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Great review for what is an amazing granted *BEAST* of a Machine. Definitely needs 2 wheel drive before I would consider at this price. Absolutely *SUPERB* show and tell on how to lift your bike proper and level.
I've asked so many dealers how it does when it gets knocked down/dropped. Only one answered me. He was all about the PanAmerica. He owned and rode one daily. Said he has beat it up pretty good and it held up well. Gave me a lot of confidence but sadly I didn't buy it. should have.
I ride my Fatboy on the gravel backtrails constantly. I have tipped it over on wet grass turning around. The roll bars kept it up high enough to make it an easy lift. That PanAm needs wider designed roll bars for us old guys. I will probably end up owning one once the price of one makes sense to me!
Let’s face it. Adv bikes have allowed HD to escape their own stereotype. A 21st century engine, loaded with technology and an overall package worth serious consideration. Nice to see it properly assessed by a genuine rider and tester and not the usual HD fans.
Great review. I own a 22 Pan America Special and currently sitting at 3K miles. I have the luggage racks, the rear rack, the hard panniers, the full adventure skid plate & Two Brothers Exhaust. The bike is very good in many ways. I prefer the contrast mode on the TFT. (hold the home button for 5 seconds) makes everything easier to read from the saddle. Its the most comfortable Harley Davidson I have ever owned and Ive owned alot of them. Keep up the good work.
@@Gismo3333 Are you asking me or Big Rock Moto? As far as the air filter it’s not as easy as some other bikes but also not as difficult as others. You do have to remove the tank like he said in this video but it’s fairly simple. 1 bolt at the base of the tank and a quick disconnect fuel line and then a harness underneath and it lifts right off.
That also doesn’t make sense from a service standpoint. The dealer needs the bike for about 2.5 hours to complete a service which includes checking the air filter. It’s not bad at all
love the competition from all manufacturers, it really makes room and a push from all brands to innovate and create better options for the adventure segment in the future. Can't wait to see what comes next in the next decade
I'm with you that's my hope with king of the baggers racing as well. If it's only ever going to Indian and Harley it won't last. Been to 3 races now and its awesome and it's really got me into the other classes... but those other classes have alot more brands witch is one of things that makes it exciting to watch.
I just bought one and will say I agree with your reviews for the most part (I like the turn signals the sae plug is actually standard and is needed the bike is very sensitive to battery voltage). when I first seen this bike online I did not like the look of it at all its much better looking In person. I was going to get an africa twin based on your reviews but my local hd dealer got a pan am in and I test rode it and fell in love. BTW should have mentioned the on screen gps SUCKS!! Good job on the review
The GPS on the bike sucks ass unless you are looking for a Harley Dealer....LOL But the Navigation, even on the touring models, has always sucked. Too bad it does not have CarPlay.....But I have a phone mount...so......
This is the most in-depth review I've ever seen on any bike and incredibly detailed. I'm very surprised with your findings. I've owned and ridden H-D road bikes and believed (mistakenly) that the Pan American was simply a styling thing with little off-pavement ability. I was wrong!
When i look at this bike and the effort It’s a good thing but and i mean but, will Harley do what it takes to bring it to the same level as BMW or Ducati or Triumph? It has taken them a long and committed effort to get where they are at. THe Harley is by no means a polished product. It has finished last in every comparison test between the big guys. Are they really committed to keep refining the bike. putting out a smaller mid-sized version? Willing to go backto the drawing board like Triumph to step it forward again just that much better? Or is this a one and done effort?
Bid Rock Moto rant Okay let’s be clear about the facts and omissions prevalent in Ian’s and other Moto Presenters’ Videos on You Tube: 1. Countersteering: No one except the MotoJitsu presenter appears in their videos to actually CounterSteer. We viewers see you leaning the motorcycle over when the road curves. There is no Push Right To Go Right (the MSF Instruction for CounterSteering). This is Lame Leadership and just plain incorrect. 2. Brake Architecture: No mention of Axial versus Radial setups on (either end of) the Brake Lines. See Motorcyclist Magazine several years back for Ari Henning’s superb explanations of Why Radial is Right! 3. Stainless Braided Lines: You and other You Tube testers ignore completely this issue. [My 2010 Honda Gold Wing lacked Stainless Braided Lines AND AntiLock Brakes. Outrageous!] No citations about Harleys and Big Four Japanese bikes lacking Stainless Braided Lines. Given the chump change that Galfer (or equivalent) brand lines would cost at volume pricing, this Safety Issue borders on Criminality by those folks. The European Manufacturers all appear to install them as Standard Items. The Indians (TVS, Eicher/Royal Enfield, Baja) and the Mainland Chinese (CF Moto, Lifan, Kove, et cetera) are a mixed bag. 4. Short Rider Analysis: none 5. Female Testers on Major You Tube Channels: non-existent 6. Female Input: lacking in 95 percent of the tests. No, Pillion input doesn’t count. Does Maggie actually Pilot a Motorcycle? Nope. Does Mrs. Ryan F Nine (9) actually Start, Stop and Steer any Motorbike? Nope. Yes, Brooke of Different Spokes TV does, in fact, ride up front and there are seven or eight regular You Tube Presenters who are Solo Female Riders and Hundreds of Men who are Testers (mostly White). 7. Comparisons: Everyone loves them; No One does them very well with the exception of Motorcycle.com (and they miss including All the bikes in a Category saying that Ducati or Yamaha or…whoever could not or wouldn’t supply a bike…thereby making the Comparison inadequate or, worse, suspect!). 8. Seats: It is outrageous that Moto Manufacturers cheap out on Seats in addition to Stainless Braided Lines and Radial Brake Cylinders. There is a reason why there are two dozen seat manufacturers filling a need for comfort! Yes, this issue IS addressed in passing by some Testers but most don’t own the bike and, therefore, don’t ride it for that many miles.
