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2021 Harley 1250cc dual sport.

What's up with all these 'modes?'

Everything that I have the mode-switch is located entirely within the right hand grip
 
One factor that people have ignored in the flat-lining of sales would be reliability.

Yes, H-D has a reputation for being unreliable... but there are two entire generations of bikes that seemingly go forever, the 07-12 and the 13-18 baggers. Add in the final 2 years of the prior generation, and you have a new problem: 14 years worth of motorcycles that are still being ridden and not replaced. This wasn't a concern in the past, as a H-D product would be dang near un-ridable after about 5 or 6 years without a total rebuild.

I, personally, have a 2010 FLHTCU, and I have no plans on replacing it anytime soon. The only issues it has had were a bad stator the first year I owned it (bought used), and an exhaust leak from the right pipe striking the curb on my steep driveway at my old place (cracked a weld on the flange). Aside from the stator, I have always been able to hit the switch and go wherever I wanted on a whim for the past 6 years.

I hope the ADV market serves them well. I was *this* close to pulling the trigger on a V-Strom before I bought my current bike, upgrading from a V-Star Classic XVS1100A. If this bike proves to be what the specs say it is, I just might add another bike to the stable.
 
BMW R-1150GS said:
I ride these big heavy pigs daily. When my junk was new I was a lot more aggressive off road with them, my junk now is getting older and so I want them to last longer and be cheaper to operate so no more sweat jumps and such. On my third BMW of this series now and at about 440,000 miles on the platform, so I guess it is safe to say I like it. One of these days I may upgrade to a current model. But any one who thinks that can do sweet jumps on an almost six hundred pound bike and not break stuff is out of there minds.

This Harley is ugly from the front, but so is every adventure platform. I look forward to a test ride. I like the sportster power plant. Just have hated the handling of every bike it has ever been in besides the Buel. It will be interesting just how well I can balance the bike at a stop.

I ride trials as well. Not nearly as well as shown in the Yamaha video above, but I can ride slow on a big bike.

Big heavy BMW really was never meant to be a “dirt bike” but it is one of the most sure footed bikes I have ever ridden. Single track ride with a herd of Hodaka’s was a lot of fun a couple of years ago. I had to work much harder than the dirt bike guys, but my big heavy street pig fought through just fine.

Beating up on a small herd of 600cc sport bikes on hwy 1 in California while loaded like the Clampets was also a lot of fun.

These adventure bikes may not be good at any one thing, but they are good at every thing I throw at them. I can haul a heck of a load, my main bike is a flat bed truck or a motorcycle and it will haul hundreds of pounds, but not thousands sadly.
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440,000 miles. That's a lot of Starbucks. :flipoff2:
 
And here I am thinking the 2022 KLR650 is too fancy.
 
SomeGuyFromOlympia said:
What's up with all these 'modes?'

Everything that I have the mode-switch is located entirely within the right hand grip
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Seems more common today especially since everything is ride by wire/more computer control over everything. Same with cruise, traction control, launch control, wheelie control, drive modes, quickshifters, switchable/multi-mode abs, etc...
 
Ryno said:
And here I am thinking the 2022 KLR650 is too fancy.
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Dad has a 2017(?). Its a heap. I hate it. Its slow. Clunky. Top heavy. My DR does circles around it. I guess for mostly road it'd be ok though?

The new lineup looks decent though. Fuel injection and all.
 
montrose818 said:
Man if I really wanted an ADV bike, Id pick the xr650r no questions asked.

But Im not an ADV guy. 600 pound bike, meh.
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If I did it again, WRR. Drop a tooth on the CS and get some decent luggage. Boom. Done.

If I didn't have so much stuff done to my bike, I'd sell it off for a WRR. But I'd be losing so much money on the trade. :homer:
 
woods said:
Dad has a 2017(?). Its a heap. I hate it. Its slow. Clunky. Top heavy. My DR does circles around it. I guess for mostly road it'd be ok though?

The new lineup looks decent though. Fuel injection and all.
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Yea, I wouldn't have one either. I don't see the point in paying 2.5x as much or more for that type of bike.

I'd have a DRZ400 over pretty much anything. XR650L is a close second. Looking at a new KLX300 when the dealer gets them in.
 
