A Milwaukee revolution: Harley-davidson Pan America 1250

Every time Harley-davidson has tried to spread its wings, it’s been thoroughly clipped. In its long, storied history, Milwaukee has tried to hawk two-stroke dirt bikes built in Italy, Buell sportbikes and, in one fit of particularly unimaginable stupidity, it even owned the exotic MV Agusta for a short while. Every outreach to a clientele beyond its classic cruisers has been a miserable failure … Until the Pan America 1250, the hottest-selling bike in North America’s hottest-selling segment: big-bore adventure touring.

Despite being a completely clean-sheet design, the 1,252-cc Revolution Max V-twin is the best engine in motorcycling, its user interface — yes, motorcycles have those, too — is extremely sophisticated and it may be the most comfortable bike in all adventuring. It even has a killer app: a suspension that lowers itself at a stop — like some Fancy Dan luxury SUVS — so shorter riders can place both feet securely on the ground while waiting for the light to turn green. It’s such a hit that it’s virtually sold out for the year. Congratulations, Harley-davidson, the 17th — or is it the 18th? — time’s the charm.