Ask every bike owner what type of ride they’ve always dreamed of having, and the majority would say a Harley Davidson. If you’re fortunate enough to actually own a Harley Davidson, you probably turn heads everywhere you go, even if your Harley isn’t modified in any special way. If you’re looking to modify your Harley, however, there are literally thousands of different ways you can go about it. 

That’s the great thing about owning a Harley. As the most popular brand in the world, there are thousands of different aftermarket modifications you can buy and install to make your bike unique. Whether you want to improve performance, comfort, convenience, style, or all of it at the same time, there’s probably a solution for it.

Harley Davidson parts are divided into genuine and aftermarket parts. If you like how your Harley looks and performs, and just want to replace some worn down or broken parts, you can get genuine replacement parts. If you want to change its looks, performance and comfort, you can get aftermarket parts. 

From Harley Davidson custom wheels, handlebars and controls to exhausts, panels and seats, you can find parts from different certified third party manufacturers. To list all the changes you can do on your Harley is impossible. You can change literally everything. This is why you’ll rarely find two Harleys that look the same. And why should they? The bike should be a reflection of the rider. So, without further ado, here are the most commonly performed upgrades on Harleys.

Parts for Improving Style

If your Harley has a few paint chips, you can always use some custom paints, pens and brushes to mask it or fix it. Alternatively, you can re-do the entire paint job. However, a well-done paint job can be quite costly, especially if you do it in a Harley Davidson UK store. You can go to a different store, just make sure it’s a respected one with a history of doing well. 

You can add chrome details and accents to the radios, fuel caps, mirrors, wheel nuts, water pump, skid plate, air intakes and everything else in between. You can even paint the rims, or get completely new Harley Davidson custom wheels, including alloy or spoked wheels bigger in size.

Yes, wide motorcycle wheels give your Harley-Davidson touring model a tougher appearance, but there are other reasons to consider replacing your front wheel. Larger wheels are better at absorbing road surface disturbances, resulting in a smoother ride. They also aid power transfer, which is especially beneficial for motorcycles with powerful engines.  A front tire with a diameter of 21″ and a width of 3.25″ will fit on a Harley without the need to replace the fender. It’s worth noting, though, that the fender may need to be relocated in some older models.

Parts for Comfort and Convenience

When you buy a new Harley, you’ll usually be allowed to handpick its seat. If you’re buying second hand, or your current seat is worn down for whatever reason, you can get an aftermarket seat. Seats can be made from a wide range of materials, the most common of which are leather and vinyl. 

Vinyl seats don’t usually look as good as quality leather seats, but they provide extra durability. After all, your bike will be exposed to the elements for quite some time, whether in rain or direct sunlight. The comfort levels of the seat will depend on its design and padding. Foam provides a decent balance of firmness and softness, but there are also seats with gel padding. Bucket seats look better on big tour Harleys, but may be overkill on a street Harley. That being said, make sure you choose a seat that has the right width to avoid craps on longer rights. Additionally, make sure you choose a seat with the right height. 

The handlebars can also play a crucial role in how comfortable and convenient to ride your Harley is. You want a handlebar that’s not too high. Ideally, your wrists should be just below the height of your shoulders, otherwise, you risk numbness in the hands and fingers, and that’s not only uncomfortable but dangerous. If you prefer how taller bars look, consider ape hanger bars, or install risers. Furthermore, consider the width of the bars. Wider handlebars provide superior leverage in corners. Besides ape hangers, you can opt for T-bars, tracker bars, drag bars, etc. Handlebars can be straight or they can sweep towards you.

For improved footing, you have a wide range of footpegs to choose from. The right width and length of the pegs will assist in distributing your balance and weight when cornering. 

Last but not least, you can get an audio kit. Kits come in a wide range of designs and finishes, and you can get charging ports, phone holders, CB antennas and mics, speakers, amps and speakers.

Parts to Improve Performance

Not every Harley bike needs to be upgraded. In fact, you should avoid upgrading some bikes, such as the newer Sportster that features a liquid-cooled 1250cc V-twin engine. The best way to upgrade performance is to perform engine tuning. Generally, the first thing you should do is upgrade the air intake and exhaust to ensure cooler air goes in and reduce airflow restrictions. 

There are 2 in 1 exhausts for twins that join the separate header tubes into a single wider collector. Or, you can get 2 in 2 exhausts that come with straighter, wider piping for both tubes. Either way, you’ll get a bit more horsepower out of your engine. You can also change how your engine sounds with the help of a muffler, which is a necessity if you frequent zones with restricted noise. Engine remapping is needed to calibrate the new mods. 

Then, you can perform cam changes to produce more low-down torque or at a higher RPM level. Additionally, you can improve displacement by getting big bore cylinders and modified pistons. These modifications can provide up to 40% more power. These upgrades allow for more fuel and air, resulting in faster acceleration times and reduced torque lag. Change the cylinder heads and throttle body for optimum fuel-to-air combustion rates. Doing all of this will result in a Harley with quicker acceleration and higher maximum speed.