Highs and Sighs: 2025 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special

Edit & Post

High: V-Twin for the win!

The Revolution Max 1250 engine shows true versatility, using its ample torque to negotiate tricky low-speed sections off-road while also covering the other side of the spectrum, making touring quite sporty. That all comes to us thanks to the 1,252cc’s claimed 150 horsepower and 94 lb-ft. of torque, which, when strapped to the MO dyno a few years back, put down 124.6 horsepower at 8,800 rpm and 76.8 lb-ft of torque at 6,700 rpm to the rear wheel. In practice, the Pan America pulls hard throughout the entire rev range, thanks to its innovative Variable Valve Timing (VVT) system that ensures riders have power anywhere, any time.

High: Great all-around ergonomics

ADV machines need to do a little bit of everything. More importantly, they need to accommodate riders while standing or sitting. The Pan America offers a casual reach to the riser handlebar and well-placed footpegs that provide good control when attacking the trail while standing up. You’ll be ready to chow down miles in comfort, knee-bend isn’t extreme, and there’s ample wind protection from the adjustable windscreen. Of course, the feature that put the Pan America Special on the map is the optional Adaptive Ride Height (ARH; $1,200) system, which lowers the Showa semi-active suspension by about an inch. When placed in the high position, the Pan America’s seat measures a lofty 34.4 inches tall. However, when ARH is activated, it drops down to a much more approachable 33.7 inches. Combine that with the narrow packaging a V-Twin engine offers, and my ADV-boot-equipped 32-inch inseam had no issue reaching the deck.

High: Versatile chassis

Following ergonomic principles already laid out, the chassis offers commendable on- and off-road performance. We owe a debt of thanks to the Showa semi-active suspension, which provides an adequate 7.5 inches of travel at each end. Tuning the damping is done easily via the dash and allows riders to quickly transform their Pan America from a cushy ADV-sport-tourer to a firmed-up trail blaster at the touch of a button. Our loaner units also used 19-/17-inch wire-spoke wheels ($1,000) laced with knobby Michelin Anakee Wild tires, which performed well in the dirt. The big, blocky tread pattern did slow the Pan Am’s steering a bit, but that’s a compromise you’ll make based on the riding conditions you’ll be hitting.

Sigh: Snatchy fueling

Coinciding with the less impressive rider aids is snatchy fueling. All preset riding modes suffer from abrupt fueling, particularly during initial throttle application. There is a relatively easy fix: custom modes are available, and riders can soften the ride-by-wire throttle response. Still, H-D needs to take a second look at its throttle mapping because, even in the best of times, it doesn’t deliver power quite as smoothly as the competition.

Sigh: Dated electronics

The Pan America platform launched with a full suite of six-axis IMU-supported electronics, including cornering ABS, lean-angle-sensitive traction control, and wheelie control. Cruise control, hill-hold assist, and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) are also standard on the Special. While that list certainly keeps up with the liter-class market on paper, their lack of updates is starting to show, and some of these systems appear unrefined compared to competitors like BMW or KTM. More to the point, the Pan America’s traction control settings are limited, and experienced riders will likely deactivate it rather than lean into them as they would with more advanced TC systems.

Sigh: Wonky quickshifter and shifting part deux!

Some readers might be thrown off by the “part deux” portion of this Sigh, but let me explain. During this trip, we had the opportunity to review the 2025 Harley-Davidson Pan America ST, an ADV-sport-touring offshoot of the Pan America Special. We noted that it provided inconsistent, clunky shifting during our time in Ohio, as well as an even more concerning issue: it would go into a false neutral while downshifting from 3rd to 2nd gear. Strangely, sometimes it would work flawlessly, yet finding its “sweet spot” proved elusive during that test. Sadly, all those troublesome problems persisted on the Pan America Special. In an unusual turn of events for the usually tight-lipped Harley-Davidson staff, they did inform us that software updates are in the works, which they hope will eliminate those problems. As it stands, we experienced too many quirks to put our stamp of approval on the accessory bi-directional quickshifter ($340).

Conclusion:

The 2025 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special is competing in one of the most technologically advanced segments of motorcycling. While the American-designed and now Thailand-manufactured ADV impressed during its launch, it is starting to lag behind liter-class ADV counterparts that have continually refined a growing list of rider aids. On a mechanical level, the Pan America platform still shows promise with a capable chassis, strong V-Twin engine, and ergonomic comfort meant for the long haul. We hope that H-D rolls out electronic updates soon to keep it in the fight.