I traded my bmw 1250gs for this and have zero regrets! You can nit pick this or that but the ride on this bike blows every bike out there! It’s absolutely so much fun to ride that you don’t get with all bikes! And I’ve been riding for 35 years!
Saw these for the first time yesterday at my local HD dealer. Blew me away. Glad to see you like yours! I have cruisers but have been thinking about branching out with one of these apocalyptic bad boys!
@@TheGosslings Same. I was looking into the BMW’s for a cheap used one for my first bike. Figured I’d look at Harley’s too and seen these for the first time and fell in love. Ended up walking out yesterday with the CVO edition after watching videos like this and seeing how the community loves them.
Got mine in March 22, Standard version. Now 10.000km in the clock. Took it on long rides, short trips and off road. No issues until now. I want to mention the excellent stock scorcher tyres which lasted almost 10.000 km and work great in any kind of circumstances. And…still here in the heart of Europe the bike makes heads turn as almost every second bike is a gs. Pepper stop, Look at it and ask questions. I am sure that very soon there will be more of them on the road! Great Job HD!!!
Bought one June 2021,got rid of it in 4 months because it was unreliable,leaving stranded far from home,despite multipLe dealer visits.I had no confidence in it,especially cutting out at highway speed. To bad as it was otherwise very good.
Ive been stranded by mine once so far. After the latest series of software updates/recalls it starts every time. No more of that weird stalled first start. Also battery drain appears to be less but the dealer did have to replace my battery. Bought mine in Summer of 21' and I guess that's what I get for buying a 1st model year motorcycle.
@@rso1411 once battery dead for no reason, after charging was in limp mode , would exceed 15 mh, and 3 times abruptly went into limp mode while riding ,again with max. speed of 15 mph. engine light on each time. Had it happened on interstate or high speed highway, it could have had catastrophic consequences.
Love your in-depth and honest reviews! So my husband has owned 2 Harleys, one was a Dyna, kind of sporty cruiser, and one after that was a Road Glide, large cruiser. I even had a Harley Sportster for a little while. Anyway, we get older, views/interests change. We eventually sold all of the smaller Harleys and my husband rode the large cruiser by himself cause I just didn’t care for riding on the back of the bike. This bike finally just started to sit in the garage and collect dust due to back problems and the weight of this bike, over 900lbs. Then one day H-D came out with the Pan America and in 2021 he traded his cruiser for the Pan Am and all that the “special” had to offer in a less than 600lb package. He has never regretted his decision for the change, no problems, no issues. It’s been all over the country, east coast, west coast, with his longest trip from home here in AR to OR and back. Off roading? Very little, very easy stuff (so far) but that’s what we both have our KTM 390 Adventures for! 😊. So, according to him, comfortable, easy to ride, fast, reliable, great service anywhere if you need it, great bike!! 👍
I've had my PA Special since June 2021 and not a single problem. I'm focused on the street, doing 200-500 mile days. Just did a trip to Reno and back with 100+ degree heat and the bike was fabulous. I did about 600 miles in 2 days. I was at a store with a Ferrari 488 parked next to me and a millennial couple came over and said how much they loved the look of the bike. My other two bikes are a CVO Dyna and an Aprilia SP, so I'm spoiled in every category.
I’ve had the Pan Am since it came out. You really can’t know this bike unless you’ve had it for at least several weeks to a month. If you can’t ride it for a while you’d better plug it into a charger or the bike will have starting issues and throw electronic faults. You can go into the menu to clear these. I have the Special w/o ARH, and it will sometimes drop down, sometimes it doesn’t. It has dropped down and not gone back up again, until I clear the fault. Mine leaks like everyone makes fun of Harley for. The dealership tells me that the MOCO came out with a message saying the leak will self heal. Cue crickets chirping… 🦗 The dealership scored my rims when they changed tires and I’ve seen this as a common issue on the forums. That SAE plug is standard equipment, you’ll need it to keep the bike charged and behaving. Those hand guards. I asked my dealer about getting barkbusters, one employee said I didn’t want them, they would chop off my fingers in a crash. 🤭 Try telling the dealership you want true 50/50 tires, they look at you like a puppy. The positives are the ride modes in the PNW Winter, on cold wet roads the rain mode is a life saver, truly. Sport mode is amazing, the bike’s performance level is inspiring. The suspension is everything I wanted in a large ADV bike. I haven’t given up on the bike because it is a hoot to ride.
