At the dealer meeting, Harley-Davidson Inc. has rolled out its 2012 motorcycle lineup, which offers more Big Twin performance as its Twin Cam 103™ powertrain is standard equipment on Softail® and Touring motorcycle models and most Dyna® motorcycle models. includes a 10th-anniversary V-Rod bike and a touring motorcycle with detachable saddle bags.
The company heads into 2012 with 32 models on six platforms (Sportster, Dyna, Softail,Touring, Trike and V-Rod) and increased emphasis on customizing motorcycles at the factory (4 models, including the short-lived Street Glide Trike, have been discontinued.) Harley-Davidson offers two new models for 2012. The V-Rod® 10th Anniversary Edition celebrating a decade of power-cruiser performance, while the new Dyna® Switchback is a convertible custom-touring motorcycle with detachable hard saddlebags and windshield. In addition, the Night Rod® Special has significant updates for 2012 with refreshed bodywork and optimized rider ergonomics. Harley-Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO)™ introduces the gleaming new CVO™ Road Glide® Custom, a limited-production, high-performance touring masterpiece. Prices are up about 1% for the 2012 bikes sold in the United States and 0.5% worldwide. “This is the first meaningful price increase that we have taken on motorcycles since 2007,” said John Olin, Harley’s chief financial officer.
Highlights of the 2012 Harley-Davidson line include:
The Twin Cam 103™ engine powers all 2012 Dyna®, Softail® and Touring models with the exception of the Dyna Street Bob® and Dyna Super Glide® Custom. This engine produces up to 100 ft lbs. peak torque, an increase of approximately 6 percent over the Twin Cam 96™ engine it replaces as standard power for many of these models. The Twin Cam 103 is equipped with automatic compression release. It features identifying badges on the derby cover, timer cover and air cleaner trim ring.
A Security Package that pairs Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Smart Security System with proximity-based, hands-free security fob is available for all 2012 V-Rod®, Dyna®, Softail®, Touring and CVO™ models. The Security Package is standard equipment on CVO™ models and on the Road Glide® Ultra, the Electra Glide® Ultra Limited, and the Road King® Classic. The Security Package is a factory-installed option for all other models.
The Night Rod® Special is updated with new tapered tail section, lighter-weight wheels, an inverted front fork and improved ergonomics. Harley-Davidson celebrates a decade of power cruising with the V-Rod® 10th Anniversary Edition motorcycle, finished in Brilliant Silver Pearl bodywork that evokes the anodized aluminum bodywork of the original V-Rod model that introduced the liquid-cooled Revolution V-Twin engine in 2002. All V-Rod models will carry V-Rod 10th Anniversary badges.
The new Dyna® Switchback combines hard saddlebags and a windshield with the eager handling and Twin Cam 103 performance of the Dyna chassis. It’s a custom-touring bike ready for a long weekend trip, until the detachable bags and windshield are removed. Then in seconds the Switchback becomes a custom street cruiser with a gleaming headlamp nacelle, five-spoke cast-aluminum wheels and a mini-ape handlebar. This convertible concept makes the versatile Switchback two motorcycles in one.
All Harley-Davidson® Softail® models get the performance boost of the Twin Cam 103 engine for 2012. The Fat Boy® and Fat Boy® Lo have a new reduced-reach handlebar for more-comfortable ergonomics. A lower, narrower seat shape places the Fat Boy rider in a new “in the bike” position. The Softail® Deluxe and Heritage Softail® Classic will be available with a new optional “tubeless” Chrome Aluminum Profile Laced wheel option for ease of tire replacement and repair.
The Twin Cam 103™ powertrain gives all Harley-Davidson® Touring models assertive power for passing. On Touring models, the Twin Cam 103 is equipped with an oil cooler. All Touring models except the Ultra Limited will offer a new “tubeless” Chrome Aluminum Profile Laced wheel option.
The Harley-Davidson Sportster® line appeals to a broad range of riders with six 2012 models ranging from the race-inspired XR1200X™ to the accessible SuperLow® to Dark Custom roadsters like the Iron 883™, Nightster® and Forty-Eight®. The Sportster® 1200 Custom can be personalized for fit, function and style with H-D1™ factory customization, a process that allows customers to use the Bike Builder tool on harley-davidson.com to build the motorcycle from a selection of options that are installed as the bike is assembled by Harley-Davidson Motor Company or are installed by a dealer after the motorcycle is delivered. New 1200 Custom color options have been added to Bike Builder for 2012.
