First Ride | 2012 Harley-Davidson Dyna Switchback & Night Rod Special

2012 Dyna Switchback
Helmet: AFX FX-95
Jacket: Alpinestars Quantum
Boots: AlpineStars Afrika XCR
Gloves: ICON Super Duty

Harley-Davidson?s 2012 lineup may not have the bang of multiple introductions, but since the firm releases new models year-round, that comes as no surprise. As far as cruisers are concerned, there are still more fresh designs than most companies manage in a single season. The big news for 2012 is the Switchback?H-D?s conception of a light tourer aimed at older, younger, and female riders. The new lineup also includes updates to several other models, including the Night Rod Special and the Fat Boy, both of which I got to ride.

Also huge this year is the fact that just about all the Big Twins get upgraded to the Twin Cam 103 motor. Previously found standard on just the Electra Glide Ultra Limited (but also available as an upgrade option), the bigger mill is now included on all the big bikes except the Dyna Fat Bob and Dyna Super Glide Custom (because those two are regarded as ?entry level? big bikes, which H-D sees as an effective bridge between the Sportster and more expensive offerings).

2012 Dyna Switchback

Retro Switch Hitting

So Harley finally makes a touring cruiser. I know you can argue that in the full swing of the current bagger revolution, Harley not only produced touring cruisers but invented them, but I?m convinced that they simply created custom touring bikes. Unlike most metric bikes, Harley?s baggers are not scaled-up cruisers, but rather scaled-back tourers, based on a heavyweight FLT chassis that has its roots in the early 1980s.

The Switchback (despite its modern-sounding name) is a true throwback. Harking back to the 70s, this Dyna Glide-based bike takes both its styling cues and touring amenities from the decade of bell-bottoms and stagflation. Back then, bikes were just starting to specialize into dirt, street, sport, etc, so a touring bike was a standard road bike you outfitted for touring. By taking their middle-of-the-road Dyna chassis, and adding a windshield and hard bags, Harley?s done just what Harley did back then with their catch-all FL Big Twin chassis.

While the Heritage Softail was designed to remind us of 1950s hardtail touring rigs, the Switchback goes next-generation in the retro-bike alternate universe, proudly displaying chrome-covered shocks in front of its hard bags, and sporting a smaller version of the large touring shield that H-D has used for decades. Though the Switchback shares considerable styling cues with the larger Harley touring machines, it?s mostly window dressing. The enclosed front headlight nacelle has a family resemblance to the one on the Road King, but unlike the larger bike?s vertical split, this one splits along the side to give the rider an uninterrupted reflection of the sky.

Like the Heritage, the FLD is pretty light on actual touring amenities. Just the shield and locking bags are the main additions to a run-of-the-mill Dyna Glide, though there is a new-to-Dyna display to jazz up the cockpit. The switchgear and display, now standard on Softail and Dyna models, will scroll through RPM/gear, clock, two tripmeters, odometer, and fuel level, on the opposite side of the starter button...unlike the old days where you had to hunt around for a button on the gauge itself. ABS and a passive security system are now bundled as a $1200 option on all Dynas, and are obviously desirable add-ons for a touring bike. ABS is stashed in a nondescript box beneath the right side cover (as on all Dynas so equipped).

Unlike the pricier Road King ($1500 extra), the FLD will fit a wider variety of riders, who may not be into the heft (over 100 lbs more) of the Road King. Besides the lighter-weight chassis, extensive use of aluminum throughout helps tip the scales a little less. The luggage, though of a similar design to the ?King?s, is about 25 percent smaller, both in volume and weight capacity. Harley says market research led them to believe that the Switchback will appeal to riders looking for less bike than a touring Harley, as well as those that are more economy-minded. We?re fully on board with the first, but the economics of picking a less-capable bike for not even $2000 less don?t seem to add up.

Source: http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/features/1112_crup_2012_harley_davidson_dyna_switchback_and_night_rod_special/index.html

harley davidson kawasaki suzuki honda yamaha