorcycle. Doing some basic maintenance yourself at home is a good way to gain such knowledge, rather than trying to work it out by the side of some dirt track on the side of a mountain 500 kilometres from home… Here endeth the Texas Tea sermon from Pastor Trev, back to the bike…
The real breakthrough, the one that will really make a point of difference that riders will appreciate every single time they mount or dismount the motorcycle, is the new automatic ride height and lowering system which is deployed for the first time in Pan America.
The automatic ride height system truly is a game-changer for many
This is a true halle-fecken-lujah moment for the short of leg amongst us. This feature alone will capture the attention of many adventure-touring aspirants. When the machine comes to a stop it automatically sinks 25-50 mm closer to terra-firma, that figure depends on how much pre-load has been set on the suspension, and then raises up again as you move off from a standstill. It does it all automatically. Simply brilliant. Seriously, in such a competitive sector why has it taken until 2021 for this to come to market? Harley is kicking sand in the face of the established peerage good and proper with this feature, and good on them. Insert that Leonardo DiCaprio meme where he leans back and claps from The Wolf of Wall Street right here.
Inverted 47 mm Showa Balance Free forks control the 120/70-19 front while a BFRC shock helps ensure the power gets down to a 170/60-17 rear.The damping at both ends is semi-active and constantly adjusted on the fly to respond instantly to the corresponding road, load, throttle and braking demands being placed on the suspension.
Showa semi-active suspension is the business
It’s somewhat akin to voodoo but it works, and like the electronic Showa used on Honda’s Africa Twin, it is generally a little more taut in its response than the WP, Sachs or Ohlins set-ups used by other competitors. Don’t translate that to mean harsh as nothing could be further than the truth, it’s just that all the Showa offerings I have sampled make the speed of damping changes rather more evident than many comparative systems.
Harley-Davidson developed the lowering and ride-height levelling software in conjunction with Showa, thus the technology will be only available on Harley motorcycles for the next year. Only then will Showa be allowed to offer the system to other manufacturers. This is a normal state of affairs when companies partner to develop, engineer, evaluate, test and map new technology through a shared investment. KTM did the same with Bosch when the 1190 Adventure was the first motorcycle to hit the road with lean-angle sensitive ABS back in 2014, which then filtered out to other brands in 2015.
Harley-Davidson Pan America
The interesting part of the lowering story is that this effectively reverse-engineers something that Harley had been planning to try and introduce for some time on their cruiser line-up. The original idea was to have a slammed on the deck look, but then be able to raise the ride height when out of the city to provide more suspension travel, and thus comfort. Adventure bikes already have plenty of suspension travel,compliance and comfort, but the trade-off is generally tall seat heights that do little to instil confidence in newcomers, effectively ruling many vertically challenged people out of the large-capacity adventure-touring game altogether. This feature brings those people back into the game, and many are going to be enthusiastic players for Team H-D as a result.
Pan America is certainly going to make a big splash when it hits the market
Pan America is not a one trick pony though
It manages to seem a lot smaller than it is and while on the launch we didn’t do any proper serious dirt work, I think it is going to acquit itself quite well in such environs.With 210 mm of ground clearance and 190 mm of suspension travel, it is comparable with most of the 19-inch front opposition.
On unsealed surfaces I was somewhat surprised to find that the Pan America is the least intimidating of all the large adventure-touring motorcycles on the market. No matter how much experience I gain on big jiggers, it always takes some time to regain the confidence required to ride them with any sort of real aggression, especially if I have been out of the seat for a month or two.
The toe end of the rear brake pedal pad simply flips over with a finger to change it from a sit-down to stand-up placement
I’ve done plenty of serious sand and clocked up more than 10,000 kilometres on many of the main competitors to the Pan America and, in my opinion, the only bikes that instil more confidence as you first head off-road are those that wear 21-inch front rims. And off-road on a big bike, confidence is somewhat of a necessity. That confidence eventually comes on all the other adventure-tourers, but it comes more quickly on the Pan America due to some sort of Jedi mind trick they’ve managed to pull off that makes the bike shrink around you.
The user-friendly nature of the engine also plays its part. It never ceases to amaze me just how much modern ride-by-wire throttles can smooth out the power deliveries of powerful engines that otherwise might prove more than a little recalcitrant.