Your dealer experiance is interesting. Traditionally Harley sales people have no clue when it comes to offroad. Same with their service guys. They dont know what they dont know, and i can see this being an issue for adv riders.
EVERYONE I ride with uses bark busters on our dirt bikes and crashes aren’t uncommon on our smoky mountain area trails (tight, often wet, rocky, steep) and I know of no one who’s broken their arm due to it being trapped in the bark buster when they went down. Of course it could happen but if you have them you’re no likely going to be stuck on the trail with broken levers.
They would chop off your fingers in a crash 😅🤣😂 it sounds like one of them employees that just makes things up cuz he does not know the answer and thinks you're too stupid to realize he's bs ing you. Self healing🤣😂 I would have asked him if I can get the self-healing tires as well😅🤣😂 What a clown show.
So I am a small time youtube reviewer and and big time motorcycle fanboy. I absolutely love and appreciate the amount of time and effort you put into your motorcycle reviews. I am so jealous of all the fun you get to have along the way. Please know your efforts are appreciated and really make a difference to those that are really looking to make a motorcycle purchase.
Few corrections, cat converter is in the header, you pointed to the breadbox which is great for upgrading w/o voiding warranty. The trickle charge port is standard with two heated gear ports under seat. The 2022 models have choice of quick shift for under 400 extra. There are four spark plugs the other two are under gas tank and air box. The main thing you got right was the reaction this motorcycle has on its rider , 10k later and I still sound like you did on here with the same smile I bet. Great review and video.
I love the fact that you laugh when you get on the throttle... Isn't that why we all love motorcycles? Don't ever change that. If the bike gives you that feeling, convey it in your demos. ;0)
I'm not the typical Harley owner, but have owned 2 of them. I'm seriously considering trading my Lowrider S in for the Pan America (or possibly the Honda Africa Twin). The Pan Am may win out because I'm a short dude and would appreciate the adaptive ride height. Sounds like the off road capability is good too, which is very important to me. I have found that the Harley dealer network is exceptional and I honestly cannot say enough good things about the dealers I've had to work with. When I purchased my 21 Lowrider S, I had some engine work done with some aftermarket pipes and they were extremely helpful. Wasn't even as expensive as I thought it was going to be. I appreciate the thorough reviews you do...helps out with the decision making. Thank you!
Just looked over a new PA at my local HD dealer this past weekend and then had to come check out your review. You are my go-to motorcycle reviewer because I learn so much and I think you do fair and honest reviews. I've been riding since I was a teenager (now 68) and have owned probably 20+ bikes of all types and makes in my days, I still own my 1994 Honda Magna 750. Bought my first Harley in 2006 and have had three other since then, current Harley is a 2021 Street Glide Special. Now because of your review I really need this PA and I know just where to buy one. Thanks for taking the time do such a great review.
Long time Harley rider. I looked at these and passed - went with the '22 1250 GSA and couldn't be happier. If I was going to be bashing around serious off road it would probably be neither, and a Honda 300 instead. You do a great job with these in depth reviews - fair and balanced. 👍
Me too. 2021 GA Rallye, love it. Unfortunately my local Harley dealer cheesed me off when he insulted me on the value of my Ultra Classic on trade with a Pan America so bought a BMW and glad I did.
Excellent review and very thorough, having owned my 22 PA for 2100 miles, I will say when it runs its fun as heck to ride, however mine spends its time mostly at the dealer for never-ending electrical problems. I commend HD for the try in this market but what they have done is introduce a mediocre bike at a premium price with a huge dealer network that doesn't give a rats ass about them, nor know how to fix them.
