Ideas on How to Use Motorcycle Sissy Bars

A sissy bar is a motorcycle instrument attached to the frame or fender towards the rear, providing back support to the passenger and providing extra space to mount luggage. They are also known as “sister bars” and are usually made of chrome-plated steel.

Installing a sissy bar can provide various useful features for your motorcycle including:

• Comfort
• Carrying Luggage
• Safety
• Style

One of the main reasons to install a sissy bar is to provide better comfort for the rider or passenger. This can be done by attaching a foam padded backrest to the sissy bar, allowing the rider or passenger to recline against it while riding.

Sissy bars can also function as an extra safety feature by offering support and protection for your back. For example, if a car hits your motorcycle from behind at high speed, the sissy bar can lessen the impact that hits your back. Passengers can also hold on to the sissy bars while cruising at higher speeds to help them remain seated.

Installing a sissy bar allows you to carry extra luggage on your motorcycle. There are bags specifically designed for sissy bars known as sissy bar bags. If you have a long sissy bar installed on your motorbike, then you can mount several or a large sissy bar bag to carry extra luggage. Some sissy bars also come with a frame to provide a base where you can mount hard and heavy sissy bar bags.

Sissy bars can also be used to mount fenders, particularly on custom cruisers. Custom motorcycle builders have various style options that allow them to modify their motorcycles’ frames to suit their needs.

Cruisers have comfortable riding ergonomics, stylish fenders, and powerful specs that make them an ideal touring machine. To incorporate all three aspects, most custom cruiser builders mount the fenders with sissy bars so that the cruiser has a backrest for passengers, a place to secure extra luggage, and a stylish rear fender that keeps it safe from mud.

Sissy bars can be used to hang your gear and helmets. Suppose you are on a long ride and have to make stops along the way. During breaks, you can always hang your jacket, helmet, or bags on the sissy bar.

A sissy bar can also be a great way to improve your motorcycle’s style. This is accomplished by designing a custom-built sissy bar to include a logo, phrase, or artistic design that fits the rider’s personality. Some custom cruiser engineers design the sissy bar’s frame in various shapes, also using gems and pieces of art to make the sissy bars look cooler.

Riders who love touring carry tents on their motorcycles for camping trips. These tents can be carried in large luggage bags that are mounted to the sissy bar. The sissy bar can also be used to set up the tent.

Sissy bars also help keep your motorcycle balanced while kick-starting it. The rider can hold the sissy bar in one hand and the handlebars in the other to keep the motorcycle balanced and upright when kick-starting. There are instances when riders have to drag their motorcycles while they are in neutral without turning on the ignition; riders can easily push their rides by using the sissy bars.

One of the major modifications that you can make to a motorcycle is to reduce the overall weight. This can be done by removing unnecessary parts. Rather than installing a rear fender and bracket where the tail light and turn signals are, custom motorcycle builders mount the tail light and turn signals on the sissy bar instead.

Sissy bars can also be used to mount your license plate. This can help custom cruiser builders avoid mounting fenders and separate brackets to attach your license plate, reducing weight and improving your motorcycle’s overall performance.

Sissy bars can be used to help tow another motorcycle. If your motorcycle suddenly stops working or runs out of gas in the middle of the road with no mechanic or gas station nearby, you can seek help from another rider if s/he has a sissy bar installed on his/her motorcycle.

Make sure to always carry tow straps with you when going on a ride. Tow straps can be attached to the sissy bar of a working motorcycle, and the other end to the front forks of a faulty motorcycle.

Sissy bars were once considered a non-essential or unnecessary item. But over time, when riders discovered their various uses, sissy bars became an essential motorcycle part necessary for touring.

With this little triangle-shaped bar/frame, riders can increase luggage capacity, style, comfort, and safety.

You can also add SADDLEBAGS available at Viking Bags to increase your motorcycle’s storage capacity. Other modification parts include HANDLEBARS, CRASH BARS, and FAIRINGS.

If you own a Harley Davison, Viking Bags have stylish SISSY BARS available for your SPORTSTER, DYNA, and SOFTAIL models. Viking Bags also has stylish sissy bars for your KAWASAKI, HONDA, and SUZUKI motorcycles.