Harley-Davidson has revealed the 2021 Pan America 1250, its first adventure motorcycle that looks unlike anything else on sale in the market at the moment.
It is no doubt a very important motorcycle for the brand that is facing turbulent times and the very way it is made shows that Harley has finally let go of its traditions and embraced the new world order.
The front end of the bike is stubby with a wide headlight, a tall (and adjustable) windscreen, along with a bulky fairing. The handlebar is set high and wide, while the seats are rather chunky too.
Above the new V-twin engine sits the large 21.2-litre fuel tank, while the subframe is exposed, and the exhaust can and a rather tiny tail light complete the design.
For sure, most of the visual bulk is right at the front and it is quite polarising. People will like it or hate it, but nobody would call it boring.
At the heart of the bike sits the new 1252 V-twin that puts out 150 HP at 9000 RPM and 127 Nm at 6750 RPM. The motor has dual overhead cams with variable valve timing, and is paired to a 6-speed gearbox with assist and slipper clutch.
Acting as a stressed member in what Harley calls as the “optimised chassis”, the motor has enough grunt to move the 253.5 kg (top-spec Special variant, normal trim weighs 11 kg less) motorcycle at serious speeds.
A new 6.8-inch TFT touchscreen instrument cluster will show all the required information and also comes with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connectivity. When the bike is in motion, though, the touchscreen functionality does not work.
And the electronics do not stop there, for the 2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 comes with cruise control, 5 rider modes (Rain, Road, Sport, Off-Road and Off-Road Plus) even in the base model, according to which the power delivery, engine braking, cornering ABS, cornering traction control are all primed.
Fitted with long-travel 47 mm Showa inverted forks upfront and Showa rear shock with piggyback reservoir, the bike rides on 19-inch front and 17-inch rear cast rims (wire-spoked rims are optional).
Braking hardware is from Brembo and not Harley’s own units. A pair of 320 mm discs are present up front, while a single 280 mm disc provides the stopping force at the rear.
Available in 2 trim levels, the 2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 costs $17,319 (Rs. 12.53 lakhs) for the standard variant and $19,999 (Rs. 14.47 lakhs) for the top-spec Special trim that comes with more features including wire-spoked wheels (with tubeless tyres) and adaptive ride height, among others.