@@kidluk I talked myself out of a GS because of the maintenance and lack of service facilities compared to HD when on the road, funny thing I guess that only matters if your bike can get and stay on the road, congrats on making the better decision, I sincerely hoped HD had built something worth owning, mine has spent more time at the dealer than in my own garage
i have been watching your channel for a while now, some of your views I agree with, some not so much. I really enjoy the small displacement, simple and back to basics bikes you review. For me, it is the reliability of an adventure bike that is the the number one issue. Next is a good suspension, which is next to impossible to find in this simple bike line up. If you start mentioning rider modes or the lack of cruise control, in my humble opinion, you are outside of what a "real motorcycle" and more so adv bike is. ADV bike, should allow for an average, single rider, to go into the unknown. and return. These bikes almost do not exist, what we are given or told that we need are these monsters. I live and ride in Indonesia, to most this would be an "adventure of a life time". Here I ride on 150 cc bikes, the 300 Rally I have is the big, heavy bike. As much as I like the Rally, my locally made150 cc, air cooled CRF150 empowers me to explore lot more challenging terrain. I can lift this bike out of mud holes, I can turn it around on the spot.......If I drop it, no big deal. I do understand that my Indonesian environment is very different to the USA one, but on the other hand, basic physics, weight, size of the bike are an universal truth. There is a reason that the unicorn, 450 cc or so, light ADV bike does not exist. The Asian market is limited to 250cc (tax, licensing issues), the western market wants more hp, more technology........The market driven manufacturers are forced into creating bikes we really don't want or need. I would like to see this HD on one of my locate tracks, it would be useless and out maneuvered by my crf 150. This is not an ADV bike, this has nothing to do with it being HD, it simple physics that makes this and so many "adv" bikes useless. This will be an unpopular opinion, but I am 53 years old, had bikes all my life and do have a unique perspective. Last ting is the fact that my CRF 150 here is $2100, I feel just fine dropping it left and right. I enjoy watching your reviews, again you have momenta of "clarity" , but then you seem to loose your true focus. So what will it be, real adv or cell phone connected, cruise control, 100 hp, 600 lbs monsters. Got to make a choice here if you want to be relevant and truthful, or just generate the revenue. with all respect, from sunny Indonesia.
You make a lot of good points. But the American motorcycle landscape isn't the same as it is in Indonesia. Admittedly, I've never been to Indonesia, but I have lived in Malaysia and traveled extensively throughout Asia. I live in a large metropolitan area in California, as do a lot of other motorcycle buyers. Most of us looking at these large ADV bikes want a bike that can take us thousands of miles away to other states. Once you get out of the cities in the western U.S., there is A LOT of open space and long roads to travel with little to no traffic. I big bike that can sustain high speeds for long periods while keeping the rider relatively comfortable just WORKS for us. Most of us aren't buying these big bikes to ride single track--we're buying them to go on big multi-state tours with the option of taking fire roads and jeep trails to get to remote destinations.
Bravo and well stated Pawel! To each their own but 600+ #'s is just a friggin elephant in the dirt. No thanks! I'm glad Harley builds it if for no other reason to show how antiquated their chrome clad pigs are...lol. That price though! Could get 2+ Tenere/Aprilia Tourrag's...or one of each.
@@geoffreykrueger5562 I've been ALL OVER continental USA & Mexico on KLR650's. Literally more bike than anyone I've meet needs to travel the world. Can get almost 4 KLR's for the price of just one pig HD. But hey, people think EV's are cool now too. LoL. Already seeing dead ones by the dozens each week. I'm looking for a flatbed tow truck to cash in on this. LoL.
@@turbohawk That's the thing, to each their own........well put and I forget that sometimes. My entire point is that our collective point of view as customers is so twisted, we get these monsters vs some nice, light, reliable bikes. We are at an infection point however, Rome is already burning, but the feasts, orgies and gladiator fights continue.....and the band is playing as our Titanic is sinking.
@@pawelwolski1316 I like your style and the way you think. You don't want to know what I know but you are on the right track. Things are going to get really really dark. And cold...
I just purchased a 2023 Pan America Special and I will say it is one of my favorite bikes in my stable. Keep in mind I come from Ducati and KTMs though I did buy a big Road Glide Special and a 48 sportster a year ago. I had a 1090 Adventure R that I got rid of a year ago and really haven't missed it. I live in Austin TX so we have some off road areas, but mostly on road and the KTM was just didn't fit my needs. I liked the GS and have ridden several year models. Our dealer support for BMW bikes just isn't the best so that turned me away. I started with 3 Ducati's. My first bike was an old Monster S2R1000 that I still own. The multistrada is amazing for a road bike but everything on that bike is expensive to fix or maintain. In the end the Harley worked for me. I traded my Diavel in on it. Now all this said, I am in a bit of honeymoon with the bike., 2 of the things you didn't like,. i also think are my least favorite. The kickstand makes me scratch my head as to what they were thiniking. The windshield, just is what it is. IT wobbles and feels cheap but like you said, it works okay.. I did put a Fuel Moto pipe which makes it sound a lot better and removes quite a bit of weight. Anyways great review and happy riding!
Fantastic and 100% truly fair dinkum review. I own one and agree with everything you have said. BTW, it becomes even more of an animal on-road for spirited riding on those winding roads if you set-up a custom mode starting with Sports Mode and then maximizing engine braking and throttle response. The aftermarket offers an inexpensive and very effective deflector for the hot air coming from the radiator fan (LHS) and heat shield for the catalytic converter (RHS). Again, excellent review.
I wish folks could understand how much power this bike has, it's scary fast! Scarier than my hyabusa or 85 VMAX. It will pull you right off the seat if your not paying attention!
I agree with your likes and dislikes of this bike. Hopefully HD will address them. If HD wants to compete in the ADV market they need a smaller, lighter and less expensive version of this bike in the 750cc-900cc range. IMO, a midsize Pan America would sell like hotcakes. Until then, the midsize offerings are compelling but my money is on a loaded KTM 890 R. Come on HD, show us a midsize Pan America!
