Four years after Harley-Davidson launched its first adventure bike, the Pan America has established itself as a capable explorer, made even more versatile thanks to a growing aftermarket ecosystem. Among the earliest to embrace the platform was Black Dog Cycle Works (BDCW), renowned for its American-made, ultra-tough adventure bike accessories. Far from resting on their initial release of upgrades for the Pan America, BDCW has continued to innovate and adapt, recently unveiling several new products and refinements to existing ones following months of torture testing on Baja Mexico’s punishing trails. 

Here’s a closer look at their latest offerings, designed specifically to improve the backcountry capability of the Harley-Davidson Pan America.

Ultimate Skid Plate

Black Dog is best known for their rugged skid plates, which they’ve been building now for over 17 years. Core components of the ‘Ultimate Skid Plate’ design include mounting to the frame (instead of to the engine), complete coverage of all vulnerable undercarriage parts with 3/16” 5052 aluminum plating with a durable powder coat finish, a smooth bottom with countersunk hardware to ensure the plate glides over obstacles, inclusion of a ‘shok blok’ to absorb energy on impact, and a quick removal design for easy servicing.

Version 3 of the Ultimate Skid Plate for the Pan America, released near the end of last year, maintains the characteristics of the previous version while offering more vent holes and added space to accommodate the larger battery and rectifier found in 2024 and later models. (MSRP $575)

Traction Footpegs

BDCW’s footpeg upgrade for the Pan America offers a wider, longer platform to stand on, along with sharper teeth for greatly enhanced control over the bike. With more than twice the surface area of the stock pegs it’s like ‘power steering’ for your adventure bike, improving control and leverage in difficult terrain. That larger platform also increases comfort and reduces fatigue on long rides.

With the just-released Version 2 of the Traction Footpegs, the product offers expanded voids to allow mud, snow or other debris to flow through, along with pointy, rather than flat, traction spikes to ensure maximum grip. The new spikes are also removable for easy replacement or for those that want to reduce boot sole wear. In addition, the V2 footpegs are now compatible with Harley-Davidson’s Off-Road Adjustable Brake Lever Kit. This is an OEM accessory that allows riders to adjust the foot lever higher than the stock setting for stand-up riding. The BDCW Traction Footpegs now work with either standard or upgraded brake lever options. (MSRP $269)

Traction ‘Passenger’ Footpegs

If you’re going to upgrade your footpegs on your Pan America for more comfort and control, why not do the same for your passenger? BDCW’s just-released Traction ‘Passenger‘ Footpegs offer 80% more surface area than the stock pegs, giving your passenger significantly more leverage and grip when standing up in technical riding situations. That larger platform reduces fatigue on the road and the design is ½” lower than stock, providing increased legroom and more comfort on longer journeys. For more extreme rides in slippery conditions, screw-in spikes are also supplied as an option for enhanced traction. (MSRP $269)

Pillion Rack

For those that rarely ride with a passenger and want to optimize their luggage carrying capability, you can pull off the rear seat of the Pan America and replace it with the new BDCW Pillion Rack. Now in Version 2, this top rack luggage carrier option offers ample space for strapping on a large duffel bag or other items, and it comes pre-drilled to bolt on a RotoPax container for an extra gallon of water or fuel. The rear seat location ensures heavier items are placed more towards the center of the bike for improved weight distribution and handling on the trail as well.

The Pillion Rack is constructed with heavy-gauge ¼” aluminum plating with a hard anodized finish that resists scuffs, It also features large perimeter holes that give riders multiple tie-down points for their gear. By using the OEM passenger seat clip-in attachment, you can easily swap between the Pillion Rack and the rear seat in seconds. While for those running the OEM top case, the new V2 Pillion Rack has been modified to be compatible with the support bracket. (MSRP V1:$325 or V2:$345)

Helo Pad

Want even more space to carry your gear for extended journeys? The Black Dog Helo Pad is a full 4 inches longer and wider than the Pillion Rack. Like the Pillion Rack, it’s made with heavy-gauge ¼” aluminum plating with a hard anodized coating, and it replaces the rear passenger seat using the seat latch release for quick-change capability. There are also generously-sized holes along the perimeter to provide easy mounting for a range of different luggage carrying configurations. The newly-released Version 2 of the Helo Pad also features angled-down sides that allow rackless soft luggage systems (e.g. Giant Loop, Mosko Moto, Wolfman Luggage) to more easily hug the bike for a more-secure fit.

The Helo Pad comes pre-drilled to attach a RotoPax container up to 2 gallons in volume (or two 1-gallon containers). It can also be configured to attach a WARN XT17 winch for those extreme adventures or when riding solo in remote areas. (MSRP $395)

Radiator Guard

Black Dog’s new Radiator Guard for the Pan America offers essential protection for off-road excursions. One well-placed rock can easily ruin your day without a proper debris deflector for your radiator and the OEM Harley-Davidson guard doesn’t do much. This new guard features heavy-duty aluminum plating with a chip-resistant black powder coat finish, designed to offer a fine balance between max airflow and protection for the fragile radiator. It’s also an easy install with just three screws. (MSRP $160)

Rigid Auxiliary Light Kit

Auxiliary lights can be a huge benefit for lighting the road during night excursions but they can also improve safety by making you more visible to oncoming cars. Select from either the Rigid Industries ultra-bright Dually Side Shooters (7,100 lumens) for off-road travel or the SAE/DOT approved versions (1,760 lumens) for street use. You also get a pair of BDCW heavy-duty black anodized aluminum crash bar mounts for either 1″ or 7/8″ diameter bars. Additionally, the kit includes the Rigid Industries “Pendant” handlebar switch, a wiring harness and a pair of snap-on Amber covers that greatly improve visibility to other drivers. (MSRP $509)

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