For the bird genus known as softtails, see Thripophaga.
Three Harley-Davidsons, built about 50 years apart: unpainted 1950s Hydra Glide with clearly visible black hard-tail frame, next to a modern Softail Crossbones that copies the old frame design, the suspended seat, and even the oil tank in black. To the right a black Sportster with twin shocksHarley Hydra Glide converted to a chopper as seen in the 1969 film Easy Rider, with 1950s hard-tail frame painted redHarley-Davidson Heritage Softail with chrome swingarm shaped like a triangleRear suspension on a Vincent with shocks visible under the seat, introduced in late 1920sYamaha XT250 introduced in 1979, cantilever swingarm with central shock hidden under the seatHarley-Davidson Wide Glide with regular swingarm, twin shocks and square battery box, as introduced in the 1957 Duo GlideHarley-Davidson Softail with triangular swingarm, shocks under the gearbox, chrome horseshoe oil tank, as introduced in 1983
A softail (shortened form of soft tail) motorcycle intentionally looks like vintage motorcycles with a rigid hard-tail frame that has a triangle of steel tubes at the rear axle, as on a bicycle frame, but on a Softail these tubes are actually a triangular swingarm, with the shock absorber(s) hidden, as opposed to clearly visible regular twin shocks on both sides of the rear wheel on standard bikes. Since the introduction of the Harley-DavidsonFXST Softail in 1983[1][2] as a registered trademark of the Motor Company, softail has become a genericized trademark for other models of cruiser motorcycles with rear suspensions hidden for retro style reasons. This was done even though the rear wheel was often hidden behind bags or exhaust pipes.
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