If you’re a Harley-Davidson fan, you must know its yearly trend of launching new products. The bikemaker likes going early and showing most of its cards in January itself, then letting the popularity simmer over the next 365 days. That’s what we saw in 2025, too. January of this year brought a handful of new machines, alongside a huge overhaul for the popular Softail lineup.
As good as that is, this really made life difficult while picking the most exciting Harley of 2025. We did end up with a clear winner, though, and it’s the closest thing you can get to the much-hyped Bronx. Let’s dive in.
To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from authoritative sources, such as Harley-Davidson USA.
The Most Exciting Harley-Davidson Of 2025 Is The Pan America ST
Price: $19,999
Okay, this might be a bit controversial for some of you, but we can justify picking the Pan America ST. First things first, as we said, this is arguably the closest motorcycle to the much-anticipated Bronx streetfighter that never hit the market. It rides on 17-inch wheels, meaning there are proper sporty aspirations. That’s also made evident by the addition of a quickshifter–the only Harley to have it in 2025–which should make enjoying the Revolution Max engine even easier.
Next, the ST is something no one really saw coming, and that adds to the “exciting” side of things. The pricing is equally impressive, as both the Pan America Special and ST cost the same. That means the ball is truly in your court, and you can pick what you like without paying extra for your preferences.
Other than the ST, there are a couple of other exciting Harleys. In a really close second is the CVO Road Glide RR. It’s the wildest touring bagger by Harley-Davidson in the history of the brand. Track-spec components are present wherever you look, be it the carbon fiber saddlebags or the Brembo GP4 brakes. But it’s an uber-limited machine (which is reportedly sold out) and costs well over $100,000. That means even if you have that sort of cash, you probably can’t have it. It’s unattainable for the rest of us middle-class folks.
In third place is the new and refreshed Harley-Davidson Low Rider S. With its latest update, the Softail cruiser now has the Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine in its most powerful tune yet. So you get 114 horsepower and 128 pound-feet at your disposal. H-D has also tweaked the design to make things more appealing. We’re not entirely convinced about the two-into-one exhaust, though. The previous double-barrel unit seemed more in line with the aesthetic, don’t you think?
Exciting Harley-Davidson Bikes In 2025
- Pan America ST
- CVO Road Glide RR
- Low Rider S
- Street Bob 117
The Pan America ST Is The Most Powerful Liquid-Cooled Harley-Davidson Today
Power: 150 HP
The Pan America ST has the Revolution Max engine from the Pan America Special. It displaces 1,250cc with the intake and exhaust valves having variable valve timing. This is topped with a compression ratio of 13:1 that help promise an impressive 150 horsepower and 91 pound-feet. Although a very new engine, it beats both the industry leaders, namely Triumph Tiger 1200 and BMW R 1300 GS.
Aside from this, the ST weighs 542 pounds–a sizable 27 pounds less than the Special. That enables a power-to-weight ratio of 0.276-HP/pound for the ST. Both share the same six-speed transmission, although the ST brings a quickshifter as standard. No other Harley has a quickshifter as standard!
Pan America ST Engine Specs
|
Engine |
Revolution Max 1,252cc, V-twin |
|
Power |
150 HP |
|
Torque |
91 LB-FT |
|
Transmission |
Six-speed |
|
Compression ratio |
13:1 |
|
Power-to-weight ratio |
0.276 |
The Pan America ST Comes Ready For Cornering Shenanigans
Wheels: 17/17-inch Alloys
The ST is properly biased towards on-road touring, as evident from its 17/17-inch wheels. This is topped with Showa 47 mm USD forks and a monoshock. Both are adjustable, like the Special, but have much lower suspension travel for a focus on road riding. Don’t worry, though, as there’s still 6.7 inches of travel. That’s enough for occasional rough patches on your cross-country tour.
A special shoutout goes to the electronic adaptive seat height feature. It automatically lowers the saddle height so you can easily plant your feet. Brembo calipers and triple disc brakes (two front and one rear) help you shed speed.
Pan America ST Underpinnings
|
Front suspension |
47 mm Showa USD forks |
|
Front travel |
6.7 inches |
|
Rear suspension |
Showa monoshock |
|
Rear travel |
6.7 inches |
|
Ground clearance |
6.7 inches |
|
Weight |
542 pounds (wet) |
An Army Of Modern-Day Rider Aids Makes the Pan America ST Safer For The Road
Instrument Cluster: 6.8-inch TFT
In recent times, Harley has really started focusing on rider aids. The entire Softail lineup has them for 2025, but the Pan America ST takes things up a notch. A 6.8-inch TFT instrument cluster serves as the crown jewel, which comes standard with smartphone connectivity and navigation. The display also lets you access the army of rider aids, comprising cornering-enabled traction control, dual-channel ABS, linked brakes, rear lift mitigation, wheelie control, and ride modes. All of these are standard.
Pan America ST Key Features
- Cornering traction control
- Ride modes
- Cornering ABS
- Wheelie control
- Rear lift mitigation
- Linked brakes
- Hill hold control
- TPMS
- USB ports
- 6.8-inch TFT