Current Generation Harley Motorcycles

1903 saw the birth of Harley Davidson, though the combined efforts of William Harley and Arthur Davidson, along with the help of Henry Melk and Walter Davidson, Arthur Davidson's brother. Famous for their cruiser type bikes, Harley Davidson motorcycles stand as one of the two remaining American mass-produced motorcycle brands, seconded by Victory Motorcycles.

With a long standing role in American history, the "hog" image of Harley motorcycles is among the most prominent sights attributed to the United States, and is an image many riders aim to achieve within their lifetime.

Classic Harley motorcycles boast a V-twin engine, which are positioned side by side on opposite 45 degree angles, forming the letter "V". The sound produced by Harley motorcycles, along with the V-twin engines, are two of the most prominent "looks" attributed to Harley motorcycles, which are commonly referred to as big bikes, choppers or hogs.

Over time since its inception, the motorcycle manufacturer has come up with dozens of motorcycle designs. Here are the five current model designations of Harley motorcycles.

Dyna

Dyna Harley motorcycles are built with big-twin engines. Dyna model designations begin with FXD, like the FXDL Low Rider and FXDWG Wide Glide Harley motorcycles. The transmission in Dyna Harley motorcycles also houses the engine's oil, and the motorcycle can be distinguished from the Sportster, another Harley model designation, from its larger engine size.

Sportster

With XL as the Harley models' designation name, this particular breed of Harley motorcycles are among the fastest of Harley produced motorcycles, with some Sportsters boasting an 833 cc engine. Various generations of Sportster type Harley motorcycles have come about, and stands to be among the most popular of Harley motorcycles.

Softail

Softalil Harley motorcycles utilize Harley's trademark bit-twin engines, and boast Harley Davidson's trademark look as part of its main selling point. They boast the classic Harley motorcycle heritage, and come with optional parts for customers to choose from, depending on their respective wanted looks for their Softail Harley motorcycles.

Touring

Touring Harley motorcycles are also referred to as "dressers" as they are the "most cruiser-looking" for Harley motorcycles, featuring wide rear areas for bags and other items to be loaded on.

Revolution

Revolution Harley motorcycles utilize the Revolution engine, and bears little resemblance to the classic Harley look. This line of Harley motorcycles incorporates liquid cooling technologies, as well as overhead cams and fuel injection systems. Easily identifiable by its 60 degree v-twin engines, the Revolution line of Harley motorcycles are aimed to compete against Japanese musclebikes.

With these five main model designation, there is bound to be one Harley motorcycle ideal for anyone interested in getting his/her own Harley Davidson motorcycle.