Tourenduro from Harley
The idea of a Harley touring bike has been around for a long time, but it became official in 2022 when Harley Davidson published its “More Roads for Harley Davidson” strategy. In a bid to make the brand appeal to a wider younger audience, the company said it plans to break out of its niche and enter new segments. The plan, in particular, included the development of new small (250-500 cc) and medium-sized (500-1250 cc) platforms, the release of new classes of motorcycles and the appearance of the long-awaited electric LiveWire.
Union Speed & Style
That's exactly what happened with Jordan Dixon of Union Speed & Style. Their gorgeous custom 1947 Harley Davidson Knucklehead, nicknamed "SourKraut" ("sauerkraut"), is jokingly named after a popular German dish. Jordan and his team started the project with a simple concept: it should look like a factory race bike from the late 40s. In their work, the guys from Union adhere to the credo: to produce everything possible, independently and from simple materials.
I've always been a fan of early factory race bikes,” says Jordan. -There is something about their extremely lightweight design, subordinated to one task - and this has always attracted me.
Harley Davidson Pan America
That's when we first learned about Pan America, the upcoming star of the first magnitude in the touring pantheon. At that time, the company planned to introduce a new model in 2022, but things did not go as expected. Former CEO Levatich left the post in February 2020, and his ambitious strategy was categorically rejected by the new management team in favor of Hardwire's much more conservative strategy.
Under the leadership of new president and CEO Jochen Zeitz, Harley Davidson has significantly reduced the number of expected new models, and only two of those already announced have been decided to remain: an unnamed 1250 cc power cruiser and, in fact, the Pan America. Just over a year after its formal unveiling at EICMA 2022, the new 2021 Harley Davidson Pan America is finally out! And judging by it, Harley was well prepared to conquer new heights and made a motorcycle that many have long dreamed of.
Harley Davidson Pan America 2021
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
If you buy a new Harley Davidson, you have two ways to achieve nirvana:
1) Look through the entire catalog that came with the new Screamin' Eagle or any other parts and accessories catalogs and rebuild the engine or find a suitable workshop to do it.
2) Let Harley's dedicated aftermarket aftermarket (CVO) department do it all for you. Everything will be tuned, tested and guaranteed, and your 1803cc engine will be painted, polished and chromed to factory quality.
The costs will be approximately the same.
You can start by purchasing a fairly expensive Big Twin and then gradually spend small amounts of money on upgrading it to make it bigger and more powerful. At the same time, the engine often becomes too loose and noisy. Although there are guys who have succeeded. Whereas Harley won't charge you much more for a fully equipped bike that can handle a bear and be ready to ride straight from the showroom.
It would seem that it would be much easier to buy an inexpensive sportbike, which would reach the same high speeds without any additional work and completely free of charge. However, the main characteristic of Harley is not its speed, which, however, exceeds 250 km/h, but its acceptable torque. Therefore, Harley lives by its own rules, and comparing it to other motorcycles is as useless as comparing a new Lexus and a '32 Ford Roadster. They are created for different purposes and perform different tasks.
So since 1999, by producing CVO motorcycles for those who want something more, Harley is supposed to compete only with its own aftermarket. They started with the Screamin' Eagle FXR, and have been applying that experience to new models ever since.
Four CVO motorcycles will be available for 2008: the FXSTSSE Screamin' Eagle Softail Springer, the FXDSE Screamin' Eagle Dyna, the FLHTCUSE Screamin' Eagle Ultra Classic Electra Glide (there's no excuse for that long name), and the FLHRSE Screamin' Eagle Road King. On Harley Davidson's 105th anniversary, each of these motorcycles will be available in a special design at a premium price.
What these models have in common is, first of all, the large 1803 cc Twin Cam engine, first introduced in 2007 on the CVO series motorcycles. Harley has yet to release the power output of this engine, but the company is particularly proud of the torque figures, which reach an impressive 156 Nm at 3000 rpm, which is 13% higher than the previous Screamin' Eagle engine.
Compression reached 9.3:1 (in previous engines it was 8.8:1). The engine also uses a cylinder head with large valves to provide high flow.
All of these engines feature a CVO-specific Granite and Chrome finish and are mated to a six-speed Cruise Drive transmission with high performance in sixth gear.