The power delivery is somewhat deceptive
I once owned a KTM 990 Adventure R that was a crazy mofo to ride, it tried to kill me often, but I loved it, and still miss it. Yet the latest KTM Adventure bikes have heaps more power than the 990 era bikes, but are absolute pussycats to ride compared to the 990 era engines.Seriously, don’t let the big numbers scare you, technology has made huge power accessible to the masses.
The 150 horsepower Pan America is the softest pussycat in town though.Pick up from a closed throttle is the smoothest in the business. The way the engine puts the power through to the back tyre makes it feel as though more than a few of those ponies might have gone missing from the paddock.
Twist it a bit harder though and spin that 60-degree v-twin past 6500 and the speed really starts to pile on.Again though, it is still a little deceptive, the electronic speedo is working hard to keep up but you just don’t get that real feel of the urge through the seat of your pants. The acceleration is there and the speed builds strongly, but you just don’t ‘feel’ it as much as you do on most of the competition.The engine is simply so smooth that it hides just how formidable it can be.
DOHC design permits independent Variable Valve Timing (VVT) on the intake and exhaust cam, optimised for the front and rear cylinder
Both the exhaust and intake cams in each cylinder head are advanced in low rpm situations to improve torque, and then that valve timing is pulled back as the rpm increases to deliver the top end horsepower. And this is not a few degrees of change, we are talking a monumental 40-degrees of difference in either direction, that’s massive. It is the most impressive variable valve timing system I have sampled.
Despite all this electrickery taking place between your knees there are no discernible steps in the power delivery, none. But you can definitely feel the engine start to take on a more ferocious new nature as you spin past that 127 Nm at 6750 rpm torque peak and the electronic tacho sweeps towards the 150 horsepower at 8750 rpm crescendo in quickening fashion.The 13:1 compression engine feels as though it wants to keep pulling well past that but the rev-limiter stops play at 9500 rpm. Some of the gears are quite close together which meant I did brush that limiter from time to time as I failed to feed it the next gear quick enough. That really high-lighted the lack of a quick-shifter.
That is a curious omission for a bike so loaded with almost every electronic feature imaginable.It makes me think that Harley have developed one, but some problems with it have delayed the deployment of the feature to the public. There are plenty of ‘not quite right’ quick-shifter set-ups that have destroyed not only gearboxes but also engines. This has become even more critical to get right with the latest generation of two-way quick-shift set-ups. I reckon something like this is why we don’t see a quick-shifter on the Pan America, yet… That, or that the smooth shifting and fairly faultless gearbox does not lend itself to the use of a quick-shifter due to some quirk inherent in the design of the shift drum.
Final drive is via chain
Obviously Harley’s traditional belt drive system was never going to cut it on a bike destined for any serious off-road use. Rocks and grooved belts just don’t go together.Harley have opted for chain drive over a shaft set-up and that is a move I am perfectly happy with.Shaft drives have their benefits for sure, but these days quality chains generally don’t need adjustment outside of service intervals or rear tyre changes. I would expect a 30,000 km chain life, perhaps more due to the smooth running nature of the engine. Modern o-ring or x-ring chains only need a wipe clean if covered in crud and a light spray of lubricant once in a blue moon.
Looks are somewhat polarising, but I don’t mind it all. Let’s face it, nobody makes a pretty adventure bike…
The water-cooled engine has a huge fan that reduces the temperature quite quickly when it gets a little hot under the collar if spending too much time standing still.Coolant also runs through the oil-cooler and there are vanes in the bodywork to direct airflow away from the rider after it has passed through the radiator.It is a dry-sump engine with a three-stage scavenge pump and oil jets under the coated pistons. The crankcase scavenge pump produces enough suction for Harley to employ low-tension rings that reduce friction. Exhaust valves are sodium filled to better resist heat build-up and Harley really do seem to have covered all the bases that should ensure durability.
The engine heat does sometimes get transferred to your inner thigh on the right
There is no getting away from the fact though that the inside of your legs basically cosset the rear cylinder head. But it is the routing of the rear header that can make your right leg much more uncomfortable than the left. Stop-start city traffic or first gear off-road work in summer I suspect will get uncomfortable mighty quick.
Overall though, who would have imagined that Harley-Davidson would bring to market the world’s smoothest running and user-friendly high horsepower twin? I can confidently tell you they have.
