ALT-1 Best Accessories for your Motorcycle
The best accessory by far for any motorcycle is chrome lots of chrome. The second best is leather, preferably with the fringy stuff hanging off every inch of it. If your bike doesn't look like chrome and shredded leather on wheels, you just aren't there yet.
Seriously, though, there are some accessories that I just wouldn't do without. The first is naturally after-market pipes. Nowadays most bikes leave the dealership sounding like a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle, sort of putting along. Maybe in other places, a motorcycle is uncommon enough to get noticed. But here in Daytona Beach, they aren't a novelty; if you don't make some noise, you might not be noticed in with the rest of the traffic. You want to sound like "heavy metal thunder" so that everyone knows you're there. Your exhaust doesn't have to be obnoxiously loud, but it should be heard over traffic noises. Besides, I just love that sound. "Get your motor running; head out on the highway"
When I bought my Yamaha V-Star, I opted for the Silverado partly because it came already equipped with most of the rest of my "necessaries". It came with a windshield, saddlebags, a sissy bar (passenger backrest for you non-bikers), and platforms instead of foot pegs.
My husband is 70 pounds heavier than I am and has is own bike, so I'm not likely to have a passenger. But that sissy bar sure looks good on the bike. The rest are basic for safety and comfort.
A windshield helps keep bugs and debris out of your face. But as the name implies, it also keeps the wind out of your face. While certainly not impossible, it can be a little difficult to breathe with a 60 mile per hour wind in your face as you zoom down the highway.
Saddlebags allow you to carry a jacket, bottled water or soft drinks for longer trips, or whatever you feel the need for when you're out and about. I have prescription sunglasses that I ride with in the daytime. But I always keep a pair of glasses with clear lensesin mine in case I get caught out late.
Platforms are a matter of preference. I have friends who say the prefer pegs (they're sport bike people, you know), but give me platforms any day. My feet prefer a nice, flat surface to rest on when they're not actively braking or shifting gears.
There are two other things that I would highly recommend for both safety and looks. One is passing lamps and the other is crash bars.
Passing lamps, or light bars, are like louder pipes. They help get you noticed. Three lights are much more visible than just one headlight. When you're on two wheels and everyone else has four, being noticed is very important.
Crash bars are more properly known as engine guards, and they do just that. If you drop your bike, they help protect your engine from damage. They also protect your paint job. Also, I can tell you first-had that they help protect you too if you go down with the bike. It's embarrassing enough to lay your bike down; you really don't want to also have to deal with 700 pounds of metal lying on your leg.
Most dealers have pages and pages of accessories you can add some for safety, some for looks, a few for both. And don't forget the aftermarket goodies. Take a look at their web sites or parts catalog and let your imagination run wild.
Now, back to the chrome... Mother's Day is coming up soon, and I can still see paint between the leather and the chrome. We have to do something about that.
