Harley-Davidson CVO Pan America long-term review update two | Off-road adventuring through Europe

The look on the KTM 450 rider’s face was a picture as 300 kilos of Harley-Davidson Pan America, fully loaded with luggage and a sweaty, but somewhat triumphant, pilot, burst through the bushes and onto the plateau.

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• Update one: First impressions and running in
• Update three: Green laning on a £24k, 280kg Harley-Davidson
• Update four: Thousands of commuter miles for the CVO
• Update five: Over 1000 miles in under 24hrs on the Pan Am

We were on a remote ex-military road in the Italian High Alps, 2100m above sea level and 7 miles from the safety of tarmac, and the last thing I think he’d expected to see this morning was a ‘crazy Inglese’ on a brand new, top spec, heavyweight adventure bike.

I was just as surprised to be fair, but more that I’d made it with such ease – which was more down to the Pan Am’s customisable capabilities than my own.

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At the point where the tarmac initially tailed off I’d selected ‘Off Road Plus’ mode and tweaked the suspension, throttle and braking parameters to suit my own personal preference for riding on rough terrain. From there it was just a case of knocking the Harley into gear and letting its thumping 1250cc mill do the rest. 

The road was mostly gravel, with the odd rocky section to keep me on my toes, and the Pan clawed its way up needing little more input than a steady hand on the gas and the odd slip of clutch when negotiating turns.

I’d elected not to drop the tyre pressures, which made the OE Michelin Scorchers feel a bit skittish at times, but conditions were dry and they found just enough purchase to make steady progress without any drama.

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I’d struggled with the riding position during my first foray off road and had fitted Wunderlich risers from Nippy Normans (£179.90) to position the bars 45mm up and 23mm back for this very occasion. This allowed me to stand comfortably upright on the pegs with all the poise of an off-road god – if not the equivalent talent.

To be honest, I wasn’t exactly prepared to take the Pan Am off-piste as it was still in full touring trim, but as part of a 2000-mile European tour testing its prowess as an all round adventure bike, it was too good an opportunity to miss – and proved the point that it is just as capable of tackling the less beaten path as it is motorways. 

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Returning home with squared-off tyres and a new found appetite for dirt, I’ve since lined up a set of Dunlop Trailmax Raid which should give the muscle from Milwaukee the traction to explore green lanes, so I’ll be stripping off the luggage and heading deep into the wilds of Norfolk for my next adventure.