Pan America

[Bone Stockman]

Rode one today, the reviews are pretty much all spot-on. Bottom line, this absolutely feels like a Harley, but it's vastly different than anything Harley's done before.

The engine's got a not-quite-balanced feel to it, so it's not a smooth sewing machine like a UJM. The clutch friction point is a bit further out than I'd like, but the feel is good. The transmission's like butter. The brakes bit well, and will probably improve with some break in. The controls feel substantial, but not as substantial as the Touring line. There's a ton of buttons. The display crams a lot of information on it, but it's legible (mostly). I'm 6'2" with a 34" inseam. The stock windshield is probably fine, the stock seat needs to be in the high position (it was in the low for the test ride), and I definitely need the taller risers, as I could feel more weight than I wanted on my wrists....and that would be amplified with the seat sitting 1" higher.

The fit & finish is gorgeous. I'm glad I picked the 2-tone, as it's stunning in person. The ARH is completely transparent. The seat was comfortable for the 30 minutes I rode. I noticed no issues with the fueling, but I kept it below 4,000rpm as this thing was fresh off the truck. I was riding in a borrowed helmet and work clothes, so I didn't go nuts. It's 80 today, and I felt some warmth on my right wingtip, but it wasn't egregious.

I started in "Road" mode, and spent most of the ride there, as I wasn't really dressed for riding, it was rush hour, and it was a fresh bike that hadn't been broken in. The engine's a gem. If/when Harley puts this thing in a Touring bike, they'll sell them as fast as they can build them. It pulls cleanly, and is happy to lub-dub along at 3,000rpm. Nice engine braking when you're decelerating. It's got character, but it's quiet....If you're coming from another brand, you're not going to blow your eardrums out with the stock pipe. I spent about 5 minutes in "Sport" mode, and it's a fire-breathing beast. I predict his bike will embarrass a lot of very serious hardware out on the backroads.

The suspension is just sublime. The roads around here suck, I went over 2 sets of train tracks, and across 2 wooden bridges. The bike just swallowed them up. It dives into a corner like a playful dolphin. I was expecting the wheelbase to limit how sharply it turned in, but (granted, fresh bike, not mine, and not dressed for it so I wasn't killing it) it was surprising how nimble it was. At no point did I feel the need to fiddle with it in "Road" mode. In "Sport" mode, it was like a scalpel.

Wind protection was okay to my torso and head, but there's not much blocking the wind to the legs. You're going to get soaked in the rain.

I've got until Friday to figure out whether or not the Road Glide's staying. This bike is awfully good, and I could see having this as my only "big" bike.

[Redleg]

Great write-up Russ. When you get yours for keeps we'll have to do a side-by-side with my GS!

[Bone Stockman]

Originally Posted by Redleg

Great write-up Russ. When you get yours for keeps we'll have to do a side-by-side with my GS!

Absolutely!