Ryno said:
Yea, I wouldn't have one either. I don't see the point in paying 2.5x as much or more for that type of bike.

I'd have a DRZ400 over pretty much anything. XR650L is a close second. Looking at a new KLX300 when the dealer gets them in.
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KLX looks like a decent ride too.

My first bike was a 250. I miss that thing. Ten times more fun riding a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow.

I'll have another 250 eventually.
 
FlexyTJ said:
Seems more common today especially since everything is ride by wire/more computer control over everything. Same with cruise, traction control, launch control, wheelie control, drive modes, quickshifters, switchable/multi-mode abs, etc...
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Yea. Like those horrid new Landrover Defenders. Anything to get the pencil pushers excited I guess.

I don't mind tech or electronics but I'm not getting excited or paying extra for it. Simplicity is a better selling feature for me.
 
montrose818 said:
do they have enough tranny gear to pull highway? my ktm did, but I didnt like how hot it ran
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My cousin says yes. But I hate the highway anyways, so I never really cared.
 
woods said:
440,000 miles. That's a lot of Starbucks. :flipoff2:
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And I do not even drink Coffee....

A DR650 fills the need for some single track screwing around. A 1947 Vellocette MAC for vintage, and a small herd of BMW for the rest of the needs....

It is going to be a wile before I step away from this big bike platform. I like the Idea of the new Ducati. Maybe this is next for me.
 
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BMW R-1150GS said:
And I do not even drink Coffee....

A DR650 fills the need for some single track screwing around. A 1947 Vellocette MAC for vintage, and a small herd of BMW for the rest of the needs....

It is going to be a wile before I step away from this big bike platform. I like the Idea of the new Ducati. Maybe this is next for me.
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I had an FZ-09 for year. That was the dumbest fucking bike I've ever owned. That front end would come up in 4th in A-mode. I had to sell it. I'd get killed.

19 year old kid bought it. Didn't even own a helmet. When I asked how many miles he's ridden, he said 25. Yep, 25 miles. Explained to him this bike was no joke, but he wanted it. Paid full price without even starting it. :laughing:

Vintage bike for me would either be a naked 80s Goldwing or a VMax.
 
A lot of you guys don't understand the adventure bike segment at all. It's not a dual sport, none of the 1200 cc class "adventure bikes" are dirt bikes. The new Pan-American fits surprisingly well in the range of what is one of the most profitable bike segments. Of course it would have been better if it was lighter, but all the electronics and adjustable suspension stuff adds weight.
Surprised at the amount of power they are making. I loved my buel Ulysses, but thought it could use about 20 more hp. Granted the Ulysses was way lighter than the Pan-American. Buell got 20 more hp out of the sportster engine than harley ever did even in the xr.
Will be interesting to see how it does. I'm not in the market and don't like all the electric suspension stuff, but the new engine looks to have potential.
If you want to ride single-track get an actual dirt bike, these aren't for that and never have been. They do go down a gravel and or rough road a lot better than a cruiser or sport bike. Think of them as the suv of the bike world.
 
aron82 said:
A lot of you guys don't understand the adventure bike segment at all. It's not a dual sport, none of the 1200 cc class "adventure bikes" are dirt bikes. The new Pan-American fits surprisingly well in the range of what is one of the most profitable bike segments. Of course it would have been better if it was lighter, but all the electronics and adjustable suspension stuff adds weight.
Surprised at the amount of power they are making. I loved my buel Ulysses, but thought it could use about 20 more hp. Granted the Ulysses was way lighter than the Pan-American. Buell got 20 more hp out of the sportster engine than harley ever did even in the xr.
Will be interesting to see how it does. I'm not in the market and don't like all the electric suspension stuff, but the new engine looks to have potential.
If you want to ride single-track get an actual dirt bike, these aren't for that and never have been. They do go down a gravel and or rough road a lot better than a cruiser or sport bike. Think of them as the suv of the bike world.
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Yep, for sure--lots of us simply don't understand the market. I have a DRZ400SM, and think it's a reasonable compromise on the dual-sport thing, but I wouldn't be eager to go on a long-distance adventure on it. If it had another gear it would definitely help. It is pretty comical to be out at the local dirt-bike-only trails with a fat 17" front tire throwing massive piles of mud everywhere, but the cleanup is a bitch. And since it's now geared for dirt-bike work, it really needs, I don't know..at least 2 more gears. :homer:

I usually have the heaviest bike at the dirt-bike trails, and I would not at all want another 200lbs on it for what I do, obviously. If I really wanted something that was barely off-road capable and comfortable on-road--why not a CB500X?
 
