It was 2018 when Harley-Davidson (H-D) announced that it was developing a new adventure bike that would go head-to-head against BMW’s R 1250 GS and KTM’s 1290 Adventure R.
Unfortunately for the Americans, they faced a couple of bumps along the way. The project even came close to being shelved along with the Bronx muscle bike. After gracing this year’s Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS) last March, it was just a matter of time before the Pan America 1250 would land in PH shores.
Yesterday, May 2, 2021, H-D showrooms across the country simultaneously launched this much-awaited adventure bike from Milwaukee.
Fresh from the port
More than a week before its official Philippine debut, our friends from Wheeltek Harley-Davidson of Cavite invited MotoPinas.com for an exclusive sneak peek at the Pan America 1250 just hours after its arrival in the country. We were one of the very few who saw the Pan America 1250 in the flesh here in the country.
The Pan America 1250 is powered by a newly-developed 1250cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 60-degree V-twin Revolution Max engine. It is capable of producing 152 Ps of power at 9,000 rpm and 127 Nm of torque at 6,750 rpm. To bring the best out of this newly-developed engine even on low revs, H-D engineers have opted to equip the Revolution Max with Variable Valve Timing (VVT).
While some might say that just based on the Pan America’s looks, it might be heavier than BMW’s R 1250 GS. Surprisingly though, the American adventure bike is 7 kilograms lighter than the German.
Keeping it aloft is a Showa 1 by 1 47 mm inverted cartridge front fork. The rear suspension is a Showa Piggyback reservoir shock with an adjustable hydraulic preload. The rear suspension incorporates a linkage system that provides a progressive feel through the stroke and maintains a comfortable, compliant ride on-road while providing superior support for off-road conditions.
Bringing it to a stop are new twin Brembo radial monoblock four-piston (30 mm) calipers in front, biting 320 mm rotors. In the rear is a 280 mm rotor.
According to our friends at Wheeltek, at the moment, they will be focusing on selling the top-spec Pan America 1250 Special. This model gets additional exclusive features such as a center stand, handlebar guards, skid plate, and crash bars.
The most enviable extra is the semi-active suspension that can be upgraded to Adaptive Ride Height Control (ARHC). The ARHC can lower the Pan America’s height to as much as 2-inches when fully stopped. It can then bring it back up to its standard ride height when moving. There are other configurable modes too.
The rider gets a 6.8-inch TFT touchscreen instrument panel. It can be tilted for optimum visibility while its non-reflective glass cover makes it easier to view in most lighting conditions. The touchscreen function is disabled when the motorcycle is in motion, but the rider can use hand controls to manage many functions of the screen display.
It comes with LED lighting. The 1250 Special comes with crash bars, a center stand and the enviable ARHC. The windshield is also adjustable.
The Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 is now available at all Harley-Davidson dealers. Price starts at PhP1,400,000.
