Since I'm new to HDs.. Been trying to study up and familiarize myself with all the bikes. But it's so confusing! Like there is the Softail.. Then sub model (I guess you can say that) there's like the Slim and Fat Boy... Not to mention the FLAKDHCHEKNAI naming convention.

Homework homework. Glad Sportsters are just low 48 72 and customs.

 

Nothing complicated about Harleys at all.

Base model - Dyna, Softail, Sportster, Touring, V-Rod.

The sub models (as you call them) are just variations (different, interchangeable - for the most part, parts) of the base model.

 

I absolutely love it when somebody abbreviates something and only they know what the hell they're referring to. What does FLAKDHCHEKNAI mean ? I'm pretty sure that's not native Hawaiian for motorsickle.

 

Don't forget about the poor ol Street - They never gets any respect.

 

I believe the OP's referring to Harley's alphabet soup model designations.

 

Just keep studying them.....

The core Harley family...
*Sportster....XL
*Dyna...FXD
*Touring...FLH
*Softail...variants with Dyna front end (FXST) and variants with touring front end (FLST)

We'll skip the bastard childs of vrod and street

 

I think it was a joke. He was making fun of HD's naming convention.

 

Dynas are for GO and Softails are for SHOW. Dynas have a rubber mounted motor so they vibrate more like the old fashioned Harley and Softails have a counter-balanced motor so they ride smooth as a Honda. Dynas handle better and have more ground clearance and Softails are more attractive because of their hidden rear shock.

You can easily tell which bike is on what platform because Dynas have two shocks on the rear tire/fender and Softails have no visible rear shock, they are hidden underneath. See below in my picture, that's a Dyna.

Those are the two most popular platforms that people attempt to compare. They both have multiple different models and setups. Decide if you want a Softail or a Dyna, then go to Harley's site and see all of the models associated with that platform and pick one.

 

There is definitely a learning curve. After you get all the current models down, then you have to decipher the old models. Flat heads, knuckle heads, pan heads etc.

 

The Softails are the ones that are easy on the bumps. Everyone knows that.