Certainly plenty of traditional Harley styling cues from this angle
The trade-off is that the engine performs so smoothly that it does leave you feeling that a little of the theatre is missing.While its competitors are European, and feel it, the Revolution Max engine feels so perfectly curated that you could easily mistake it for an engine born from one of the four Japanese powerhouses that have long set the standard for engineering prowess, rather than from the Pilgrim Road Powertrain Operations facility in Wisconsin.
Those long accustomed to my scribblings on motorcycles for the last two decades will know I am not one for hyperbole or embellishment, but this engine is not only a revolution for Harley, it is somewhat of a revolution and revelation in its own right. I admire it greatly and am also a little bit awestruck at what the Americans have produced, but the fact remains that the way it goes about its business still left me a little cold, compared to its European competitors. It’s just missing that discernible wallop in the back of the pants when you hit the throttle, that in-turn produces corresponding action at the front of your pants…. However, I suspect that while the immediate attraction might be missing, the fondness might grow into more love and passion over the long-term rather than a simple one-night-stand.
Ergos and comfort are top notch
It was, however, love at first sight in relation to the ergonomics. The seat feels narrow when onboard but is still supportive and well cushioned. Granted, I haven’t done any big kilometre days in the saddle, but I suspect there will be no problems on the comfort score and I would happily set out to lap Australia on one tomorrow.
A pretty good place to park your bum
The standard screen is manually adjustable while on the move through four positions and various larger or smaller screens are available as accessories. I don’t reckon I would be changing it. Cruise control works well as do the three-stage heated grips.
Electronic suspension also dramatically helps rider comfort and enjoyment in every scenario. The semi-active suspension system has five modes, ‘Comfort’, ‘Balanced’, ‘Sport’, ‘Off-Road Soft’ and ‘Off-Road Firm’. Thus when you want to play boy racer or sit back and enjoy the ride, the perfect suspension set-up is only the press of a button away.
The different ride modes also change the semi-active suspension, ABS, traction control and engine braking tunes, along with the throttle response and ramp rate to the corresponding scenarios.Harley have also given riders a great amount of freedom to set the machine up with their own set of variables and save them in two extra user modes.
Harley-Davidson Pan America
A dedicated ‘Off-Road Plus’ mode deactivates ABS on the rear and places the front ABS in a minimal intervention mode but does not deactivate the system entirely.The ABS system is sophisticated enough that by the time you were in a scenario where complete deactivation would be advantageous, you are probably already in a world of shit anyway.If you have no experience with the latest and greatest ABS systems then you might be throwing your hands up in the air in protest, but for those of us that know how good these systems have now got its no longer a matter of concern. Eventually you just have suck it up and admit that the systems are generally better than you are in any given scenario, particularly an emergency one.
On the road the Pan America steers well, is agile and light underfoot. The launch day saw us on some good roads but mixed conditions and traffic in the places you didn’t want it prevented us from pushing that envelope to see what it could really do. The geometry seems great and the bike shows no hesitation going where its pointed, but we never really got it fully cranked at speed with enough aggression to really judge where it sits in the boy-racer pecking order.
Harley only claim 42-degrees of lean angle via the testing regimen they use to measure such things, but if that figure is calculated the same way the likes of the IMU on the BMW R 1250 GS measures angle of the dangle, then the Pan America will be dragging its undercarriage long before the German starts to feel even a little bit flustered.
I can’t yet judge this area of performance with any real authority before getting the bikes back to back on the same bit of blacktop, that said, I think the Harley will acquit itself quite well. Only those riders that like to lick the stamp and send it into the corners with real aggression will get to appreciate any marginal advantage displayed by the BMW, KTM, Triumph or Ducati in this area.It would be a plain insult to compare the sporting performance of the Pan America to any other model in the current Harley catalogue, it is playing in another contest entirely, and this is the big league full of competitors that have serious sporting potential.
The screen display on the Pan America supports infotainment generated by the rider’s Bluetooth-equipped mobile device. The motorcycle does not have an on-board infotainment system, and it is not equipped with speakers. Most infotainment functions also require a Bluetooth headset and speakers worn within the helmet.
The 6.8-inch TFT instrument panel is done quite well.It has a variety of displays to choose from that can be further customised to suit your tastes. The instrument panel and its surrounding binnacle is adjustable for angle to ensure it caters to riders of various heights. The resolution is good and even small text is legible. It is also a touchscreen but that functionality is only active when stationary.