Bought one in June 21 (One of the first in Switzerland), took it on a 5000km trip 1000km in, Flawless. Love mine. As the saying goes... the best bike in the world is the one you like.
Great review Ian... You really do an excellent, excellent job of giving us a comprehensive look at what this bike is actually like. Man you work tirelessly at your craft it's appreciated 👍🏼. I see that you are in my back yard this week on the COBDR... Be careful and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Thank you
🤣🤣🤣🤣Try lifting that on a dirt road with loose rocks, pointing downhill and a hurt leg, we don't get to crash on sheepskin blankets in a driveway. I'm done with big ADVs, I've had a few GSs and found them very unreliable. I have a DR650 with aluminum panniers, big tank and other junk, about as heavy as I want to do anymore. I crashed on a dirt road last month and barely got the thing back upright. I can't imagine struggling with anything bigger again on trails and hills. DR is just fine, it'll cruise @ 75 all day, gets 55 mpg, good for almost 300 miles and carries all my crap.. Bigger bikes just aren't fun anymore for me, oh to be young again. If I want big and heavy I'll ride my Road King. I'm not really a "Harley guy", more just a guy,.
Honestly, your review is one of the best. I love the quality of video and audio, the depth and quality of information that you give. I hope HD will appreciate how good a job you've done for them. I also agree with your views on HD stereotyped owners and these bikes being for a new kind of Harley Davidson owner. I've got a 1250 GSA, but I'm test riding one of these tomorrow... So, thank you as your review was super helpful. I'll let you know how I get on! Wishing you a fantastic New Year....🙂
HD was getting its ass handed to it by Indian in terms of engineering and product development. Sales down 30%? Check. A debatable customer culture? Check. So good for HD to do something completely new + different to address the long-term issues. I’d consider it, like a new Ford Mach E Mustang or Cadillac Lyric. We can manufacture as good as anyone. Having ridden one, I just didn’t like the balance at crawling speeds compared to my trusty old Boxer GS.
I really enjoy how well put together and detailed are your videos... without dragging on forever. I have followed for quite a while and it is inspirational to see you grow. I hope Harley can get their quality issues worked out before they sabotage this Bikes success. The Styling is still a little weird...but I am glad to see confirmation that they actually made a capable ADV Bike. Cheers
Very disappointed, Ian. I've come to trust your reviews bc they provide a better overall comparison of bikes within the same class than do the other channels. This review is an exception to that trend. You commented at the end that this was a challenging review for you given your historical bias against the brand. For some reason - possibly bc you're attempting to compensate for that bias - you fail to adquately compare the value of this bike to other bikes in the same class. Do you provide some comparative criticism? Sure. But, in the end, one walks away from this review thinking and feeling as though this bike provides as good a value as the Africa Twin or the KTM 1190, etc. The lack of emphasis of a price comparison in this review (as compared to previous reviews) is telling. Would you would buy a Pan American in favor of a GS, KTM, AT, etc. I suspect not.
So I'm a lifelong Harley hater. I hate the way they look. I hate the attitude. Pretty much everything about it. I went to test ride a different adventure bike and my buddy test road the Pan America. The look of the bike started to grow on me and I did have an opportunity to test ride it and compare it to what I was riding. I was totally amazed the first time in my life. I actually considered purchasing a Harley or that even had any interest in one. My friend recently purchased a Pan America and it seems like a very cool bike. Well done Harley. You've got the attention of the folks you've never had before.
Nobody wants to say it so I will. This bike has a horrible reputation right now. Reliability is out the door. No dealership has a competent technician to work on this bike. Harley has to fly specialists to work on your bike so expect months of downtime and fault blaming. Parts are on backorder and specialty made for the bike. Example given, the oil filter. Starting issues are wide spread. Especially in cold weather. The batteries are being damaged by the bike. Adding to electrical errors and nostarts. The fuel pumps are failing prematurely. Adaptive Ride Height malfunctions constantly. BCM's are frying. Software glitches left and right. Cam tensioners are destroying themselves and the engines well below 20k miles and to add insult to injury the market knows this bike is garbage right now and it's value fell to the floor. I wish you did a more longterm review of this bike so you'd know the living Hell we put up with.
Love the bike but Is the money worth it compared to tenere 700 or something in a less exspensive category? I just don’t feel your gonna get much more jumping up 8 grand versus from the 10-12k price point
Well Done, one of the best reviews I've seen. I am a current owner of a 21 PAS. I pretty much got all the goodies to tour with it. The bike is a blast, but it does have its gremlins. I've taken on the MABDR and handle everything I threw at it. Having said all that, I am considering trading it for the 890 Adventure R. The bike is not easy to pick up once by myself let alone several times. (I ride solo most of the time) I'm just looking to shave some weight as I plan on doing all of the BDR's eventually. I will definitely miss it if I decide to trade as I live in FL, so the tarmac travel is awful for the first 400 miles or so.