The new CVO™ Road Glide® Custom is one of four limited-production 2012 models from Harley-Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO)™, each turned out with bold paint, gleaming chrome, and the most-powerful V-Twin engines offered in production Harley-Davidson motorcycles. CVO Road Glide Custom is a hot-rod bagger with a frame-mounted fairing topped with a smoked Wind Splitter windshield, a high-output, amplified Harman/Kardon® Advanced Audio system, and a color-matched, low-profile fuel tank console.
On Tuesday, Harley-Davidson has raised its shipment forecast for 2011. US Dealers sold over 53,599 new bikes in the second quarter, an increase of 7.5% over the same period in 2010, better than the industry average of 4.2%.
Guess 2012 is going to be a good year for HD.
The Switchback is gonna be a hit. Good concept. Good price.
16 grand for a Dyna….I don’t know about that one.
Some are priced to sell others as in any retail operations.
Boss Hawg
Since when has factory-equipped become custom?LOL Factory-custom is an oxymoron. The whole “dark custom” concept is insulting and is basically false advertising. I wonder if Harley had to put their own definition of “custom”( or state that the word custom is a name rather than a definition) in their sales contracts to keep someone from hitting them with a lawsuit.:P A guy who buys a stock bike and slaps some kuryaken garbage on it has more of a custom bike than any of these so-called factory custom owners.
Yeah, but its $16 grand for hard bags, a windshield and a 103″.
I wonder why they left the 103″ off the Fat Bob and Super Glide Custom.
Hmm.. That front wheel and fender on the Dyna are pretty ugly.
I love the Switchback. Great looking bike. I know a lot of Shovelhead riders who will be looking at the new bike.
No 103 in the FatBob and Super Glide because it would be too darn cool!
I also love the switchback. Weekend trips are great. There are many places we love to go see where we live.
Saw the new 2012s at Bike Night at the HD museum tonight. The Switchback’s wheels actually look cool up close – reminds me of old cragar wheels. The CVO Road Glide is sweet – it drew the biggest crowd.
I feel like Charlie Brown, each year waiting for something new, believing it is really possible, and then each year I’m greeted with a few fenders switched around or an option made standard. There was a boom decade when this strategy worked and everyone wanted exactly what Harley produced. I don’t think fortuitous decades like that last forever. Instead of ordering the marketing department to go out and find new groups to sell the same products to, couldn’t one year we wake up the product development engineers, if any survived the cuts, and make some new models to interest the riders of other brands? The Europeans sense that the Japanese are in trouble and Triumph, Ducati, and BMW are coming out with completely new bikes each year and pushing for market share. Harley could turn itself into a large company with a little imagination. They seem determined to try and force the world into their niche instead of expanding their brand into others. The very quick decline of Softail sales shows the danger in this strategy. Fashions change. At the very least, the Motor Company should invest in some “continuous improvement” and improve four or five parts each model year: a more narrow transmission, more plush suspension, lighter wheels, quieter valve train, etc. I don’t want Harley to go the way of Detroit and become simply a marketing company. We need some engineering as well. I feel our country is falling behind.
i llove my 80 wide glide and i sure would not buy a switchback
I like the Switchback and would probably buy one.
But I would still want to ride my old Shovelhead more:)
I like the look and idea of the Switchback but the Dyna chassis doesn’t control vibration half as well as the dresser/FXR-style chassis, especially the 2009 and later one. Plus it would work a lot better at 618 lbs not 718 lbs. Wheels look good.
HD keeps improving!
The switchback is a touring dyna but I liked the old fxdxt t-sport that was a SPORT touring dyna. It was extremely popular so of course harley stopped making them.
I like the switchback, but won’t want one til I can pick up one used in 3-4 years. I agree with CF29 on the custom thing. My Dyna wasn’t customized because it had a bunch of bolt on chrome, it was personalized and nothing more. If you can buy it and bolt it on, it’s not custom. “custom” has been whitewashed by the motor company into a label more than a description