Harley-Davidson broke new ground with its terrain-tackling adventure model, the Pan America 1250. This bike is completely out of the norm for The MoCo with its adventure-bike build, off-road chops, and liquid-cooled, Revolution Max 1250 engine.
It's a true dual-surface machine with tires that will perform on streets, trails, and soft surfaces like gravel and sand with equal aplomb. Adjustable suspension offers some control over the ride quality, but the real gem is the electronics suite that pulls off the top shelf to make this bike competitive with some of the best ADV bikes in the world.
The Pan America line was first launched for the 2021 model year. It represented a sharp departure from the norm for the motor company in Milwaukee with an all-new frame and drivetrain, and all the best electronics H-D has to offer from the top of its range.
2023 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250
- Revolution Max 1250 Engine
- Frame-Mounted Fairing
- Top-Shelf Electronics
- Color TFT with Touchscreen
- Robust Accessory Packages
- Model: Pan America 1250
- Engine:: 1,252 cc Revolution Max
- Power Output: 150 HP @ 9,000 RPM
- Torque: 94 LB-FT @ 6,750 RPM
- Transmission: 6-Speed, Manual
- MSRP: $17,699
- Powerful Modern Engine
- Outstanding Electronic Support
- Good Commuter Potential
- No Paint Choices
- Hand Guards Are Accessories Instead Of Stock
- More On-Road Oriented Than I'd Like
2023 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Performance And Capability
Power for the Pan America 1250 comes from the Revolution Max 1250. While it's a V-Twin like Harley-Davidson's other engines, the similarities end there, save for the obvious exception in the new Sportster line that uses the same engine as the Pan America, the similarities end there. The two jugs are offset laterally, which points to side-by-side con-rod big ends rather than the classic two-into-one arrangement H-D used for so long in most of its engines.
A 105 mm bore and 72.2 mm stroke give the engine an over-square layout in another departure from the norm for a company that tends to build long-stroke/under-square engines for the torque they generate. The 2023 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 produces 150 horsepower and 94 pound-feet of torque. Those come on at 9,000 RPM and 6,750 RPM respectively.
Chain-driven, dual over-head cams time the four-valve heads via self-adjusting hydraulic lifters that eliminate the need for valve adjustments. The intake tract is cutting edge with tuned-velocity down-draft stacks to feed the beast with Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection to meter the dinosaur juice.
A slipper-type clutch adds an extra level of protection for the rear contact patch and lightens up the clutch-lever pull weight to give your left hand a break. Pan America 1250 top speed is 141 mph (227 km/h).
H-D's Road Safety Enhancements boost stability through cornering-enhanced Linked-Brake ABS, Traction Control, Drag Torque Slip Control along with Wheel Lift mitigation. A Hill Hold Control feature holds the brakes, so you can get both of your training wheels deployed to the ground for stability during takeoff on a grade.
Design
As much as anything else, the overall design is a sharp departure from the norm. This ain't no Sportster with knobbies, it goes far beyond that with much of the look conforming with the established ADV-bike mold. To truly be off-road-oriented, a bike needs a bash plate, street knobbies, stock handguards, preferably heated grips, and laced wheels. A couple of items are missing here, but off-road prowess is adventure-bike enough.
The pared-down front fender sports vertical spoilers that protect the inner tube of the inverted forks from rock strikes and grit. A blunt but broad front fairing mounts LED Daymaker headlights to split the night, and the front blinkers mounted at the top of the radiator shrouds are well out of harm's way in case of a drop or terrain/brush strike.
Up top, a vented windscreen plows a pretty good groove in the wind for rider comfort with little of that wearisome head-buffet effect at the top of the pocket. A 6.8-inch TFT screen handles all the instrumentation and acts as a rider interface for the ride-control electronic systems.
The saddle joins a fairly plush pillion pad with beefy J.C. handles that can double as bungee net-anchor points for a little open-air cargo capacity. All-LED rear lighting ensures your visibility from behind, and the small mudguard mounts all but the subframe-mount taillight to complete the build.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Specs | |
|---|---|
Length | 89.2 in |
Width | 38 in |
Height | 59.4 in |
Seat Height (laden) | 32 in |
Wheelbase | 62.2 in |
Ground Clearance | 8.3 in |
Fuel Capacity | 5.6 gal with 1 gal reserve |
Curb Weight | 540 lbs |
Dry Weight | 505 lbs |
Chassis
H-D designed the purpose-built bones from the ground up with high-tensile, low-alloy steel members for its Trellis-type frame with a forged aluminum mid-structure to complete the skeleton. A cast-aluminum, yoke-style swingarm runs with a gull-wing shape for strength and just the right amount of rigidity.
