Big adventure bikes like the Harley Pan America have to tick a lot of boxes, which is why they end up looking like two-wheeled spaceships. But the custom scene has shown us a new side of Pan America. If you can strip away enough of its adventure-focused gear, there’s a pretty rugged street bike lurking under there.
This custom Harley Pan America from Powerbrick gives evidence. The Dutch custom workshop and parts specialist has proven time and time again that it is adept at building radical machines that go against convention. And although they make their bones sharp Customs BMW K-seriesThis Pan America suggests that they can apply their signature aesthetic to any type of motorcycle.
Based on Powerbrick leader Tim Somers, the trans-America mission had two goals; creating “the street fighter Harley never released” and developing a series of tie-in parts under the Powerbrick sub-brand, CNCPT Moto. To achieve that goal, Tim received major financial support from Harley-Davidson Rotterdam and Amsterdam, which also supplied the bikes.
“We designed everything to look OEM so people think the bike is supposed to look like this,” adds Tim. “Harley-Davidson has a long heritage, we’re just trying to put a little twist on it to make it appeal to the new generation.”
The real trick here is how Powerbrick was able to lighten the exterior weight of the big Pan America, while still retaining the OEM tank and front fairing—or at least half of the front fairing . Everything above Pan Am’s signature ‘shark nose’ cover was removed. And while it may seem like an easy job, it requires a lot of work to do right.
The top half of the fairing not only holds the windshield but also houses the bike’s TFT dashboard and a host of other small details. Powerbrick moved things below the surface of the remaining bodywork by designing a new bracket to hold the speedometer and headlights.
The next part is the plastic cover that normally runs on top of Pan Am’s fuel tank. When that stops, the fuel filler and its associated welds stick out like a sore thumb. So Powerbrick cut it all down and then installed a custom billet aluminum hood, combined with the original plumbing and sensors.
The front end also features the car’s original radiator shrouds — except they now protect the aluminum radiator from RC Racing.
It’s a different story on the other end of the bike, where the Powerbrick strips everything away in favor of a completely separate setup. First, Tim’s friends at Nius Moto built a new bolt-on subframe to better complement the Harley’s revised lines. Next, Tim designed a set of body panels to complete the rear, all of which were 3D printed using carbon composite.
This arrangement uses the car’s original LED taillights and contains all of the original equipment (including the ABS pump). Powerbrick installed a Noco battery and a CTEK battery management system, and shortened much of the wiring to keep the rear end compact. Highsider’s LED turn signals are embedded into the bodywork at both ends of the Pan Am.
Areas of the bike that are unaffected include Harley’s ‘Revolution Max’ engine, adaptive suspension and Brembo brake calipers. Powerbrick swapped the wheels for spoked rims from a Harley-Davidson Pan America 1240 Special, equipped with Pirelli Angel GT II road tires. The brakes benefit from a new set of Venhill hoses.
Moving on to the exhaust, Tim once again called on Nius Moto, who welded the entire exhaust set out of stainless steel. They ended up with an ill-fitting Powerbrick RE-02 muffler. A set of LSL handlebars, mounted on new risers, help fine-tune the bike’s ergonomics for urban shenanigans.
In typical Powerbrick style, this Pan America is finished in a paint color that is both elegant and sharp. Aston Martin’s ‘Spirit Silver’ color dominates the design (right down to the brake calipers), broken up by splashes of bold red. Royal Kustom Works handled the paint, while Silvermachine handled the upholstery.
Many experts are calling for The Motor Co. launched a streetfighter on this platform, and Powerbrick’s redesign of the Harley Pan America only added fuel to the fire.
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