Road test of Harley-DavidsonPan America 1250 Special 2023 Harley in the trees

a Harley trail? What an idea! What's the point....? Why do.... ? The same words must have been uttered when Ducati launched its first Multistrada. A machine totally at odds with the spirit and history of the brand. A risk taken by Bologna, coupled with incomprehension and even revulsion on the part of its fans.
Today, 1/5th of its sales are Multistrada models.

in any case, it has become virtually impossible for a major manufacturer to do without a large trail bike. Only Indian doesn't have one in its range. But for how long...?
Harley had to start from scratch, having never had an off-road model in its history. Not even the Baja 100 of the 70s, which was an Aermacchi rebadged as an H-D.

it's a giant leap for the Milwaukee-based firm, but a tricky one for this off-roader. The Pan-America raises eyebrows, hesitation and questions. Every onlooker looks at it with mild curiosity; every motorcyclist wonders who it is. And unless you're a connoisseur, no one can identify it or guess who built it.
Drop the word "Harley" and the world stops. Everyone can't believe their ears! A Harley?!? Unbelievable! They do that now?

harley enthusiasts won't recognize any of the brand's hallmarks in this Pan America. Neither the look, nor the sound, nor the materials used. As contacts progressed, some thought they were dealing with a Chinese motorcycle. Others a Japanese trail bike. But never, NEVER, at any time did anyone recognize it as a Harley-Davidson.
For that matter, is it really one? The question deserves to be asked. Especially since the answer comes only after we've turned it inside out.

fab, a new-wave Fat Bob rider, and Pascal, in a typical FLH Switchback, chat with me in front of the almost ex-libris-less creature. They're not tender. With its big, plastic, knocking center console, plus the little central badge starting to peel off, the first contact is sullen. The windshield support parts inspire little confidence, looking so flimsy. Between the general appearance, the choice of materials and the perception of dubious quality, the Pan America takes a second slap in the face: in terms of finish and value, it's not up to the level of a MoCO production. Especially for the price.

in this age of miniaturization, when an ABS fits in a matchbox, how could Harley have stashed the ignition coils somewhere else.... than right at the rider's kneecap!?!! This piece of bone systematically comes into contact with the electrical protrusion. But that's not the worst part. In all honesty, I think Harley hired a guy just to work on the side stand, with the brief of doing the worst possible job. And the guy worked hard. The catching lug is almost invisibly tucked under a side casing, set way too far forward and impossible to grab with the heel; a little better with the toes, but not great either. Once almost unfolded.... almost, because the tip touches the ground before the end of the kinematics.... it's still not easy. The low angle of inclination makes you very wary when it comes to freeing yourself from the bike.

it's a real pity, because the Pan America also boasts a number of well-thought-out details. The mirrors may not look like much, especially with their simplistic support rods, but they are easily adjustable and provide excellent rear-view vision. Saddle height adjustment is simplicity itself: just slide it into the upper or lower slot, without moving any parts. The footrest rubbers are easily removed to switch to enduro grip mode. The rear brake pedal can be used to rotate the support area to gain height. Each essential function has its own button on the controls, so there's no need to enter menus and submenus while riding. Driving modes can be switched at any time, even at full throttle.
In fact, the Pan's electronics display a number of subtleties. The kind that curb unbridled optimism. It's impossible to go "too fast", as this Harley has a maximum speed of 225 km/h - a bridle intervenes when the block could still be extending its stride. Another safety feature: it's impossible to slam on the shifter like a fat 24-hour campground rider. With neutral engaged, the average moron can weld the handle for hours on end, but the revs will never exceed 4,000 rpm.

now we can go for a drive, can't we? Yes, once the connecting rods have woken up. At low revs, the dry sound, with its falsely agricultural overtones, gives the impression that the twin is coming down with the flu. Its jerky sound blows like a... Japanese engine; almost like a big Suzuki twin, as we knew from the SV 1000. H-D has debuted a brand-new engine, which is technically quite appealing. But once in the real world, in the bowels of a Harley motorcycle, it arouses suspicion. Between its looks, its voice, its soullessness, the poor thing attracts nothing but dirty looks from Harley enthusiasts.
Let's keep that look in the archives; it will have changed after just a few minutes.

because the 1250 has a lot to say for itself. In the first half of the rev counter, its strength is palpable, with good thrust under any load. It's full-bodied, pleasant and supple, perhaps a little reticent at low revs, but always a good source of torque. The typical Harley character doesn't exist here, and might upset some. On the other hand, the surprise of its ardor calms detractors. While you'd expect a steady surge up to 8,000 or 9,000 rpm, the boiler takes a beating after 6,200 rpm. It suddenly becomes stronger, as if 5 mkg of torque were instantly added. Revs soar, while a generous hand catapults you up to speed. Exhilarating, gripping, exhilarating. Here's an engine that knows how to keep its punch and throw it back at you when provoked. In fact, when driving happily or even furiously, everyone was surprised by the breaker - the engine pulls a little short and high revs don't calm the beast down.

like its competitors, the Pan America is first and foremost a big machine designed for travel. A word that often rhymes with highway. The minutes and kilometers fly by, without the Harley showing the slightest sign of weariness. This is the Pan's playground, surely the most appropriate (but not the most fun). With the "Road" mode set, the thick saddle and supple suspension, the rider can devour the route in complete peace of mind. 100 kilometers, 200, 300 - it hardly makes any difference to this trail rider. He'd eat it all day long. It's worth pointing out that on-board comfort is really present from one end of the route to the other.
What prevents you from enjoying it, apart from the fact that you're shitting yourself on the long tongue of asphalt, is the permanent heat given off by the engine. On the right-hand side, the foot is constantly subjected to the fumes of a small stove. Annoying, but not painful, except in town. On the left, the fan blows calories generously onto a small bypass plate, allowing the heat to settle on the knee; then inserting it right up to the limit of cooking it. In winter, it must be a treat to have a radiator over your pants. But here, during the summer months, it's a painful dissidence. Makes you wonder if Harley designers actually rode their creation all day.

