Sissy bars hold the fender to the frame
There’s no “one story” of the sissy bar, as it appeared at different times on different bikes in motorcycling history. The bar originally existed as the lowly fender strut, which was necessary to hold the rear fender up. Struts or a bent metal piece connected the fender to the frame below, and that was pretty much all it did. The struts were later extended and connected for stylistic or practical (luggage-lashing) reasons. Racers favored short hooped units, as their handle shape was convenient for loading and unloading race bikes, especially brakeless competition machines like the Harley-Davidson CAC.
Sissy bars hold people
If you’re carrying your favorite passenger, it’s not a bad idea to provide a back rest or handhold of some kind. Pillions don’t get much for seating amenities on most motorcycles, but a moderate to tall sissy bar lets them at least lean back and get comfortable. Some sissy bars offer a leather back pad for extra plush factor. A short bar at least offers a passenger handhold, which is required by law in some places. (Laws might also govern the height or construction of a sissy bar, so check your local regulations before installing if you care about that kind of thing.) Some say the ultra-tall sissy bars came from laws requiring handholds for passengers. “Oh, you don’t see a passenger handhold, so my bike’s not legal now? Don’t worry, Officer, I’ll put something on there…”
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Sissy bars hold stuff
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Sissy bars offer a solid mounting point for all kinds of cargo, too. In the beginning, riders with hardtail bikes needed a place to stow their gear. Extended fender struts were just the ticket. Stacking gear up instead of adding wide saddlebags also keeps the motorcycle narrow. There are still consequences from piling on your stuff up high, but it’ll lug your duffle just fine.
Strapping cargo to the sissy bar might have the added benefit of creating a backrest for a lone rider. Lean back on your bedroll and bask in the sweet, sweet lumbar support. Dedicated sissy bar bags and tool pouches are no-brainers, but why limit yourself? You wanna put lights on it? Flag holder? Bottle opener? Plate hanger? Go for it. Pretty useful for a bent tube, huh? Sometimes, a sissy bar will even be used to support extra-long pipes on a custom build. And of course, you can hang a helmet on it when the riding’s done.
Sissy bars look cool
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Love it or hate it, the sissy bar is a motorcycling icon. It might even be art, depending on the intricacy of the design and fabrication. The visual weight of a sissy bar often makes a motorcycle “look right” by balancing the lines of a funky front end, for example.
People have been putting sissy bars on their stockers and customs for decades, and they aren’t going away any time soon.
Source: https://t-tees.com
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