When someone asks me what my favourite kind of bike is, I tell them: “the kind that’s ridden.” Bikes are meant to be fun and functional, but we’ve all been in a situation where it’s raining, and you’re inside somewhere, like a coffee shop, with your motorcycle boots and gear underneath an outdoor table.
Your mind starts to wander. Should I go out and throw a leg over the bike? Ride just down the street to my favourite breakfast joint for an omelette. Should I dare hit that empty stretch of the interstate outside town?
And that is what happened to me in the untimely February rain. With the sun coming out and walking up to the Harley dealership, I kept my eyes peeled for the Pan America Special I was about to take for a quick test ride.
When I saw it, I knew why it stood out from all the other bikes in the lot.
The Pan America is a no-frills motorcycle by design – it doesn’t get much more businesslike than a big motorcycle with a big motor and no fairings.
Stay tuned for more…