2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America on the track: Laguna Seca on Memorial Day

Lapping Laguna Seca during a TrackDaz track day. The Pan America works great in the “twisties” and we can now confirm that it also works very well on the track

[@midlifemoto1908]

I just picked up a 2023.... I had no idea the bike was this capable, I've no intention of riding it that hard but it's nice to know that the bike will do more than I'll ever ask of it, thanks for the show. This is a new era for Harley Davidson and I'm proud to own such an historic bike.

[@Bulcano747]

Me either will see how it perform

[@robbyclark6915]

This is freaking classic! Officially confirmed…..I’m getting a damn Pan America!!!

[@Charlie-qb4sy]

I test rode this bike, Harley built a very solid and fun bike to ride. I owned a KTM 1190 adventure S. I couldn't believe how similar it felt. I owned a lot of sport bikes and I always felt great on the KTM in the twisty roads. People would buy more adventure bikes if they actually rode them for about a week. I am convinced they are the best all around motorcycles currently being built.

[@paulwojnar2291]

I whole heartily agree

[@bnsci9585]

Wow that's a lovely engine sound.

[@Ritalie]

Finally a good road test. There has been at least 100 videos made of the Pan America on dry, dusty, desert trails. I just don't think most riders are going to ride off road all that much.

[@RemboUSMC]

Truth.

[@electric7487]

For 95% of ADV riders, "off road" = dirt/gravel roads.

[@catalystreactionsbw]

Thanks for letting me assist with set up prior to the Track Day. Looks like you had a great time. Curious if the forks extending so quickly via video POV was an actual reality?

[@FranOHagan]

Our two-up settings and tire pressures on the H-D worked well; it was predictable and easy to ride. If we put sticky tires on it and pushed faster then it might uncover more issues to fix, but for what I was doing it felt like I could lap indefinitely. Thanks again for your help

[@FranOHagan]

@FITNESSOVER45 I never had any trouble

[@morkbov]

I own a 2022 PAS and I love it. What a machine !!

[@viperq]

Moto American needs to have a ADV bike class.

[@RemboUSMC]

Hmmm. Great idea.

[@phillipbatho3213]

Better than baggers, that's for sure!

[@toofastnobrakes]

😂

[@mikemerrill175]

I’d watch

[@sushi_edits225]

They need to have hyper naked class as well

[@pinkiewerewolf]

The guys in parts at Morgan Hill H-D showed me your video. Great footage! I left my Pan Am S on display up here in Eureka Ca, but I'm going to pick it up today.

[@oldforestroad]

House of Thunder for the win!

[@midlifemoto1908]

@@oldforestroad Watch out for points on the back end with those guys!!! Ask me how I know...

[@John-hw3ds]

Very impressive! Nice riding and it appears the machine did pretty good at handling whatever you threw at it.

[@rchrome75]

This guy really knows how to ride.

[@JP1970]

Oh, wow! I want to take my 2018 Gold Wing here---looks like so much fun! Thanks for the video. Liked and subbed!

[@toddwebb7521]

I wouldn't mind seeing a revmax in a more traditional Harley looking frame, it'd be a hell of a sleeper

[@1wesleydb]

Sportster S. Has a RevMax tuned for torque at cruising rpm.

[@TheMarvelous1310]

Sportster 950 debuts tomorrow! If my source is correct, it will still fit custom Sportster parts from the last model, but outperform the Scout right out of the box... If that's true, it's gonna be a riot once you get it built!

[@wayneeden98]

This is an addictive video

[@ThorgalsWalhalla]

holy fucking shit... dude s fucking smoking it

[@wayneeden98]

Like I said this video is addictive, I'm still looking and watching other videos about this Harley Davidson pan American, and for this company to design and engineer such an "all terrain terrain bike " and this bike can burn up this race track like that, sometimes there's a lot to be said for the differences about the margin between sanity and insanity, the imagination is endless, it really makes you wonder about the human scyhic,/human sanity, everyone always wants to get that rush of speed and hang that curve, well, I think this bike can really straighten out the curve and bend your mind both at the same time, if you can hold the bike, the bike will hold the curve, 😎🇺🇸👍

[@lockpinos]

Jesus. even on this Adventure platform it can perform like this. HD please release the CafeRacer or Bronx and let people compete with other superbike.

[@seekgodfirst1605]

I read all of the other comments, and I was surprised that no one asked what the other bikes were. Do you know what those other track bikes were? I just want to make sure I don’t get one of those lol.

[@rudedog3529]

It was more about the riders than the bikes.

[@cabbage681]

I like my Iron head, ive got a fire blade for fast days but if I had to pick, it would have to be the 40 year old Iron.