Images of the instrumentation don’t really do it justice as pictures make it look a bit Fisher-Price, but from the seat it works better and looks better than you might imagine and has all the functionality you could desire. Turn-by-turn navigation is activated via the H-D app on your mobile phone that pairs with the Pan America via Bluetooth. Music works the same way and the whole set-up is very similar to that seen across most motorcycle brands in this day and age. It is executed in a nicer way than most though and only the Apple CarPlay or Android Auto set-up seen on the Africa Twin betters it in any measurable way.
Some of the launch bikes had some minor starting issues that Harley are expecting to have a fix for via a software update before the bikes go on sale. I am sure it will be fixed, but it is worth mentioning all the same.
There were some starting issues experience on the launch that are expected to be fixed by a software update
There is a whole lot going on with the switch-gear. There are so many buttons and switches that it seems all a bit too much but, to be fair, they are reasonably well thought out and functional. Still, there are way too many buttons and even though Harley tell us they have done a million miles of durability testing, 50 per cent of which was undertaken off-road, if all those buttons still work after running through a few bull-dust holes over a week in the outback I will be surprised. The competition has spent decades getting this right, and they still experience failures, so I can’t imagine Harley has got it 100 per cent right from day one, time will tell I guess….
So much going on here and there are more buttons below and above that you can’t even see in this shot, and there are just as many on the left switch-block also
And this perhaps is also the crux of the matter when it comes to Pan America. There is no question Harley have done an absolutely amazing job to write this opening chapter in what they hope will be a whole new profitable book for The Motor Company. But just how right have they got it?Will the early adopters be supported well enough through any teething problems to still be loving Pan America life in 12 or 18 months time?
One would hope that Harley have invested so much in this new platform that they will instruct their dealer network to move heaven and earth to ensure those that choose to put down 32-large on a Pan America feel as though they are part of that new adventure-touring journey with Harley, rather than just being on a Harley….That will decide how the next Pan America chapter is written, and from there whether it will be a short serial, or a tome of real significance that will leave an indelible mark on the future of motorcycling.
Harley-Davidson Pan America
Harley Davidson Pan America Specifications
Engine
Liquid-cooled, DOHC, 60-Degree V-Twin
Displacement
1,252 cc
Bore X Stroke
105 mm x 72 mm
Power
150 horsepower at 8750 RPM
Torque
127 Nm at 6750 rpm
Compression Ratio
13:01
Fuel System
Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
Exhaust
2-into-1-into-1; catalyst in header
Charging
Three-phase, 45 Amp system (300 Watts @13 Volts, 1200 rpm, 585 Watts max power @ 13 Volts, 2250 rpm)
Electric Power Outlet
USB C-Type , Output 5V at 2.4 Amp
Drivetrain
Chain Driven
Front Fork
47 mm USD Fork with compression, rebound and preload adjustability. Special model only: Electronically adjustable semi-active damping control.
Rear Shock
Linkage-mounted piggyback monoshock with compression, rebound and preload adjustability. Special model only: Automatic electronic preload control and semi-active compression & rebound damping on Special model.
Suspension Travel
190 mm front and rear
Rake
25 degrees
Trail
4.3″
Wheelbase
1580 mm
Ground Clearance
210 mm
L x W x H
2265 mm x 965 mm x 1510 mm
Seat Height
850 mm (830 in low position or 870 in high position)
Front Tyre
120/70R19 60V Michelin Scorcher Adventure, Radial
Rear Tyre
170/60R17 72V Michelin Scorcher Adventure, Radial
Wheels
19 x 3 in. (F) 17 x 4.5 in. (R) – Cast alloy, spoked rims optional
Front Brake
320 mm twin discs. Radially mounted, monoblock, 4-piston caliper, with cornering ABS
Rear Brake
280 mm disc. Floating single piston caliper, with cornering ABS
Display
6.8 inch viewable area TFT display with speedometer, gear, odometer, fuel level, clock, trip, ambient temp, low temp alert, side stand down alert, TIP over alert, cruise, range and tachometer indication, BT capable – phone pairing to access phone calls, music, navigation (H-D App ONLY)
Oil Capacity
4.5 l
Coolant Capacity
2.2 l
Service Interval
8000 km
Fuel Capacity
21 litres
Fuel Economy
4.9 l/100 km
Weight (Fully Fueled)
254 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
455 kg
Warranty
24 months (unlimited mileage)
Ride Away Price
$31,995 Ride Away – $33,480 with spoked rims and adaptive ride height
Harley-Davidson’s first adventure motorcycle, the Pan America 1250, is heading to Australia and New Zealand later this year.
