Honda Motorcycles

Honda Sissy Bar Design Ideas

Honda Sissy Bar Design Ideas

Honda is renowned as one of the most reliable motorcycle brands with a rich history of producing versatile motorcycles. The most popular Honda models include:

  • Honda Phantom series (Cruisers)
  • Honda Rebel series (Cruisers)
  • Honda CBR series (Sports Bikes)
  • Honda Fury (Cruisers)
  • Honda Gold Wing (Sports Tourer)

If you are a motorcycle enthusiast, the Honda Shadow Phantom, the Honda Shadow Aero, the Honda Fury, and the Honda Rebel series are the best for customization. There are also old Honda models, such as the Honda Shadow VTX series, the Honda Shadow Sabre, and the Honda VT1300CT Interstate that have been discontinued but are still popular due to being easily customizable. If you own a Honda cruiser and are looking to install a sissy bar, this article will provide you with a list of different Honda sissy bar designs.

1. Sissy Bars

Sissy Bars
Photo Credit: @Custom Access

Sissy bars are versatile motorcycle equipment with various uses, including safety, comfort, and aesthetics. Sissy bars, also known as sister bars, allow riders and passengers to recline against them while riding.

2. Background

In the 1960s, some U.S. states made it mandatory to mount a sissy bar on motorcycles for safety reasons. However, the motorcyclists at that time were not particularly concerned about safety. While still complying with the law, riders started using excessively tall and unusual sissy bar designs to protest. Later, it became popular and an integral part of choppers. Sissy bars are also installed on cruisers and touring bikes to make them more comfortable and improve their storage capacity.

3. Honda Sissy Bar Design Ideas

Cruisers usually come with rear fender struts where you can mount aftermarket parts, including sissy bars and saddlebags. You can mount tall, medium, and short sissy bars based on your preferences. There are also detachable sissy bars available that are easy to remove if you prefer a stripped-down cruising experience. However, you can also find a customized sissy bar for your Honda motorcycle.

3.1 Swingarm-Mounted Sissy Bar

Swingarm-Mounted Sissy Bar
Photo Credit: @Pittsburgh Moto

A swingarm-mounted sissy bar looks good on a chopper with a bobber-style rear fender. However, a taller swingarm-mounted sissy bar often vibrates when the motorbike hits a bump. It acts as a tuning fork, making it unsuited for mounting sissy bar pads or luggage bags. Therefore, if you want to install a swingarm-mounted sissy bar on your Honda motorcycle, you should choose a shorter or medium sissy bar.

3.2 Mounting a License Plate Number and Tail Light on a Sissy Bar

Mounting a License Plate Number and Tail Light on a Sissy Bar
Photo Credit: @Biltwell Inc

A sissy bar can be used to mount a license plate number and tail light to give your motorcycle a customized rear end.

3.3 Adding a Logo

Adding a Logo
Photo Credit: @Biltwell Inc

A custom sissy bar can transform your motorcycle’s look. You can add a logo, a design, or a phrase that fits your personality. Most custom builders design sissy bars with unusual shapes, pieces of art, and gems to make them more eye-catching.

Adding a Logo2
Photo Credit: @Biltwell Inc

3.4 Make It Safe and Rigid

Most custom sissy bar designers create sissy bars with unusual shapes to make them look unique. However, a sissy bar should be strong, rigid, and able to carry the weight of a luggage bag, sissy bar bag, and sissy bar pad.

3.5 Do Not Make It Too Wide or Too Slim

Do Not Make It Too Wide or Too Slim
Photo Credit: @Biltwell Inc

Do not install a sissy bar that is too heavy or too wide, as it will add extra weight to the motorcycle’s rear end and fender. Also, a sissy bar that is too pointed or slim can make it difficult to install a sissy bar pad or a sissy bar bag. However, it should be slim enough to hang a helmet and riding gear.

Do Not Make It Too Wide or Too Slim2
Photo Credit: @Biltwell Inc

3.6 Utility Sissy Bars

If you love motorcycle touring, you should install a sissy bar that can fit a backrest, luggage rack, sissy bar bag, and other luggage bags. A sissy bar with a backrest and luggage ensures comfortable long-distance rides and improves the storage capacity for a better touring experience.

Utility Sissy Bars2
Photo Credit: @Pinterest

4. Takeaway

The purpose of a Honda sissy bar is to improve safety and comfort for the passenger. However, some riders also install custom sissy bars to give their motorcycles a unique look. Sissy bars should be tall and strong enough to carry the combined load of a sissy bar pad, sissy bar bags, and other luggage bags. You can also mount a tail light, license plate bracket, logo, gems, or a piece of art to give your sissy bar a unique look.


If you want to customise your cruiser to transform it into a touring bike, Viking Bags has good-quality aftermarket parts that improve safety and comfort on long-distance rides. These aftermarket parts include crash bars, fairings, handlebars, seats, and sissy bars. For better storage capacity, Viking Bags also has different luggage options, including saddlebags and sissy bar bags.

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