You can’t mistake a Harley Davidson for any other bike on the road. They’re big, bold, and brash.
And with a history dating well over a century, they’re the oldest company in the business.
This is a testament to its iconic status among bikers; no other brand can compete.
The appeal lies in bikes that are laid back when you want them to be or give you all the power with a slight flick of the wrist.
Models seemingly unchanged for decades speak of this timeless allure, even for the pedestrians amongst us.
Yet, the company has managed to innovate, conceiving two-wheeled marvels well ahead of time.
Individuality is what entices first-time buyers. That and the thrill of owning a bike that is an extension of yourself.
More parts, both genuine Harley or aftermarket, are available for Harley Davidson bikes than any other bike maker.
Bikes can be ridden unchanged straight out of the showroom or modified to any extent. Don’t you like the look of the handlebars?
Get customized bars in the materials, styles, and finishes you want from hundreds of suppliers. Need a bigger seat or some extra padding?
Swap it out and enjoy miles of endless comfort. Want more push from the throttle? A few mods, and you’re cruising way past the speed limit.
Producers of aftermarket Harley parts have recognized bikers’ love for their bikes and have poured a lot of effort into bringing out products that improve to near perfection.
Customization Options
To list all the changes you can make to your bike would be almost impossible. Literally, anything can be changed.
With six different families of bikes and trikes, both new and old, there are millions of parts on the market.
You can add a little comfort or convenience in longer rides, swap out parts that look better, or increase horsepower and torque figures to rival sports bikes.
In fact, no two Harleys are the same. And each is a reflection of its owner.
Comfort and Convenience
You can handpick the seat with your new bike or get an aftermarket seat.
Materials vary, but leather is the most common choice, with vinyl for those looking for more durability, especially in the rain.
Vinyl also tends to last longer in direct sunlight. Comfort levels depend on the padding and design.
Foam offers a good balance, not too firm or too soft, but you can also choose seats with gel padding.
Bucket seats look good on the bigger tourers, like the Glides, but may be overkill on the Street models.
Choose a seat of the right width and the right height to avoid cramping on longer rides.
Also, they tend to passengers with matching pillion seats and adequate padding. Handlebars are just as important as seats.
Get the handlebar that is not too high, with wrists positioned roughly below shoulder height.
Numb fingers and hands are the results of anything higher.
If you like the look of tall bars, get higher ape hanger bars or install risers on what you’ve already got. Also, consider the width of the bars.
Wider handlebars give you more leverage in corners. Designs vary, and besides ape hangers, you can get drag bars, T-bars, tracker bars, and many other designs.
These can sweep towards you or are straight.
For better footing, there are heaps of options with different footpegs. The right length and width help in properly distributing your weight and balance in cornering.
Bikes can be equipped with different audio kits. Speakers, speaker grilles, and amps won’t look out of place on the bigger bikes.
And these, too, come in different designs and finishes. You can also add CB antennas, mics, charging ports, and phone holders.
Styling
If the paintwork on your Harley has sustained a few chips, you can always touch up the imperfections with custom paints, brushes, and pens.
Alternatively, you can get a whole new paint job. This is where things can get messy and cost you a pretty penny.
Harley Davidson UK offers custom paint jobs, but the limited-edition packs cost nearly as much as the Standard Softail.
If you’re set on new paint, choose a respected shop. All Harley parts can be changed for a different look.
Chrome accents and details can be added to mirrors, radios, fuel caps, front and rear wheel nuts, water pump and oil cooler covers, skid plates, and air intakes, you name it.
If you’re not a fan of Chrome, get the parts in black. You can also add nameplates with the Harley logo.
Bigger changes involve the wheel fenders, bigger spoked or alloy wheels, changes to the fairings, and black or chrome exhausts.
Performance Upgrades
Newer bikes like the Sportster with the liquid-cooled 1250cc V-twin engine crank out roughly the same horsepower and torque figures as the legendary air-cooled Milwaukee Eight Screamin’ Eagle 131 engine with 2151ccs.
There are roughly 120 bhp in both bikes, but the bigger displacement bike gets better low-down grunt. You feel the torque pushing harder the more you turn the accelerator.
These are bikes that you might not want to modify. As for other bikes, you can do different stages of engine tuning.
Stage one involves changing the exhaust and air intake to get cooler air in and prevent unwanted airflow restriction.
You can choose ‘2 in1’ exhausts for twins, which integrate the separate header tube into a single, wide-end collector.
Alternately, ‘2 in2’ exhausts include wider, straighter piping for each tube. Either way, you get a few more horses.
Mufflers can silence the typical Harley rumble and are required in restricted zones. Combine new exhausts with bigger air intakes for cleaner air and more of it.
To calibrate the mods, an engine remap is done. Further up, a Stage 2 tune involves cam changes, producing either more low-down torque or higher power in the rev range.
You can also increase displacement figures by going for big bore cylinders and modified pistons to get an extra 35 percent increase in power.
This squeezes in more air and fuel, meaning faster acceleration times. The last change to the internals means changing out the cylinder heads and throttle bodies for the biggest air and fuel mix possible.
A bike with a four-stage tune will be quicker off a standstill, accelerate faster, and have a higher max speed.
You can customize your Harley for better looks, more functionality, comfort, and, of course, speed.
Source your Harley parts from certified aftermarket dealers or directly from Harley Davidson UK.