There are two models (pictured above) in the new family, but Australia and New Zealand will only get the up-spec Special model, arriving in Harley-Davidson dealerships in the third quarter of 2021.
The Pan America Special is priced at $A31,995 ride away ($NZ33,995).
Harley-Davidson Pan America Special
Harley-Davidson Pan America Special
That’s fairly competitive when compared with rivals from BMW, Ducati, KTM and Triumph.
The base model has mag wheels and is more road oriented, while the Special is an adventure tourer with electronically adjustable semi-active suspension, tyre pressure monitors, centre stand, multi-position rear brake pedal, hand guards, aluminium skid plate, Daymaker headlight, heated hand grips and steering damper.
Options include tubeless spoked wheels like BMW’s GS and adaptive ride height.
Both are powered by the new Revolution Max 1250 engine which will also feature in the Bronx streetfighter which has been delayed until the end of this year.
The liquid-cooled 1250cc V-Twin is designed for low-end torque and low speed throttle control that is useful for off-road riding.
Despite this being a new bike and new territory for the company, their launch video featuring Hollywood action hero Jason Momoa points out that Harley’s roots are on dirt roads more than 100 years ago.
Yet chairman Jochen Zeitz also claims it is the first adventure touring bike designed and built in America.
He’s obviously not counting the electric Zero dual-sport motorcycles which are limited in touring capacity to less than 400km.
It will be interesting to see how the big Harley adventurer copes with Australia’s tough terrain, but on paper it stacks up pretty well against its main competition from BMW, Ducati, KTM and Triumph.
With 150hp or 112kW of power, it’s only beaten by Ducati’s Multistrada, while the torque monster BMW at 142Nm is the only with more grunt than Pan America’s 127Nm.
And while many may expect the company which previously boasted it made “heavy motorcycles” would have characteristic lard, it sits in the middle of the pack at 245kg, 23kg less than the market-leading BMW R 1250 GS.
However, in Australia, we get the Special with all its extra tech and comfort features which nudges the weight up to 253kg which is still less than the BMW and Triumph.
All the tech is controlled through the 6.8 inch TFT display with speedometer, gear, odometer, fuel level, clock, trip, ambient temp, low temp alert, side stand down alert, TIP over alert, cruise, range and tachometer indication BT capable – phone pairing to access phone calls, music, navigation through the H-D app.
Harley-Davidson dealers will offer an extensive line of accessories, including three durable luggage systems, and new technical riding gear for men and women developed in collaboration with respected European motorcycle apparel specialist, REV’IT!.
As we noted back then, new company boss Jochen Zeitz only talked about the upcoming Pan America, the company’s first adventure motorcycle.
He made no mention of the Bronx Streetfighter, so we presumed it would be axed or at least postponed.
Now the Bronx has been removed from the official Harley website, so it seems we were right.
Bronx Streetfighter
Meanwhile the introduction of the 2021 range and new models will be moved from September to early next year.
Shiny new Harley-Davidson models for the year ahead usually start appearing on showroom floors across the world in September and October.
However, production has been slowed and new models delayed until early next year as part of a Jochen’s new Hardwire strategy.
Bronx Streetfighter
Harley Revolution Max platform includes Pan America and Bronx Streetfighter
Interestingly, Jochen said in his previous Rewire strategy that he would concentrate on iconic models.
Yet the Pan America is far from an iconic Harley model. In fact, it’s a whole new segment for the company.
Whereas, the Bronx isn’t too far removed from previous models such as the XR range and the current Street models.
There is also no mention of the planned Custom 1250 which is a modern take on the V-Rod.
Custom 1250
All of these new models feature the new “Revolution Max” engines of 500cc, 975cc and 1250cc.
Many would consider the 975 and 1250 as big displacements, but Harley calls them midweight which they are in Harley terms as their current engines range from 500cc to over 1900cc.
It seems strange that they would develop this new engine and then only release one model.
Perhaps, Jochen is simply moving back the launch of these new models so as not to shock traditional Harley customers with too much change.
New Harley-Davidson boss Jochen Zeitz has delayed the release of the company’s first adventure bike, the Pan America, as well as the Bronx streetfighter until 2021.
