P84
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
The electronic variable valve tim-
ing deserves some focus here. The
system adjusts valve timing indepen-
dently for each exhaust and intake
pair of valves. That means cylinders
one and two are treated separately
as are intake and exhaust circuits.
Depending on ride mode selection
or other settings, the bike will adjust
power delivery via valve timing. Solid.
The 30-degree V-twin with a
90-degree firing order produces a
healthy thump of torque (92 lb-ft @
6750 rpm) and horsepower (150 hp
@ 9000 rpm) for a superbike feel
from the country conquering ride.
Surprised? You'll get over it.
Harley-Davidson engines have
always been about more than just
propulsion. They're a central style
and brand anchor. In fact, the sound
of the H-D twin is almost as important
as any number it produces. It is The
Motor Company, after all. And the
Revolution Max 1250 doesn't miss in
living up to the brand hype here. But
it does it differently, for sure. Some
would say better.
No, it's not stereotypically HOG
loud, but the engine is authentic to
the brand in the sense that it stands
front and center. In fact, this engine
is such a central part of the machine
that it is, literally, also the chassis.
There is no spar or trellis interrupting
your view of the v-cylinders and snak-
ing, swooping exhaust. The engine
is the main stressed member of the
frame with front, rear and top bits
bolted on to complete the motorcy-
cle. But it all starts with the engine.
And it does sound nice. It has a
nice V-twin beat to it and brings a
healthy volume of high-quality.
Power delivery follows suit. I love
a torquey twin and while this isn't
quite to the level of a BMW 1250 GS'
low-end grunt, it is getting close—a
huge compliment. Likewise, this
bike excels at acceleration, produc-
ing sport bike-like performance in
forward momentum that will have
you wishing for a quick shift function
(it doesn't have one). Surprisingly,
the six-speed gearbox kept up to my
(Below) Along
with the Adaptive
Ride Height
feature, H-D offers
a number of seat
height options
within a four-inch
range.
(Below) Our 5'10"
test rider adapted
to the stock setup
decently, but taller
riders will be forced
to use additional
bar risers and
experiment with bar/
control position.
