Harley-Davidson finally revealed the 2022 Nightster on April 12, 2022. After several leaks and teasers, fans and critics were largely unsurprised by the latest Sportster. However, the Nightster features the first iteration of the Motor Company’s Revolution Max V-twin in 975cc configuration.
While Harley shelved the Bronx naked bike concept for the foreseeable future, recent accessories listings on the Harley-Davidson website hint that the Pan America could receive the 975 Revo Max next. Several customers noticed the leak when shopping for an accessory lockable fuel cap for the current Pan America 1250. Under the product details, the listing noted that the part “Fits ‘21-later RA965S, RA975, RA1250, and RA1250S models.”
Of course, the Bar and Shield designate model codes for each bike in its lineup, and RA1250 denotes the Pan America 1250 while RA1250S signifies the Pan America 1250 Special trim. Based on that nomenclature, it seems like the MoCo could have a Pan America 975 and Pan America 965 Special up its sleeve. That speculation may seem like a stretch to some, but Harley committed the same mistake just before officially unveiling the 2022 Nightster.
However, the most perplexing detail lies in the RA965S moniker. Ruling out a typo, a Pan America 965 Special would depart from the brand’s current model hierarchy. Within the Pan America 1250 family, the standard model doesn’t boast the firm’s adaptive ride-height technology. As a result, the 1250 Special remains the flagship trim, but if the leaked model codes ring true, the middleweight Pan Am Special could concede engine capacity to the standard Pan America 975.
On the other hand, the RA975 and RA965S could also cater to off-road riders and on-road tourers similar to BMW’s F 850 GS and F 750 GS. We should note that both Beemers sport the same engine capacity despite the differing nameplates, and Harley could employ the same convention with the Pan Am 975 family.
Until the MoCo officially recognizes the development of the middleweight adventure platform, this is all speculation, but if Harley’s leaks and teasers continue, we should have more information in the near future.
