Massive-bore journey bikes just like the Harley Pan America need to tick a whole lot of containers, which is why they find yourself trying like two-wheeled spaceships. However the {custom} scene has proven us a brand new aspect to the Pan America. If you happen to can strip away sufficient of its adventure-focused accouterments, there’s a fairly gnarly road bike lurking underneath there.
This practice Harley Pan America from Powerbrick affords proof. The Dutch elements specialist and {custom} workshop has proven time and time once more that they’re adept at constructing radical machines that buck conference. And though they made their bones creating edgy BMW Ok-series customs, this Pan America means that they’ll apply their signature aesthetic to only about any kind of bike.
Based on Powerbrick head honcho Tim Somers, the Pan America mission had two aims; create “the streetfighter that Harley by no means launched,” and develop a variety of bolt-on elements underneath Powerbrick’s sub-brand, CNCPT Moto. To that finish, Tim bought main monetary help from Harley-Davidson Rotterdam and Amsterdam, who additionally provided the bike.
“We’ve designed every part to make it look OEM so that individuals would suppose that the bike is meant to appear to be this,” Tim provides. “Harley-Davidson has a robust heritage, we’re simply attempting to provide it a bit shake-up to make it attraction to a brand new era.”
The true trick right here is how Powerbrick has managed to shave visible weight off the chunky Pan America, whereas nonetheless retaining its OEM gasoline tank and entrance fairing—or, at the very least, half of the entrance fairing. All the pieces above the Pan Am’s signature ‘shark nostril’ nacelle has been binned. And whereas that looks as if a straightforward job, it requires a whole lot of work to get proper.
The higher half of the fairing not solely holds the windscreen, but additionally hosts the bike’s TFT dashboard and a number of different bits and items. Powerbrick relocated every part to take a seat beneath the floor of the remaining bodywork, by designing a brand new bracket to carry the speedo and headlight.
The following half to go was the pronounced plastic cowl that usually runs excessive of the Pan Am’s gasoline tank. With that gone, the gasoline filler and its related welds caught out like a sore thumb. So Powerbrick trimmed all of it down, after which put in a custom-made billet aluminum filler cap, incorporating the inventory plumbing and sensors.
The entrance finish additionally options the bike’s authentic radiator shrouds—besides they now shield an aluminum radiator from RC Racing.
It’s a unique story on the different finish of the bike, the place Powerbrick binned every part off in favor of a very bespoke setup. First, Tim’s associates at Nius Moto fabricated a brand new bolt-on subframe to raised complement the Harley’s revised strains. Subsequent, Tim designed a set of physique panels to finish the tail part, all of which have been 3D-printed utilizing a carbon compound.
The association makes use of the bike’s inventory LED taillight and hosts all of its authentic gadgetry (together with its ABS pump). Powerbrick put in a Noco battery and a CTEK battery administration system, and shortened a lot of the wiring to maintain the rear finish compact.LED flip indicators from Highsider are embedded within the bodywork at each ends of the Pan Am.
Areas of the bike that weren’t fiddled with embrace the Harley’s ‘Revolution Max’ engine, its adaptive suspension, and its Brembo brake calipers. Powerbrick swapped the wheels for a set of spoked hoops from the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1240 Particular, fitted with road-biased Pirelli Angel GT II tires. The braking system advantages from a contemporary set of Venhill hoses.
Shifting to the exhaust, Tim as soon as once more referred to as on Nius Moto, who welded up a full set of chrome steel headers. They terminate in an unapologetic Powerbrick RE-02 muffler. A set of LSL handlebars, mounted on new risers, assist to fine-tune the bike’s ergonomics for spirited city shenanigans.
In typical Powerbrick vogue, this Pan America is completed in a livery that’s as tasteful as it’s crisp. Aston Martin’s ‘Spirit Silver’ dominates the design (proper right down to the brake calipers), damaged by daring pops of purple. Royal Kustom Works dealt with the paint, whereas Silvermachine tackled the upholstery.
Many pundits are clamoring for The Motor Co. to launch a streetfighter on this platform, and Powerbrick’s redesign of the Harley Pan America solely provides gasoline to the fireplace.
Powerbrick | Fb | Instagram | Photographs by Paul van Mondfrans Lindén