Harley-Davidson® Categories Explained near Atlanta

If you’re a veteran motorcycle rider, then there’s probably a lot you take for granted. But if you’re new to the scene, there can be a lot to learn, such as which motorcycle categories are available, how those map to the Harley-Davidson®’s families and which style and model in particular are right for you. Falcons Fury Harley-Davidson® is the premier Harley-Davidson® dealership serving Conyers Covington McDonough Loganville Atlanta, and we have a lot of experience helping new enthusiasts learn to ride and get their bearings in other ways. In that spirit, let us provide you a broad overview of the Harley-Davidson® motorcycle categories, what you can expect from them and the popular models contained within.

Motorcycle Categories: The Basics

The industry uses categories to group motorcycles based on their characteristics and target audience. Harley-Davidson® categories, which it calls families, are similar but the similarities extend beyond sharing features to sharing the same platform. All of the motorcycles in Harley-Davidson®’s Grand American Touring family, for instance, are built on the same touring chassis. There are currently five core Harley-Davidson® motorcycle categories: Sport, Cruiser, Adventure Touring, Grand American Touring and Trike. More broadly, there are six basic categories: cruiser, sport, touring, dual purpose, trike and standard.

Cruiser

Cruiser is a style of motorcycle made popular in America and are often associated with the West Coast motorcycle scene of the 1960s. The Harley-Davidson® brand played a pivotal role in making cruisers as popular worldwide as they are, and it remains one of the most important Harley-Davidson® categories. A cruiser, in a nutshell, is a motorcycle designed for enjoyable ride and to look, sound and feel cool. Cruisers are as comfortable around town as they are out on the open road, and there is a lot of room for customization. Some riders prefer minimalistic while others add saddlebags and the like.

Sport

Sport motorcycles are intended to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. These bikes are designed and tuned for acceleration, top-end speed, cornering and braking. This is one of the most competitive spaces in the industry and one that often drives innovation. While this hasn’t traditionally been a motorcycle style one would associate with Harley-Davidson®, that has changed recently. The Sport family is the newest of the Harley-Davidson® motorcycle categories, and the brand has introduced two bikes that blend modern performance with its iconic nature: Nightster and Sportster S.

Touring

Touring motorcycles are designed to be comfortable and maintain rider control when riding for long distances and for long periods at a time. You may have heard the term bagger, which refers to a motorcycle with saddlebags, but the modern full-dress tourer often has much more, including an infotainment system, heated grips, a passenger seat with a backrest and a tour pack. Harley-Davidson® is a leading manufacturer of touring motorcycles, and two of the most popular options available at our location serving Conyers Covington McDonough Loganville Atlanta are the Road Glide and Street Glide.

Dual-Purpose Motorcycles

The traditional dirt bike is designed for off-road performance but is not street legal. A dual-purpose or dual-sport motorcycle is designed to be street legal and for both on- and off-road. An increasingly popular type of dual-purpose motorcycle is the adventure bike, which tend to be heavier and more powerful and provide better on-road performance. It is only recently that available technologies have sported that lofty goal and H-D® has introduced its Pan America model and Adventure Touring family.

Trike

A trike is a three-wheeled motorcycled. Trikes are easier and safer to ride than a traditional motorcycle, and while they were once seen as an option as a rider got older, they are now popular with many different riders of all ages and backgrounds. A trike can either be a cruiser or a tourer. The Harley-Davidson® Freewheeler is an example of a trike cruiser, and the Tri Glide Ultra is a full-dress tourer.

Standard

Standard is a catch-all group, and your definition likely depends on the region you live in and what decade it is. Your basic motorcycle will appeal to a wide range of riders. It will be reasonably affordable and emphasize ergonomics, and it will generally have an engine that delivers midrange performance. Of the motorcycles that are available at Falcons Fury Harley-Davidson®, the cruisers tend to fit the bill. The Softail Standard in particular stands out as affordable, fun to ride and dripping with cool.

Harley-Davidson®

The iconic Harley-Davidson® brand has played an integral role in defining and evolving all of these categories. If you want a minimalistic cruiser that exudes 60s cool, you have that option, but there are also modern touring machines with sophisticated rider assists, state-of-the-art infotainment systems and audiophile-grade sound setups. Harley-Davidson® also builds some of the most powerful and advanced engines available, and there really is something for everyone within these categories.