Early 2012 model news coming in points to an upgrade to Harley's Softail family for 2012 with a new 103-inch - TC103B - engine across the board, as will a couple of the Dyna models. 

The Softail range will comprise the 'yet-to-make-an-impact' Blackline, ever popular Fat Boy and Fat Boy Low - which we'll take as being a Fat Boy Special in the UK - the evergreen Heritage Softail Classic and the recently reintroduced Softail Deluxe. As previously mentioned, the Cross Bones and Rocker C have not been carried over.

On the Dyna front, both the Wide Glide and Fat Bob get a TC103 engine while the Street Bob and Super Glide Custom stick with the TC96 for the time being. The BIG news, though is a new model: the Switchback.

Well, we assume it's a Dyna because it is listed with the Fat Bob and Wide Glide but that could be a red herring: there's no model designation offered so it could be a new Softail. One thing is for certain, which is that it will be a convertible, and the FXR/FXD range has a history of convertibles.

The Sportster range looks like it will be short of an 883, with the 883R not showing for 2012 unless there's a form that hasn't been filed yet, but otherwise continues as 2011 - colour notwitstanding.

There will also be an Anniversary V-Rod - in the form of a Night Rod Special Anniversary Edition, to celebrate 10 years of the watercooled motor - which will run alongside the Muscle and the regular Night Rod Special.

And in the Touring family, the Road Glide will be replaced by a Road Glide Custom, and we think it's about time that Harley reintroduced the Road Glide here - even if it's in limited numbers - because there's just a chance that its time has finally arrived: we're more willing to accept a bagger without a Batwing, and the Vision is just so much better than the Ultra in the long haul stakes, and we reckon that's because of the frame-mounted screen.

The 110-inch CVO models for 2012 will comprise the Softail Convertible, Road Glide Custom, Street Glide and Ultra Classic Electra Glide.

More as we get it!

Amanda is still laughing ...