The water-cooled models were to be released in August 2020.
We suspect they may be released about February or March 2021.
That is based on Jochen’s “Rewire” strategy for the company which includes launching new models at the start of the northern hemisphere riding season, instead of near the end.
However, the 57-year-old former Puma boss has pushed back the launch of the Bronx and Pan America.
It seems he may want to concentrate more on those “iconic heritage bikes”.
Many Harley fans may be hoping that means a return of the Dyna and V-Rod families.
Pan America and Bronx
Bronx Streetfighter
Meanwhile, the 1250cc Pan America and 975cc Bronx Streetfighter were to be the first of many models to come with “Revolution Max” engines of 500cc, 975cc and 1250cc.
Many would consider the 975 and 1250 as big displacements, but Harley calls them midweight which they are in Harley terms as their current engines range from 500cc to over 1900cc.
Pan America
ThePan America adventure tourer has 145hp (108kW) of power and 88Nm of torque, while theBronx streetfighter has output of 115hp (85kW) and 94Nm.
Bronx 975cc engine
Harley says the 60-degree V-twin Revolution Max platform engine is designed to offer “flexible performance with a broad powerband that builds to a surge of high-RPM power”.
The Revolution Max models were part of Matt’s “More Roads” strategy which included a 100 new models in 10 years.
Jochensays the More Roads strategy needs to be “reassessed”.
His Rewire strategy is his “playbook for the next few months, leading to a new five-year strategic plan which we’ll share when visibility to the future returns”.
To implement the plan he has launched an internal management restructure and established a CEO Roundtable of “select dealers and former Harley-Davidson leaders”.
As expected, Harley-Davidson sales are down for the fifth year, but they plan to focus on Asia, small-capacity bikes, electric bicycles and bringing new models to market faster.
That could include the electric flat tracker (pictured above) which is an exciting update on the previous concept sketch.
First electric Harley sketch
Retail sales
Bottom line is global retail sales were down 1.4% with a 3.1% drop in the US and slight 0.5% increase in international markets. The share price dropped 3% after the overnight announcement.
The most promising sales result was a 2.7% rise in Asia/Pacific which includes Australia, ASEAN countries and Japan.
However, Australia isn’t contributing to that result with sales down 7.9%.
By comparison, European sales were down 3%, Latin America -3.9% and Canada -7.7%.
The biggest problem is the US domestic market which has dropped in 20 of the past 21 quarters since 2014.
2019
Variance
Worldwide
218,273
-4.3%
US
125,960
-5.2%
International
92,313
-3%
Australia
6462
-7.9%
The bulk of Harley’s sales are touring bikes which dropped 2.1% to 42.5% of all sales.
Cruisers (Softail, CVO and LiveWire) represent 35.6% of Harley sales, up 1.3%, while Street/Sportster is 21.3% and up 0.8%.
On the strength of these new models, revenue is planned to increase from $US4.53b to $US4.66b in 2020.
Part of that could be the reduction in impact of Trump’s tariff war, down this year to $US30m from $US97.9 million last year. Harley has now built a factory in Thailand to side-step tariffs and keep a lid on prices in Europe.
There are no plans yet to import Thai-made bikes to Australia.
President and CEO Matt Levatich says “transformed product development” is allowing them to bring new models such as the Pan America and Bronx to market 30% faster than before.
Pan America
These new models will be released in September, so their impact will not be felt until 2021.
Matt says the new products also include “electric products, motorcycles in new segments and sizes, and even e-bicycles”.
Harley e-bikes
But they haven’t forgotten their core customer, increasing their domestic share in the touring and cruiser segments.
“We’re also leading the electrification of motorcycles with class-leading products developed in conjunction with our new team and our EV development centre, LiveWire labs in Silicon Valley,” Matt says.
Interestingly, American compatriot Indian Motorcycle also says it gained market share, driven by the launch of the Challenger bagger a couple of months ago and the FTR 1200 street tracker.
If both American companies are increasing their domestic share, Japanese and European tourers and cruisers must be losing out.
China is the second biggest powered two-wheeler market in the world next to India, representing 24.9% of global motorcycle and scooter sales and increasing 5% last year to 16.4 million sales.
Harley-Davidson is targeting 50% of revenue to come from overseas markets by 2027.
New riders
Harley’s Riding Academy
Matt was effusive about the increase of 55,000 new riders in the US last year through their riding academy, compared with a net gain of 26,000 in 2018.
