They tried tipping into that market with the lightweight bikes and it didn't work out. The Pan American has been hyped up but there are no real numbers to support HD claim its best selling as Harley only reports numbers shipped to dealers. I'm in a huge motorcycle market and I rarely if ever see one on the road along with the electric catastrophe they also "sold out" of. Most of our customers who purchased the Pan did so to collect it because they think it won't have a long run.
At least with Indian they went with Roland Sands to help market. but again a really heavy bike Most people who say Harleys or Indians aren't heavy haven't spent a day moving them around. Full touring bikes with gas push over 1000 pounds
Vrod was as close to performance that could be classified as "performance".
I have a 2021 Low Rider S,
2020 Ducati Diavel 1260s
2020 triumph bobber TFC
2017 Norton Dominator Naked
2016 Norton Commando sf.
By far, the Low Rider S is the heaviest. Harley calls them “mid controls” they’re more like forward mid controls.
The pegs also are so widely spread apart that you scrape in even the slightest of lean over or turn.
Even pushing it around in my garage you can feel it’s truck like weight.
It revs like a diesel truck.
I know the potential of the Milwaukee.
I know I can raise the suspension to get more lean.
I know I can swap pegs and add real mid controls.
BUT I can’t bring myself to put that kind of attention and money into a bike my heart isn’t in to.
Everyone of my friends own Harley’s and for a long time I been told how great they are, so I figured I’d try to own one myself.
I won’t say I regret it, but I will say it’s just not for me.
Maybe if I did long highway rides or trips, I’d possibly get a street or road glide, but then again, I’m just not into two wheel tanks.