[@BlueRidgeRider]

The best video ever!!! Does this bike have the stock exhaust?

[@FranOHagan]

Yes, 100% stock

[@CrayzJohnny]

stock tires? what did your tires look like after this beating of sportbikes?

[@FranOHagan]

Yes, stock. The tires got a bit “squirmy,” but still looked pretty good after

[@fixento]

That new 150 hp. with 70 pounds of torque at 3000 rpm and 90 pounds at 5000 showed on the track

[@calvinderuiter2033]

Sport Mode!

[@JT-dk9eo]

Im officially impressed...

[@iaunn]

Which exhaust have you paired up to the 1250? sounds amazing. Great riding!

[@FranOHagan]

That was a stock exhaust

[@wayneeden98]

Addictive

[@Jmort93]

If you had to choose one bike for everything you use them for, would you choose the FTR or the PA?

[@FranOHagan]

Lol what a tormenting concept! Should always be one more bike, not one only 😆😜 The PA is an exceptional bike: light, powerful, well behaved. Very few who ride it will come away without telling how much they like it. On the other hand, the new 2022 FTR Carbon R is drop dead gorgeous. It’s full of wonderful design details that even non-motorcyclist notice and talk about. The good news is we don’t have to choose, and go ‘merica! It’s wonderful to be able to choose from great bikes

[@mikemerrill175]

Gs

[@sleepycbr]

Really enjoyed your video! I would love to get mine on a track some day.

[@benjamintemple3607]

No mirrors but the little black box on the left handle bar... I wonder what that is?

[@FranOHagan]

Bluetooth GPS receiver tied to my phone

[@ollieross1384]

Awesome vid! What tires were you running?

[@FranOHagan]

They’re the stock Michelins; light offroad tires. A bit “squirmy” on the track. I bet another ~3 seconds/lap would come off with normal street tires

[@MrSokkermasta]

@@FranOHagan oh wow Hahahha I guess we’ll warmed up tires can do wonders lol. Nice video!!

[@nickbaker2268]

Bad ass, what suspension settings, engine braking settings, tire type and pressure?

[@FranOHagan]

Nick the only suspension setting was “two-up” to stiffen it up for the track. Stock tires 30psi cold for each. The stock rear tire was a bit “squirmy.”

[@nickbaker2268]

@@FranOHagan Thanks Fran, I plan on doing some track riding here in N. Calif on my PAS and trying to figure out the best settings. I appreciate the info.

[@FranOHagan]

@@nickbaker2268 One more thing… If you set the suspension for two-up; it resets every time you turn off the ignition; thus I made a reminder message for myself, “two-up” for each time I started the engine

[@nickbaker2268]

@@FranOHagan Thank you

[@nickbaker2268]

@@FranOHagan Hi Fran, any recommendations for street only tires for my 2021 Pan America, looking for a nice mix of performance (grip) and longevity. Any advice is appreciated. I do no off road riding.

[@JPfromCA]

Have you ever had any wobble out of the pan America?

[@FranOHagan]

No, never, completely stable

[@JPfromCA]

@@FranOHagan That’s it. I’m buying one. I had a deal going at House of Thunder but I waited too long and it sold.

[@FranOHagan]

@@JPfromCA 👍🏻👍🏻 Great bike; I’m a fan of it, and proud of the H-D folks for the work they did to develop it.

[@dufusfinder9771]

How does it do on the “adventure” trails?

[@garrycane1170]

Looks like you have the bars turned back quite a lot from the stock position. Am I right?

[@FranOHagan]

The bar position is very close to stock, which to me feels like a big dirt bike; a good, neutral position

[@edwardspaccarelli5944]

❤️🇺🇸

[@fatcole1152]

It sounds almost exactly like my Suzuki TL1000R did back in the day

[@phillipbatho3213]

The firing intervals should be exactly like a 90° twin.

[@kamika-z3853]

How much tire pressure did you put on your PA to run in that track?

[@FranOHagan]

30 and 30

[@djkak5320]

@@FranOHagan I’ve ridden my ‘21 Pan America 7,500 miles and I love the crooked two-lane; this machine is exceptionally stable in the corners! Assuming you’re running OE tires, can you give me some tech on the 30-30 pressure vs the 34-42 when cornering at speed? Maybe a link to a good resource? TIA!

[@nbrider7235]

That is some impressive riding. I can 100% guarantee that my Pan America will never be flogged like that, not because I don't want to but because l lack both the access to a track and more importantly the skill required to do so. Are you riding the Special or base model?

[@FranOHagan]

It’s a Special with spoke wheels but no “kneeling” feature. Hey, you could always fly somewhere to do a California Superbike School?

