One of the joys of owning your own motorcycle is the custom bits that you can use to customize the bike. Parts like Forward Controls and risers as well as handlebars can change the look of your cruiser instantly with very little investment. Also most of these mods can be done on your own. Custom forward controls are a great way to give any metric cruiser or American Road Hog a more custom chopper look. A nice set of straight bars can also give your ride a real drag bike look. especially when you combine them with a set of handle bar risers. There are several manufacturers to choose from when it comes to customizing your cruiser.
For a great set of custom motorcycle handlebars Flanders has one of the biggest selections around. This manufacturer carries anything from your classic handlebars to straight bars to ape hangers. Whatever your flavor you're likely to find custom handlebars by Flanders. Carlini Design is another quality maker of handlebars. Their selection is not as extensive as Flanders, however they make up for it with some very unique handlebars with a nice custom look. There are many more makers of handlebars but these two are the ones I am most familiar with.
Motorcycle Forward Controls are another way to take a OEM Metric Cruiser and give it a more custom chopper look. Forward controls basically take a bike with mid controls and move them to a forward position giving you a more relaxed riding position on the bike. Jardine makes some decent forward controls. forward controls and floorboards are a great way to customize your ride. You will find the riding position with forward controls to be much more comfortable then the mid position, not to mention that the forward controls look way cooler.
Risers are made by many of today's manufacturers of aftermarket motor cycle parts. Companies like Cobra, Show Chrome and Lightning Performance all make quality handlebar risers. Most of them are made of either a billet aluminum or some sort of steel which is then chrome plated for a quality finish. handlebar Risers are made in a variety of sizes usually a 1.5 to about a 5 inch riser is what is available depending on the manufacturer. Also when buying a handlebar risers be sure that you match them up correctly with the right size handle bar. the dimension of the handlebar is important. If you do not match the bars with the right riser you will have major issues with installation because the hole in the riser is designed for a specific dimension and will usually not accommodate a different dimension. Some risers also come with a rise like for example you might have a 3 inch rise and a 1 inch pullback instead of just rising straight up risers with a pullback also do just that they are designed with a bend that relocates the bar a bit closer to the tank and the rider.
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