If you remove the divisive looks of the Harley from the equation you have to admire their balls to enter a well established, highly competitive market sector from a standing start; good luck to them. Saying that, I think that it will ultimately fail as HD appeal to older, traditional American white males as their core market group, the younger market just do not see HD as a cool or aspirational brand and I can't imagine that any rider with an ounce of motorbike sense is going to choose the Pan over the better established, more capable and cheaper competition.
I would like to draw your attention to the following saying... "If you ain't a Harley rider then you ain't shit." No doubt dreamt up by some tobacco chewing hillbilly, in stained dungarees, a straw hat, standing beside his pig, holding a jam jar, sorry, jello jar full of moonshine. Which, when translated back into English (not that alien language from the colony's) but The Queens English, means If you're not a Harley rider then you're not shit which therefore means if you ARE a Harley rider then you must BE shit.
There are some classic comments on youtube under the pan america videos. I saw a couple where HD riders seemed to think the adventure market had only just been invented by HD. In the vids themselves the reviews were pretty positive on the whole. But it is like marketing a new peanut butter, we will see I guess?...
Even though I have a Sporty, I think some Harley riders are like this which makes selling that advugly much more difficult. A group rode through a village we had stopped at last week about 30 of them a great long roadblock......
Friend test rode a PanAm from Newmarket dealer; who told him they’d already sold 20 So on a par with orders of V4 Mut from my local Ducaaaati dealer in Norfolk.
20? Oh dang, I'm hearing that the dealers here in the US or only getting one or two bikes per dealership. Maybe because we have a dealership on every corner practically.
But if it was a salesman who said 20 bikes sold, reduce the number by 50%. Also there is a large US airbase 13 miles down the road. https://www.lakenheath.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/
They probably get their bikes flown over from the good ol U S of A. Their cars are. See enough of them wondering around the back roads of east Anglia
I test rode the Pan America yesterday. As a road rider coming from a 1200S, I won’t be placing an order. Engine has a lot of pickup and the ride is smooth at high speeds. It filters well and the looks work in real life. It’s rather plasticky around the dash and the menu system, whilst more advanced than my 2014 MTS, is extensive. The much vaunted ride height lowering system was on the bike. But because the seat height was an inch lower than my MTS, I saw no benefit from this £600 option. It has a non adjustable steering damper and a clutch that can slip if you push it hard enough. I had to wait at a level crossing, twice, and my inside leg was cooked inside of two minutes. Didn’t rate that experience. Overall, there are some good bits on the bike, but it did not feel as refined my MTS. If I was in the market for a new adventure bike, rather than a sports tourer, I’d probably consider it alongside the Africa Twin or KTM. But as a fast sport tourer, it’s not for me.
Agree about the cheap plastics bit. Will see what the engine heat is like. My 1200 Mutley cooked the walnuts whilst bimbling about in Italy mid July
I swapped my 2013 1200gt for a 1260s with full termi. Quite different engine, loads faster and smoother, better fuel economy, I mostly get 54mpg imperial. I love the 1260, so much more. Not planning a v4
I never understand why there are comparison's between the Multistrada /KTM's / GS's / Tiger 1200's and now the new Harley. They are all off road capable adventure bikes. Semi off road types, and look the part. The Multistrada is a pure road bike, and a different animal. If you want to go off road into the wilderness get an Adventure bike. If like me, you know you'll never stray of the tarmac whilst on tour and want a beautiful looking bike, get a Multistrada. Simples !
Maybe its because Ducati market the bike as on road/ off road "greater ease handling off-road trails" the range features an Enduro model, and has aesthetics based on traditional dual sport bikes?
I don’t believe HD will sell 5000 PanAm’s in the first 6 months like Ducati have with the V4 Multistrada. Andy
I’d never heard of the Adventure Bike Rider Festival until about a month ago when someone tried to sell spare tickets at my bike club. You’d have thought though that HD would have done a proper PDI on their demo bike. Reflects more on the poor supplying dealer than the mark IMO. andy
