Looking to find out more about Harley-Davidson, RVs, ATVs, and all the other items that you’ll typically find for sale on a Dealer Spike website? You’re in luck! This doc will help to define all of these terms for you so that you won’t need to spend hours trying to figure out just what the difference between a fifth wheel and a travel trailer is!

Motorcycles

A motorcycle is a two-wheeled vehicle that is powered by, you guessed it, a motor! If you needed this one defined for you, this might be a rough read…

Harley-Davidson:

Harley Davidson is one of the biggest and most well known American motorcycle manufacturers. Harley-Davidson was founded in 1903 and will provide the bulk of the biking related work that you’ll do on our websites. Their motorcycles can be categorized by family, model, and category.

HD Categories:

Categories are the broadest descriptive factor for HD motorcycles. These describe the category of the bike. Some families can fit into multiple categories. Some families are also a category in their own (Trike).

Cruiser

Description: A cruiser is a motorcycle in the style of American bikes from the 1930s to the early 1960s, including those made by Harley-Davidson, Indian, Excelsior, and Henderson. The riding position usually places the feet forward and the hands up, with the spine erect or leaning back slightly. Built for cruising the streets.

Families in the Cruiser Category:

Softail®, Street®, Sportster®, CVO™, Dyna®, and V-Rod®

Touring

Description: A touring motorcycle is a type of motorcycle that boasts long-distance capabilities and comfort so that riders can go on long rides or road trips. Many have built-in seating for more support as well as storage options. Riders sit in what is called an ergonomic riding position with arms raised high on the outstretched handlebars.

Families in the Touring Category:

CVO™, Softail®, and Touring®

Trike

A trike is a three-wheeled motorcycle, and easily one of the most unique vehicles you’ll see on our websites. They typically market to the older crowd with their enhanced comfort features and extra passenger seating, and are easier on riders as they have much greater stability. They don’t need to be held up as the three-wheel design takes care of that. They offer many of the same benefits of touring bikes! Even though this is the Harley section, we’ll break down all the types of trikes here.

Can-Am Spyder: The Can-Am Spyder is the sportiest option among the traditional trike motorcycles, and boasts better safety features and easier controls than a normal motorcycle.

-In 2019 Can-Am began selling the Ryker, a larger trike model with a Spyder-like frame.

Harley-Davidson Tri Glide: The Tri-Glide is definitely made for an older crowd, as it looks like a geriatric version of the Electra Glide. This bike retains most of the traditional Harley style and offers many of the same features as their touring lineup.

Polaris Slingshot: If you thought a trike was weird, the Polaris Slingshot takes it one step further. These vehicles feature side-by-side seating, a steering wheel and a look that is more reminiscent of an open-air car. While these may not be classified directly with motorcycles, they are often called trikes since they operate on just three wheels. (Think Batmobile and you’ve got a good idea on these guys!)

Sport

Description: A sport bike is a motorcycle optimized for speed, acceleration, braking, and cornering on paved roads, typically at the expense of comfort and fuel economy in comparison with other motorcycles. These are going to be the most stylish motorcycles as far as colors and sleek finishes.

Families in the Sport Category:

Street®

Standard

Description: A Standard motorcycle is a general-purpose motorcycle used for riding streets and average distances. They are recognized primarily by their upright riding position, partway between the reclining rider posture of the cruisers and the forward leaning sport bikes.

Families in the Standard Category:

Sportster®

HD Families:

HD Families are the next step down from categories in terms of filtering the HD inventory. Each family can belong to one or more category and will have multiple different models. The below information was taken from HD showroom in July 2018. Changes may have been made since then.

Touring

They’re our most mile-devouring bikes. Equipped with more power & control so you can go further in comfort. Times have never been better for those with an appetite for adventure.

-Wait a second! I thought touring was a category, not a family! Well, you’re right! These can definitely be a little confusing.  

Softail

The Softail is one of the most iconic motorcycles in the Harley lineup. These bikes feature a hidden rear suspension system with springs and shock absorbs to give you a softer ride. These bikes are designed to look like the original Softail motorcycles from the 1970s and 80s, with the shock absorbers hidden away beneath a layer of protection (or the exposed interior working of the bike).

Sportster

The Sportster® models deliver a combination of corner-cranking performance and legendary looks that makes you stand out even when you’re sitting down. These bikes began production in 1957 and feature a bit more modern look in their frame.

CVO

Custom Vehicle Operations™. This is where Harley-Davidson® pulls out all the stops & builds machines in limited numbers for those riders who accept nothing less than having it all. These are custom bikes and you won’t typically see a dealership pushing these as much as the other families!

Street

Built specifically to shred the city streets, the Harley-Davidson Street® motorcycles are sleek and nimble with an authentic urban attitude.

