Harley-Davidson Pan America Special versus BMW R 1250 GS

Conclusion - what sticks

I really like the new Pan America. Above all, the optics have done it to me. The machine looks like a V8 MuscleCar or like a locomotive, which then became a motorcycle. Of course, this bike polarizes and especially the front will not appeal to everyone. But rather so than uniform porridge. The Harley has character and is immediately recognizable on 10 km.
 
With the Pan Am, Harley has not only shown courage, but also put together an amazingly good adventure bike in the 1st throw. It will certainly not overtake the GS, but we are sure: This bike will already find its buyers. Maybe even the travel enduro faction, which would like to ride something different, something special. Well done, Harley!
 
The test bike was provided to us by MTK, the Harley-Davidson dealer in Kiel.

One motorcycle, two opinions

And now, with so much light and so little shadow? Buy or not? Dietmar says it's too expensive for him (@Dietmar: Now among us, you won't have two years, at the latest then you've used it). ;) Otherwise, he is enthusiastic about what you can be, for all his objectivity. In any case, the recent revision would be reason enough to pay for the old model.
Of course, I see it differently. The price is an argument at first glance, and BMW is struggling, especially with the extras. But the competition from Ducati or KTM is not much cheaper, so again this does not attract. First of all, it is too big for me, with my slightly short legs I don't even come up reasonably. Apart from that, the GS is just too perfect for me. I like it when my moped has to work, when I actively lead it and always come back a bit strenuous.
If someone told me that I had overlooked the fact that the BMW would have been driving autonomously all the time during the test - I would believe that.

Our thanks to Bergmann and Söhne for the loan of the BMW.