However, while they say 527,000 new riders last year joined the brand, that means 472,000 left Harley.
Matt says their research shows they need to “bring people in, build their confidence and capability, and keep them riding through the critical first years of their riding journey”.
“We are testing and developing specific programs and actions right now that nurture new riders and inspire and develop all riders to continue riding with us,” he says.
Critics have been lining up to foretell doom for Harley-Davidson for both being out of date with their pushrod ploughs yet too advanced with their expensive new electric bike.
But long-time Harley-Davidson expert Phil Heath (career bio at the end of the article) reckons the doom sayers have got it wrong and Harley is destined to boom in the years ahead.
We love a bit of controversy, so we present his case and invite you to leave your comments in the usual place. Doom or boom?
Harley set to grow
By Phil Heath
For a few years now, worldwide sales for Harley-Davidson have deflated and demand from the younger generations has generally not materialised. It seems that under their banner of “More Roads to Harley-Davidson”, the Motor Company has been launching trial balloons to find ones that might stay aloft.
I’m sure, however, that there is a modernisation master-plan. It’s pretty clear, and will be extremely successful. Based on the slowing and eventual end of sales to baby boomers, which were just about “guaranteed” sales each year, the search for additional buyer groups is actually proceeding well.
MBW on the Harley Street 500
Beginning with the 2015 launch of the Street 500, learner and small bike buyers have an excellent bike to buy. The huge sales success of the Street is already bringing the Harley brand into the age-groups needed. And put a Vance & Hines slip-on muffler on to the Street and the “little” bike sounds unbelievably good!
The axing of the V-Rod and Dyna platforms caused plenty of online and in-store negative comment at the time, but that mostly blew over quickly. The reality is that with the launch of the Milwaukee 8 engine in 2017 Touring models, and the all-new 2018 Softails, the younger-than-boomer but still “traditional” Harley buyer can choose from the best Cruisers and Tourers in the world.
Because the Street, Softail, and Touring platforms are relatively new, the Motor Company has learners, restricted licence riders, and traditional buyers very well covered for a long time.
The next targets are widespread, and the success of the Street line shows how Harley can successfully grasp a new (for the MoCo) market segment. So who will be brave enough to say that the Livewire, Pan America, Bronx and its related models previewed, and all those prototype small electric vehicles, are going to fail?
LiveWire
Pan America
Bronx Streetfighter
I know that the keyboard experts are already saying H-D’s “lost the plot”, but I’m so old I can remember when people hated the FXR because it was rubber-mounted and had a “Japanese” looking frame. I remember people hated belt drive, hated electronic ignition, the cries of “ugly…what were they thinking” about the beautiful Deuce, and people REALLY hated the V-Rod! Only two years ago the keyboarders were never buying another Harley because some of the Softail fuel tanks were smaller, or because there are no more Dynas, or because the Fat Boy headlight surround was ugly.
Doom or boom?
Change is essential, and so is accepting change. New Zealand is an example of how progressive H-D dealers are embracing the new models, reaching out to younger buyers, and taking motorcycling and the Harley brand forward.
Comparing the NZ year-end totals from 2013 and 2018 (2019 figures not available yet) sales of all new motorcycles increased 36.1%, H-D sales increased 42.2%, and market share is 13.7%.
In Australia, despite great dealers trying hard, year-end totals from 2013 and 2019 show all new motorcycle sales have decreased by 21.2%, and H-D sales decreased by 21.3%. Market share is 7.2%.
Personally, I can’t wait to ride a Livewire, Bronx, or PanAmerica. And the MoCo’s plans? The new models? Softails and Tourers? Over time, it’s all going to come together just fine.
About the author
Back in 2012 I semi-retired from a long career in Australia’s premier Harley-Davidson dealership.
I was honoured to be asked by several other H-D dealers to consult for them. Since then I’ve consulted and assisted H-D dealers in AU and NZ, established and managed an international office for one of H-D’s USA-based official licensees, worked full-time for other Harley dealers, and moved to New Zealand while retaining my Aussie home.
Now, after 40 years in the industry in AU and NZ, I’m again working in both countries for myself as Phil Heath Consulting.
Harley-Davidson has launched its new water-cooled “midweight” platform with its first adventure bike, the 145hp Pan America, and the 115hp Bronx Streetfighter.