Trike

Bikes built the Harley-Davidson® way - only on three wheels. Mile-eating comfort, custom styling, & easy handling. With the torque & sound of the Milwaukee-Eight® V-Twin engine.

-Again, family or category? These things basically sit in a class of their own so they get both!

Dyna

(no longer making new models - many dealers still carry some Dyna models) Dyna was really popular but Harley has discontinued them in favor of their new electric motorcycles to try and get a footing in the younger markets. You’ll see these around on websites, but you probably shouldn’t focus on them specifically any more!

V-Rod

(no longer making new models - few dealers carry)

Other Motorcycle Types:

Dirt Bikes (Off-Road Motorcycles)

These are the bikes you’ll often see in motocross events or on the X Games. Dirt bikes are designed for off-roading and handling non-smooth surfaces like sand or mud. You’ll sit higher on these bikes compared to a motorcycle, get an increased suspension and find that these are typically the lightest bikes on the market.

Dual-Sport Bikes (Dual-Purpose)

These bikes combine everything you just learned about street-legal motorcycles and dirt bikes into one package! They are designed more closely around dirt bikes but have the additional lights, mirrors, signals and other items that a street legal vehicle requires. They sit with a high center of gravity, much higher than traditional motorcycles. While not perfect for off-roading, they have decent capabilities when hitting the trails.

Sport Bikes (Lightweight & Middleweight Bikes, 1000cc bikes, etc)

Harley offers a sport motorcycle family, which shares some similarities to these bikes, but the majority of the market is defined slightly differently from the Harley bikes written about above. These bikes are the most popular in Europe and Asia and typically the ones used for street racing competitions. Sport bikes are traditionally defined by cc (engine displacement), with lighter bikes having smaller ccs and the larger 1000cc+ models being heavier and more powerful. These bikes will be stripped of features like storage space in order to improve speed.

-cc stands for cubic centimeters and refers to the volume of the cylinders in a motorcycles engine, higher cc means more volume and therefore more power.

Other Motorcycle Manufacturers:

Harley-Davidson is the brand you’ll work with the most on Dealer Spike websites, but Yamaha, Kawasaki, KTM, Honda, BMW, and Suzuki, among others, all produce motorcycles as well! These companies all focus more on the sporty, speed-focused motorcycles, but you’ll find plenty of similarities to Harley models. For example, all touring motorcycles will focus on comfort and long distance riding, while sport bikes will be lighter and aimed at adrenaline rushes.

For off-road biking KTM is probably the most common brand you’ll see, but all of the above manufacturers make a type of dirt bike! Again, all of these bikes are similar and can be described using the same general phrases (impressive suspension, improved handling, etc.).

Recreational Vehicles (RVs)

An RV is a motor vehicle or trailer that typically includes some living areas, sleeping space, and other more luxurious amenities while you are on the road or camping. For a typical Dealer Spike website, the categories of RV are typically broken down into 4 distinct types, which will be defined below.

Motorhomes

A motorhome is the only RV model that is self-propelled (does not need to be towed by another vehicle), and these will typically be the most expensive, luxurious and largest RVs at any dealership.

A motorhome will typically offer sleeping space, a kitchen, entertainment areas, and a small bathroom. Motorhomes will also have small front cab sections where a driver and passenger can sit.

Class A Motorhomes: The largest and most impressive motorhomes, these will almost always be the largest and most expensive models available. Class A motorhomes will have a flat front and panoramic windows and are typically built on a bus chassis. Diesel Class A motorhomes are typically even larger and run on diesel fuel, with typical rigs ranging in size from 30-45 feet long.

Class B Motorhomes: These are the smallest of the motorhome classes, and look like larger vans rather than buses. Most Class B motorhomes are built on van chassis and feature simpler versions of the amenities that the other motorhomes provide. These are great for couples or individuals who are going out on a camping trip! Also great for those who can’t maneuver the larger size of the other motorhome classes.

Class C Motorhomes: Class C motorhomes are between the size of the other two, and offer a healthy medium ground for those who want more features but don’t want to deal with the larger Class A models. They use a truck chassis, so their fronts will typically be more reminiscent of a truck.

Travel Trailers

A travel trailer is a towed vehicle with rigid sides, that can typically be towed by pickup trucks, SUVs or minivans with bumper pull hitches. These are large, feature-packed vehicles with bathrooms, kitchens, entertainment areas and private bedrooms in most models. These vehicles can weigh over 12,000 pounds, be up to 40 feet long, and feature added slideouts to add even more size when not on the road. These are the most popular type of RV in most of the United States, so you’ll want to optimize these pages often!

