Pan American

[MattSunn]

Looks OK to me. No worse than any other bike of this type. Looks like it has tubeless tires.

[MattSunn]

The Pan America is no uglier than all of the other "adventure" bikes. Everyone if them are ugly as sin and the luggage makes them even worse looking.

I ain't say'n I wouldn't ride one, just that they are butt ugly. Arguing about the looks of one of the uglies is kinda ridiculous.

[emoji2] Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

As far as adventure bike front ends go, here's the new Honda Africa Twin. Not ugly, if you ask me.

It's ugly. Looks like an Angry Bird and a Transformer had a kid. Face it, they're all ugly. Looks like tube tires.

[hillsy]

Looks worse in silver....

[RoadKing]

I don’t get it! Is this about a fun adventure or a car show entry? Function or form? Looks like a fish?

[hillsy]

I don’t get it! Is this about a fun adventure or a car show entry? Function or form? Looks like a fish?

Surely you're not going to try and say people buy HD purely from a functional perspective?

[Travlin]

A big reason for me getting mine was the dealer network while traveling.

[Tbeck]

hillsy, the Baja's was the bike I was referring to.

Travlin, that's one of the funny things about adventure bike's, everyone thinks they are for offroading. The reality is less than 10% actually see off road use, and the rest might see some dirt roads once in a great while. Guy's like you and I with a MX background are far more likely to take them on single track (I do, LoL) than most. Yep they are heavy by off road standards 550 versus 220 lbs MX bike but it's more of a trail ride than enduro so the weight and shorter suspension travel isn't an issue. Let's put it this way, I have jumped my GS over a 20" log blocking the trail. It lands hard but suspension travel is fine. I don't think I would be doing any doubles or triples with it though, LoL.
A couple things that draw me to these bikes. Lower overall weight even with the full luggage (575-585lbs loaded) without sacrificing the other nice travel options like electronic cruise. They'll go anywhere a sane person might want to take them. Great ergonomics. I can ride all day and not travel out further than 30 miles from my house as the crow flies. It just opens up the roads you don't mind riding.
Now as to the Pan? 140 hp, 100 torq, tubless tires, 220+ mile fuel range and it's probably going to weigh in at around 530-540lbs wet. That's some competitive numbers for this class. These numbers are in keeping with the KTM 1290 which is a beast. The Pan also sports electronic suspension, and the other adventure goodies. Remember these bikes are really capable on road as well. I doubt they will be sporting the big knobbies unless you option them. You are correct that HD normally leaves room for mods, but on the Pan they appear to have gone straight at BMW. Buy it and go ride it how you like.
For the record the Africa twin which is only like 98 hp weighs in at 530, it just looks thinner.
If there is a shortcomings on the Pan as far as engineering, I have not found it in any of my readings. The big complaint is the nose.

[hillsy]

hillsy, the Baja's was the bike I was referring to.

This?

[Cuban]

It's ugly. Looks like an Angry Bird and a Transformer had a kid.

It does!

[RoadKing]

I don’t get it! Is this about a fun adventure or a car show entry? Function or form? Looks like a fish?

Surely you're not going to try and say people buy HD purely from a functional perspective?

No, sir. Regardless of brand, form over function is the wrong reason to buy. Every hard core Harley rider I know lives that thought. When I build a motorcycle my priorities are safety, strength, dependability, performance... all qualities of function... and then, only then, cosmetics. No serious Harley rider wants his or her bike to be all show and no go. Your question I am now answering is an insult. Why would I say that people buy Harley purely from a functional perspective? We ride the most beautiful motorcycles in the world, the most imitated and copied.

With that said, SIR, this thread is about adventure bikes and I responded the way I did because I thought it funny that it was being compared to the looks of a fish head! Stick that in your smoke and pipe it! [emoji41]

[Cuban]

[emoji2] Form over function eh?

Well, for me, when it comes to vehicles, both cars and motorcycles, I put both of those attributes right up there near the top of the necessity list. A road machine that works flawlessly butt is fugly does not earn my admiration, or my dollars. If you're smart enough to build it well, you should also be wise enough to make it pretty, or fuck off.

[MattSunn]

[emoji2] Form over function eh?

Well, for me, when it comes to vehicles, both cars and motorcycles, I put both of those attributes right up there near the top of the necessity list. A road machine that works flawlessly butt is fugly does not earn my admiration, or my dollars. If you're smart enough to build it well, you should also be wise enough to make it pretty, or fuck off.

