HD Models

H-D has 5 frame types ...

FL frame for all the touring bikes

FXS frame for all the softails (including the Heritage), characterized by hidden rear shocks to give a hardtail look.

FXD frame for all the Dynas (minor differences at the neck angle for the Wide Glide)

XL frame for the Sportsters

VR hydroformed frame for the V-Rods

Just more detail re: the above correct information

YNA Glide
FX: Superglide, Kick start
FXB: Sturgis Belt (80,81&82)
FXD: Dyna Super Glide
FXDB: Dyna Sturgis (1991)
FXDC: Dyna Super Glide Custom
FXDG: Dyna Glide/Sturgis
FXDL: Dyna Low Rider
FXDS-CON: Dyna Convertible
FXDWG: Dyna Wide Glide
FXDX: Dyna Super Glide Sport
FXDXT: Super Glide T-Sport
FXE: Superglide Electric Start
FXEF: Fatbob
FXLR: FX Lower Rider/Evolution
FXR: Rubber Mount Super Glide
FXRDG - Disc Glide
FXRP - Police or pursuit - Defender
FXRS: FXR Sport
FXRS-CON: FXR Sport Convertible
FXRS-SP: Low Rider Sport Edition
FXRT: FXR Touring
FXS: Low Rider/Shovelhead
FXSB: Low Rider Belt

Softail
FXST: Softail Standard
FXSTB: Night Train
FXSTBI: Night Train EFI
FXSTC: Softail Custom
FXSTD: Softail Deuce
FXSTS: Springer Softail
FXWG: Wide Glide
FLST: Heritage Softail
FLSTC: Heritage Classic
FLSTF: Fat Boy
FLSTFI: 15th anniversary Fat Boy
FLSTN: Nostalgia and 2005 Softail Deluxe
FLSTS: Heritage Springer
FLSTSC: Springer Softail Classic

Touring
FL: 4-Speed Dresser
FLH: 4-Speed Electra Glide
FLHS: FLT with windshield and less goodies S = Sport
FLHPI: Road King police model
FLHR: Road King
FLHRCI: Road King Classic
FLHS: Electra Glide Sport
FLHT: Electra Glide Standard
FLHTC: Electra Glide Classic
FLHTCSE: Screamin Eagle Electra Glide
FLHTPI: Electra glide police model
FLHTCUI: Ultra Classic Electra Glide
FLT: Rubber Mount Dresser
FLTC: Rubber Mount Dresser Classic
FLTCU: Rubber Mount Dresser Classic Ultra
FLTR: Road Glide
FLTRI: Road Glide EFI
FLTRSEI: Screamin Eagle Road Glide


VRSC (V-TWIN Racing Street Custom)
VRSC CVO: 1250cc adds 14 percent more displacement and only 9 pounds than the standard VRSC
VRSCA:
1st model of the V-ROD family.
VRSCB: Same as VRSCA except: Adjustable tubular handlebars, minimalist instrumentation, black painted frame, calipers, hand controls, shock springs and engine highlights.
VRSCR: Roadster-inspired street rod.

Sportsters:
XL: Sportster 883
XL883: Sportster Hugger
XL883C: Sportster 883 Custom
XL 883L: Sportster (specifically designed to fit smaller riders)
XL883R: Dirt track-inspired
XL1100: Sportster 1100
XL1200: Sportster 1200
XL1200C: Sportster 1200 Custom
XL1200R: 1200 Roadster
XL1200S: Sportster 1200 Sport
XLCH: 4-Speed Sportster, Kick start
XLCR: Cafe Racer 1000
XLH: Sportster 883
XLH883: Sportster 883 Hugger
XLH883R: Sportster 883R
XLH1200: 1200
XLH1200S: Sport
XLS: 4-Speed Sportster Roadster
XLX: 4-Speed 1000cc Ironhead
XR1000: XLH with XLR Heads (XR750 heads - completely different)

X - Sportsters. These descend from the K series, 1952-56
XL- Series started in 1957. They are "unit construction" (engine & transmission share a common case).
L - High compression (7.5:1 in 1957).
H - Starting in 1958 came the XLH, meaning Higher-power or High-compression (9:1) or Hot .
C - Also in 1958 was the XLCH. The C was intended to mean "Competition".
CR- Cafe racer style, with bikini fairing.
LT- Touring, with bigger tank, thicker seat, and hard bags.


The first letter of the model designator reveals the engine series:

First character:
G
- Servicar three wheeler, 1937 to 1972
E - Overhead valve 61 cubic inch "big twin" (Engine/trans separated)
F - Overhead valve 74,80 or 88 cubic inch "big twin"
FL - 80 to 88 cubic inches and a fat front tire. (Also 74" 1941-82)
K - Side valve 45 and 55 cubic inch sports bike that replaced the WL in
1953 and was replaced by the Sportster in 1957. It had many design
features that were carried over to the Sportster.
U - Side valve 74 or 80 cubic inch "big twin"
V - Side valve 74 cubic inch 1930-36. (Also 1935-36 VLH, VHS 80)
W - Side valve 45 cubic inch made 1937 to 1952
X - Sports and special construction. Applied to 1918-1922 opposed twin
Sport, 1944 military opposed twin, and 1957 to present Sportster.

The second letter of the model designator reveals the Front end (except sportsters):

X - Narrow tire and sport forks.
L - Wide front tire and Hydra-Glide front forks.

(FX originally meant "Factory Expirimantal" The first one was the Super Glide FX)
The third letter of the model designator reveals the frame style:

D - "Dyna" frame (with the rubber mounted motor)
HT - "Highway Touring" frame
ST - "Softail" frame


The next letter(s) indicates the model bike within the frame family:

A - Military (Army) version (except GA, Servicar without tow bar)
B - Battery start (early models), Belt drive (early 80's) Black paint.(1995-6 model, the Bad Boy)
C - Classic, Competition, Custom, various others meanings.
D - Dyna, the newest frame and engine mount design.
DG - Disc Glide
E - Electric start
F - Foot shift (when the standard was hand-shift) and now "Fat Boy®"
H - varied between High performance, hand shift and Heavy duty.
I - Signifies Fuel Injection.
L - Big fat front tire
LR- Low Rider (though many Low Riders don't include LR in the model ID)
N - Nostalgia
P - Police version
R - Rubber mounted engine (some models) racing version (other models)
ST- Soft Tail
S - Springer
S - (without following T) Sports version
T - Touring
WG - Wide Glide
X - Sportster or sportster-type front end and Skinny front tire.


Tony

John Deppong, all those letters and their meaning can make you go blind when you're new. You asked a simple question, let me try to answer simply.

H-D basically makes 4 frames or platforms: sportster, softail, v-rod and the rubber mount frame shared by the dynas and tourers. Sportsters, dynas and tourers all have external shocks. Softails have hidden shocks beneath the bikes. Font ends differ among the models and within models. All stock sportster models share a set of narrow front forks with a slim front tire and are all prefixed with XL. Dynas, except the wide glide have a (now) "thicker" but narrow set of front forks and a narrow front tire. The dyna wide glide has more widely spread forks, hence wide glide. Dynas are all prefixed with FXD. Softails are all over the place in the front end (and now the rear end too!). Some have a narrow front tire and dyna style front forks, the "FXST" softails. Some have fat front tires and fat forks like the tourers, the "FLST" softails. And two softails have springer front ends. There are more softail models than there are rats in East St. Louis sewers. Tourers all have fat front tires and fat forks and are all prefixed with FL (glides and kings). While glides and kings look different from one another, that's a matter of "dressing."

Lefty
'05 FLSTFI (Jolene)