In its 120-plus-year history, Harley-Davidson has created hundreds of motorcycle types, styles, and models. There are several ways to identify a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, including frame types, model families, and model codes.
Harley-Davidson discontinued using the Dyna frame in favor of the softtail frame in the 2017 model year. That change was controversial then and remains so today. Frame types are most relevant when referring to older bikes or shopping for a used bike. The exception is when the subject is softail versus touring frames, but that conversation is often about the speed and handling of the former and greater comfort and distances covered with the latter.
Identifying Harley-Davidson motorcycles by their family names applies to current models but is not always helpful when referring to older bikes. Fortunately, Harley-Davidson’s model code system is valid for new and used motorcycles because the codes cover
See below for more about Harley-Davidson frame types, model families, and model codes. I include model codes in the frame types and model families sections to demonstrate their usefulness.
Harley-Davidson frame types
Dyna frame
Harley-Davidson’s Dyna frame motorcycles were popular with enthusiasts because they had lines similar to hardtail
Softail frame
The Softail frame, so-called because it softened the harsh ride of traditional hardtail motorcycles, became the standard for Harley-Davidson cruisers, sport, and adventure-style
Highway/Touring frame
Harley-Davidson’s highway/touring frame defines itself by its purpose. The touring frame is broader and heavier than a Softail frame. If Softail bikes are built for speed, high/touring frames are built to put on many miles with rider and passenger comfort. Compared to the Softail models, Harley-Davidson motorcycles with a highway/touring frame support broader and softer seats, have more lighting, greater storage capability, and typically come with a fairing and windshield.
2024 Harley-Davidson model families
The five Harley-Davidson model families in this section are the current family names. The models below don’t include the two electric models from Livewire, which are now a separate company. This list also doesn’t include special collections such as CVO models or Icons, as those are special cases and not essential for model identification.
Sport models
The three models in the Sport family are Harley-Davidson’s entry-level motorcycles. These relatively affordable bikes are often gateway models for riders who later buy a larger, faster, or more comfortable model suitable for touring.
The 2024 Harley Davidson Sport family models are:
- RH1250S Sportster S
- RH975 Nightster
- RH975S Nightster Special
Adventure Touring models
The Pan America 250 Special is a dual-purpose motorcycle for riders who want to travel both on and off-road.
- RA1250S Pan America 1250 Special
Cruisers
Harley-Davidson cruisers are often the choice of a rider who starts with a Sportster or Sport family bike and decides to move up to a bike that is faster, more stylish, and more comfortable for the rider and possibly a passenger. Cruisers can be outfitted with windshields and bags, but they’re not the best choice for frequent or lengthy trips.
For 2024, the Harley Davidson Cruiser family models are:
- FXST Softail Standard
- FXBR Breakout
- FLFBS Fat Boy 114
- FLHCS Heritage Classic 114
- FXLRS Low Rider S
- FXBBS Street Bob 114
- FXLRST Low Rider ST
Grand American Touring models
The Grand American Touring model family contains Harley-Davidsons that can travel hundreds of miles a day without wearing out the rider. These larger, heavier motorcycles are not only more comfortable and capable of carrying more cargo, but their extra weight helps them be more stable on highways, where they’re less susceptible to turbulent weather or pressure gusts of air from fast commercial trailer trucks.
The d2024 Harley Davidson Grand American Touring family models include:
- FLHX Street Glide
- FLTRX Road Glide
- FLTRK Road Glide Limited
- FLHRXS Road King Special
- FLHTK Ultra Limited
Trikes
Harley-Davidson Trikes are, well, trikes. The stereotypical character of a Trike owner is an older rider who is tired of the extra effort required to balance a large two-wheeler at stops and while traveling. Other riders who don’t fit the stereotype often prefer the Trikes’ extra comfort and storage capacity.
This year’s Trikes include:
- FLRT Freewheeler
- FLHTCUTG Tri Glide Ultra
- FLTRT Road Glide 3
Harley-Davidson model codes
To keep track of the variety of Harley-Davidson frames, engines, suspension, and tires, Harley-Davidson devised a three-letter coding system to identify its motorcycles. The codes apply to most, but not all, Harley-Davidson models manufactured since the 1930s.
Model codes have up to eight letters, often using the fourth and following letters to indicate a variant within a model family. The first three letters are the most significant.
For example, the following codes apply to current Harley-Davidson models:
FLHX: Street Glide
FLHR: Road King
FXDL: Dyna Low Rider
FXDB: Dyna Street Bob
There are exceptions to Harley-Davidson’s three-letter model coding. For example, the letter code for the relatively lightweight Sportster family is XL, usually followed by the engine size in cubic inches, often with a final letter to indicate a specific style.
The code for the Harley V-Rod series is VRSC, usually with one or two additional letters that identify a distinct type or feature.
There will continue to be more exceptions as Harley-Davidson changes motorcycle designs and adds additional types of bikes.
The following classic guide for model codes omits most of the letters that designated earlier engine series.
First letter codes: Engine
The first letter in model codes refers to the motorcycle’s engine.
F: Overhead cam big twin – this is the most common first letter in the model codes
R: Revolution engine
Second letter codes: Front end
The second letter in model codes traditionally referred to the relative size of a bike’s front end.
L: A wider front end, including a wider front tire and larger front forks.
X: A smaller front end with a more narrow tire and shocks.
Third (and sometimes fourth) letter codes: Frame type
The third letter in model codes refers to the motorcycle’s frame and, as noted earlier, is particularly useful for identifying older models.
H or T: These letters refer to the larger, wider, and heafier highway and touring frames.
ST: The Softail frame
D: The now-discontinued Dyna frame.