The 2008 FLH Ultra and Road King also feature anti-lock brakes. It is a mandatory feature on FLH CVO Series motorcycles, but will also be available through a separate catalog for all 2008 standard touring motorcycles.
Harley Davidson convincingly demonstrated the new capabilities of this system installed on the FLH on wet and gravel roads. Watching how deftly a heavily loaded motorcycle maneuvers, anyone will be impressed and will certainly try to equip their bike with a small box of anti-lock braking system.
Anyone who was lucky enough to ride an old Road King, or even an '88 Evo or Twin Cam, will immediately be surprised and ask, "Where does all that power come from?" The big 1803cc engine fires smoothly, even a little lazily, the muffler makes a deep, deep but not too loud roar, and the bike launches gracefully, maintaining good handling at any speed and smoothly increasing the revs to the very top limit. “Pretty fast for a Harley,” you say, and that’s putting it mildly. It's so fast it makes your heart race. This is entertainment for a long time. And exactly the same engine on three other motorcycles. Not a bad engine, to be honest.
And at the same time quite “civilized”. Pointed fuel supply, without this annoying restlessness while driving around the city. And on the highway they drive with a quiet, serene, almost transparent rumble, while the speed in all gears is so high that you won’t even have to shift from fourth or fifth gear while driving on a two-lane highway. The need to shift to sixth speed doesn't even arise until you reach 130 km/h.
Let's talk about each motorcycle separately.
The CVO Road King features new Brembo brakes, a 22.8-liter fuel tank (up from 19-liter on the previous model), and an electric throttle body - that's right, from Harley Davidson Motor Company! – and lots of chrome trim.
The Ultra model, as you would expect, has undergone the same changes. In addition, luggage capacity has been increased, and a 40-watt Harman-Kardon audio system with satellite radio operating on XM waves has been added, as well as a navigation system and heated seats.
The Dyna is still the same Dyna, but it couldn't resist the magic of the Screamin' Eagle engines. It is distinguished by a special color, and many new finishing details are also used. The front suspension is now lower and its angle has become sportier. The wheels of the new motorcycle are cast aluminum, they are equipped with slots and now have six spokes. The rear wheel tire has become wider, now its width is 170 mm. As with the other models, this model comes in three different colors, ranging from relatively subtle to flame-painted.
The only downside to the Dyna is that it has a rather awkward feet-first riding position, despite being otherwise a fast and fairly sporty bike. This bike feels a bit clunky and limited in action as you can't distribute the weight appropriately, especially when cornering. This motorcycle is convenient for those who do not intend to perform complex maneuvers, but intend to ride forward and only forward, and at very high speeds.
Now let's move on to the Softail Springer model. We can say that it turned out great, just like Road King. At the same time, Springer is the most unusual motorcycle of all presented. It features a forward-facing high-flow air intake and a conical air filter with added rain protection. It looks like a hybrid motorcycle with a hydrogen bomb explosion. It seems that it was created to last forever.
The rider's position is slightly shifted back. When you get on the motorcycle, there is a strong feeling of a reliable, strong, low seating position. The ride is a pleasant feeling, Springer responds to your every move. It's a little stiffer than other bikes, but there's also a nice taut feel to it. “God, what a motorcycle!” – you exclaim after a half-hour trip. And this front part, this engine and orange paint with flames! In the pre-sunset light, Springer looks so stunning that it will make your blood boil!
Speaking of paint, all bikes and parts are painted at the Caliber paint shop near Grafton, Wisconsin. This is an independent small company with an infallible reputation. The company employs professional artists who carefully apply paint by hand. This factory gives the impression of a quiet workshop, such as existed in the pre-industrial era. Although everything here is bright and modern, it might as well be crafting jeweled Crusader shields or Saxon warbows here, rather than just painting fuel tanks and Harley mudguards. If you take a close look at the finished tank, you will immediately be tempted to buy a CVO series Harley, even if just for collection.
This place is full of these collectible CVO series Harleys. They do cost more, but you can be sure that you will immediately double the level of comfort of the motorcycle for the same money that you would spend on converting a standard version. Of course, you will have to sacrifice a little the charm of uniqueness and individuality, but you will be able to immediately get on a motorcycle and ride. If you compare the new CVOs to other tuned motorcycles, few of them were as fast, neat, and stunning in appearance as the motorcycles they were based on.
