the system is easy to navigate.
I turned the bike into a capable
desert ripper with one thumb
on the joystick (but you can also
touch the screen) just like that.
Power
The Revolution Max 1250 engine
is a success in V-twin develop-
ment for the adventure touring
segment and beyond. Harley-Da-
vidson customers will be seeing
this engine in more models in
the future, I'm sure, because it's
that good. Stacked full of tech
and modernity, this engine puts
Harley-Davidson in competitive
status with performance power-
plants from Japan and Europe.
The motor is modern in spec and
even more so in performance
delivery and feel. It feels as im-
pressive as the build sheet with
a broad range of usable power
either chugging through sand or
surging at highway speeds.
I'm particular about engine
power delivery and I'm not im-
pressed by numbers as much as
I am throttle feel and correspond-
ing motorcycle attitude. The Pan
America combines great throttle
feel, engine response, torque de-
livery and the motorcycle follows
along with a great attitude. It's
a connection that inspires con-
fidence off-road but exhilarates
on the pavement. The engine's
changes through different Ride
Modes are noticeable and simply
make sense. And the entire pack-
age is a lot of fun to ride. From
highway straights to sand-washes,
it proved itself plenty versatile.
In development since 2017,
the Revolution Max 1250 engine
incorporates double overhead
cams over four valves per head
(sodium-filled exhaust valves
to control heat), independent
electronic variable valve timing,
hydraulic self-adjusting lifters,
dual spark plugs per cylinder,
two engine balancers, and an
aggressive liquid-cooling archi-
tecture. It's engineered to be
as lightweight as possible, even
using magnesium engine cov-
ers, and delivers serious perfor-
mance numbers.
P82
RIDE REVIEW I 2 0 2 1 H A R L E Y - D A V I D S O N P A N A M E R I C A 1 2 5 0 S P E C I A L
On-road performance
of the Pan America
are impressive with
the modern chassis,
suspension and power
feeling anything but
traditional for the Bar and
Shield brand.
