From: groh@omicron.cs.fsu.edu (Jim Groh)
Subject: Re: somebody 'splain please
Reply-To: groh@nu.cs.fsu.edu
Organization: Florida State University Computer Science Department
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 92 13:26:19 GMT

In article <2305@devnull.mpd.tandem.com> joe@mpd.tandem.com writes:
>at the risk of being accused of crying wolf, I'll try to ask a serious
>question.
>
>would someone explain to me what all the different Harley designations are
>and what aspect of the bike qualifies it as such?

Forgive him lord, he knows not what he asks for!!!

>
>I know what the 883 sportsters look like, and I can recognize the
>springer, but only because of full page layouts in MC rags. if you
>had a lot full of Harleys I couldn't pick out the FLHT to save my
>life. what is a shovelhead and why? which ones have belts? etc, etc.
>
>-- 
>Joe Senner                                          joe@zx11.cactus.org
>Tandem Computers Inc.                               joe@mpd.tandem.com

Ok Joe, time for a short course in HD Designations.  I will go over 
briefly 92 designations (haven't seen all 93 yet).

First are the designations beginning with an X. These are the sportsters.
There where nine of them in 92.  Two major divisions the XL883 and the
XL1200 based on engine size. the actual designations where
XL883, XL883HUGGER(two models), XL883DLX(two models), XL1200 (3models)
The different models where based on colors. Solid and Candy for the
883's and Solid, Candy and two tone for the 1200's.

The others were the big twin models (1340cc, 80ci.)  They have two
major divisions, The FX??? and the FL,  The difference being the front
end.  The FX?? have the X series front end (i.e. the sporty or sometime
called the narrow glide) while the FL??? is the massive, wideglide front
end.  There were 50 different models of the big twins in 92.  some of 
the particulars are:

    FXR     Narrow front end, Rubber mounted engine
    FXRS    Narrow front end, Rubber Mounted engine, Sport model
    FXRP    Narrow front end, Rubber Mounted engine, Police Version
    FXSTC   Narrow Front end, Soft Tail Rear Suspension, Custom
    FXSTS   Narrow Front end, Soft Tail Rear Suspension, Springer front

    FLSTF   Wide front end, Soft Tail Rear Suspension, FatBoy
    FLHTCULTRA    The ultimate dump truck, Tour Glide Ultra Classic
         (and on and on and on)

Engine Types and nicknames, refers mainly to the big twins.

     Blockhead -  Current Evolution engine, named after the 
                  square appearance of its valve covers. Introduced ~84
                  80 ci.

     ShovelHead   - Identified by its U shaped valve covers, not sure
                    but name was associated with the combustions chamber
                    shape, not sure, have heard conflicting stories.
                    Early 74 ci. late models 80 cu.

     Pan Heads    - Valve covers looked like upside down cake pans.

     KnuckleHeads - Again named after the appearance of its heads.

     Flatheads    - ditto
 
This is just a start, as you get older and more mature, I will tell
you about the D, E, K and J Series motors, two cam motors and the
XR1000.
--
Jim Groh     groh@sig.cs.fsu.edu  | DoD #0356  |   Hog# 0437643 |new  improved
1959 XLH 900  **  1982 FXR  **  1989 XLH 883  **  1990 XLH 1200 | smaller sig
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles.harley