Of sissy bars and arguements...

So, when I bought my bike, it came with a 2.5' tall sissy bar jutting out from behind the seat. Not only do I hate the look of it, but I happen to feel (in certian situations) it can be quite dangerous. My girlfriend had a bone to pick with me about the prospect of taking it off, saying that she would feel safer riding it with me if it remained on the bike.

Any input?

It's true she will like a sissy bar, but it could be smaller. My wife wouldn't ride as well behind me without it. it makes it easier to ride' with' the bike for an inexperienced passenger too.
Now if you are going for that original look, leave it on.
I have that 2 and a half footer on the 1100 I'm restoring to stock and it's definitely going back on!! It's so period ugly it's cool!

What are your prospects of finding a new girl? If you removed and discarded the sissy bar before said new GF saw the bike it's highly likely she wouldn't think of asking you to add a sissy bar. Or maybe one of those removable Corbin backrests and a new Corbin seat. But my vote is no sissy and new GF, YOLO.

Damn, I already bought this one a ring! I guess after 5 years together, it's about time... :dry:

To kzcurt, the sissy bar on my bike is aftermarket. The original part was a grab bar that ran flush around the top of the seat in the back. In my opinion, it looks a lot better with the original part.

My worry is, if I got into a front-end collision at a good clip (around 35mph+) and the back end kicked up, that bar would slam pointfirst into the back of my neck or spine. I also feel, if she were riding it with me and needed to ditch, she would be trapped by it and possibly pinned under a 400lb seering hot machine. She's a tiny girl and it would ruin her life. However, she is ADAMANT that it would be safer for her. :huh:

If you're looking to get rid of it, shoot me a pm. Got some pics?

PW already.

It's your bike not her's she don't want to ride with out
the sissy bar tell her to stay home.

Yeah, my thread in the projects section has two of it on the bike. I'll send that pm when I get it off the bike and see what kindof condition it's in.

danger_bandito wrote: So, when I bought my bike, it came with a 2.5' tall sissy bar jutting out from behind the seat. Not only do I hate the look of it, but I happen to feel (in certian situations) it can be quite dangerous. My girlfriend had a bone to pick with me about the prospect of taking it off, saying that she would feel safer riding it with me if it remained on the bike.

Any input?

Believe it or not... :ohmy: ...I have looked EVERYWHERE for aftermarket Sissy Bars to fit my 1975 Z1-B 900!!
Now, not the crazy high ones , there were at one time ( Yea, I am an Old Timer ) a few that were neat like some we used to call "tridents" or short round tops??? :silly: but guess no-one makes 'em anymore??? :whistle:
Tennesseez Ed

Even though it's a drag to get on the bike with one in the way and it may not look as cool as a stock bike, I will probably always have one as long as this is my only bike.

Great for carrying a passenger or back pack/camping gear.

I use my bike to go to the store, work, on bids, day trips usually with a cook out in some park.

It's nice to have transportation that gets 45 miles to the gallon

The wife loves it and has admitted to even taking a nap here and there on a long trip .

We are out in the country so hopping in the truck to get a loaf of bread makes for very expensive bread,so it keeps costs down and I get to ride my bike more :woohoo:

Put the stock frame grip back on & rethink whether or not to take a passenger?

Here’s my experience -

When I was 16 I owned a BSA with no sissy bar even though back then they were very common. I was riding to school (winter / Baltimore) at about 45 mph when a big ass Baltimore City dump truck (the type that spreads salt on the roads) pulled out of the salt yard in front of me. I nailed the pathetic brakes on the BSA, but because there was so much salt spillage on the road the bike slid (perfectly upright) and thanks to my inexperience with the target fixation phenomena I hit the dump truck dead center in the rear. My head (LUCKILY with helmet – there was no requirement for one back then) hit the thick bar at the bottom of the truck’s tail gate. I hit so hard that the bike shot out from under me and kept going forward; the front tire of the bike actually hit the differential case of the truck. I was sort of peeled off the bike as it shot forward because my forehead was pressed against the truck. If there had been a sissy bar on the bike it and the momentum of the motorcycle would have driven my head and neck into the truck MUCH harder as the bike shot forward and the sissy bar pushed against my back, and I suspect it would have broken my neck. As it turned out, I walked away from the accident after regaining consciousness. Because of that experience, I would never put a sissy bar on a bike. Ed

I was riding behind a friend that has his girlfriend behind him. She was laid back on the sissy bar. We were riding in excess of the speed limit. A bird hit him square in the chest. His hands came off the handle bars and his feet came off the pegs. I think he would have come completely off the bike if not for the passenger and sissy bar.

The sissy bar on the above 1000 will bring about $250.00 if it has Kawasaki on it with a eagle.

I have one that is bent badly. I have a couple of old rusted tall bars that I should toss but can't make myself get rid of them.

The Corbin back rest cost too much. I have one for the Rex and it cost someone $238.00.