These are absolutely all of them, and of those - only some.
Source: https://moto.ironhorse.ru/moto/387
ARTICLES, TEST RIDES:
test ride: the first chopper from HARLEY-DAVIDSON - the ROCKER motorcycle of the 2008 model year
Harley-Davidson Rocker/Rocker C
Harley-Davidson Sportster Custom XL 883C
Test ride: HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200 SPORTSTER 2008 model year
Structural reform
Harley-Davidson XR 1200
Wrong orthodoxy
test ride: HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCD NIGHT ROD 2006 model year
test ride: HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCR STREET ROD 2005-2006 model years
Harley Davidson VRSCX 1250 Limited Edition 2007
Silver Bullet Ballistic Test - HARLEY-DAVIDSON V-ROD
test ride: HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSTI SOFTAIL 2005 model year
Test ride: HARLEY-DAVIDSON WIDE GLIDE 2004 model year
Harley-Davidson WLA
Harley Davidson Pan America configurations
Harley's new touring enduro will be available in two trim levels. The basic version, “simply” Pan America, and a more advanced version called Pan America Special. The second option was equipped with several advanced off-road features , in particular, it was equipped with: a central stand, an adjustable brake pedal (with the ability to choose its position for riding while sitting or in a stand), a steering damper, crankcase protection, hand protection, warm grips, an adaptive headlight, a tire pressure monitoring system, semi-active load-sensing suspension, and a protective structure consisting of roll bars and several additional elements, including impact protection for the front turn indicators. The electronically controlled rear suspension has five levels of stiffness.
Like every motorcycle in the line, the Pan America can be equipped with a wide range of accessories, including several options for luggage systems, as well as seats, handlebar spacers, a center stand (the same as standard on the Special), pegs, exhaust and a Screamin filter. ' Eagle, windshields and so on. A separate line is available for the Special, including spoked wheels with tubeless tires and a ride height adjustment system that allows you to lower the motorcycle height to a comfortable level at low speeds or when stopping (depending on the selected mode) and reach both feet to the ground. The system operates automatically and allows short people to comfortably ride a motorcycle with a high saddle and high ground clearance. And finally, Harley, in collaboration with REV'IT, developed a collection of equipment in the Pan America style - jackets, pants, gloves, helmets, boots.
Vintage racing knucklehead from the 40's
The most magical thing is that the guys worked on this project after work and on weekends, most of the time working on customer motorcycles. The result was exactly what they wanted: a beautiful vintage racing knucklehead from the 40s. In Germany, at the AMD championship, the project attracted the attention of judges. Out of 66 participants in the Free Style class, the project took 8th place. According to the guys, this is an excellent result, because if you look at the bikes exhibited by AMD, it becomes clear that it is not easy to compete with them.
But “SourKraut” not only made it to AMD, he also won the US Championship at the J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show.
Characteristics of Harley Davidson Pan America
Pan America engine
At the first showing of the Pan America prototype in 2022, Harley Davidson confirmed that this motorcycle will be based on a representative of a new family of engines called Revolution Max. At that time, the 60-degree liquid-cooled V-twin was planned in two cubic capacity options, 975 and 1252 cubic centimeters.
At the moment, nothing is known about the existence of the younger version, since its appearance was expected on the Bronx model, apparently removed from Harley’s immediate plans, but the older version was actually installed in Pan Am (Pan America).
Pan America engine
According to Harley Davidson, the cylinder angle allows the engine to be compact yet spacious enough for dual downdraft throttle bodies designed for maximum flow. The new 1252cc V-twin features 105mm by 72mm piston geometry and a compression ratio of 13.0:1. According to official information, Pan America produces 150 hp at 9000 rpm and 128 Nm at 6750 rpm. Thanks to two overhead camshafts, the engine is able to reach quite high speeds, and in addition, the timing of the new engine is equipped with a variable phase system, which expands the torque shelf, increases traction efficiency and “can” (according to HD) increase efficiency. The camshafts are driven by a chain drive, so there will be no problems with the belt or gear noise, and the valves are equipped with hydraulic compensators, so no difficulties are expected with their adjustment.
