Ok I've only seen it in videos and a few stills, and beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder, but the styling couldn't be more US industrial normal if it came with a free statue of liberty and an exhaust tuned to sing battle hymn of the republic. Styling seems to have settled into three big blocks of late - Euro scaffolding, Japanese plastic blandness and U.S. redneck. Four I suppose if you count Indian modern retro (= retro retro for the Himmy). If you can strip it down and extend the forks it'll sell well to the core believers.

Back when I was a callow youth (!) taking my first tentative two wheel steps I bought into Japanese modernism. On balance that was probably a sensible way to go - at least I'm not sitting here now remembering the good times I had pushing my BSA Golden Flash (or whatever they were called) home in the rain. But the one thing that seriously annoyed me was how long it took to get spare parts. Six weeks, three months, longer sometimes to get a simple spare, and even then I had to drive 30 miles mostly through London to get it. Most of the bits for the BSA I didn't have were available off the shelf just down the road.

I cut the Japanese some slack as they were new to exporting and new to the UK and still, back then, a minority choice. But there's zero excuse for any mainstream manufacturer to not be able to supply just about any part in a few days now. So if it does take 4-6 weeks to get BMW bike bits to your local dealer in Canada that's totally and utterly unacceptable. It doesn't happen with cars - just about any make of car - and it shouldn't happen with bikes. Harley may be the BSA of the 21st century but at least you can still chugg along waving the flag. That's more than you can do if your BMW is sidelined with a missing spacer or bolt or whatever.

Even if the styling does look like they've got a 'styling house' involved (anyone with a v e r y long memory might remember the original 'ray gun' look on BSA's and Triumph's that went down like a lead balloon) there does seem to be some good ideas. The adjustable ride height seems like a great idea. I presume it works like those busses that lower themselves to kerb level at bus stops - there's a load of hissing and steam and stuff comes out and it gradually settles down. I'd guess it's something to attract regular Harley riders who may find their 'flexibility' causes a few problems with a high seat height. With a bit of luck the Japanese will take the idea on board and engineer a version that works. An Africa Twin that I could get on without needing a ladder - it's an ill wind that doesn't blow somebody some good.

ECAS on a bus uses air in rubber bags that replace steel springs . We don't let them have steam they'd hurt themselves

This will be a variation on ESAC. A motor controls what those of us with conventional shocks would call a longer travel pre-load ring and gravity does the rest. No need for an additional fluid, compressors, pumps etc.

Andy

The air bag set up is what's on the back of my old Land Rover. The bags seem to last about 6yrs before they spring a leak - just long enough so you've forgotten how you did the job last time. I replaced one last week and found it was very easy. The hardest part was the effort of getting the jacks and various other tools out of the back of the garage. As a part for a 20yr old car it was available off the shelf and arrived in two days - at about half the price I remember paying last time.

When I set it to pump itself back up it did, except it didn't stop. The bag went up to full extension, with the pump still running and the car at a 20 degree list. One height sensor had snapped from plastic fatigue. That also arrived in two days and I've just fitted it this afternoon. I may have to buy more LR parts than I really want to but at least they're easy to get. If it was even more unreliable the local independent would same day deliver. Good job it's not a BMW

Will wait till I see it in the flesh . It had some good tech ideas and if the price is right and its reliable then it could be a popular bike . Just reading the mcn article on it .... after using it to soak up some dropped oil first .
If its comfy , has big mile services and rides well then I could b tempted , hd residuals are high in this country so it could get me away from the new v4 mutley . Will b having a very close look when it's in the showroom .
Does a gs headlight really look like a meat and two veg

The cast of Bridgerton episodes 7 and 8 are off to the right

Andy

bloody hell Andy . I'll never look at a gs in the same light again

First time I saw the Pan America I couldn't help thinking of this, and how badly it was panned for it's looks:

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Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
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Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

I quite like the look of it - apart from the headlight which, whilst consistent with other H-D, is ugly - the other H-D with similar headlights are, IMHO, also ugly. what I like about the rest of the bike is that it is uncluttered and there is simplicity and solidity to the design. But that headlight is fugly.

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You will have to do without pocket handkerchiefs, and a great many other things, before we reach our journey's end, Bilbo Baggins. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you. The world is ahead.

I think they already have it.
They partnered with REV’IT!, for Adventure Touring clothing and with SW-MOTECH for aluminum luggage. Beside that, they offer soft saddlebags and Sport Side Cases, a tankbag and much more.

If the bike is a succes, I am sure companies like Touratech and others will jump in too.

Unfortunately, it is much to expensive for me but never mind, I like my trusty BMW R850R very much.

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Jan Krijtenburg

My bikes are a Honda GoldWing GL1200 and a Harley-Davidson FXD Dyna Super Glide

My personal homepage with trip reports: https://www.krijtenburg.nl/
YouTube channel (that I do together with one of my sons): motormobilist.nl