Harley-Davidson Pan America Tours Europe and Pre-Orders Begin

Several dealers overseas already taking pre-orders ahead of spring Launch.

Published on 11.03.2020

Imagine it’s early spring 2021. Everything unprecedented about 2020 is behind us. Blissfully, your most pressing question today is which adventure bike to ride and to where.

Well, there might be one unprecedented matter left in the cards that plays out next year, and that’s Harley-Davidson’s odd-ball Pan America, a long travel adventure touring mount powered by an all-new liquid-cooled 60-degree 1250cc “Revolution Max” V-twin said to produce 145 hp and 90 ft-lbs of torque, due to hit dealerships around the world early next spring. The 2021 timing, an adjustment after management changes at Harley, combined with Covid-related supply chain and production delays, preempted its original Fall 2020 release.

Harley-Davidson Pan America Europe Tour — Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson Bologna

The Pan America will be a Harley the likes of which the world has never seen before, and some around the world are getting a sneak peek this fall as at least one near-production ready model circulates through dealerships in Europe. Why Europe? It might have something to do with Harley’s encouraging Q3 report, which shows sales in Europe on the rise, offsetting the bad news that sales in the U.S. are down eight percent.

The prototype we see making the rounds in France, Spain, Italy and Holland looks identical to the bike revealed at the EICMA show in Milan last year, suggesting a robust build with off-road intentions as illustrated by its spoked wheels, Michelin/H-D co-branded knobbies, burly skid plate, crash bars, bolt-on rear sub-frame and brush guards.

The Pan America’s suspension appears to be semi-active and we expect the bike to offer a suite of rider aids and switchable modes navigated via the big TFT screen evident in the photos. We also see a manually-adjusted windscreen and switchgear that promises cruise control and an infotainment platform. Brakes are Brembo with four-piston calipers up front and a single disc out back.

That massive 60-degree V-twin, a configuration intended to rumble, will act as a stressed frame member, though Harley has said an “internal counter balancer” will help dampen uncomfortable vibration. Final drive is a chain.

Some dealers in Italy have recently started taking pre-orders of the Pan America and we hear several customers have already signed the dotted line, though it’s not clear when the option to order will be available to shoppers in America.

A video released last November featuring a skilled rider tearing up some optimal off-road landscapes proves Harley’s prototypes are ride ready, and though the look is pure Mad Max movie prop, the bike appears to be very capable. It also appears to offer a lowish seat height that will appeal to some.

Though technically still in prototype form, we assume little will change about the model at this late stage. The official price of the Pan America has not been announced yet. Best guess is it will be close in cost to BMW’s $17,995 (base) 2021 R1250GS, the model this Harley seems most aligned with in features, performance and brand sway. Weight may likewise be in the big GS’s range.

With some luck, the most “unprecedented” thing about 2021 might be Harley-Davidson’s Pan America. Even more of a shocker if Harley’s entry turns out to be a viable adventure bike. Now that would be novel!

Author: Jamie Elvidge

Jamie has been a motorcycle journalist for more than 30 years, testing the entire range of bikes for the major print magazines and specializing in adventure-travel related stories. To date she’s written and supplied photography for articles describing what it’s like to ride in all 50 states and 43 foreign countries, receiving two Lowell Thomas Society of American Travel Writer’s Awards along the way. Her most-challenging adventure yet has been riding in the 2018 GS Trophy in Mongolia as Team AusAmerica’s embedded journalist.

 17 Comments Tags: Harley Davidson, New Model, Pan America

Author: Jamie Elvidge

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17 thoughts on “Harley-Davidson Pan America Tours Europe and Pre-Orders Begin”

Dog on November 3, 2020 at 10:32 am said:

I’d love to see the production model and ride it. My KTM 1290 is almost paid off, but if H-D would have sold this model at the time, I might not be on my KTM.

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Jimbo on November 3, 2020 at 7:13 pm said:

Viable choice for a 70/30 bike. Be nice if HD would embrace the 750cc segment with a light weight model for hard core off roading.- 370 lbs,, 6 speed trans, 4-5 gal fuel capacity, high power to weight ratio and efficient engine. They have the talent to pull it off at a reasonable price.

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Robert on November 4, 2020 at 4:42 am said:

Harley is actually going to run with that brutally ugly fairing? Surely Harley can do better than that monstrosity.

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- Dog on November 4, 2020 at 9:44 am said:
  
  Big adventure bikes are ugly. They are trying to make it as ugly as a BMW or Triumph. They may not get there, but you can’t blame the company for trying.
  
