Perhaps maybe some of you noticed this already, but usually information about the upcoming model year isn't available on the HD website until after the dealer show. Unless the event has already taken place, Harley updated their website earlier than usual. Anyway as I was searching the website, I noticed the link for the 2012 motorcycles which lists all the models. I was surprised to find that there are no SOFTAIL, DYNA or VRSC models listed. NONE! So that eliminates over half of the entire HD lineup. Now there appears to only be Touring, Sportster and Trike based models. I would expect HD to drop a couple of the less popular models, but iconic models like the Heritage Softail or the popular Deluxe or the Dyna Wide Glide have become HD staples and I find it hard to understand why they would discontinue those models, unless the MoCo is worried about market saturation or resale values.

Just thought I'd pass it on in case you guys missed it.

 

The bikes you mentioned are having a late release. HD would not discontinue half their model lineup.

 

ha. bad reading comprehension is bad.

 

The rest of the release is July 20th I think.

 

nah... no reading, just looking at pictures.

 

Yep...the 20th.


They seem to have discontinued about half the colors though. I don't know if that is tsunami related.

 

Well that would certainly make more sense. I didn't read all of the content, so if there's an announcement about a late model year release, I must have missed it. The thought did occur to me after starting this thread, that perhaps HD is trying to sell through existing inventories. Since they still list 2010 models on their website and there are dealers with excess inventories, maybe they decided to discontinue or release late the models where they maintain the highest inventories. Honda did that with their Goldwing model for a year or two as I recall. So maybe that's the same strategy HD is using here.

 

Yup.........old news and not a good reporting of it. Nice try though.

 

Good grief..

Select 2012 Harley-Davidson®
motorcycles are now available
at your local dealer.
The full 2012 lineup launches on July 20th,
but select new Sportster,® Touring and
Trike models are arriving at
dealerships now.

 

^ +1

What the MoCo did was have an *early* release of some of their top-sellers.

The rest will come in their own time, i.e. the normal time.

I don't get too excited about the new models each year anymore. HD basically makes 5 bikes, in different option-packages, and they just change 'em up slightly each year. But I'm sure there are those who can't wait to get a "merlot" colored Ultra.

(Actually, that color looks good in the sun. But why not just call it burgundy? Not the favored wine for the whining cork-sniffers? Merlot....wtf.)