I been looking at a KTM 1290 Super Adventure S as it hits all the marks I'm looking for and also big enough to bring the wife and a trip with plenty of power to spare.
If I didn't have such a hate towards Harley from the way they treated me walking into the dealer and treating me like shit because I was younger at the time so after that never will I ever own shit from them.
 
I've done a 700 mile, seventeen hour day ride on my DR650. :grinpimp:
 
OHV Wildcat said:
Yep, for sure--lots of us simply don't understand the market. I have a DRZ400SM, and think it's a reasonable compromise on the dual-sport thing, but I wouldn't be eager to go on a long-distance adventure on it. If it had another gear it would definitely help. It is pretty comical to be out at the local dirt-bike-only trails with a fat 17" front tire throwing massive piles of mud everywhere, but the cleanup is a bitch. And since it's now geared for dirt-bike work, it really needs, I don't know..at least 2 more gears. :homer:

I usually have the heaviest bike at the dirt-bike trails, and I would not at all want another 200lbs on it for what I do, obviously. If I really wanted something that was barely off-road capable and comfortable on-road--why not a CB500X?
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If you're having fun with it, then who cares what you ride. I'll ride with just about anyone. Still want to try out a sumo, I think one would be a hoot around town and on tight twisting roads.

there is no such thing as a perfect dual sport this discussion has been covered add nauseum. What would suit me perfectly probably won't suit you perfectly. I really like my ktm 690 as a more dirt oriented dual sport, but in tight trails clambering over boulders it will never be as good as a 300 2 stroke.
best bet is a multi bike solution, but most don't have the money, or space for multiple bikes. It's a whole lot less hassle to be able to comfortably ride to the trails, ride the trails, then ride home than to load and unload.

Harley is going after the gs and multistrada market with this bike. I wish them well, but if they hadn't killed off Buell they could have already been in the market and not had to start from scratch.
 
aron82 said:
If you're having fun with it, then who cares what you ride. I'll ride with just about anyone. Still want to try out a sumo, I think one would be a hoot around town and on tight twisting roads.

there is no such thing as a perfect dual sport this discussion has been covered add nauseum.
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No doubt. I very much enjoy the snooty looks I get from the KTM/Husky crowd obsessing over every pound of bike weight, while I make it through the same stuff with a license plate and a 30-lb gut with my man-boobies flopping all over the place.

No question they could go many more places, and there is no question that I'm among the worst riders out there. But guess what--that day, we're at the same place, with the same obstacles.
 
aron82 said:
Harley is going after the gs and multistrada market with this bike. I wish them well, but if they hadn't killed off Buell they could have already been in the market and not had to start from scratch.
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Hah! Good luck getting those double macchiatos from those Klim gloved hands. :flipoff2:
 
They could have used the Street in either 500 or 750cc versions and made a way better bike. But it still wouldn't sell.
 
Is it going to weigh 978 lbs? The fucking brake pedal on a Harley weighs more than the entire exhaust system on a Ducati. Don’t think that’s an exaggeration.
 
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It would be pretty decent if they wouldnt have put that ugly ass road glide front end on it.
 
I have a 990 adventure that is approaching 60k miles, lots of smiles and a pretty versatile bike. Looking for something new Looking at the 700 tenere from Yamaha. Realistically you can do whatever you want on whatever you want, I've seen guys with sport bikes 20 miles off road. As long as you are ready its not that big of a deal. 'Best' ever was 20k miles in 6 weeks visiting the nps and camping every night off a r6.

I have to say bear tooth and going to the sun should be a must do of any rider. Pikes peak and mt Evans should also be up ther if they are still open.
 
You have to consider that riders used to tour thousands of miles often at high speeds on 60-70 hp Bmw and Moto Guzzis. and many on Pan and Shovelheads...
 
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