I recently did a comparison of a few of these bikes. Here is how it went down.
First, I was very excited to see and read about the details of he new HD. I was optimistic when I read the early peeks, and fairly excited when I read the details and pricing when it was fully released. I had some plans that led to me riding the Iron Butt Rally in June/July, so I planned to NOT make any moves until I retuned from UT. There was an added bonus to that; there was a PAS in the IBR, so I thought that would give good feedback on how it might survive the riding I would throw at it. The bike did well, finished intact and, even though it was a DNF, was well reviewed by its rider.
In July, I took a day and went shopping. I test rode a R1250GS, and Africa Twin and a PAS, all 2021 models with less than 10 miles on the clock. I will tell you now, there wasn't a slouch in the lot. They all rode well, and had plenty of power on tap.
Let me start with the AT. It was the model with the smaller tank, and normal clutch. I really only considered it because of the DCT option. After riding it, I knew it was not going to be the bike for me. I'm a big guy (6'1"/320) and I plan to ride big miles, day after day. The only reason I'm looking at ADV bikes instead of Sport Touring is because some of my adventures end up on questionable roads and detours.
I rode the GS first. It was a brand new model, and they didn't have a GSA prepped for riding. That bike rode great. I was impressed and had them put together some pricing options for me. The only downside for me was that it was not a HD and I like the VTwin engine configuration. I rode the BMW first, assuming that I would like the PA and not follow through with the GS if I didn't leave it for last.
My last ride of the day was the PA special. This was a great bike. Tons of power and breaks. Suspension felt great too. My only concern with riding it was wind protection. I didn't like how little fairing/windshield there was up there especially compared to the GS.
In the end, I liked all of the bikes. If I wanted something to do a lot of trail riding on, I'd pick the Africa Twin. If I was buying a bike to trailer to a nice riding area, the PA would have been a nice option.
I ended up finding a 2018 R1200GSA on the used market for about $9K less than the PA or GSA were quoted new (with panniers, etc.) The GSA has these advantages that I considered valuable to me:
- Bigger fuel tank (more fuel and better weather protection)
- Shaft Drive (not a big difference for me, but a chain can be a pain (yes, the FD are known to fail on occasion too))
- More weather protection and aftermarket options to improve it
- Used market availability. This is something that will just take some time for the HD. This was an additional bike, so budget was a little more of a concern for me.
I find that I enjoy the speed shifter on the GSA more than I thought I would, and I don't use the adjustable windshield or ride modes much once they are set.
My next ADV might be a Pan America, especially if they introduce one that addresses some of those factors. I also may find that I should have bought a Sport Touring bike like a R1200RT or FJR. If they (HD) introduce something in that segment, it would be included in my research, but that is largely speculation on so many levels it ain't funny. For now, I've been riding the wheels off the GSA, and the FLHTK just sits there waiting for some attention.