A really nice looking bike..........apart from that hideous and vomit- inducing front light whole area. Jesus wept, were they on acid when they designed it?
Best HD I had ever owned until the electrical Gremlins came up at 9300 miles last year. Had it lemon lawed. Now I own a GS and am much happier due to it's realiability
Hi there. Love the channel and the reviews. I live in NorCal. I would love to ride the byways and off roads that you do your testing in. Would you please give me a general idea of the areas you are riding in?
Hi, Ian. I'm a street rider, although I had a lot of fun doing some trials riding too. My question is why the need for, or move toward, all these expensive adv or dual sports? Why not just get an enduro like we used in the 70's-90's? They are light, fun, and will handle street or dirt (probably more dirt). Thanks.
Bike sales declining? Coulda fooled me; my HD dealer is turning over stock regularly and my local Honda, Indian, Royal Enfield, etc. dealers can't seem to keep anything in stock.
I still have my 2013 Super Ten. Seriously haven’t seen anything to make me change. I’ve had friends change bikes almost every year, each time proclaiming perfect bike nirvana…😂
After a long period, when we Harley drivers spend our time with posing, cleaning & washing the bike, and getting the fat elephant around the curve and making our back almost crashed and other people angry & ill cause the noise of our pipes - after all that stress, we now earn: FUN to Ride! Welcome to the Pan Am!
Just an opinion, but it's hard to see the argument for this over a Super Tenere, with shaft drive and knowing it will last 100,000+ miles, for a significantly less price, unless of course you just want more electronic gadgets or the missus finds the pillion position more comfortable.
@@ExpeditionaryRanger I have been to several Powersport dealerships in the US and they have more ATV, side-by-side type vehicles on the showroom floor. Very, very few motorcycles of any kind. The salesmen say it's because that's what is selling. People don't have to have much experience, better chance of getting buy in from significant other, can carry a family of four on some, to list a few reasons. The salesmen say they can order any bike but it can take a few weeks to several months. Years ago, there were many boat retailers and there are very few. High price point and high maintenance costs killed the boat industry along with the rivers and lakes got very crowded. As far as the motorcycle future, I see far more Harley cruisers on the road than any other brand and even their sales have dropped. Unless you live near a very large city, you can run into a difficult time finding someone to work on certain brands too.
Come on why wont the youth be off the need for bikes,why spend close to 30k dollars on a bike when I can get a better car and still have some balance left.
Will be interesting to see if they come out with a Pan Am 975 with the new Sportster engine. Hopefully it will be significantly lighter (not holding my breath) and hopefully they will have gotten some of the bugs out by then.
I have had mine since May of '21. Close to 11k miles, absolutely love the bike. Definitely not perfect, but nothing is, and it's awesome where it counts - engine, suspension, and comfort. So glad I took the plunge when shopping for a new bike.
@@victoryengineer - So you lied on your first comment to me? You said it took you 30 minutes. And it may take someone else 60 min. Now you say 20…? Who can we ever trust you again? A Scooter. What has that to do whit this?
16:30 Front windshield are made wobbly on purpose. If you make it stiff it'll break easily when you fall down. If you make it too stiff it will crack when you're riding highway speed.
One thing to remember about all ADV bikes… They are a jack of all trades and master of none. Some tend to be better in areas that others are not. But agree with your review. Plastic luggage rack, blinkers hand grips covers and mirrors, etc are lacking. But so are others. The Africa Twin has a cheap hand grip cover and mirrors. As do others. Looks like a good bike. It will be interesting to see The Motor Company refine it.
Ian as a previous PAS owner I can tell you, this bike has 4 spark plugs. In order to access the top 2 plugs, you will need to remove the fuel tank and then the airbox!. Not an easy chore.You can not boost this bike unless you install an unfused SAE plug, the battery in not easily accessible, and the starter is buried behind the exhaust manifolds. Mine never kept the correct time, ever! There is no USB plug or power point up front. HD has turned on the svc port, which gives you a USB-C power point, but this is far from ideal. If you install any type of fog light they will stick out past the engine guards and should you drop it, you will likely damage the lights. There were too many lack of refinement and thought out design issues,, because of this I traded mine on a 2022 BMW GSA, a tried and true design.
Lol, some people are just so uniformed. There are two plugs for heated gear below the seat. Next to those are two accessory plugs. You simply plug in an optional accessory harness into either one or both of those accessory ports. Then, each of those will give you two switched and one unswitched outlets for accessories. I've got 12k miles on my PAS and have never had to access the spark plugs. How many times exactly have you needed to get to the plugs? There are plenty of accessory crash bars available for this bike.....it just sounds like you didn't even want to enjoy the bike.
@@k-rod2453 suit yourself, the bike does what I bought it for. But primarily, being my 6 th Harley, I prefer to keep the company profits in America, not Germany. My Harley dealer has way better customer service than my local BMW dealer, so the decision for me was clear
Nice effort by HD but imo the best bag for buck, reliability/performance/cost is the Suzuki VStrom 1050. I had one for about a year and it was wonderful but found myself again craving the HD sound. Came from a 2016 Road King and am now on a 1200 Sportster which WILL be my last bike.
