2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250/Special

[Hugh Janus]

2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 (Harley-Davidson/)

Ups

• One word to describe the Revolution Max engine: Wow
• Engine is a stressed member, making that chassis package light and rigid
• Clutch pull is light thanks to the slipper/assist unit
• On the Special, semi-active suspension is well damped
• Great ergonomics

Downs

• Would like to see a quickshifter
• Windshield adjusters gets jammed with dirt after a day’s worth of off-road riding
• Heat radiates from catalytic converter

Verdict

The new Pan America represents The Motor Company well in the adventure-touring segment. It is capable, powerful, and technologically sound, bringing legitimate competition to the rest of the class.

2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special (Harley-Davidson/)

Overview

The past few years have seen Harley-Davidson branch off significantly from its norm of cruisers and touring rigs. As part of Harley’s branching out, the Milwaukee Motor Company  started with the production of the 2019 LiveWire followed by teasers of the streetfighter Bronx and adventure-touring-focused Pan America. Now, the Pan America makes its debut for 2021 and it’s legit! Two variations of the model are designed to attract a new audience of adventure-seeking riders to Harley-Davidson’s V-twin style.

Updates for 2021

2021 marks the first year of Pan America production.

Pricing and Variants

The base Pan America 1250 starts at $17,319 and the Special starts at $19,999. Cycle World’s Andrew Cherney dove straight into the differences between these two models in full detail here.

Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance

This adventure-tourer crosses different terrain with the help of its new Revolution Max 1250, a liquid-cooled 60-degree 1,252cc V-twin. This engine acts as a stressed member with the front frame, mid-frame, and tailsection bolting directly on it. Its transmission is a six-speed gearbox with a chain final drive. Power numbers are claimed to be 150 hp and 94 pound-feet for torque for what Executive Editor Justin Dawes stated in his Pan America Special review made for a lively ride.

“Power comes on strong at around 2,200 rpm and continues to build with more and more velocity as you cross the 8,500-rpm mark. After that it begins to taper off in aggression until you reach the rev limiter at 9,500 rpm. That’s 9,500 rpm from a Harley,” Dawes wrote. “And while the low-end and top-end performance are impressive, it’s the middle of the digital tach that is the sweetest. Third gear is a set-and-forget mark for winding backroads, as the Max pulls with simple tenacity at the 5K mark to spring you out of the corners.”

2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 (Harley-Davidson/)

Handling

While the base model has manually adjustable suspension, the Special has a semi-active unit. During his review of the Special model, Dawes went through its five suspension settings and found that Sport mode makes the Pan Am into a capable canyon carver with good composure under hard braking and acceleration; Road mellows out the ride with softer compression damping; Comfort was similar to road but softer in all damping directions; Off-Road Soft was usable for washboard roads and slower speeds on rough terrain with bottoming felt at faster paces; Off-Road Firm “is the only way to fly when off-road, so you don’t have to constantly make changes to match your speed and terrain.”

Despite his Special test unit (which featured spoked rims and Adaptive Ride Height) weighing a claimed 574 pounds, Dawes reported, “The bike feels light and flickable thanks to a slim seat and tank area and a lack of weight high up.”

Brakes

The Pan America’s braking package includes four-piston Brembo calipers with 320mm discs (front) and 1-piston Brembo caliper with 280mm disc (rear). Both ends are equipped with ABS. In his review, Dawes said the components slow the machine without drama.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

With an unusually heavy right hand at the Special’s press launch, Dawes was able to get about 27.7 mpg on day 1, and 31.4 mpg on day 2. Another rider at the launch calculated 32.3 mpg. H-D claims 46 mpg.

2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 (Harley-Davidson/)

Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility

Aside from a too-plush seat, Dawes wrote that the ergonomics, for the most part, are wonderful. For standing comfort he preferred having a 2-inch-taller riser, but overall reach to the bars was easy for his 5-foot-10 stature. A four-position adjustable windscreen protects the rider in a buffeting-free pocket.

