Harley-Davidson, Inc., is an American motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1903 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Harley and Indian were the two main motorcycle companies to survive the Great Depression, showing its resilience and strength against tough circumstances.
Harley is recognized for a style of customization that gave rise to the chopper motorcycle that emerged in the late 1950s. The chopper might be the most extreme cycle style, with highly modified steering angles and lengthened forks for a stretched appearance.
Despite having a unique appearance already, some Harley owners wanted to take their bikes one step further. Unfortunately, this sometimes has led to modifications that should never happen on this kind of bike. These bikes won't be added to the stunning photos of custom Harley's list.
Harleys with these mods won't be added to the sick pics of modified American motorcycles either - regrettably, for the owners of these bikes, they might be changing their mods back to the original very soon.
Let's go over some modifications you should never do to your Harley bike - and the top one that is the absolute worst...
Chassis Lighting
Chassis and underglow lighting kits can come in various ways, like strip lights, color-changing special effects lights that alter while driving, and pod lights. The strip lights might be the easiest to use, with just an adhesive backing that attaches to the underside of the chassis.
The LED light strip sticks to different surface shapes, letting you adhere to almost any part of the cycle securely. Many of these kits feature a switch to turn the lights on and off, so you can shut them off when you are done riding.
However, this modification reduces the classic style of the Harley bikes. The blinking lights and neon glow distracts from the rest of the bike's style and attention to detail. Not to mention, accent lighting is against the law in some states - it is best to avoid this mod altogether.
Get Back Whip
The Get Back Whip is a long, braided leather cord that is supposed to hang from the brake lever on your Harley, and flaps towards the back of the motorcycle during riding. Usually decorative and with a fringe on the end, the childish look of this accessory oddly juxtaposes the hardness of the rest of the bike.
Push Button Fuel Release Door
Continuing the list of poor mods for your Harley, we come to a crucial mechanism on your bike. Although it might seem convenient to have a button you can just press and release the gas cap, the Harley's stock gas cap door requires the key to remove it - and you can't remove the key until you close the door. The push-button is the source of many complaints from riders, with owners saying it goes bad quickly and leaves them stranded at a gas station.
Leather Bag Lid Protector
You might think covering your saddlebags with black leather will look sleek and cool, maybe to some people. That's not the worst of your worries, either. These covers have been reported to fly off as you ride, or trap water underneath them, causing a buildup of mold and smell that you don't want to happen.
The lid protectors can also rub against the gas tank, and cause more damage than would've been caused in the first place. These protectors won't do what they are supposed to and will cause more damage than good.
Fairing Mounted Mirrors
A lot of people don't like that the sides of the mirrors stick out like a regular motorcycle on the Touring. Unfortunately, with the manufacturers now creating fairing-mounted mirrors, these complaints have resulted in a pretty useless rearview mirror that makes it difficult to see behind you. You also have to punch holes in the fairing to mount them, making it hard to go back to the original style once you realize these mirrors do not work.
The Worst Mod - Short Windshield
The idea of having a smaller windshield might seem nice to some bikers, getting some more wind in your face and peering at the open road. However, with the Harley Davidson Touring model, it pushes the wind directly into your face since you are sitting up straight. If you do this for more than 10 minutes at a time on a long ride, the concentrated wind on your face will be uncomfortable and dangerous for high-speed cruising.
There you go, the worst mods you can do to your Harley... Avoid the last one at all costs to stay stylish and safe while riding.