1400GTR or Pan European

[guzuntai]

Once the winter is through, I am going to invest in either a 1400GTR or a Pan European. Is there anyone on here who has had both and can give me and honest comparison of the two bikes

[Ant]

The Pan was something I was looking at a few years back, but now pleased I didn't go for one through various reports I've heard over the years, but I believe they are a nice bike if you stick with it.
The only Pans I see now are in my mirrors fading off into the distance.....when the law enforcements stop using them because of issues its time to ask why ! ----- the Pan weave !
Im going to be bias anyway I guess, simply because I really don't like the look of them anymore.
Good luck with your choice, I'm sure it will be right for you. 

[Rusty]

There may be others here who have ridden a " job " Pan more than I have ... It was many years ago and only for a few weeks but I believe they were pulled from Police fleets as a result of a number of weave issues and indeed fatalities involving experienced Traffic Officers .. Honda have never accepted any liability for these incidents as far as I am aware and I believe it all has to do with the space between the rider and the radio mounting kits on the back of the bike causing turbulence and unbalance.
There is a chap I work with who is on his 3rd Pan and absolutely loves it to bits so there are many opinions to be offered up .... Me ? I went to the Gtr ( before defecting to the Gs ! )
Good luck with whatever you choose.

[Bryn]

Rode a 'Job' Pan a few years back (  1100) and a 1300 for a short time.We then opted for FJR's ...Retired last year and bought a GTR on an 09 plate

Last summer did a swap with a mate and rode his 1300 PAN for approx 50 miles . Mrs on the back and corbin seat fitted. SWMBO hated it..and the verdict from my mate riding my GTR?

He was shocked how well it went compared to his Pan.....  As for my verdict.. I thought the pan would make a good workhorse, but not so "sharp" as the GTR

HTH 

[Nix1.4]

I think the 'Panny' is an 'older' design than the GTR, be around a while, with a few factory upgrades.

Not ridden one, but the various ride reports do like the (perceived?) bottom end pull of the Panny, 'supposed' to be an easier bike to ride at slower speeds(?), seems like BS to me, as the GTR will pull from 25 mph in 5th!, 6th being an Overdrive.

The GTR is, IMHO, a sports bike with a big fairing, it goes like  of a shovel! It cruises at 100 mph at 4500 rpm in 6th. Various reports bitch about the tank range of 'only' 200 miles, but that is realistically going to be 2.5/3.0 hours in the saddle, so time for a stretch/piss/coffee anyways, and who wants to be in the saddle for 10 hours straight anyways? i.e. the point of the journey is not the arrival, or something like that....

[2kwacks]

Hi mate I've ridden the ST1100 and the ST1300 through work and owned the 2010 GTR1400 for 2 years and did various long weekends away and a weeks long and 3,200 mile tour of France and Italy on the GTR. the ST1300 pan in it's day was good but things have now moved on and the pan as stayed still defo no contest the GTR1400 is the way to go    

[Winston Smith]

Owned a Pan 13 and 1400GTR.  Rode St11 and ST13 for work.

Have tested the Pan and 1400GTR back to back several times.

Pan is a good bike, works well lacks a bit of ground clearance but is low and well balanced. Quite a relaxed riding position for rider and pillion. Goes well enough at real world speeds and is overall a fantastic tourer with reasonable sportiness to enjoy a play on.  Weather protection with the barn door fairing is excellent, but in hot weather prevents air getting to cool you

GTR is a rocket machine, turbine like power and is definitely a SPORTS tourer.  Front end needs to be worked to make it ride well and as a result is fun.  A high bike, both to sit on and a little top heavy until going.  Footpegs for pillion are high so some may find ergonomics uncomfortable.  Weather protection is fairly poor, keeps some weather off but not as effective as Pan (or RT but better than the FJR!) but is better when it gets hot!

If you like relaxed touring but still want to play at reasonable speeds in comfort then the Pan is probably better.
If you want to get there is reasonable comfort but really play then the GTR is a better choice.

Pan = sports/TOURER
GTR =SPORTS/tourer

Personal choice/preference which may also come down to looks personal style etc.

I would say test ride both (with/without pillion) before committing.

[Stephen.Stallebrass]

I had this very dilemma and it took me over 12 months to decide which one.

I had been riding a BMW F800GS and wanted a pure road bike, something bigger, sportier and easily capable of long distance touring. It came down to the Pan V. GTR. Others sport tourers were available but were out of my price range or just didn't peak my interest. Of my 'sport touring' choices I saw the Pan lean more toward touring and the GTR lean more toward sport. But with a few mods I could make the GTR more touring friendly and get the best of both worlds. I had largely set my mind on a GTR but wanted to try the Pan just to rule it out but having tried one it became a serious contender. After lots of side by side test rides I eventually went for a 2011 GTR. Why?

Here was my thinking on the Pan. The 2 big things for me were firstly that the Pan has a bigger fuel tank, which means a longer range and not having to stop as often for fuel. Secondly it had better wind protection with nice fairing and an electric screen that goes way way up. The weather protection was especially good with the upper and lower wind deflector kits installed. The Pan was also very comfy, with an adjustable seat height and it was very easy to ride with plenty of power. It had heated grips and a couple of glove boxes. It could easily handle high miles but the handling was patchy, I felt the infamous high speed weave but it's general handling was also poor, especially at high speeds with the top box. It lacks a 6th gear, it lacks a gear indicator and it seriously needs a dashboard revamp. The bike has not changed since 2004. So buying a 2004+ model, with low miles or even with a reasonable mileage is a promising prospect... but it wasn't the GTR.

