It’s a classic, textbook case. How to revive the Harley-Davidson legend in a global market that swears by ultra-versatile, comfortable motorbikes, with a host of electronic driving aids? Basically the opposite of what Milwaukee has been producing for nearly 120 years. But what if the solution lay in the Pan America? This highly ambitious adventure tourer has been introduced this week. SoBARNES puts you in its saddle.
Harley-Davidson is, literally and figuratively, at a crossroads. With one hell of a challenge: reinventing itself in order to renew its clientèle without renegading on its origins or its DNA. In short, the legend of the lone rider roaming the highways to the sound of exhaust pipes, legs extended and arms up, has had its day. These days the Easy Rider (1969) spirit only stirs the soul for people of the same age as the Dennis Hopper film, i.e. in their fifties. Given that, in addition to this, anti-pollution norms now tend to stifle engines and their noise emissions, it is easy to understand why the postcard urban cowboy setting out to conquer Route 66 is no longer really relevant. And yet, how many of the world’s brands can boast a reputation and popularity like that of Harley-Davidson? The venerable firm founded in 1903 in Milwaukee (Wisconsin, USA) has created its own universe, its own culture and its own codes. Which now need to be adapted to today’s market. This is the role of the Pan America, presented with great (digital) fanfare on 22 February. With one goal: bringing new meaning to the spirit of motorbike adventure. And reviving the Harley-Davidson dream, both on and off the tarmacked trails.
In the dual-sport category, for adventurous motorbikes capable of crossing the planet whatever the road surface or weather conditions, the competition comes down to a contest with a single rival: the BMW GS, with more than 800,000 sold since its launch in the early 1980s. And considered the ultimate model, including on the American market, which no doubt irked Harley-Davidson’s strategists. Does the Milwaukee brand really have its place in this niche? “At the time of its creation more than a century ago, when many roads were still just dirt tracks, the name Harley-Davidson went hand in hand with adventure”, says Jochen Zeitz, its CEO. Well, the answer comes in this testosterone-filled film with its historical allusions, directed and played by actor Jason Momoa:
As you can see, the Pan America intends to be on a par if not better than its German rival in all domains. We’ll spare you the endless technical specs, but rest assured that the good old traditional V-Twin engine is still there (phew!), in this case a liquid-cooled 1,250cc 150hp engine (compared to 136 for the BMW). An exciting first for a Harley, the Pan America also incorporates a range of driving aids including a suspension system which automatically transitions between a low stopped position and optimal ride height when the motorcycle is in motion (like a Citroen DS, you might say, but here we’re talking about a motorbike!). Good news, its weight is under 242kg, 7 less than its rival
Another piece of good news, even its price low (for a Harley): from €15,990, and €18,290 for the better-equipped Special version, i.e. way below the BMW GS, which starts at €18,100.
One question remains: in terms of style, is the Pan America still a Harley-Davidson? We’d tend towards yes. Even if, for the moment, aesthetes have been slow to warm to its rectangular headlamp. We’ll find out in June 2021 when the first deliveries arrive in Europe!
Infos sur www.harley-davidson.com
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