Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 ventures well off the beaten path

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Harley-Davidson is known for lots of things — big V-twin engines dripping in chrome, heavyweight touring motorcycles, leather — but they definitely aren't known for diving into completely new market segments. The brand-new Pan America 1250 challenges that perception. It's a clean-sheet adventure touring motorcycle, and even if it's still sporting a V-twin, this one is liquid cooled and tuned to produce 150 horsepower, 94 pound-feet of torque, a 9,500-rpm redline and "a broad powerband that builds to a rush of high-RPM power."

That 60-degree, 1,250-cubic-centimeter, double-overhead-cam engine is a stressed member with a front frame, mid frame and tail section bolting directly to it to make up the chassis. A cast-aluminum swingarm stretches the wheelbase to 62.2 inches, which is just a half inch longer than the Ducati Multistrada V4. Cast aluminum wheels measure 19 inches up front and 17 inches at the rear. The seat height adjusts between 34.2 inches in the low position and 35.2 inches in the high position.

An upper-level Pan America 1250 Special model (pictured above) gains electronically adjustable semi-active front and rear suspension, tire pressure monitoring, a steering damper, a center stand, brush guard and skid plate, an adjustable rear brake pedal, an adaptive front headlight and heated handgrips. The electronic suspension automatically drops the bike when at rest and raises back up under motion.

Michelin Scorcher Adventure tires designed specifically for the Pan America come standard, and Michelin Anakee Wild tires with a more aggressive tread pattern will also be offered. Tubeless laced wheels will also be offered.

The radial monoblock four-piston brake calipers were co-developed with Brembo. The 47-mm inverted front fork and rear shock are sourced from Showa and provide 7.48 inches of travel at each end. A tilting 6.8-inch touchscreen display features Bluetooth connectivity and navigation through an app offered for Apple and Android phones.

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Road, Sport, Rain, Off-Road and Off-Road Plus ride modes are selectable, each tailoring the bike's electronics package to suit the needs of the rider and the terrain. The Pan America 1250 features Cornering Rider Safety Enhancements, which relies on an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to offer Cornering Enhanced Electronically Linked Braking, Cornering Enhanced Antilock Braking System, Cornering Enhanced Traction Control System, Cornering Enhanced Drag-Torque Slip Control System, and Hill Hold Control. Cruise control comes standard.

The Pan America 1250 will start at $17,319, which undercuts the Multistrada V4 (which is a clear competitor, though more powerful with 170 ponies from its four-cylinder engine). The Special edition model is $19,999. Both will arrive in dealerships this spring. Naturally, a whole host of accessories will launch alongside the adventure bike, including luggage options, seats and windshields. We expect a few more new motorcycles featuring this Revolution Max engine will be revealed in the coming months.