I was leaning toward the GTR because it's sportier, it handles better and looks better. The 2010 had some real nice toys too: traction control, fancy braking, awesome engine and shaft drive, heated grips, tyre pressure sensors relocated mirrors, which gave improved wind protection as well as a better rear view, a relocated glove box (despite leaving a shitty cover behind and not putting a glove box on the opposite side fairing) and a taller touring screen. BTW I really love Kipass (also on pre 2010). It has a gear indicator, a 6th gear called over drive and an eco mode that will remap for better fuel efficiency, which essentially cancelled out the main weakness of a smaller tank - I could probably get as good a range on this. It wasn't quite as comfy or as easy to ride as the Pan but bar risers and foot peg lowering would remedy that. Sorted!

The Pan is just too dated and despite its limited strengths the handling put me off, especially compared to the GTR. You get a lot more bike for your money with a GTR as well.

[viper]

Owned a Pan 13 and 1400GTR.  Rode St11 and ST13 for work.

Have tested the Pan and 1400GTR back to back several times.

Pan is a good bike, works well lacks a bit of ground clearance but is low and well balanced. Quite a relaxed riding position for rider and pillion. Goes well enough at real world speeds and is overall a fantastic tourer with reasonable sportiness to enjoy a play on.  Weather protection with the barn door fairing is excellent, but in hot weather prevents air getting to cool you

GTR is a rocket machine, turbine like power and is definitely a SPORTS tourer.  Front end needs to be worked to make it ride well and as a result is fun.  A high bike, both to sit on and a little top heavy until going.  Footpegs for pillion are high so some may find ergonomics uncomfortable.  Weather protection is fairly poor, keeps some weather off but not as effective as Pan (or RT but better than the FJR!) but is better when it gets hot!

If you like relaxed touring but still want to play at reasonable speeds in comfort then the Pan is probably better.
If you want to get there is reasonable comfort but really play then the GTR is a better choice.

Pan = sports/TOURER
GTR =SPORTS/tourer

Personal choice/preference which may also come down to looks personal style etc.

I would say test ride both (with/without pillion) before committing.

thats a damn good review, i too have thought about the pan as a next bike

thanks

[O.C.]

Welcome guzuntai, as you can see this is a very helpful and informative forum where members will give you unbiased practical views based on their considerable experiences.

For me the only real way to decide upon any bike regardless of make or type is to give it a thorough road test and try to simulate all your expected riding conditions/requirements

Good luck with your choice, which ought to be a GTR 

[Boomer]

Guzuntai,......... Bless You! 

If you are over 6' tall then you may have problems with your knees on the Pan.
This is not so bad with the 1300 as it was with the 1100.
I'm 6'4" and the 1100 was nearly unrideable unless you like doing the splits.

As others have said, GTR is sharper, sportier but not as comfy, and loves being pushed hard.
Pan is a Sofa on wheels (think mini-Goldwing) that can be pushed in the twisties if necessary, but not as fun as the GTR.

Ride both and then decide is your best bet.

[Charlie747]

I think the 'Panny' is an 'older' design than the GTR, be around a while, with a few factory upgrades.

Not ridden one, but the various ride reports do like the (perceived?) bottom end pull of the Panny, 'supposed' to be an easier bike to ride at slower speeds(?), seems like BS to me, as the GTR will pull from 25 mph in 5th!, 6th being an Overdrive.

The GTR is, IMHO, a sports bike with a big fairing, it goes like  of a shovel! It cruises at 100 mph at 4500 rpm in 6th. Various reports bitch about the tank range of 'only' 200 miles, but that is realistically going to be 2.5/3.0 hours in the saddle, so time for a stretch/piss/coffee anyways, and who wants to be in the saddle for 10 hours straight anyways? i.e. the point of the journey is not the arrival, or something like that....

[winnsworld]

Doesn't the FJR consider a mention here?

I would have thought it was a bit sportier than a Pan and in a similar vein to a GTR?

I quite like the look of them and although I've never ridden one would consider one as an alternative to the GTR I currently own.

[Bryn]

Doesn't the FJR consider a mention here?

I would have thought it was a bit sportier than a Pan and in a similar vein to a GTR?

I quite like the look of them and although I've never ridden one would consider one as an alternative to the GTR I currently own.

Rode a cop FJR from 2008 until I retired last year.... Excellent bike , but the older one was getting a bit long in the tooth , and I fancied something different, hence the GTR.

I can say that I will never ride a bike as well as I did the FJR....when you're using one as a work tool in all weathers, and being regularly assessed on it  you certainly get to know it well... And if I was told an FJR was the only bike I could ride, then that would be absolutely fine with me....would probably go for the model update one though. 

[Stephen.Stallebrass]

Doesn't the FJR consider a mention here?

Nope. The OP asked about the Pan V. The GTR.