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Welcome to the club. On Monday, I rode 90 miles & traded in my 2017 Road King on a 2021 PA-S with 2710 miles on the clock.
On the ride home (90 miles) it threw a ton of angry looking codes. I called dealer who said "Oh no, bring it back. We'll fix it". Ride 90 miles back "It needed a software update, it'll be A-OK now. Here's a $50 gift card for the trouble". Ride home (that's another 90 miles mind you) now it's throwing a wrench symbol. It says the battery is at 11.7V. Wew, it's running hot (220*F) & the fans still haven't come on. Call dealer who says-"WTF, alright, we'll come & pick it up tomorrow (Tuesday)".
So far, they said the battery was bad, the brakes needed flushed/bled, and now the fans are coming on at 219*F. They said they'll deliver it to my house next week. This isn't the 1st time I've had a problem with a HD I bought, my 17 Road King had loose brake rotors on the front wheel, the 2nd fob was not programmed to the bike, & the alarm (it actually had the alarm installed) was never activated. After that, my King was great, just not great for where I live so I thought I'd try something more appropriate. I just got tired of playing Million $ Bogan every time I left & returned home-
Welcome to the club. On Monday, I rode 90 miles & traded in my 2017 Road King on a 2021 PA-S with 2710 miles on the clock.
On the ride home (90 miles) it threw a ton of angry looking codes. I called dealer who said "Oh no, bring it back. We'll fix it". Ride 90 miles back "It needed a software update, it'll be A-OK now. Here's a $50 gift card for the trouble". Ride home (that's another 90 miles mind you) now it's throwing a wrench symbol. It says the battery is at 11.7V. Wew, it's running hot (220*F) & the fans still haven't come on. Call dealer who says-"WTF, alright, we'll come & pick it up tomorrow (Tuesday)".
So far, they said the battery was bad, the brakes needed flushed/bled, and now the fans are coming on at 219*F. They said they'll deliver it to my house next week. This isn't the 1st time I've had a problem with a HD I bought, my 17 Road King had loose brake rotors on the front wheel, the 2nd fob was not programmed to the bike, & the alarm (it actually had the alarm installed) was never activated. After that, my King was great, just not great for where I live so I thought I'd try something more appropriate. I just got tired of playing Million $ Bogan every time I left & returned home-
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Feel your pain. Traded in my 15 Road Glide Special for this Pan Am, and that bike was pretty solid. But the suspension was horrible. Roads in Michigan have these jarring bumps that launched you out of the saddle. Hitting those same bumps on the PA, is like running over a pebble. I hope this bike comes back alright and I can trust it.
Feel your pain. Traded in my ‘15 Road Glide Special for this Pan Am, and that bike was pretty solid. But the suspension was horrible. Roads in Michigan have these jarring bumps that launched you out of the saddle. Hitting those same bumps on the PA, is like running over a pebble. I hope this bike comes back alright and I can trust it.
The last time I had a bike that took bumps/road imperfections this well it was an 08 Aprilia Shiver.
It's been a long time so I can't be sure, but in my head the Pan Am S feels a lot like that bike.
After the initial problems my cousin asked "Do you think you made a mistake?". I said "Nope" and reminded him of the 2 steep pea gravel strewn hills that I have to traverse every time I leave & return home. On my King, there was much butt puckering involved (he did my road on a Low Rider S & remarked that he thought he'd vomit when he finally made it to my house) but on the PA-S, I barely noticed anything. The traction control really is superb & I didn't even feel the wash-boarding on the larger hill (people go way too slow up a hill that steep).
One trip up my road was very convincing so I'm cautiously optimistic.
If I can get the PA-S to be reliable, it'll likely be the most capable bike I've ever had for as long as I've lived out here in the boonies.
Last edited by silverbulletking; Jun 10, 2023 at 11:10 AM.
I have been through the wash with these bikes and I know how to fix them.
#1 Low voltage issues. It's almost never going to be the battery. It's most likely going to be the stator magnets moving around. Get that replaced under warranty immediately.
#2 Despite what I said above, the battery is really too small for the bike. Replace with a lithium unit. Dealer should also cover the costs of this.
Get the stator fixed and a new Lithium battery and your bike will almost certainly be 100%. And they are just an amazing bike when they are sorted properly. The thing is that there is a a stator (charging) issue, and the OEM battery is too small. The bike has a lot of electronics and is highly sensitive to under voltage issues.
Get those two fixed, ride and enjoy. It's a cracking bike when it's working properly. I am just about to take mine on a 4K mile tour and I have no hesitation to do so..
Sorry to hear this, man that model has a long running string on unresolved issues with the electronics on them. Guy I worked with is in the middle of sueing harley to take his 2021 back under the lemon law here. 22 recorded shop visits over unsolved electrical and software issues, bike has less than 800 mi. on it.
I have been through the wash with these bikes and I know how to fix them.
#1 Low voltage issues. It's almost never going to be the battery. It's most likely going to be the stator magnets moving around. Get that replaced under warranty immediately.
#2 Despite what I said above, the battery is really too small for the bike. Replace with a lithium unit. Dealer should also cover the costs of this.
Get the stator fixed and a new Lithium battery and your bike will almost certainly be 100%. And they are just an amazing bike when they are sorted properly. The thing is that there is a a stator (charging) issue, and the OEM battery is too small. The bike has a lot of electronics and is highly sensitive to under voltage issues.
Get those two fixed, ride and enjoy. It's a cracking bike when it's working properly. I am just about to take mine on a 4K mile tour and I have no hesitation to do so..
I am assuming there is something going on with the charging system. But that shouldnt cause a crank/no start with a fully charged battery. Im a little worried with the dealership and their service department. But Ill give them the benefit of the doubt right now and hope theyll get this bike up and running.
Sorry to hear this, man that model has a long running string on unresolved issues with the electronics on them. Guy I worked with is in the middle of sueing harley to take his 2021 back under the lemon law here. 22 recorded shop visits over unsolved electrical and software issues, bike has less than 800 mi. on it.
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