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Example: 1HD1AAK11BYO13478
The frame number is broken
down like this:
1 HD 1 AA K 1 1 B Y 013278
1 = Made in U.S.A.
HD = Harley Davidson
1 = Weight Class
1 = Heavyweight
4 = Lightweight
8 = Sidecar
AA = Model Designation
K = Engine Displacement
K = 1340 Shovelhead
H = 1000 Ironhead XL
L = 1340 Evolution
M = 883 Evolution XL
N = 1100 Evolution XL
P = 1200 Evolution XL
1 = Introdution Date
1 = Regular Introdution
2 = Mid-Year (January)
3 = California Special
4 = Daytona (March)
1 = Check Digit
B = Model Year
B = 1981 C = 1982
D = 1983 E = 1984
F = 1985 G = 1986
H = 1987 J = 1988
K = 1989 L = 1990
M = 1991 N = 1992
P = 1993 R = 1994
S = 1995 T = 1996
U = 1997
Y = Plant of Manufacture (York, PA)
T = Plant of Manufacture (Tomahawk, WI)
J = Plant of Manufacture (Milwaukee, WI)
013278 = Sequential Number
FL/FX Models
AA FLH - 80
AB FLHP - 80 Chain
AC FLH - 80 Shrine Chain
AD FLH - Classic
AG FLH - Classic w/ sidecar
AH FLHP - 80 Belt Deluxe
AJ FLH - 80 Heritage
AK FLHS - 80
AL FLH - 80 Shrine Belt
BA FXE - 80
BB FXEF - 80
BC FXS - 80
BD FXB - 80
BE FXWG - 80
BF FXSB - 80
BG FXDG
BH FXST
BJ FLST/FLSTC
BK FXSTC
BL FXSTS
BM FLSTF
BN FLSTN
BP FXSTSB
FLT/FXR Police Models
DA FLHTP - Windshield 1984 and later
DF FLHTP - Fairing
ED FXRP - Windshield
EF FXRP - Fairing
EK FXRP - C.H.P.
AE 1981 FLT
AF 1981 FLTC
DA FLT 1982 and 1983 only
DB FLTC
DC FLHT
DD FLHTC
DE FLHTC w/ Sidecar
DG FLHTC Shrine
DH FLTC w/Sidecar
DJ FLHTC 1986 - present
DK FLTC Shrine
DM FLTCU - Ultra
DN FLTCU - Ultra w/Sidecar
DP FLHTCU - Ultra
DR FLHTCU - Ultra w/Sidecar
DS FLTCU - Ultra Shrine
DT FLHTCU - Ultra Shrine
EA FXR
EB FXRS
EC FXRT
EE FXRDG
EG FXRS-SP Sport Edition
EH FXRD
EJ FXRC
EL FXLR
EM FXRS - CON
FA FLHS
FB FLHR-I Injected
FC FLHTCU-I Injected
FD FLHR
FE FLTCU-I Injected
FF FLHTC-I Injected
Dyna Glides
GA FXDB-D Daytona
GB FXDB-S Sturgis
GC FXDC
GD FXDL
GE FXDWG
GG FXDS-CON
GH FXD
XL Models
CA XLH
XLH 1000cc 1981 - 1985
XLH 883 1986 - 1987
XLH 883 Deluxe
XLH 1100
XLH 883 1988 - present
XLH 1200
CB XLS 1981 - 1985
CC XLX 1981 - 1985
CD XR-1000, 1983 - 1985
CE XLH 883 Hugger 1987 -
present
CF XLH 883 Deluxe 1988 - present
CG XLH 1200 Custom
CH XLH 1200 Sport
Sidecars
SA CLE Purchased w/FLH
SD CLE Purchased w/FLH
SE CLE Separate
SF TLE Purchased
w/FLTC/FLHTC
SG TLE Separate
SH CLE Purchased w/FLHX
GX TLE
HX RLE
KX TLE Ultra
Motorcycle Serial Numbers
Vehicle Identification Number (V.I.N.) is located on the
engine crankcase and is the same as the number located on
frame steering head.