Toy Haulers

A toy hauler, in it’s most basic sense, is a type of travel trailer with a large garage area in the back to store all your powersports vehicles. This garage can also function as extra storage space or a sleeping area for a large group. The garage will have a ramp for easy vehicle loading and plenty of secure hookups to keep your vehicles safe on the road! The front of the vehicle will typically feature many of the same features described in the travel trailer section above.

Fifth-Wheels

Fifth-wheels are similar to travel trailers in features, with the major difference being that they can only be hauled by pickup or medium duty trucks. Their unique fifth wheel coupling system allows this type of RV to attach to the interior of a truck bed so that a part of your fifth-wheel will be sitting over the truck bed while you travel. This reduces the length of your vehicle and can make it easier to maneuver on the road. These RVs are often considered easier to hitch and unhitch as well, giving you more use of your tow vehicle.

Fifth-Wheel Toy Haulers: A rare model type that combines the unique coupling of a fifth-wheel with a toy hauler RV. You won’t run into these too often, but they do exist!

Pop-Up Campers

A pop-up camper is another, cheaper, style of towed trailer. These will typically be the smallest and least expensive of the RV models you’ll deal with. Pop-up campers are unique in that they can be collapsed down into a more compact package for storage or easier travel. Once set up, they offer plenty of interior space and some of the most basic amenities from the other vehicles. Sleeping capacities are deceptively large, with most pop-up campers having interior space for 4-8 people. Most RV dealers don’t have a large focus on these vehicles.

Powersports Vehicles

This is one of the broader classes of vehicle you’ll deal with and includes vehicles like ATVs, UTVs, Jet-Skis, and Snowmobiles. You’ll often find dealerships that offer these vehicles in addition to some of the more sporty motorcycle brands. In some select instances, these will be referred to as motorsports vehicles by a website.

ATVs (All-Terrain Vehicle, Quad, Four-Wheeler)

An ATV is a single rider (in rare instances they are made to hold one passenger) vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires with a seat straddled by the operator. These vehicles are operated by handlebars, similar to motorcycles, and are the top choice for off-roading, dune riding, or beach travel. These are more stable choices than two-wheeled dirt bikes and can pack some serious speed in an open area.

UTVs (Side-By-Sides, Utility Task Vehicles)

A UTV is a similar, almost sister product to an ATV, though it has very different uses. UTVs are commonly used for more hauling or work-related tasks, or as transportation around farms or construction sites. They can be used for off-roading, but they don’t have nearly the same capability as an ATV.

The major differences between ATVs and UTVs are that UTVs are safer, have side-by-side bench seating, roofs, roll cages and can handle as many as 8 people. A UTV is controlled with a steering wheel and can have a pickup truck back to haul debris or tools. If you imagine a golf cart, UTVs are similar to a golf cart/ATV hybrid.

Jet-Ski (Personal Watercraft, PWC)

Most people think of these vehicles as Jet-Skis, but they are actually called personal watercraft. Jet-Ski is a brand name of Kawasaki. Sea-Doo and WaveRunner are also popular brands of personal watercraft that you will run into.

A personal watercraft is a recreational vehicle that a rider sits or stands on while out on the water. The sit-down version is the most popular, and can easily accommodate a passenger. The standing style of personal watercraft are built for one rider and will have a handlebar for steering and doing tricks. Personal watercraft have begun to be built for extended rides and have very good fuel capacities.

Snowmobiles

These are less common on Dealer Spike websites, but you’ll see them occasionally on our Canadian or Northern United States dealers. A snowmobile is a motorized vehicle that is designed for transportation and recreation while out on the snow. These don’t require roads or trails, just well-packed snowdrifts. They are typically designed for a single rider and run on a continuous track with skis up front for enhanced maneuvering. Ski-Doo, sister to the Sea-Doo PWC, are typically the main manufacturers of these vehicles.

Boats

There are a wide array of boats and boat manufacturers on the Dealer Spike platform, so we won’t get too in depth with any of those. What we will do is definethe major types of boat that you will see most often!

Pontoon Boats

Pontoon boats are flat deck boats that rely on a set of pontoons to keep them afloat. These boats are great for families since the high sides make it more difficult for children to fall out. Pontoons are also fairly cheap options since they don’t have particularly powerful motors or expensive hull technology. These are great for fishermen, newer boaters and those who go out on lakes (due to the calmer water) to relax.

Outboard Boats (Outboard Motors)

Outboards comprise most motorboats, speedboats or powerboats and are defined by an external engine on the back of your watercraft that propels them through the water. Since the motor is outward facing, these can be replaced and swapped out with ease. You’ll often see dealerships selling outboard motors separately for those looking to upgrade. These boats are great for thrill seekers or those looking to get a bit of an adrenaline boost while out on the water.