2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 in Deadwood Green (photo by Kevin Wing)

In July 2018, Harley-Davidson announced a five-year growth strategy called ?More Roads to Harley-Davidson,? a plan to add new products, provide broader access, strengthen its dealer network and amplify the brand. Expansion beyond Harley?s typical cruiser, bagger and touring models would include the LiveWire electric motorcycle, which debuted for 2020, and ?middleweight adventure touring, streetfighter and high-performance custom models.?

The ?More Roads? strategy offered the first look at the Pan America adventure tourer, with few details beyond its displacement and what could be gleaned from a photo of the prototype. At the 2019 EICMA show in Milan, Harley unveiled the Pan America and the Bronx streetfighter, both to be powered by a liquid-cooled 60-degree V-twin engine platform called the Revolution Max ? 1,250cc in the Pan America and 975cc in the Bronx ? and launched in 2020.
In February 2020, amid financial troubles, Harley-Davidson announced a revised five-year strategy called ?Hardwire? that would, among other changes, ?selectively focus on opportunities in profitable segments.? Plans to expand the company?s product portfolio were scaled back. The Pan America made the cut, the Bronx did not. Then the pandemic hit, which pushed the Pan America?s launch from late 2020 to early 2021. Details about the Pan America 1250 and up-spec Pan America 1250 Special were finally announced l...