Example: 1A 13478 H7
1A = Model Designation
1A = FL-1200 6E = FXEF-80
2A = FLH-1200 7E = FLHS-1200
3A = XLH-1000 9E = SS-250
4A = XLCH-1000 2F = FXS-1200
5A = GE-750 3F = SXT-125
6A = SS-350 Sprint 4F = SS-175
7A = SX-125 6F = SS-125
8A = M65-S 7F = XLCR-1000
7B = ERS 2G = XLT-1000
8B = MSR-100 3G = FLH-80
2C = FX-1200 5G = FLT-80
3C = SX-350 Sprint 6G = FXE-80
5C = MC-65 7G = FXS-80
6C = SR-100 9G = FXWG-80
1D = LE Sidecar 1H = FXB-80
2D = X-90 2H = CLE Sidecar
3D = Z-90 3H = FLH-80 Classsic
5D = SX-175 5H = FLHS-80
6D = SX-250 6H = FL-80
7D = MX-250 7H = FLH-1200 Police
9D = FXE-1200 8H = FLH-1200 Shrine
4E = XLS-1000 9H = FLH-80 Police
5E = FXEF-1200 1K = FLH-80 Shrine
13478 = Sequential Number
H = Decade Code
H = 1970 thru 1979
J = 1980 only
7 = Model Season
0 = 1970
1 = 1971
2 = 1972
3 = 1973
4 = 1974
5 = 1975
6 = 1976
7 = 1977
8 = 1978
9 = 1979
Crankcase Identification Numbers
Numbers located on both left and right crankcase halves.
Big Twin: Left Case - Outside, Lower Front
Right Case - Inside, Gearcase Compartment
XL Models: Left Case - Inside, Primary Compartment
Right Case - Outside, Near Oil Pump
Stamped at Capitol Drive Facility
Used to identify engine and track production changes
Example: 1588 321 007
15 = Engine Designation
1 = 1200cc Shovelhead
7 = 1000cc Iron XL
14 = 1340cc Shovelhead
15 = 1340cc Evolution
16 = XR-1000
17 = 883cc Evolution XL
18 = 1100cc Evolution XL
19 = 1200cc Evolution XL
20 = 1340cc Evolution, California (1988 - *)
21 = 883cc Evolution XL, California (1988 - *)
22 = 1200cc Evolution XL, California (1988 - *)
88 = Model Year
321 = Day of Production
001 = Jan. 1st 182 = Jul. 1st
032 = Feb. 1st 213 = Aug. 1st
060 = Mar. 1st 244 = Sep. 1st
091 = Apr. 1st 274 = Oct. 1st
121 = May 1st 305 = Nov. 1st
152 = Jun. 1st 335 = Dec. 1st
007 = Number That Day
First character:
G - Servicar three wheeler, 1932 to 1972
E - Overhead valve 61 cubic inch "big twin" (Engine/trans separated)
F - Overhead valve 74 or 80 cubic inch "big twin"
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.
There were others, such as the J series (a very nice looking bike that was about the hottest thing around in the 20's) but
you're not likely to see them in daily use anymore.
Second character:
L - high compression. Omitted on low compression early models, and not indicative of compression on current models.
Remaning characters:
Model descriptions, eg WG - Wide Glide. Some generalizations:
A - Military (Army) version (except GA, Servicar without tow bar)
B - Battery start (early models), Belt drive (some later models).
C - Classic, Competition, Custom, various others meanings.
D - Dyna, the newest frame and engine mount design.
E - Electric start
F - Foot shift (when the standard was hand-shift)
H - varied between High performance and Heavy duty. The early FLH for
example produced 5 more HP than the FL and was used primarily for
touring and sidecar applications.
