Why You Shouldn’t Buy The New Harley-Davidson Pan America ST
Experiments in the motorcycle world can either make you a lot of money or make you lose a lot of money. Lucky for Harley-Davidson, the Pan America experiment fell in the former club. It became the hottest ADV in America upon launch, which is why the American bikemaker is repeatedly trying to broaden the lineup. The latest example of that is the new-for-2025 Pan America ST, said to be the sportiest ADV by H-D yet. However, we don’t think you buy it. Here’s why GoodbikeBadbike thinks that.
The Pan America ST Is A Less Versatile Version Of The Pan America Special
Adventure bikes are big things and are a lot of pain to own. But that pain is well worth it when they enable extreme versatility no other kind of motorcycle can. Sadly, the new Pan America ditches that versatility in a way. It has 17-inch wheels, no spoke wheels (even as an option), and has average ground clearance compared to the Pan America Special.
All these things mean barely any off-road abilities, meaning exploration takes a back seat on your next road trip. To make matters worse, this comes at the cost of lean angles. Harley-Davidson claims the ST can only lean 37 degrees both sides, which is even less than its off-road-friendly sibling. So all your sacrifice doesn’t even come at the cost of proper sporty riding abilities.
| Specs | Pan America ST | Pan America Special |
| Wheels | 17/17-inch alloys | 19/17-inch spokes |
| Tire size | 120/70 (F) and 180/55 (R) | 120/70 (F) and 170/70 (R) |
| Ground clearance | 6.7 inches | 6.9 inches |
| Max lean angle | 37 degrees | 42 degrees |
You Get Less For Your Money On The Pan America ST Than The Pan America Special
Harley-Davidson has priced the ST at $19,999, exactly the same as the Special. That might sound good, but it actually works against the ST’s favor. You see, the Special offers more for the moolah here. Handguards, crash protection, fork covers, a center stand, and an adjustable windscreen are standard inclusions here, none of which are available on the ST. Also, you get option spoke wheels on the Special for added off-road abilities.
All that means the Special is the more bang-for-buck bike you can get. And the ST should’ve been a cheaper, base version, instead of being priced exactly the same. But as we know, Harley-Davidson works in different ways.
