I covered 1025 miles on a Pan America in under 24hrs to see the birthplaces of Harley and Davidson

It’s 4am on a chilly Sunday morning and I’m standing in a dark layby on an unlit dual carriageway staring into a void of inky blackness. There’s not a single vehicle going in either direction, and the only sound is the idle chug of a Harley-Davidson CVO Pan America which leans casually on its kickstand over my left shoulder.

Read more

• Update one: First impressions and running in
• Update two: Racking up miles on a European tour
• Update three: Green laning on a £24k, 280kg Harley-Davidson
• Update four: Thousands of commuter miles

I’m 23 hours into a long-distance ride and there’s no reason for this stop other than to answer a call of nature – the Pan Am’s service record remains admirably unblemished and its long-distance touring credentials are succinctly top drawer. As I prepare to saddle up again (that CVO seat is pure club class comfort by the way), I’ll explain why I’ve been on the road for so long.

Having been charged with custody of Harley’s muscular adventure bike this year, I wanted to acknowledge the heritage behind the brand, while celebrating the strengths of one of their latest models – and it didn’t take much research to come up with a plan.

The Davidson Legacy cottage in Aberlemno, near Forfar in Scotland, is firmly on the map as where the father of one half of that dynamic duo was born (actually there were three brothers, but let’s not split heirs), and the Harley family hailed from Littleport, a small village in Cambridgeshire.

They’re separated by a distance of some 445 miles, and so the stage was set for a round-trip ride of Iron Butt proportions, with just a slight detour required to hit the magic ‘mille miglia’. At 6.30am my riding buddy Rich Newland and I met at the Harley monument in the foggy fenlands and set off north.

Once daylight broke we were blessed with unhindered sunshine that sent our shadows charging on ahead. Lincoln cathedral and the Humber Bridge flashed by in no time, and by 1.30pm we were rolling onto Holy Island.

• Related: Best adventure bike riding kit

From there we pushed on into Scotland, crossing the new Forth road bridge and pulling up at the Davidson cottage almost exactly 12 hours and 500 miles after we set off. I was still feeling fresh, but darkness was on the rise and 300+ miles of motorway journey lay ahead.

With low flying bats flitting across the Pan Am’s LED headlamp beam, my mind began a recalibration process to focus purely on the road in front. At first it percolated with personal noise, filtering out everyday hassles and other intrusive thoughts to leave the kind of mental clarity that cave dwelling yogis strive to achieve. Late night pitstops at all-night oases were fleeting, and it really didn’t seem all that long before Rich peeled off for home.

In the time it’s taken you to read this I’ve ridden those last few miles and am enjoying a moment’s reflection in the village square at journey’s end, having covered 1025.6 miles in 23 hours and 40 minutes, with an average mpg of 47.05. On the Harley’s part it has been supremely effortless, while I feel invigorated, relaxed and ready for bed all at once.

My navigation set-up for touring

Harley’s ‘Infotainment’ system allows connection of the firm’s smartphone app via Bluetooth, transforming the TFT into a sat nav. However, I prefer the advanced options of a dedicated device like the Garmin Zumo XT2 (£529.99). To get my unit up front and centre nav tower style I fitted a Touratech bracket (£75.09) and lockable mount (£125.20) – it’s an excellent solution that’s easy to install.