Customize Your Harley-Davidson for a Unique Ride

Customizing your bike is a critical component of the Harley-Davidson heritage. The trend took hold in post-war America when returning servicemen expressed themselves by changing elements of stock Harley-Davidsons for unique appearance and function. Today’s Harley owner can choose from tens of thousands of factory customizations, along with hundreds of thousands of aftermarket customizations. There is virtually no end to the creative opportunities at your disposal.

If you’ve got a bike and you want to customize it, here’s an intro. For input or resources on motorsport customization, please reach out to us at Big Moose Harley-Davidson in Portland, Maine, where we also serve folks in Scarborough and Biddeford, Maine.

Customizing for Function

There’s nothing frivolous about customizing for function. In fact, it’s the best way to make sure your bike really fits your body and your riding style. Maximize comfort by adjusting the “rider triangle,” which refers to the three places your body is in contact with the bike: your hands, your feet, and your seat.

The angles of this triangle influence how comfortable you are, and they can be changed. Even slight alterations can make a big difference in your comfort, especially for long rides. If you’ve got any complaints about the comfort of your bike, customizing the handlebars, seat or footpegs might be the answer you’re looking for.

Other functional ways to customize your bike include adding GPS or entertainment, extra lights, windscreens, and more.

Customizing for Style

If you’d like to change the look of your bike, start with Harley Davidson Decorative Collections. These are cost-effective and easy to install. You can incorporate one piece or invest in the whole collection - it's up to you how deep you go. There are collections for the blacked-out look and for chrome, as well as some that have a combination of finishes. You can even go bold with bronze.

Both seats and handlebars are functional changes that also have a big impact on the style and statement you’ll make with your motorcycle. A different seat can completely change the look of a motorcycle, with design, materials, and shape impacting the overall impression.

Customizing for Performance

Performance is all about horsepower and torque. The official Harley-Davidson performance line is called "Screamin' Eagle." It was designed to be easy to upgrade the horsepower and torque of the motorcycles at different stages. This lets you boost the performance now, and then boost it some more later if you like.

Know Your Bike

When you’re looking at the Harley-Davidson Parts & Accessories Catalog, you’ll see it’s broken up by type of accessory and also the family of motorcycle. Check the index in the back for a type of accessory (such as handlebars or seats) that fit your model family of motorcycle (such as Touring, Sportster, or Softail). Know your model code. Check your bill of sale or owner's manual if you aren't sure. For example, Sportsters start with "XL". Dynas, Softails, and Touring models start with either "FX" or "FL."

We look forward to helping you at Big Moose Harley-Davidson in Portland, where we have Harley-Davidson motorcycles for sale, along with accessories. We’re near Scarborough and Biddeford, Maine.