We teased some new products back in late 2021 and the wait is starting to pay off. We recently released an all-new set of Harley Davidson handlebar risers custom made to fit Pan America models from 2020 and up. Of course, these handlebars are designed for maximum comfort, but they are also built to survive whatever you can throw at them.

Whether you already own a Pan America or are considering purchasing a bike that can give you both touring and detouring, our Tour Performance risers offer some special benefits.

Features of the Pan America Handlebars

Like all our handlebar risers, Harry and the team put a lot of thought, trial and error, and hard work into designing a set that would never hinder that instinct for exploration. These handlebar risers are a superb example of the durability and strength built into our American-made products. No matter if you’re cruising on paved mountain roads or taking your bike for a desert adventure, our product works both on-road and off-road. Just as Harley Davidson puts it, both our handlebar risers and the Pan America “stays composed and confident no matter how hard you push it.”

But durability was not the only element we strove to construct in these Harley Davidson handlebar risers. Along with improving comfort for riders of different sizes, ages, and riding styles, we also wanted our handlebars to increase performance—and this is where the real secret ingredient reveals itself. We’ve heard from riders who tested our Pan America handlebars, and this is what they experienced:

Once fitted under the existing stock handlebars, the bike actually becomes more responsive. With our risers in place, the entire handlebar setup is effectively stabilized with added rigidity.

On a bike whose purpose is to be dynamic in different terrains and conditions, additional responsiveness can make a huge difference in the riding experience. We couldn’t have imagined a better outcome for the design of these Pan America handlebars. Form follows function in every aspect, and they improve comfort while also allowing ambitious riders to push their bikes just a little further with supplemental control.

How Do Our Pan America Handlebars Work?

Sounds great, right? Want to know how we did it? By carefully working with a loaned Pan America bike from Wilkins Harley Davidson, these Tour Performance handlebar risers retain factory hydraulic lines, cables, and wire looms. The HeliBars work with the OEM riser, allowing faster and simpler installation than any other riser. Install them easily at home by downloading our Installation Guide.

Most importantly, the handlebar risers function to shift the end handlebar position up 2 inches as well as 2 inches closer to the rider. This improved position works in both seated and standing riding positions to ensure you can ride your Pan America anywhere. By repositioning the stock handlebars, we were able to add a Ram Ball where you can mount additional Harley Davidson accessories to achieve your ideal bike modifications.

If you’re still curious about the time and careful considerations that went into these handlebar innovations, you can check out the video below where Harry Eddy walks us through the features of the risers.

Meeting the Growing Adventure Bike Market

We can’t claim to be able to see into the future, but we’d like to think that these new Harley Davidson handlebars join others in the industry to mark the beginning of an increasing trend in adventure bikes. Though motorcycles have been around since 1885, it wasn’t until a hundred years later in 1980 when BMW released the first true adventure bike with the R80 GS. Since then, these bikes have grown to become one of the most popular segments of motorcycling.

Adventure bikes are versatile machines built to take their riders anywhere a two-wheeled vehicle is allowed to go. They featured long-travel suspension, fortified frames and powertrains, bigger engines, extended-range fuel cells, and are suited for dynamic riding positions. With the ability to do it all, it’s no wonder that this market segment is gaining speed.

This category of bike has long been dominated by BMW with their GS series, but the market is beginning to diversify to meet demand. In fact, according the Motorcycle Industry Council, dual-purpose motorcycle sales went up by 22% between 2019 and 2020—a huge jump in consumer demand. Then came the Pan America: Harley Davidson’s first-ever purpose-built adventure bike. We were so excited to begin development on handlebar risers fit for this top-of-the-line machine but we know the project needed patience and innovation.

Check out our brand new Pan America Handlebar Risers and let us know where you think the adventure bike market is headed next. Will Harley or other manufacturers beat out BMW?