For the last four decades, the ADV market has been ruled by the likes of BMW, Honda, Yamaha, and KTM, which has the most manufacturer wins at the Dakar Rally. So when Harley dropped the Pan America 1250 and Pan America Special 1250 in 2021, jaws dropped.
These weren’t your typical Hogs by any stretch of the imagination but were so well constructed that they quickly became recognized as one of the best Harleys ever made. It’s quite the accomplishment for a manufacturer who only recently tipped its toe into a much bigger pond beyond big, bulky cruisers.
The Pan America is powered by a liquid-cooled 1,250cc V-twin called the Revolution Max 1250. The 150 hp 76.4 cubic inch V-twin design (producing 94 lb-ft of torque) mated to a six-speed gearbox may actually be better than the flat-twin layout of BMW bikes as it not only makes the Harley slimmer than BMWs but also has better protection against the spills that are part and parcel of adventure riding.
A base model weighs 534 pounds (wet); the Special 559 pounds. Both are a tad heftier than many other ADVs on the market despite the Revolution Max being directly integrated into the bike as the central member of the chassis. It was designed with low-end torque and a low-speed throttle, both of which are must-haves while riding in hazardous off-road conditions. And while it typically uses a belt drive on their bikes, the Pan America has a chain.