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2Meerkats on November 4, 2020 at 1:59 pm said:

Glimpse here a different world – HD – drumroll status/status/status – Logic never stopped a Harley buyer before throwing down huge money for ‘that’ manly status symbol, omg that logo – this new HD even has a chain peeps wow(and hopefully a cush-hub) and guaranteed to heat your balls which are only inches away from the rear cylinder head – with the HD logo that big on the tank I bet they will sell PLENTY of them… plenty plus as it’s all about the manly log in a tick box world of symbolic status toys – what ever it takes bro, as your logo defines you at a tribal level. yeah meh I don’t think Yamaha are worried and their clever T700 remains unchallenged, for a while, unless Honda/Kawasaki/Suzuki copy it’s cunning formula. cheap/simple/classic.

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Jan on November 5, 2020 at 6:03 am said:

Piękne motory :-). Mogę tylko pozazdrościć 🙂

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Patriot159 on November 8, 2020 at 10:28 pm said:

It will be interesting to see how it actually works compared to the other uber ADV’s. British and Italian stylists HD has not! Got to be one of the ugliest bikes ever.

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- Dog on November 10, 2020 at 1:50 pm said:
  
  they are trying to mimic BMW in the ugly department.
  
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James Cooper on November 9, 2020 at 8:20 pm said:

How long will it take some aftermarket entrepreneur to replace the odd ‘Cylon-esque’ headlight with 2 round projector lights?

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Bill on November 10, 2020 at 10:37 am said:

Think guys will put open pipes on it?

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Biker Jo on November 15, 2020 at 3:04 am said:

First of all, I am waiting for the HDPA as I am a BMW GS rider and HD V Rod owner. The
bike will have a hard time to become established on the EU Market. 1) Based on pictures,
I cannot see any protectors for break fluid res.2) Putting direction change beacons in the
hand protector is useless if you want to go off-road. Surly the bike will fall down and hit some trees and then? 3) The gear shifter must be adjustable, with flap in function. 4) The break pedal should be bigger with 2 levels as the rider will need this for riding in stand up
Position. 4) Pivot Footpegs, big, with movement forward and back would support the rider.
The community says the bike looks ugly. If the lights are bright, including curve adaption
I am happy with the design. However as a rider riding 50/50 off-road / road it seems the
Pan Americana needs enhancements from suppliers like Touratech or SW Motech before
the launch is going to take place to recover all small needs and add ons.. HD is approaching a complete new customer for them. Are all dealers trained to overcome this challenge. If the bike keeps the promise HD need adventure riders in salesman position to bring the bike on the market. http://www.facesinthewind.org Biker Jo

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- PatrickZZ on November 24, 2020 at 1:36 pm said:
  
  The turn signals are located below the headlight and off to the side, watch the video.
  
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- Biker Jo on November 24, 2020 at 11:37 pm said:
  
  Hi, all good we are more or less in the same boat. I ride a BMW GS 1250 HP and I am rider since 40 years on all continents and roads – same as you I own a HD V Rod YOB 2001 and a HD Dyna WG – I will get one of the first HDPA delivered to Europe and I raised the same Qs as you. Here the answer: HD has established a strong relationship with SW Motech to tackle all this issues. We may expect a bike, ready for customising procedures by the owner as it is the case with all this kind of this and other bikes.The only difference …. you cannot order useful parts from SW Motech directly. You can only order those from HD direct. Further I believe that riders like you and me should help dealers and HD to get the power on the ground once the HDPA is on the market as the salespersons usually have no experience in adventure riding. This is a big problem in my eyes..
  
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Mike Dodson on November 18, 2020 at 10:15 pm said:

Honestly I gave up on Harley a long time ago. However, this really seals the deal for me. Offering the Pan “America” to Europe first leaves this “AMERICAN” out completely. Never will they see any of my hard earned “AMERICAN” green backs.

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Bill Scott on November 20, 2020 at 7:42 am said:

Where’s the chrome, Harley riders won’t have anything to polish while it’s sitting in the garage 90% of the time.

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ale biglio on November 26, 2020 at 8:08 am said:

Have you seen Harley typical American drivers? Probably will need a crane to mount/dismount off that thing. Keep using the armchair on wheels model HD, this thing looks so heavy and unbalanced that I wouldn’t take it anywhere out of the driveway.

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- Biker Jo on November 26, 2020 at 8:58 am said:
  
  Guys, nobody will be forced to become an adventure rider. However
  my weight is 240 LBS, and I ride my Harley with the same passion as I do with my BMW GS Adventure all over the world. One is true. The adventure market is huge in Europe. Therefore it is crystal clear that Harley want to have a pice of it
  
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