2012 HD Dyna Switchback

[nachtflug]

Originally Posted by DAKEZ

^^^ Yup ^^^ We've had 4. The longest one has lasted was two day. (it was raining hard) The next two are already sold. I could have sold 15 if we had them to sell.

ok. now that they've got some miles on them what is the verdict?

[DAKEZ]

Originally Posted by nachtflug

ok. now that they've got some miles on them what is the verdict?

Everyone that has purchased one seems to love it. We have sold 7 so far and just received 5 more. 3 with ABS brakes. I estimate that we lost about 6 or 7 sales due to not having them in stock when people were ready to buy.

It is just now the beginning of buying season here and it will be interesting to see if buyers want ABS on Dyna's

So far we have sold only 6 Dynas with ABS (2012 Model year)

2 FXDF's
2 FLD's (switchback)
1 FXDWG
1 FXDB

[Mattbastard]

How many of the switchback buyers were women?

I'm not trying to start anything, but the last few I've seen had female pilots.

[996DL]

Harley's biggest marketing homerun, since the introduction of the Heritage Classic Softail, back in 1986.

Hopefully it's success will yield variants, double discs up front, available cruise control option...

Without the reversed triple tree setup of the dresser touring chassis,
it really cleans up the front end of the bike.

So strongly reminds me of my old Duo Glides, elegant bike indeed...

996DL

[tenfive0]

Son of a fricking female dog. I want my wife to trade up her FXDXT for one so Ican ride it.

[996DL]

She's got a cult classic already and probably enjoys being able to spank that dresser,
when she lays the hammer down.

996DL

[Geoff3DMN]

I wanted a bike for Weekend trips to get away from the stress not long distance touring. I'm over 50 and my days of riding 1000 miles in a day are 20 years behind me, these days 500 miles is a big day for me and mostly I travel with a credit card and a change of clothes so I don't need a lot of luggage space, mostly it's a lot less distance than that.

I've often thought about a Harley but kids, a house mortgage etc etc meant I've had a succession of budget new bikes (which were mostly reliable but mostly bland) mixed in with 2nd hand European bikes (which were not always reliable but not at all bland). So I wanted something that appealed to me, not just did the job of carrying me from A to B but that wouldn't leave me stranded by the side of the road.

I didn't want a sportster and my budget pretty much restricted me to the 'entry level' big twins from Harley (the Road King/Street Glide are a lot more $) and as a bonus the Switchback fit me perfectly when I sat on it (5 foot 7 and 30" inseam).

I've found that the more years I ride bikes the more it is for me about how I feel about what I'm riding that matters to me and not about how fast I can go or how far I can go or even where I go as long as I go. It's about the journey not the destination as they say.

Maybe the Switchback isn't the best tourer on the market, maybe it's not even the best Harley bagger on the market but it was the bike that made me stop when I looked at it in the showroom and go "Damn I want that' in a way that hasn't happened since I was 20 years old and saving up for my first new motorbike.

So late last week I rang the local Harley dealer and put a deposit on a silver Switchback they had sitting on the shop floor. I got some discounted accessories (I love the 5 spoke Vapor wheels). I reckon they wanted to move it because it's nearly the end of the financial year out here but that's fine with me because I got a good deal.

I'm just waiting for all the paperwork to be sorted out and I expect to be picking it up later this week (I'm keeping my KLR for dirt touring though).

Below is a picture of the bike still sitting in the dealer with some options they fitted (but without the luggage and screen fitted), the single seat is coming off as I want a dual seat. I guess by the way they're selling that there are a few of us who reckon they are a good mix of features at a good price point.

[conchscooter]

Congrats. I think of this bike as a capable tourer but I like to travel light.

[bobw]

Congrats and great choice on the wheels, they really make the lines flow end to end. Well done!

[toyboy]

Been reading all of your comments on the Switchback. I am looking at one now and am interested in all opinions from actual owners etc.

Not worried about image, but curious too about an earlier post: are women the only ones buying these? I like to think not as I was at Americade and seen a few of them there and all were male riders. Again, not that it matters but someone asked and it made me wonder..
Got to demo one and have to say I really liked the way the had the demo set up. "Follow the orange arrows and see you in 20-30 min...." Absolutely a great way to ride one. A little in town, some 2 lane roads and then dumped you onto the interstate for 2 exits and back into town/demo area.
Test road a BMW K1600GT and was bombarded with rules and of course a lead and trail rider etc. More "don'ts" then on a prom night..
Barring that, was more impressed with the Harley than the BMW. Got plenty BMW's, Have had them all and maybe I am just disappointed with BMW's and all of the crap that is failing etc. really don't need a bike that fast, with all that technology that makes you totally dealer dependent. Personal preference I am sure but my 2 cents worth.
I did get the Harley up to 95 miles an hour and have to applaud the stability and overall handling at speeds. Felt like I was doing 65. Went a tad down the road before I realized I had another gear to go. Really felt the vibrations even at lower speeds was negligible and best of all I found that the trans shifter way nicer and less noisy than the BMW. I actually took it out of gear multiple times to neutral and back at a light and it never missed a beat. I think that the quality of the bike has overall improved and really feel it is a winner. I think it will make a great all around local or tourer with ease. I plan on offing one of my RT's (before my final drive fails) and getting one. Cheers

[Lobby]

I test drove this bike at Daytona Bike Week this past March. I really, really liked it. It felt nimble and light, if one can say that about a 700+ lb bike.

Even though a Victory Crossroads / Country is supposed to have more cornering clearance, in practice I didn't find that to be the case. The Switchback has smallish floorboards compared to the Victory's, which I got to scrape a lot.

A few things that interested me:

- MCN listed the alternator as having really low capacity. Somewhere in the 350 watt range. Is this true?

- it's ride by wire throttle control. Therefore it should be possible to install a HD electronic cruise?

- on the HD forums, they're calling this bike the Road Queen

[Clint Taurus]

All you guys looking at them should just quit talkin and thinkin about the bike and go test ride it. I loved my FXDF (fat bob) and would recommend a Dyna to anybody. I prefer the stopping power of dual front discs and rarely used the rear brake . When you decide you just want to ride and not be speed racer knee dragger, check out the HD line. WARNING...DO NOT TEST RIDE A ROAD KING, ask me how I know

[Towjam]

Originally Posted by Lobby

- it's ride by wire throttle control. Therefore it should be possible to install a HD electronic cruise?

It's not throttle-by-wire. Unlike the touring line, the Dynas still use conventional dual-wire throttle control. However, the Dynas do have the more technically advanced canbus electrical system (aka "HDLan").

[Lobby]

"...its ride by wire Delhi sequential port fuel injection..."

MCN 11/2011 p12

[Towjam]

Originally Posted by Lobby

"...its ride by wire Delhi sequential port fuel injection..."

MCN 11/2011 p12

MCN is wrong. Yeah, knock me over with a feather.

The Dyna throttle is not electronic throttle control. It uses analog dual cabling.