Each cylinder has two spark plugs - this technology allows for maximum flash efficiency and improved fuel combustion. Two balancer shafts (one in the crankcase, and the second in the front cylinder head, between the camshafts) will significantly reduce vibrations.
The engine is equipped with a six-speed transmission and a light-slip clutch. The drive to the wheel is chain, which will be a minus for fans of the cardan, but a definite plus for fans of sports driving.
Pan America chassis
The Harley Davidson Pan America is built on an optimized chassis that uses the engine as a load-bearing member to increase rigidity and improve handling without adding additional weight. As for the weight, everything is quite pleasant here: usually for Harley Davidson a heavy motorcycle is something good and traditional, but this is not what you want from a tourenduro. As a result, the base model Pan America weighs a very reasonable 242kg when loaded, while the Special falls slightly short at 254kg. This is even lighter than the current BMW R 1250 GS, the basic version of which weighs almost 250 kg in running order. According to the manufacturers, the Ducati Multistrada V4 and KTM 1290 Super Adventure R weigh 216kg, but in this case we are talking about dry weight.
Harley Davidson Pan America 2021
In terms of ergonomics, the Pan America is a typical tourer bike - with no load, the seat height is 868mm in the low position and 894mm in the high position. On the 1250 Special, the unloaded seat height in the lower position is 848mm, and in the upper position it is 873mm. The windshield has four adjustment positions.
The voluminous 21-liter tank has a neck placed far forward so that when refueling you do not have to remove the bag from it.
Pan America Brakes and Suspensions
The Harley Davidson Pan America chassis is suspended on an inverted 47-gauge Showa fork with 19cm of travel and a Showa shock absorber with an external reservoir, hydraulically adjustable spring preload and the same 19cm of travel. The shock absorber is mounted on an aluminum swingarm. The wheels are asymmetrical, 19-inch at the front and 17-inch at the rear, cast aluminum. As for the tires, Harley Davidson has partnered with Michelin to release co-branded tires for this model to match its all-terrain capabilities: the standard wheels will be shod with Michelin Scorcher Adventure, and the more off-road Michelin Anakee Wild will be available as an option.
In collaboration with Brembo, Harley Davidson developed special four-piston calipers to match the Pan America design "with sharper angles and smoother curves." The front wheel is equipped with a pair of 320 mm discs, and the rear wheel has one 280 mm one.
Naked King: review and test drive of Harley-Davidson Road King Special
Among the names of motorcycles of the legendary American brand, it will not be easy for an unprepared person to understand. The Americans themselves believe that the history of families, models and designs only helps to navigate the diversity of their creations and they are partly right, the main thing is to understand the existing classification.
Video version of the Harley-Davidson Road King Special 2022 test drive:
Today, Harley-Davidson has six families of motorcycles: Street, Sportster, Softail, Touring, CVO and Trike. With the latter, everything is clear, the CVO family, in fact, consists of motorcycles from other model lines, in factory customization, we have already talked about the representative of the Street family, the Harley-Davidson Street Rod, as well as about almost the top model of the Touring families, the Harley-Davidson Ultra Limited or simply “Electric Train”.
A signature matte paint job has been prepared for the new Road King Special in Milwaukee.
It is the close relative of the latter that will be discussed: despite the lack of tail and wind protection, the Harley-Davidson Road King is still in the same Touring family and is positioned as a tourist. In addition, the name of our “Roadking” contains the word Special, meaning a special performance.
Differences? There are three Road Kings in the 2022 model range – “simple”, Classic and, finally, Special. The first two are similar, and differ only in small details - the classic has a different saddle, panniers and most importantly - spoked wheels.
Despite changes to the 2022 model lineup, the Road King Special remains part of the Touring family
As for the Special, it stands out not only from other versions, but also from the entire family primarily due to the absence of chrome. Frankly, motorcycles with an abundance of mirror surfaces, as a rule, evoke bad analogies for me and look as vile as gold fixatives in my mouth. Without vulgarity and absurdity, chrome elements look only in HD, well, Americans know a lot about perversions, let’s be honest.
