Harley Davidson Motorcycles

Stylish Custom Sissy Bar Designs for Harley Davidson Motorcycles

Stylish Custom Sissy Bar Designs for Harley Davidson Motorcycles

SMotorcycle enthusiasts enjoy riding Harley Davidson motorcycles due to their exceptional riding performance, captivating aesthetics, superior ergonomics, and touring capabilities. In addition, Harley motorcycles have minimalist profiles that make them easy to customize.


Motorcyclists can give their Harley models a make-over by adding a single aftermarket part. Harley motorcycles’ ease of customization makes it easier to create a custom bike that offers better comfort and style.


Riders who prefer the stripped-down fastback look are often reluctant to mount add-ons on their Harley cruisers. Instead, they prefer decals and flashy paint jobs that may look good for some time but do not add value.


When planning to customize your Harley motorcycle, it is prudent to add an accessory that looks good, does not affect handling and performance, and helps improve comfort. A Harley Davidson sissy bar is one such accessory, helping maintain the minimalistic look while giving the bike a custom feel.


Harley Davidson sissy bars can be fashioned in different styles and designs. It is possible to create custom Harley sissy bars in your garage. You can also have them tailor-made from a custom metal fabrication shop.


This article provides some stylish custom Harley Davidson sissy bar designs that are functional, add value, and help make your bike stand out.

1. Harley Sissy Bar Tip Designs

To ensure your sissy bar remains functional, it is best to customize only the tip. A custom tip can be a metal motif or a sculpted shape.


Sissy bars with a custom tip allow you to install a passenger backrest and mount your luggage without adding extra bulk to the motorcycle.

1.1 Minimalistic Straight Bars with a Pointed Tip

Stock sissy bars alone can change your Harley motorcycle’s look significantly. For example, a chrome sissy bar can add a retro-style, while a black sissy bar gives an intimidating look. Viking Bags  Iron Born Sissy Bar has smooth round bars carefully welded together with a perfectly pointed tip. The foldable sissy bar luggage rack makes the bars sturdier and gives the bike a sophisticated look. Though simple in design, straight sissy bars with a pointed tip help maintain the minimalistic look of stripped-down Harley Davidson models, including  Softail, Dyna, and Sportster motorcycles.

1.2 HD Letters and American Eagle

HD Letters and American Eagle
Photo Credit: @ebay

Simple Harley sissy bars with rounded tips are readily available in the market. Due to their plain design, they are often considered boring by many riders. You can customize this type of sissy bar yourself or take it to a metal fabrication shop.


You can have the letters HD welded into the wide round tip of a sissy bar. If your sissy bar is padded, you can weld the letters HD, the Harley Davidson icon, or an American eagle on the support behind the backrest. Welding the letters HD or the Harley Davidson symbol in gold can create a striking look whether your sissy bar has a chrome or black finish.


After installing a backrest on your sissy bar, you can check the remaining available space to add a custom metal piece on your bike. Such examples include a skull, flames, or a cross.

1.3 Marine Corp Insignia

Spade sissy bar tips can give your Harley Davidson model a traditional style. The spade sissy bar tip has remained a popular design since the 1960s. Similar sissy bar tip designs are the fork, diamond, or iron cross. These shapes can be welded over the tip or the tip can be fabricated into these shapes.


Motorcyclists who want a discreet insignia can have it engraved on the tip of the sissy bar. If you want to display your love of the military, you can have the inginia crafted then welded on the tip of the sissy bar.

1.4 Script Engraved Metal Plates

Another way you can customize your sissy bar is by attaching a metal plate with text engraved on it. The script can be a slogan, Biblical verse, tagline, company name, catchy phrase, etc.

1.5 Spade

Spade sissy bar tips can give your Harley Davidson model a traditional style. The spade sissy bar tip has remained a popular design since the 1960s. Similar sissy bar tip designs are the fork, diamond, or iron cross. These shapes can be welded over the tip or the tip can be fabricated into these shapes.

1.6 Twisted Ring

Whether you want a Harley sissy bar built from round or twisted steel bars, having a twisted ring looped around the sissy bar tip will add a classic touch. The twisted ring can be fabricated with a peace sign, heartbeat, or music notes inside.


Riders can weld on old tools like a wrench, spanner, or screw driver to the twisted ring to give it an intimidating design.

2. Elaborate Harley Sissy Bars Designs

Elaborate Harley sissy bar designs are not restricted to the tip of the sissy bars. Elaborately designed custom sissy bars tend to be heavier and reduce your bike’s storage capacity. However, they do help make your Harley motorcycle stand out more. Elaborately designed sissy bars may also be more expensive depending on the complexity of the design and required maintenance.

2.1 Hearts

Hearts
Photo Credit: @riathewelder

Harley Davidson Sportster motorcycles have lightweight frames, responsive handling, controlled power output, smaller tires, and a comfortable upright riding position. You can improve your Harley Sportster’s look by installing a custom sissy bar with heart symbols.


Examples include a single heart, an inverted heart, or a broken heart. If you do not plan to add a backrest, you can weld heart shapes in between the bars.


Heart symbols look best on tall sissy bars welded close to the tip. Heart symbols closer to the tip should be positioned over the bars. Then weld two hearts together at least four inches away from the top one. If you want, you can use the remaining space to mount a backrest or weld a large inverted heart and a small heart between the bars.


You can also get a sissy bar with a small rose inside a heart or a heart welded between the Harley sissy bars.

2.2 Maple Leaf

The maple leaf design is a popular minimalistic design for female Harley riders due to being a symbol of freedom, success, and power.


If you want to add a more feminine touch, you can opt for flower designs instead, whether something simple like a daisy or a more complex design like an orchid.

2.3 Eagle Wing

Harley Davidon’s insignia features an American eagle to symbolize strength and freedom. It is possible to weld eagle wings between the sissy bars for a stylish custom design.


You can also weld an eagle feather between the bars at an angle or create an open eagle claw welded to the tip of the Harley Davidson sissy bar.

2.4 Scenery

If you enjoy scenic routes, express your love by installing a unique Harley sissy bar depicting beach scenery.


Thin curved metal pieces shaped like waves can be welded between the sissy bars. Above the waves, weld on a semicircle to symbolize a setting sun or small inverted triangles to depict a mountain range. Another design can be a small twisted rod and curved pieces welded together to resemble a palm tree.

2.5 Spider Web

A Harley sissy bar with a spider web can look otherworldly. You can have a coffin-shaped sissy bar with a large spider web design. If you want, you can also get the image of a spider cut welded onto the spider web.

2.6 Flames

Flames on a Harley sissy bar can make for an interesting design. You can have a flame-shaped cutout welded onto the tip of your motorcycle sissy bar or have a large flame emblem welded onto the bars.

3. Takeaway

Stylish custom sissy bars can help bring you closer to creating your ideal Harley motorcycle. Use the sissy bar designs mentioned above to find inspiration and come up with a unique sissy bar design.


While an elaborate sissy bar design can help your tall sissy bars look good, be mindful not to add shapes or designs between the bars that could make it impossible to install a backrest.


Before creating a custom sissy bar design, ask yourself whether you want a decorative or functional one.

Reading next

Pros & Cons of Straight Motorcycle Sissy Bars
Guide On How to Choose the Best Handlebar Risers for Harley Dyna

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