Damn skippy.

[RoadKing]

[emoji2] Form over function eh?

Well, for me, when it comes to vehicles, both cars and motorcycles, I put both of those attributes right up there near the top of the necessity list. A road machine that works flawlessly butt is fugly does not earn my admiration, or my dollars. If you're smart enough to build it well, you should also be wise enough to make it pretty, or fuck off.

Therein lies the secret to success. When the functional geometry of a road machine is perfect, form easily falls right in line and you are no doubt riding a Harley. However...
The current discussion happens to be about adventure bikes. Fish face or not, I don't see the Pan Am or any other adventure bike existing for any intrinsic cosmetic value. Besides...
For a minute there I thought I might be interested in an adventure bike simply for the functional fun involved regardless of the unattractive nature they all possess. But then...
I saw Sarge's Bonneville, a thing of beauty with what I believe to be awesome function without ever having ridden one. So...
Fuck a damned bunch of ugly adventure bikes! I'm too old for new trucks. But that Bonneville? I'm 17 again and in love with the girl next door.
So, fuck off.

[Cuban]

Damn skippy.

Right? Whatever the thing is, It's gotta look right too, eh? A good example is the original Intruder. It's a thing of beauty compared to a bunch of other bikes from the same era.

Therein lies the secret to success. When the functional geometry of a road machine is perfect, form easily falls right in line and you are no doubt riding a Harley...

[emoji2] Harley has defined the look of the large road machine, and nobody does it better. The lines of some of their fuel tanks, for example, must be acknowledged as being amongst the most beautiful creations ever. In some respects, Harley is the epitome of classic cool. They have built some of the best looking motorcycles in history. [emoji41]

[Tbeck]

hillsy, no LoL. Search for the Baja 1000 Harley Comet. It was a highly modified Sportster which competed in the 1984 Baja 1000 finishing 4th in class. It beat out a number of current adventure bikes like the BMW Dakar.

The Baja 100 could barely get out of it's own way. If I recall they also had a 125 and 250 amf in that same era.

[hillsy]

hillsy, no LoL. Search for the Baja 1000 Harley Comet. It was a highly modified Sportster which competed in the 1984 Baja 1000 finishing 4th in class. It beat out a number of current adventure bikes like the BMW Dakar.

The Baja 100 could barely get out of it's own way. If I recall they also had a 125 and 250 amf in that same era.

OK - I thought there must have been something wrong there...

[Tbeck]

hillsy, HD seems to be able to adapt the Sportster motor for any number of different uses, coaxing nice hp and torq numbers out of it for different applications. On the Pan the initial press release bike claimed 140 hp. By contrast the GS 1250 is producing 125.
I thought it rather interesting that HD has made the motor on the Pan part of the frame to reduce weight. Taking a little technology and design engineering from the MX world.
Like I said earlier, they appear to have pulled out all the stops in designing the Pan.

[RoadKing]

Damn skippy.

Right? Whatever the thing is, It's gotta look right too, eh? A good example is the original Intruder. It's a thing of beauty compared to a bunch of other bikes from the same era.

Therein lies the secret to success. When the functional geometry of a road machine is perfect, form easily falls right in line and you are no doubt riding a Harley...

[emoji2] Harley has defined the look of the large road machine, and nobody does it better. The lines of some of their fuel tanks, for example, must be acknowledged as being amongst the most beautiful creations ever. In some respects, Harley is the epitome of classic cool. They have built some of the best looking motorcycles in history. [emoji41]

Harley is the cat’s ass, the cat shit, the cat’s cool. Best of the best, second to none.

[Cuban]

Harley is the cat’s ass, the cat shit, the cat’s cool. Best of the best, second to none.

Now let's not get carried away there big fella. I only said they produced some pretty hardware. That doesn't automatically gift them the coveted Cat's Ass label. There's plenty of other good lookin' fish in the sea, mate.

[RoadKing]

Harley is the cat’s ass, the cat shit, the cat’s cool. Best of the best, second to none.

Now let's not get carried away there big fella. I only said they produced some pretty hardware. That doesn't automatically gift them the coveted Cat's Ass label. There's plenty of other good lookin' fish in the sea, mate.

Oh, man! Harley aint just the cat's ass! It's the cat's do do! Cat shit! The whole damned litter box!