Matte paint and a nineteenth front wheel are the main features of the Special version
However, there are also deviants in the camp of fans of the brand who believe that Harley-Davidson can be beautiful without glitter. It was for these people that the “blackened” version was made. The matter did not end with the elimination of crooked mirrors; the black gloss of the elements was complemented by the matte color of the “body” - the tank, panniers and fenders are covered in gray metallic in our case, and when purchasing you can choose olive, black and cherry shades.
The motorcycle owes its interesting appearance to the interplay of black gloss in the details and the matte “base”
In addition, the “special” is also distinguished by wheels with a “turbine”, as HD himself calls it, spoke pattern. It looks interesting, of course, but personally it reminds me of the design of the wheels of an affordable Street Rod, where the spokes “hug” the rim in the same way. In addition, the dimensions are also different; at the front, the Special has a 19-inch wheel with low-profile tires. It looks decent, and it has an exceptionally good effect on handling, but we’ll get to that a little later.
The front headlight has a classic lamp, while the rear optics sport LEDs
In the meantime, let’s continue to climb around and take a look at the most interesting elements of the bagger: the side panniers are exactly like those of an electric train, comfortable and quite roomy, instead of passenger platforms there are footrests, and the wide arches without wind protection boots do not hide the radiators. The Road King has only one radiator, located directly behind the front wheel - it is not noticeable, but dirt flies into it very intensely.
The side cases hold all the props the king of the road needs.
The instrument panel lives on the tank and does not shine with functionality - a huge speedometer dial with a tiny monitor, which, at the pilot’s choice, can show revolutions, gear engaged, mileage, hours or power reserve on the tank, and a simple dial gauge for the fuel level is installed in the left false cap. And such a “tourist” doesn’t need any more equipment.
Despite the apparent asceticism, the dashboard is surprisingly informative
The remote controls are unified with other HD models and there are no questions about them, everything is familiar, convenient and very well built. On a motorcycle worth two million, it couldn’t be otherwise. There are no questions at all about the fittings - everything, as it should be, is at its best. But there could be more electronics - of all the options, only keyless entry, ABS and cruise control. Even LEDs are only in the rear optics.
Remote controls delight with effort on the keys
And let fans of “true bikes” squeal about analogue, in the seventeenth year such conservatism seems, to put it mildly, unnecessary. And after all, there are all the possibilities for implementing the same traction, and ABS sensors skillfully hidden from view, and an electronic throttle, but no. Not allowed! It’s good to at least install heated handles, if desired, for example from the same “Electric Train”.
If desired, the handles can be supplemented with heating that is relevant for our latitudes.
But there are no questions about the landing - the platforms, which we dare not call footpegs, are ideal even for those with size 47 feet, the brake and clutch pedals, if desired, can kill someone, and the mini-ape steering wheel is damn appropriate here. The back is straight, the hands are slightly lower than the shoulders, the legs are brought forward and not too bent at the knees, the saddle is nowhere lower - ideal? Not really.
The motorcycle was definitely created with big people in mind, with my parameters it’s more than comfortable to sit
The beautiful stitching on the saddle soaks in water whenever you wash your bike or leave it in the rain. It can take a very long time to dry, but as soon as you sit in the saddle, water immediately begins to ooze from the seams, both down and up, soaking the pilot’s pants. In short, change the skin of the seat, or, if you are not a fan of simple solutions, pay closer attention to the new products on the pads and diapers market.
The “road conqueror” mood can only be disrupted by a seat that has taken on water.
Otherwise perfect, the low stance is definitely to my liking. At least statically - in addition to the saddle, the engineers also dropped the suspension. The latter were not distinguished by their long travel before, and now they have completely lost the meaning of life. Of course, at least some attempts to work out the asphalt joints are better than a complete “cracker”, but the spine, aching after another breakdown on a speed bump, declared the Roadking asphalt mower its blood enemy.
The suspensions do not shine with outstanding moves, and that’s understandable - class obliges!
The bike is too low, too stiff. Beautiful - of course, but practicality tends to zero, which is only emphasized by the leg platforms, which bend in turns under the grinding of metal on the asphalt extremely early. And don’t say that “Touring” is about straight roads - the Road King Special is, without any doubt, the most driver-friendly representative of its family.
