Harley-Davidson had some surprising news for us today: the boys in Milwaukee have decided to revive the Topper, the only scooter ever manufactured by the mythical American firm. The idea behind this decision is to offer novices a user-friendly alternative to the traditional hog.

Photomontage: Moto123.com

Set to hit dealerships worldwide in 2012, the scooter will be a modern affair, sporting a 250-cc, 4-stroke, DOHC, single-cylinder mill mated to a continuously variable transmission.

Those are the only specs available at the moment. H-D should be presenting the scooter publicly before the end of the year.

Powered by a 165-cc, single-cylinder engine, the Topper was around from 1960 to 1965, taking on the likes of Vespa and Lambretta models. Unfortunately, disappointing sales figures (less than 3,800 units sold) eventually forced H-D to drop the product.

Although it sported the Harley-Davidson badge, the only things it had in common with the iconic bikes were the speedometer and handbrake.