The suspension comes off the top shelf with 47 mm, inverted front forks and a piggyback monoshock out back, both of which come with the full trinity of tweaks for control over the ride quality that is uncommon for Harley-Davidson products in general. I'm a little surprised at the lack of laced wheels, but the cast hubs roll in a 19-inch diameter ahead of a 17-inch wheel under blackout paint, and come shod in Michelin® Scorcher® “Adventure” hoops that perform on public roads and trail alike, even if they lack an aggressive stealth-knobby profile.
Dual, four-bore calipers bite the 320 mm front brake discs, while out back, a single-pot caliper and 280 mm disc take care of business. Cornering-enhanced ABS comes with the standard package.
Chassis & Suspension | |
|---|---|
Frame | Stressed-member, high strength low alloy steel trellis frame; stamped, cast, and forged junctions; MIG welded; aluminum forged mid-structure |
Swingarm | One-piece cast aluminum |
Front Suspension | 47mm inverted fork with compression, rebound and spring preload adjustability. Aluminum fork triple clamps. |
Rear Suspension | Linkage-mounted, piggyback monoshock with compression, rebound and hydraulic spring preload adjustability |
Rake | 25° |
Trail | 4.3 in |
Lean Angle, Left/Right | 42°/42° |
Front Wheel | Aluminum cast, satin black 3” x 19” |
Rear Wheel | Aluminum cast, satin black 4.5” x 17” |
Front Tire | Michelin® Scorcher® “Adventure” 120/70R19 60V |
Rear Tire | Michelin® Scorcher® “Adventure” 170/60R17 72V |
Front Brake | Dual 320 mm floating disc, monoblock 4-piston caliper |
Rear Brake | 280 mm solid disc, floating single-piston caliper |
2023 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Price And Availability
The 2023 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 costs $17,699. Unfortunately, you can have any color you want as long as you want Vivid Black, 'cause that's all that's up for grabs this year.
Pricing & Features | |
|---|---|
Features | 6.8-in TFT display |
Warranty | 24-Month Unlimited Mileage |
Colors | |
└ 2022, 2023 | Vivid Black |
Price | |
└ 2022 | $17,319 |
└ 2023 | $17,699 |
Competitors
Triumph's Tiger line looks like it will make a good head-to-head for this most adventure-tastic model. I grabbed the Tiger 1200 GT.
Triumph Tiger 1200 GT
The Trumpet carries a 1,160 cc triple that puts out 148 ponies and 95 pound-feet of torque to more-or-less break even, so neither enjoys a power advantage. The Tiger slips a little in the electronics department with Riding Modes, Traction Control, and ABS only, and not of the lean-sensitive variety either.
Triumph makes up for that with semi-active electronic suspension controls that automatically dial in for demand-driven damping settings. The brake hardware is a wash, but the vanilla ABS can't hold up against H-D's lean-sensitive fandanglery.
H-D scores at the checkout against the Tiger 1200 GT's $19,595 sticker. That leaves the Pan America looking like more bike for fewer bucks.
He Said
“To call this an odd duck would fail to do justice to exactly how different the Pan America 1250 is from anything that came off a production line before. The adventure-bike build is completely new, and the Revolution Max engine is just a handful of years old at this point, as is the Rider Safety Enhancements package, so this model represents a considerable output of resources as it shares little with any existing models for the most part.”
She Said
My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says,
“It's an interesting bike, both in a good way and in a bad way. The design is rather chunky and not aerodynamic at all, but is that a bad thing on an adventure bike? I dunno. For true adventure riding, you do want a substantial bike under you and this does seem to check that box. The electronics suite is quite nice, and while the engine has the performance you want, it lacks the old-school good looks of the Milwaukee-Eight engines."
FAQ
Q: How much is a Harley Pan America 1250?
For 2023, MSRP on the Pan America 1250 is $17,699. The Pan America 1250 Special starts from $20,399 up to $22,049 depending on color and wheel choices.
Q: How fast does a Harley Davidson Pan America 1250 go?
With the 1,252 cc Revolution Max engine, the top speed for the Pan America 1250 is 141 MPH.
Q: How much horsepower does a Harley Davidson Pan America 1250 have?
The 2023 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 with its 1,252 cc Revolution Max engine produces 150 horsepower at 9,000 RPM and 94 pound-feet of torque at 6,750 RPM
Q: How many miles per gallon does a Harley Pan America get?
Harley-Davidson claims 46 MPG for the Pan America 1250. Affects on real-world fuel economy include speed, cargo and rider weight, maintenance, accessories, riding style, et al.