Yea, the electronics work well until they don't, and that's the main problem with these bikes and once they are returned to the dealer with electronic issues the techs cannot fix the issues, only a Harley electronics engineer can repair them.... when they are available.
Awesome review! One thing that drives me crazy is the small things manufactures fail at. Like the buttons & screen etc.. The key components that you will use the most & every time you ride. The buttons should be good feedback & quality feel, so you don't get that disappointed feeling over & over every time you use them. The screen as well with larger display / text & definition. Though i really like this bike
You have become the go to guy for motorcycle reviews. As always… Great job. Rendyn owned a ton of bikes over the years and this is one that I would love to try for a couple of years. Thanks Ian
Well done, Ian, well done. Thanks for a very thorough review. Any chance of a similar test of the 2022 Multistrada V4 S? I would like to see your open and objective view of this motorbike. Keep up the great work.
I own a 2021 Pan, totally agree it isn’t as refined as the GS or as smooth as the Tiger. But it has bags more character and sport mode is nuts. Also it shouldn’t be that good off road but it is, and I’ve been a full day off road with a multi Dakar Rally finisher who says the bike can do so much more. In the UK our local HD dealership has taken a stock Pan and working with Don Performance in Germany added a tuning map and it has turned it into a weapon. Not only is it smoother on the throttle but it feels like it has an extra 25 bhp and if that wasn’t enough it definitely run cooler. Very impressive. Do love my Pan
Ian, thanks for putting this out and your final thoughts really were refreshingly humble but also glad to see more unbiased (than most journalists) thoughts and also addressing Preconceived expectations. Im about to rock out from Maryland to Prince Edward Island, Canada on my PAS..my Himalayan is a wounded duck. Just a fun hint for you..press the home button for 4 sec’s - white screen change ;) Great video as always!
"Twisties"? You should drive in the Alps. Where 1st gear will be too long. How's the handling in steep, rocky terrain at slow speed? What about high center of gravity?
Having ridden a Pan America (two riding buddies own them) and a Ducati DesertX back to back on off-road steep hill section, I can tell you the DDX has better low end torque and usable 1st gear. Clutch and brake modulation are much better on DDX too. Turning by weighting pegs is pig slow on the PA, instantaneous on the DDX. The DDX with the Termignoni de-cat, race exhaust and EVO tune (doesn't void optional 5 year warranty) sounds more HD then the PA. At the time of this post, one of the PA in my riding group has been Lemon Lawed back to HD due to electrical gremlins that made it unsafe to operate. The other PA is going on it's THIRD fuel pump. The bike isn't being ridden because the dealer can't get the part. My DDX has run flawless for over 8k miles in 7 months. I do miss seeing those PAs in my mirrors on off road rides though.
I really appreciate these long form and thorough reviews with the standard format you use to cover the same bases for each bike you do this with. I didn’t like the styling of the Pan Am at first but it has grown on me. I’m very curious about the long term effects on the electrical components being so down low. I wouldn’t take this bike on super difficult terrain myself, but being in the PNW means water crossings can happen on the commute as well as in the woods. Either way, very cool to see such an outside the box offering from HD and looking forward to more as they refine this one.
I had some electrical gremlins with a few connectors HD is now paying 3.5 hrs to their mechs to go through and address. So if your tft starts to freakout, shut off and or the bike quits they will address it and all is good. Hit me up if you need any details.
Ian, I want to thank you for all you do with these videos. As a prospective future adventure bike owner I value your opinions on these bikes after watching you now for several weeks. I currently own a ‘19 Goldwing and I am looking to buy a second bike. Again thanks
Enjoyed the review. The clip on hand gaurds are made to break away in a drop or scrape as a posed to breaking and needing replacing costing more money. I have a love hate relationship with my he's. This is one that I want to keep. It is better thought out and designed than tge other offerings. All have something superior but overall this is best. It's about time HD came into yhe present with a new concept, new engine and chassis. 150 hp for this segment is more than ample for anyone's needs. A plus is that no more 3 fluid oils changes. About time. This is tailored to a completely different demographic and HD needs to go there to survive as a business. This is a major shift for them and they did extremely well.
Absolutely great breakdown. I just purchased one. Your previous review of the New Africa Twin really had me leaning that way. I chose the Harley for the comfort of two up that the Honda couldn't match. Yes there will be some "new model issues" and I will probably spend a few extra dollars in aftermarket stuff to refine/dial it in. That said, It's made in America, that still matters some, the dealer network is robust, and you get instant access to a lifestyle, if you wish. Great content, thank you.
I can’t warm up to the design of the PA. Subjectively, it’s among the ugliest designs in the ADV market. The tech and craftsmanship; Tech is about on par with the rest, craftsmanship - considering the many issues that are reported by friends who own one, and the responses in various forums, is satisfying the HD stereotype: subpar. What’s left to consider? The amazing marketing machinery that HD has built around its products. On that level, they’re world class.