Electronics

Five ride modes (Road, Sport, Rain, Off-Road, and Off-Road Plus), Hill Hold Control, cruise control, full LED lighting, ABS, traction control, and 6.8-inch TFT touchscreen display all come standard on both the base and Special models. The Special ramps it up a bit in the tech department with semi-active suspension that can also work with a Vehicle Loading Control system that adjusts preload to rider, cargo, and/or passenger weight. The Special also adds three customizable ride modes (Custom A, Custom B, and Custom Off-Road Plus), heated handgrips, and Tire Pressure Monitoring System. Hill Hold Control on the Special variant allows for HHC to be active in neutral with its sidestand sensor interlock. Adaptive Ride Height is a $1,000 option on the Special.

2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special (Harley-Davidson/)

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

The Pan America is covered for 24 months (unlimited miles).

Quality

Overall, Harley-Davidson did its homework when it came to developing an adventure touring motorcycle from the ground up. During our initial testing the Pan America Special has proved to be a contender in the class.

2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special (Harley-Davidson/)

2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Claimed Specifications

MSRP:	$17,319
Engine:	1,252cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, 60-degree V-twin; 4 valves/cyl.
Bore x Stroke:	105.0 x 72.1mm
Transmission/Final Drive:	6-speed/chain
Fuel Delivery:	Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
Clutch:	Wet, multiplate slipper/assist; cable actuation
Engine Management/Ignition:	N/A
Frame:	Stressed-member alloy steel trellis; forged aluminum mid-structure
Front Suspension:	47mm inverted fork, compression, rebound, and spring preload adjustable; 7.5 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Piggyback monoshock, compression, rebound, and hydraulic spring preload adjustable; 7.5 in. travel
Front Brake:	4-piston caliper, dual 320mm discs w/ ABS
Rear Brake:	1-piston floating caliper, 280mm disc w/ ABS
Wheels, Front/Rear:	Aluminum cast rims; 19 x 3.0 in. / 17 x 4.50 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	Michelin Scorcher Adventure Radial; 120/70R-19 / 170/60R-17
Rake/Trail:	25.0°/4.3 in.
Wheelbase:	62.2 in.
Ground Clearance:	8.3 in.
Seat Height:	31.8 in.
Fuel Capacity:	5.6 gal.
Wet Weight:	534 lb.
Contact:	harleydavidson.com

2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special Claimed Specifications

MSRP:	$19,999
Engine:	1,252cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, 60-degree V-twin; 4 valves/cyl.
Bore x Stroke:	105.0 x 72.1mm
Transmission/Final Drive:	6-speed/chain
Fuel Delivery:	Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
Clutch:	Wet, multiplate slipper/assist; cable actuation
Engine Management/Ignition:	N/A
Frame:	Stressed-member alloy steel trellis; forged aluminum mid-structure
Front Suspension:	47mm inverted fork, electronically adjustable semi-active damping, optional Adjustable Ride Height; 7.5 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Piggyback monoshock; electronically adjustable semi-active compression and rebound damping, automatic electronic preload, optional Adjustable Ride Height; 7.5 in. travel
Front Brake:	4-piston Brembo Monoblock calipers, 320mm disc w/ ABS
Rear Brake:	1-piston Brembo caliper, 280mm disc w/ ABS
Wheels, Front/Rear:	Cast aluminum, optional anodized aluminum laced tubeless; 19 x 3 in. / 17 x 4.5 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	Michelin Scorcher Adventure Radial; 120/70R-19 / 170/60R-17
Rake/Trail:	25.0°/4.3 in.
Wheelbase:	62.2 in.
Ground Clearance:	8.3 in.
Seat Height:	31.1 in./32.1 in.
Fuel Capacity:	5.6 gal.
Wet Weight:	559 lb.
Contact:	harleydavidson.com

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