Welcome to the new eBay Motors|Frequently Asked Questions|Send feedback|Return to the original eBay Motors
eBay MotorsHello! Sign in or register.
aAdvanced Search
 
Reviews & Guides
Harley Davidson letter designators guide
By: thisoldchopper( 811Feedback score is 500 to 999) Top 5000 Reviewer
100 out of 107 people found this guide helpful.
Guide viewed: 9114 times Tags: harley|sportster|dyna|softail|electraglide

 What do all those Harley letter designators mean? !

My ebay listings link

DYNA Glide - FX - Superglide, FXB - Sturgis Belt, FXD - Dyna Super Glide, FXDG - Dyna Glide/Sturgis, FXDL - Dyna Low Rider, FXDS-CON - Dyna Convertible, FXDWG - Dyna Wide Glide, FXDC/I - Dyna Super Glide Custom - fuel Injected, 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, 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 fuel injected, FXSTC - Softail Custom, FXSTD - Softail Deuce, FXSTS - Springer Softail, FLST - Heritage Softail, FLSTC - Heritage Softail Classic, FLSTF - Fat Boy, FLSTN - Nostalgia, FLSTS - Heritage Springer Softail.

Touring FL - FLH - 4-Speed Dresser, FLHS - 4-Speed Electra Glide, FLT with windshield and less goodies S = Sport, FLHR - Road King. FLHRCI - Road King Classic, FLHS- Electra Glide Sport, FLHT - Electra Glide Standard, FLHTC - Electra Glide Classic, FLHTCUI - Electra Glide Ultra Classic, FLT- Rubber Mount Dresser , FLTC - Rubber Mount Dresser Classic, FLTCU - Rubber Mount Dresser Classic Ultra, FLTR - Road Glide, FLTRI - Road Glide w/ Genuine Access, FLTRSEI - Screamin Eagle Road Glide,

VRSC - (V-TWIN Racing Street Custom) , VRSCA: 1st model of the V-ROD family.

Sportsters - XL - 4-Speed Sportster, XL883 - Sportster Hugger, XL883C - Sportster 883 Custom, XL1100 - Sportster 1100, XL1200 - Sportster 1200, XL1200C - Sportster 1200 Custom, XL1200S - Sportster 1200 Sport, XLCH - 4-Speed Sportster, Kick start, XLCR - Cafe Racer 1000, XLH - 4-Speed Sportster, Electric Start, XLH883 - 883 Hugger, XLH1200 - 1200, XLH1200S - Sport, XLS - 4-Speed Sportster Roadster, XLX - 4-Speed 1000cc Ironhead, XR1000 - XLH with XLR Heads.

 

 

Harley Davidson Motorcycle model designator letters are explained below..

 

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:

G - Servicar three wheeler, 1932 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.

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 made prior to 1936

W - Side valve 45 cubic inch made 1934 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 Experimental" 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 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, Softail®

S - Springer

S - (without following T) Sports version

T - Touring

WG - Wide Glide

X - Sportster or sportster-type front end and Skinny front tire


Guide ID: 10000000001932237Guide created: 10/01/06 (updated 09/18/08)

 
Was this guide helpful? Report this guide

Ready to share your knowledge with others? Write a guide

Write a Guide

Share your automotive expertise with the eBay community.

About eBay | Community | Security Center | eBay Toolbar | Buyer Services | Policies | Government Relations | Site Map | Help
© 1995-2008 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. eBay and the eBay logo are among the registered trademarks of eBay Inc. Kelley Blue Book® and Blue Book® are registered trademarks of Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. Other trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. Some automotive images © eVox Productions LLC, all rights reserved. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the eBay User Agreement and Privacy Policy.