You were fair, but there's no way I can ever see H-D as anything but a boutique lifestyle brand catering to fat greybeards who like to cosplay. I don't really care about the bike because I'll never willingly choose to be associated with them or their clientele.
Thanks Ian great review, but ... I bought one here in the UK in 2021. I traded in my 2008 GS for it. Initially I quite liked it but that soon wore off. I basically agree with your likes and dislikes , particularly the dislikes as I too could not understand why they placed the battery where it is. The switch gear felt awkward and getting the side stand down was too awkward. However all that said I still wouldn't want to say it's a bad bike but rather a bike that is under development that just didn't suit me. For me it just doesn't have the character of a GS and I now have another one. Where I must take issue with you is your characterisation of Harley Riders. If I gained one thing from buying a Harley it was the number of new friends I made. They of cause ribbed me about the Pan America not being a proper Harley so much so that before buying my GS I brought a FatBoy but like you I just didn''t like the cruising riding position. As you would expect when I now turn up at my local Harley dealer on my GS they rib me but they are now all my friends. In my opinion at least here in the UK there are no other dealers that have so many riders meeting up of a weekend than Harley. Yes many of the riders are covered in tattoos and look very aggressive but when it comes to raising money for charities they cannot be bettered. As my name says 2 wheels r best whatever make they are.
I bought one about 7 weeks ago. Mine is the Special, grey with the lace wheels. This thing is so much fun! I do not currently have the tires for off-road. About the most I’ve done is go on a few dirt or gravel roads and I took it through a field near my house where I saw a good place to “get a little air”. I think I cleared a foot. LOL! The rest of the time I’ve ridden exclusively on road. It handles GREAT on the twisties. And, I can pass on the freeway with just a twist of the wrist. I literally went from 70 mph to over 100 when a semi moved to the right lane and as I got to the front of that same semi. It moves! Lots of fun. Many times when I’ve pulled up to a stop light, I have people next to me going, “Wow! I like that! What is that?”
I have an RA1250S. This is by far the best review of this bike I have seen for this bike. Every H-D model has it's shortcomings. But I have to say this bike has to be one of the best H-Ds of all time. I am glad people are buying it. I traded in my Roadglide for the same reason you mentioned. I have never really been into "the culture". I ride to ride and approach my needs for a motorcycle based strictly on the bike itself. Not the brand. This bike is so quick, I may have to put a cover on my Kawasaki Cocours 14 for a while.... Thanks for a great video.
I am a technician at a Harley dealership. I am also mostly an old-school chopper dude. I'll tell you what, I really like these and get all giddy when one comes into the shop and most of the time it has been due to the coolant line being too close to the front cylinder exhaust. That issue is an easy fix that can be done with thermal wrap at that location, a heat shield, or even foil if one is in a pinch. Also- DO NOT get one of those bolt-on side stand footpads, they are worthless and dangerous. After some services I returned from a test ride, put the kickstand down, and as I dismounted the bike the thing snapped off causing the bike to fall over on my leg. It definitely smarted, but luckily I was able to brace it and get it upright on my own, glad I do powerlifting haha. Solution? Just carry something in your luggage that can function as one by placing it under the sidestand if needed. Overall- All the work I have done to them along with the riding, Harley really did a good job with this bike.
I think they make something like that called a puck. A parking puck. A kickstand puck or something like that. I saw someone on youtube using one whe. He had to park in the sand he had it tucked away on his bike
Too complicated Too many things to go bad (and from what I hear, they do) pass If I want unreliability, I will get a KTM 1290 at least they haul the mail 🙂
That tiny font on the screen completely missed the demographic! They realllllly need to run stuff past the old guy test. Personally, as I age, I’m looking for advantages against physics. I’d line a 500cc class of this bike in all regards. It would be a heck of a lot more fun and useable on and off road.
I like the objectivity in your review. I think you did a good job. I've owned a Pan America Special since July 2021, so I was one of the early owners. I still keep an eye on some HD PA forums and though complaints seemed to have lessened over the months, there are still owners experiencing problems, some so bad that dealers are swapping them new bikes. Unlike them I've had no problems. I took mine on a 5000 plus trip from Ohio to Colorado and back and it performed excellently in rain and shine. There are a couple of problems, but they are minor and I expect warranty to resolve those to my satisfaction. Despite the number of people that can be found complaining about their's I think there are many who are just out riding and having a great time and don't find need to post that as frequently as someone with problems that needs to voice their discontent.
My last few bikes were Harleys and I recently came off a wonderful 2005 H-D CVO V-Rod and came to really like the Porche collaborative 1250 V-Rod engine. Sold it with 101,000 trouble free miles. I sold it for a new 2021 KTM 890 R, which I really like. Several months later Harley came out with the Pan America... still considering go for it. Thanks for the excellent review.