[@nbrider7235]

@@FranOHagan I would very much like to and will likely look into once the border re-opens, I'm in Canada. Or, I may ride my Pan Am to California on a very extended road trip as I am on the far east coast. That is my preferred option.

[@rudedog3529]

@@FranOHagan RE: Kneeling Feature: Is that where it lowers 2 inches at a stop ?

[@FranOHagan]

@@rudedog3529 yes

[@KevinButler816]

Nice video ! What was your top speed ?

[@FranOHagan]

I believe my highest speed at Laguna Seca was about 125. Also FYI the Pan America’s top speed is governed at about 140

[@KevinButler816]

@@FranOHagan the guys on the Victory forum thinks your bike was "prepped" lol. Seem to think an FTR is faster.

[@FranOHagan]

@@KevinButler816 I’m a fan of my 2022 FTR R too; no bike draws more admirers at a gas station as well as being fun to ride, and it’s wonderful to have a bike like that made in the USA.

[@KevinButler816]

@@FranOHagan I’m not bashing the FTR at all it reminds me off the Pikes Peak bike that Polaris made. I just find it funny they couldn’t give the Pan America any credit without adding a cache like it must have been prepped or the other riders were beginners that’s all.

[@FranOHagan]

@@KevinButler816 👍🏻👍🏻 I own both bikes, and lapped both bikes; their times were close. I’d say the Harley would immediately gain 2 or 3 seconds per lap if I swapped out the stock “dirt capable” tires with the same street Metzelers that come on the FTR R

[@scottanderson4175]

Put a BMW R1250 GS beside it 🤷🏻‍♀️I’m curious

[@rider14mcd63]

20 hp difference.

[@scottanderson4175]

@@rider14mcd63 I don’t think that is a factor

[@scottanderson4175]

@@rider14mcd63 If horsepower was a factor Ducati would win But everyone knows the GS is a better bike

[@rider14mcd63]

@@scottanderson4175 really, not a factor???? The video was a race track. It's definitely a factor. As far as better, that's opinion.

[@billdaggett7911]

HP on a track is pretty important. Reviews by GS riders have the PA being very strong in the Twisties, more agile.

[@abigail_mcleod]

1:00 "WTF ...how ADV over take us superbikers ? "

[@afandou1966]

Don't you know? They got kickbacks.

[@CarlosThomas]

Is that your Pan America? How close did you come to scraping the pegs?

[@FranOHagan]

Yes, that’s my bike. Good question re scraping. I was dragging my left knee in turns 5 and 9 (Rainey curve), but never scraped anything. I was also riding an Indian FTR R at Laguna Seca yesterday, and on that bike the left foot peg and kickstand would scrape in those same turns if I wasn’t careful

[@swiftrance]

@@FranOHagan which bike would you say was quicker around the track?

[@FranOHagan]

@@swiftrance the Pan America was just over a second a lap quicker; with a best lap for me of 1:53.40 vs the Indian FTR R’s best lap of 1:54.44; to put that into even more perspective, if I'm riding a sport bike (BMW, Aprilia) I lap Laguna Seca in the mid 1:40s and on an air-cooled Ducati Monster low 1:50s

[@musguelha14]

@@FranOHagan Impressive.

[@MrKikkomon]

Experience rider vs beginners lol 😆

[@KevinButler816]

This has nothing to do with the other riders lol he wasn't racing them .

[@MrKikkomon]

@@KevinButler816 didn't say he was... 🤦‍♂️

[@ecojoe2214]

Nobody said they're racing, but that HD did show em the taillight!!

[@anot72]

No Quickshifter?

[@FranOHagan]

I notice a lack of quickshifter if I swap back and forth between bikes with and without. Right now none of my bikes have it and I don’t notice it missing. Given a choice I’d take it, but for me anyway no big deal without

[@twowheelcagefreeliving.5906]

They have one available for 22’

[@scootjockey]

Thats the way it should be ridden in my mind thats why i will not get one would say goodbye to my licence.

[@tarakteg5140]

🙎🇩🇿

[@fighter7029]

Maybe it’s just the camera but it sounds like a old Honda xr100 lol

[@ยาโพศรี]

ไม่ต้องกังวลหรอกความสูง 170 มาตรฐานต่ำกว่า 170 ก็ยังขี่ได้

[@donaldrigolo5641]

Fake Video , lol. We all know that Harleys are slow. Nice riding , great skills. Awesome video

[@rubensahak9178]

you obviously have your head in the sand. 150HP Pan AM slow for you?

[@frankhubbardiv8711]

@@rubensahak9178 I think it was a joke.

[@wink1666]

fixed

[@davidb9323]

Too bad it sounds more like a Ninja 500 than a HD

[@nishiljos5137]

My Street 750 is faster....

[@cluelesswonderer7898]

🤣