LR- Low Rider (though many Low Riders don't include LR in the model ID)
P - Police version
R - Rubber mounted engine (some models) racing version (other models) e.g.
the FXR is a lowrider with rubber mounted engine, WLR is the flat
track racer that was very hard to beat in the 30's, 40's, and 50's.
ST- Soft Tail
S - (without following T) Sports version eg FLHS is an FLHT without the
touring package.
T - Touring
WG- Wide Glide
Sportsters: Models beginning with X are Sportsters. These descend from the K series, 1952-56. The XL series started in
1957. They are "unit construction" (engine & transmission share a common case). X was in the normal series, following the U
and V used for flathead Big Twins. L stood for high compression (7.5:1 in 1957). In 1958 came the XLH with H meaning
Higher-power or High-compression (9:1) or Hot. Also in 1958 was the XLCH: The C in XLCH was intended to mean
"Competition", but the late Hal Robinson used to claim the CH on his bike stood for "Charley Horse" because it was highly
modified and had enough initial ignition advance to kick back rather severely.
The Sportster engines were originally actually 53.9ci. (883cc) but were designated as 55ci. This was upgraded (in 1970?) to
61ci (1000cc), redesigned in '73 but still 61" and stayed relatively unchanged untill the 74" evo version. The 883 and 61" were
both produced the first year of the 883. Options for Sportsters abounded but these same letters have been used since 1958 in
various combinations, plus the XLCR (a "cafe racer" style, with bikini fairing) and the XLT (Touring, with bigger tank, thicker
seat, and hard bags straight off the FLHS), both produced 1977-1978 only.
Big Twins: Models beginning with F are Big Twins. These all descend from the 61E in 1936. Knuckleheads 1936-47,
Panheads 1948-65, Shovelheads 1966-84/85, and Evolutions 1984/5-present. The Evolution (block head) was introduced in
'84 on the Soft Tail and Tourglide Ultra, with the last Shovel built in mid '85. Until 1978, these were mostly 74's (~1200cc). In
1978, the 80ci (~1340cc) was introduced.
In 1971 was the first FX model, with an F engine and assorted Sportster (X) parts, notably forks - these were initially Super
Glides. In 1974, FXE was Electric start. In calendar 1977 came the FXS Low Rider, with shortened shocks and scooped
seating position. Also in 1978, the FX Super Glides got belt final drive. 1979 brought 80ci Shovelheads and the FXEF Super
Glide Fat Bob (not Boy), for bobbed fenders and fat tank. In 1980, FXWG (Wide Glide) andthe FXB Sturgis with belt drive
(primary and secondary).
1984 brought the Softtail FXST, with the look of an old hardtail but some suspension for comfort.
In 1991 came the FXD Dyna Glide series, starting with another Sturgis model. This brought many frame and engine mounting
changes, a relocated oil tank and moved crossover pipe.
Touring: In 1980, the FLT designation was introduced for the Tour Glide. This model introduced the vibration-isolation
mounted engine (rubberglide) and also a slightly different frame from other FLs and a fixed fairing. FXR (originally called
Super Glide II) arrived in late 1981. The R had rubbermount engine and 5-speed tranny, as opposed to rigid-mount and
4-speed in other models. FXRS maybe meant Sport, with cast wheels and a small sissy bar. The Sport Glide FXRT (Touring)
arrived in 1983, with the fixed fairing and air adjustable anti-dive forks.
The only really reliable letters now are at the beginning of the model: X=Sportster, F=Big Twin, FL=Big Twin with big forks,
FX=Big Twin with Sportster-style (smaller) forks, FXST=Softtail, FXD=Dyna Glide. At times, different models have even
shared the same letter-designation; witness the FLHTC Electra Glide Classic/Ultra Classic Electra Glide in 1993 models.
Excerpts from Unofficial Harley-Davidson Model Designation Description originated but no longer maintained by Carl Paukstis
(carlp@wetleather.com)