in the middle of the day, a certain tension in the legs is a sign that they are too bent. If you're planning to do a lot of kilometers, it's best to put the saddle in a high position. Another shortcoming is the shape of the bubble, which creates a "blur zone" of around 5 cm at the top. This is annoying when you're aiming for a landmark.
The GPS navigator, via the manufacturer's app, has a few improvements to make. Especially the map: it rotates according to the roads and directions taken (normal, like all other systems), but the names of towns and other landmarks rotate at the same time. As a result, they're always crooked, upside down or illegible. Surely the crutch guy had a hand in the mapping too..

on the other hand, where they're really good (and the competition too) is at showing the public beautiful images of far-off horizons, with pure adventure. Of course, 90% of SUVs in this category aren't designed for off-roading. A little off-roading, at best. Their audience isn't looking for that either. But we wanted to know if the Pan America could play on rock like it plays on asphalt. So we fitted it with beefier tires (50% road / 50% offroad) to take it out of its comfort zone.
Once the Anakee Wild tires were fitted, its behavior changed markedly. Its steering, already held back by its m.... steering damper, becomes almost clumsy. You can feel the front end "sticking" to the corner, as if the tire were surrounded by a thick, greasy skin. Comfort and driving precision suffer more than noticeably. Roads become far less pleasant. Until..

...we take our big trail out onto more suitable terrain. Once out on the small mountain roads, it regains its drive. Steering is still heavy, but much more consistent. From tanker, the Harley becomes a light freighter, like a machine in my head, a deaf and stormy machine. The twin is no slouch when it comes to revving up at every hairpin exit, whether in second, third or fourth gear. That's one of the other qualities of this engine: the rider can use the mid-range torque or the high revs to his heart's content, and enjoy every impulse on the mountain passes.

it doesn't take long to change tack for forest roads, where fallen logs at the side of the road (or on the road) mark out the adventure towards shady ground, stray branches, the smell of moss on stones and bursts of gravel (or bigger) that jump into your calves. Quick: Offroad mode. This softens the suspensions and gives greater permissiveness to traction control. Once on the track, the right hand can let loose a little. Power surges forward, releasing a gravelly sound from the twin, while the rear wheel ploughs the ground generously. Although a dose of horsepower passes through the transmission and into the dust, the electronics are not completely asleep and intervene - after a few seconds of naughtiness - when the nervous tone of the ride goes up a notch. Novices will appreciate it, enlightened enthusiasts a little less. For them, Harley has designed the "Offroad +" mode, releasing Traction Control and ABS completely.

a tricky choice for those with little TT experience. If the Harley Pan-America can be ridden with a dose of recklessness when the road or trail is easy, its weight and size will call you to order in hairpins and tight sequences. It's impossible to go straight into the hairpin. The front end is heavy and uninviting, encouraging a fairly calm, even humble approach. From there, you force the steering a little, with a fair amount of suppleness, then guide the bike with your feet in a semi-bucheron mode.
But that's for the basic, cautious enduro rider with limited experience. In the hands of an experienced off-road rider, the situation changes completely, and the Pan America transforms into an impressive machine.

the video (above) says more than words. In the hands of our offroad tester, the Pan reaches mind-blowing speeds and progression. It's both impressive and surreal to see such a beast snaking along the road. A buffalo with wings! The important thing is to have a good grip. This allows the American to transform herself, to venture into places where some hikers would need an ice axe to advance. She dares to jostle rocks; she plays with crevasses, hopping like a Jeep; she crosses fords without fear of the water on her pack. It's true that you need a good dose of XP in TT to take her into battle, without losing sight of the fact that you need to skilfully balance her to compensate for the weight. But once up to this level, you can take the Pan on trails where goats would sprain an ankle.
The electronic kickstands are too restrictive for truly committed riding. Fortunately, traction control can be deactivated with the left thumb. From there, the assertive enduro rider can more easily play with trajectories and induced evasions. However, if you're not up to the challenge, we recommend you keep the guards on. When the Pan America unleashes its full power in the forest, it's not faking it and could lay down a tree.

i've seen this Harley twist between rocks, take Fight Club-style hits, get crushed by its weight and power under the impact of ruts... and stay on course like a ship tortured by Captain Ahab. She should have come home with the engine cut in half, the fork stuck in the rear wheel and the handlebars under the saddle. But no, just a radiator pierced by a stone. An incident we could easily have avoided with proper protection - which all enduro machines (EXC-F, WRF, CRF-RX, etc.) have.

let's put things in context. For a first excursion into the world of trail riding, Harley does rather well. Many of its competitors wouldn't dare put their rims down in some of the places we took it.
The Pan-America doesn't distribute the Harley spirit in the way we've come to expect over the past 50 years. When we hit the trails and undergrowth after a hard ride, its potential is astonishing. It's not yet up to the level of a GS (which has 40 years' experience behind it), but it's well worth a closer look.
So yes, the price is less advantageous than it used to be, it heats up the crew too much, the competition is fierce, the Harley world doesn't recognize it, it has a tricky mug....... Yet there's one sure sign. All those who had doubts on discovering it came back from their test ride with a small, meaningful smile.

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