Harley-Davidson officially unveiled Monday its all-new adventure touring motorcycles, the 2021 Pan America 1250 and Pan America 1250 Special.
The Motor Company released all the details through a Harley-Davidson Original Film (attached in full below), which provided a look back at the brand’s off-road past and featured Chairman, President, and CEO of Harley-Davidson Jochen Zeitz.
Following are the fast facts about Harley’s new ADV machine, one that will compete with some of European’s top players, including the BMW GS 1250, KTM 1290 Adventure, and the Ducati Multistrada V4.
1. The new machine that Harley says can achieve 135 mph is available in two flavors—the Pan America 1250 and Pan America 1250 Special. The Special is updated with many upgrades, including semi-active electronic suspension by Showa, and a first for motorcycles—Adaptive Ride Height. Depending on your suspension setup, the latter will lower the bike one to two inches when stopped, making it easier for riders to plant their feet fully.
2. The Pan America is powered by the all-new Revolution Max 1250 engine, a liquid-cooled V-twin that produces 150 horsepower and is hooked to a six-speed transmission. The front frame, the mid-frame, and the tail section bolt directly to the powertrain. This design results in a stiffer chassis and less weight. This frame is mounted to a cast-aluminum swingarm that minimizes unsprung weight.
3. The Pan America has a similar weight to others within the large-displacement adventure motorcycle market. Harley claims 534 pounds wet for the base model and 559 pounds wet for the Special.
4. The Pan America arrives with a 62.2-inch wheelbase, ideal for touring capability (especially with a passenger and loaded luggage) and agile handling required for off-road maneuverability.
5. Adhering to a proven ADV formula, the Harley uses a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear cast-aluminum wheels. Harley-Davidson worked directly with Michelin to create the Scorcher Adventure tires. The bike is also available with the Michelin Anakee Wild tires with a more aggressive block-pattern tread. Tubeless spoked wheels are also available.
6. Stopping the Pan America are Brembo monoblock four-piston calipers that squeeze dual 320mm discs up front, and a single 280mm disc out back.
7. The base model has with fully adjustable Showa suspension with 7.5 inches of travel at both ends. The Pan America 1250 Special uses Showa electronically adjustable semi-active suspension with Vehicle Loading Control, which senses the rider’s weight, a passenger, and/or luggage to select optimal suspension sag by automatically adjusting rear preload.
8. Seat height on the base is adjustable (no tools required) from 34.2 inches to 35.2 inches. The seat height of the Special is 33.4 inches in low and 34.4 inches in the high position.
9. Electronics are plentiful on both models and include:
- Four rider modes: Road, Sport, Rain, Off-Road, and Off-Road Plus. The base features one customizable mode and the Special offers two customized modes.
- Cornering ABS
- Cornering Traction Control
- Hill Hold Control
- Cruise Control
10. The lightweight aluminum fuel tank holds 5.6 gallons and features a fuel filler on top of the tank that’s easy to use while a tank bag is in place.
11. The four-position windscreen is adjustable in a range of 1.8 inches by using one hand.
12. Both Pan America models use a corrosion-resistant 304-series stainless steel exhaust system that’s Euro 5 compliant and features two mufflers – one below the engine and the other on the right side. They were positioned to provide added clearance while leaning on pavement and riding off-road.
13. The standard model features a Daymaker Signature LED headlamp, and the Special is upgraded with the Daymaker Adaptive Headlamp technology. The latter utilizes the ABS IMU to determine the motorcycle’s lean angle and automatically projects additional light into corners to illuminate areas of the road that may be unlit by an LED headlamp without this technology. All other lights are LEDs.
14. Both models use a 6.8-inch TFT touchscreen instrumentation that hooks to your mobile device. Free Harley-Davidson App supplies navigation for iOS and Android devices. The screen’s touch feature is disabled while the Pan America is in motion.
15. Besides the updated suspension and Adaptive Ride Height, the 2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America also gets:
- Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
- Centerstand
- Multi-Position brake pedal
- Radiator brush guard
- Aluminum Skidplate
- Heated grips and wind deflectors
- Steering damper
16. The Pan America 1250 models will be available in the following colors: Vivid Black and River Rock Gray with Medallion. The Special is available in Vivid Black, Gauntlet Gray Metallic, Deadwood Green (available in select international markets only), and two-tone Baja Orange/Stone Washed White Pearl.
17. Pricing begins at $17,319 for the base model and $19,999 for the Special. The Pan America 1250 and Pan America 1250 Special models will hit Harley-Davidson dealerships in spring 2021.
2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America (Special) Specs
Engine
- Type: Revolution Max 1250 V-twin
- Displacement: 76.3ci (1252cc)
- Bore x stroke: 4.13″ x 2.84″
- Maximum power: 150 horsepower @ 9000 rpm
- Maximum torque: 94 ft-lbs @ 6750 rpm
- Compression ratio: 13.0:1
- Valvetrain: Chain-driven, DOHC, hydraulic self-adjusting lifters, intake & exhaust VVT; 4vpc
- Cooling: Liquid
- Transmission: 6-speed
- Clutch: Wet multiplate w/ assist and slipper functions
- Primary drive: Gear
- Final drive: Chain
Chassis
- Front suspension: Fully adjustable Showa 47mm inverted fork (Special: Showa semi-active electronic suspension w/ aluminum triple clamps)
- Rear suspension: Linkage-assisted fully adjustable Showa piggyback shock (Special: Showa semi-active electronic suspension)
- Wheels: Cast aluminum (Wire-spoke tubeless optional)
- Front wheel: 19 x 3
- Rear wheel: 17 x 4.5
- Tires: Michelin Scorcher Adventure (Michelin Anakee Wild optional)
- Front tire: 120/70 19
- Rear tire: 170/60 17
- Front brakes: 320mm discs w/ Brembo 4-piston caliper
- Rear brake: 280mm disc w/ floating Brembo single-piston caliper
- ABS: Cornering aware
Dimensions and capacities:
- Wheelbase: 62.2 inches
- Rake: 25 degrees
- Trail: 4.3 inches
- Seat Height: 34.2 – 35.2 inches (Special: 33.4 – 34.4 inches)
- Fuel Capacity: 5.6 gallons
- Curb Weight: 534 pounds (Special: 559 pounds)
2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America Colors/Pricing:
- Vivid Black: $17,319 MSRP
- River Rock Gray with Medallion: $17,569
2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America Special Colors/Pricing:
- Vivid Black: $19,999 MSRP
- Gauntlet Gray Metallic: $20,249
- Two-tone Baja Orange/Stone Washed White Pearl: $20,349
2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America (Special) Photo Gallery