These are the first of many models to come with “Revolution Max” engines of 500cc, 975cc and 1250cc.
Many would consider the 975 and 1250 as big displacements, but Harley calls them midweight which they are in Harley terms as their current engines range from 500cc to over 1900cc.
The Pan America adventure tourer has 145hp (108kW) of power and 88Nm of torque.
Pan America
Bronx streetfighter has 115hp (85kW) of power and 94Nm of torque.
They will be launched late next year and feature a new partnership with Brembo brakes and Michelin tyres.
Revolution Max platform
Bronx 975cc engine
Harley says the 60-degree V-twin Revolution Max platform engine is designed to offer “flexible performance with a broad powerband that builds to a surge of high-RPM power”.
Here is what Harley has to say in its official press release:
Minimising weight and maximising performance, the Revolution Max provides a narrow powertrain profile that is integrated into the motorcycle as a stressed member of the frame to enhance centre of gravity and handling.
The fully balanced powertrain has an internal counter balancer that mitigates primary engine vibration to enhance rider comfort and improve vehicle durability.
Pan America 1250 engine
The 60-degree angle of the cylinders provides space for dual down draft throttle bodies that maximise air flow and increase performance.
Liquid cooling maintains a controlled engine temperature for consistent performance in changing environmental and riding situations.
Partners
Pan America and Bronx models will feature new Brembo radial monoblock four-piston calipers that “combine sharp edges with softer curves designed to create a style that complements the personality of the bike and delivers outstanding braking feel and capability”.
Michelin has also developed special co-branded tyres for each model.
From the photo galleries below we can see a lot of luggage accessories for the Pan America as well as a whole new range of Harley adventure gear.
And while the Streetfighter is expected to have much more lane angle than we are used to on Harleys, the photos don’t really show it cranked over to the max.
You can also see comprehensive instrument displays and LED lighting.
When Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor rode around the world in 2004 on BMW R 1150 GS Adventure bikes we saw how difficult the bigger bikes were in tough terrain.
Since then, BMW has gone to an R 1200 GS and now an even bigger R 1250 GS.
BMW R 1250 GS Adventure HP
Meanwhile, Ducati from a Multistrada 1200 to 1260 and KTM Super Adventure from 1190 to 1290.
Do we really need bigger and more powerful adventure bikes?
Sure, the new bikes come with a host of electronics that make them easier to ride in tough terrain.
But even a Harley-Davidson cruiser in the right hands can do some adventure work.
Just check out this video where a BMW R 1200 GS has a hard time keeping up with the female rider!
How embarrassing!
But does that mean we should be buying bigger bikes to go adventure riding?
Is bigger better?
No doubt Charley and Ewan played a big part in the popularity of BMW’s 1200cc GS models and the advent of similar-sized models from Ducati, KTM, Yamaha, Triumph and Moto Guzzi.
Charley in the Flinders Ranges
Most are a tour de force of electronic wizardry that allow riders to adventure further and further off piste.
But if there is one thing any off-road rider will tell you is that they expect to crash.
That’s fine on a small bike, but on a tall and heavy behemoth like this new crop of adventure bikes, even a small crash can have big consequences.
Even if your bike survive the crash, you may not. And there may still be a 230kg+ bike to wrestle back to its vertical position.
But in recent years, adventure riders and adventure bikes are downsizing.
The slightly smaller 998cc Honda Africa Twin quickly became a top-selling adventure bike in Australia. Honda is also rumoured to be making a smaller version.
And Moto Guzzi is replacing its 1150cc Stelvio next year with an 853cc V85 TT.
V85 TT
The new generation of scramblers are now adding more off-road oriented versions to appeal to those wishing to downsize from behemoth adventurers.
There is also now a baby adventure sector for novice adventurers. The include the Kawasaki Versys-X 300, BMW G 310 GS, 400cc Royal Enfield Himalayan, Honda CB500X, Honda 190cc Night Hawk and Suzuki “Baby-Strom” DL250.
Kawasaki Versys-X 300
While we don’t expect riders to head off into the single trails on their Harleys, we should be seeing more smaller adventure bikes in the outback.
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Jochen Zeitz with the electric LiveWire
Bronx Streetfighter
Pan America
Bronx 975cc engine
Bronx Streetfighter
Pan America
Harley e-bikes
Harley-Davidson 
Harley’s Riding Academy