Active driving can be hampered by excessively low footrests
Stiff short-travel suspensions, together with a low rubber profile at the front, provide unprecedented responsiveness and clarity of reactions for a 355-kilogram car. Yes, the tires are still oak, and on any wet or dusty surface during acceleration the wheels will try to live on their own; on dry and smooth asphalt the device is incomparable. It is on it that you can ride really fast, using a minimum of effort to fight the motorcycle.
Powerful arches included in the basic package help to monitor the dimensions of the bike in traffic jams
There are also enough brakes, whose mechanisms are similar to those of the electric glide. And although the huge pedal of the rear brake, if not the main one, then equivalent to the front one, requires getting used to, the Road King slows down quite cheerfully. Here it is also the best of the whole family; the diet that buried wind protection definitely benefited handling and dynamics.
The front has a pair of brake discs and four-piston calipers.
However, even the fat “Electric Train” did not complain about the lack of the latter - the new 107 engine effortlessly accelerates the motorcycle, and the torque... God! You can swim in it from 1200 rpm, and from 1400 you can dive. Having engaged the third or fourth gear, you can forget about shifting, squeezing the clutch and touching the gearbox pedal only at traffic lights. And even though the new motor does not produce enough pulsations for the HD, they still exist; it’s hard to think of a better motor for such a hog.
The power and thrust of the new engine is enough to forget about the need to change gears
The only pity is that, unlike the “electric”, the valve cover of the rear cylinder is not shielded in any way, so the inner part of the right thigh gets fried at traffic lights and during a nauseating assault on traffic jams, but this problem, I believe, can be solved. However, whether it should be eliminated or left as a reminder of the good old days, when motorcycles required more from the pilot than just the ability to ride, is up to you to decide.
Road King impresses not only with its appearance but also with a price tag starting from two million
There is more “real” in the Road King Special than in many other devices - an icy wind blows in all places, after 160 the oncoming flow begins to tear your legs off the tank, this is not life behind a “fidgeting” windshield in heating! But the absence of fairings and shields increases traffic jam penetration. And even though the motorcycle is still wide, it is relatively comfortable to crawl between cars behind the wheel - the panniers do not interfere, the front arches clearly indicate the dimensions, and the steering angle is impressive. Besides
The low saddle and center of gravity kill the feeling of heaviness, and the stated 355 kg is not felt at all.
So is it worth selling a kidney, a liver, or reading the Harley loan programs in detail? The Road King Special is a specific motorcycle - certainly full-fledged, full-size and cool, but... Still, the Touring family is, first of all, the “Electric Train” and “Street Glide”, and I would like to be blown by all the winds on some Softail Slim. It is for those for whom Softail is not enough, and the aesthetics of suitcase-shaped motorcycles is alien, that the Road King was created, and personally I have not yet grown up to it.
The motorcycle was provided for testing
Accreditation and organization of test drives – Denis Sokolov | | +7 (999) 851-49-71
Features and design
The main features of this vehicle are an overhead camshaft, new lubricant and an innovative engine. The camshaft provided stability and easy control, lubrication - fuel economy, and the engine - speed and horsepower. The motorcycle was designed for difficult road surfaces, sand and mountain roads. It is quite stable, durable and fast.
- Engine. Made of high quality materials, powerful, two-cylinder, two-stroke. Volume – 350 cm3.
- Three-speed gearbox.
- Modernization – overhead camshaft. Distributes the weight of the entire vehicle onto the wheels so that it does not interfere with the speed and operation of the engine. Because of this, the speed and quality of the trip has improved.
- New engine lubricant. If previously the engine needed to produce a special ignition fluid, now a new lubricant has been built in, which turns on the ignition from the first seconds.
- It is possible to switch speeds automatically or manually. The manual transmission adjustment is located at the bottom of the telescopic fork.
- The steering wheel is powerful, made of stainless metal, fixed in the middle of a telescopic fork. Easily rotates 50 degrees in both directions. There is a special valve on the left that allows you to fix the steering wheel at the desired height for the driver.
- The wheels are stable and easy to remove.
- The mud guard, front wheels, and brake are fixed at the bottom of the telescopic fork.
- An automatic gear selector is mounted in the lower right corner of the gas tank.
- Polished valves.
- The crank chamber is located on the front of the fork. Allows you to make sharp turns.
- Crankshaft, pressed, prefabricated type.
