The sissy bar was a huge part of the chopper and custom bike culture in the late 60’s and 70’s. It quickly became a trademark accessory, not only for its function, but its style as well. The sissy bar, which is short for “sister bar,” was always intended to be a passenger back rest, but it was also used to add style. Now it seems that most aftermarket offerings have ditched the raw elements of styling and have honed in on pure comfort for the passenger. They have become more backrest and less bar.  There is nothing wrong with wanting the most comfortable ride, but some of the classic style seems to be lost with most of the new sissy bar backrests. Custom bikes just don’t have as much flare with the giant padded backrests.
Aftermarket parts manufacturer Burly Brand noticed this trend when they were building a custom Sportser. All that they could find were multi-piece, square tube backrests that were capped with a giant pillow. The mounting was gaudy and some even required you to modify your bike. Burly got tired of looking for the right Sportster sissy bar and decided to build their own.
What they created was a clean and simple sissy bar that takes on the raw styling of the bars from the past that they love. The Burly sissy bar is TIG welded into a one-piece construction and finished with a black powder coat. The small removable pad makes it the ultimate “chick stick” or you can ride with it off for a classic look when you ride solo. The simple open design makes it easy for you to attach a roll pack, sleeping bag or whatever else you need to haul on the back of your bike.
The mounting on the Burly sissy bar really makes it stand out from its competitors by not standing out at all on the bike. The curved mounting matches up perfectly to the profile of the Sportster fenders, which makes it almost disappear. The fender lines are clean  and not covered by an excessive amount of chrome.
Installing the sissy bar can be done in less than 20 minutes and doesn’t require you to make any major alterations that could devalue your bike. The mounts on the bar match up with the existing bolt holes on stock Late Model Sportster fender struts, fender and inner fender support. All that you need to protect your bike during installation is some low-adhesive tape. The tape is placed around the mounting areas to prevent scratches.  Removing the sissy bar is just as easy as the installation.
Burly is known for being committed to custom motorcycle parts that are clean and efficient. Â They have a no-frill approach to custom builds and it shows in all of their aftermarket parts.
Don’t ride a Sportster? Burly has plans to produce more options for sissy bars in the future, so keep on the lookout for their release.
If you want a whole new look for your bike, check out this article on how to turn your cruiser into a Café Sportster with Burly products.
He continues to enjoy learning and sharing about powersports with others in his role as a Web Content Analyst and writer for Dennis Kirk, a role he's been in since 2015. You'll find articles written by Ryan that range from product overviews, how-tos, tech tips, lifestyle articles, and more.
When he's not writing about powersports, Ryan is often enjoying them himself. It doesn't matter if the machine has four wheels, two wheels, or a track, he finds enjoyment in it all.
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3 comments
I would love to have the burly brand on my 1991 fat boy, but it seems that it is for sportsters???
Hey Charles, currently the Burly sissy bars are only available for Sportsters
I wish you had this for my 1991 fat boy b13 1500c???