How do you like the Pan Am?
Ignoring the teething issues they've had for the moment, the bike is brilliant. Ride is very refined, motor is smooth though held back by the factory ride modes, and the fancy toys like adaptive ride height, cruise control, ride modes, etc make it an easy bike to just ride even when it's crappy out. I've not taken it properly off road, and don't intend to. It was purchased as a sport tourer for myself and my wife and in that role it's worked well. If you create a custom ride mode and max out the throttle response, it actually starts to feel like a 1250cc modern v-twin, though it's still lacking bottom end torque compared to my prior bike, a 2005 Ducati ST3. From what I've seen, a tune on these nets you close to 25hp at the rear wheel and eliminates the factory power curve shaping so you get ALL the power when you want it, but thanks to HD being jackasses and getting the EPA on their case, they have a consent decree that upon detection of ANY tune, all warranties are null and void. Moss Magnusson what now? On the flip side, the road mode feels like a strong mid/top smaller twin with softer suspension, and rain dials it back further making everything slower and more predictable, it's way more than just a throttle map tweak.
Now, as noted it's had teething problems, Harley has been grinding through software updates to deal with random 'glitches' that range from benign overzealous triggering of the check engine light to bikes going into limp mode at bad times, ARH flaking out, etc. The last big update at the start of the year seems to have finally gotten the bikes stable. My machine got to visit the shop a few times prior for check engine lights, ended up getting the rear exhaust cam solenoid replaced under warranty, and a radiator hose that the exhaust was trying to melt (another common issue on 21/22s) on the showroom floor. When I bought it I maxed the extended warranty as I knew there were bugs to be sorted, and so far when I've been able to do two up trips on it it's performed beautifully.
I'd love to see a proper sport tourer built out of the Pan Am DNA, 17in wheel up front, ditch the excess suspension travel, more aggressive ergos and shed as much excess weight as possible. Uncork that motor. Also, give me sport cases that can actually fit a helmet, we knew this back in the 2000s, what happened?! Sadly the market seems to be moving away from bikes like that, we're on an adventure tourer kick so, Pan Am is what we get.
That would potentially fit with the odd cutting out too I suspect, so charging system check, grounds chase and check, and maybe a bit of brake clean at the intakes while running test today are the game plan.
