Motorcycle Accessories
Motorcycle accessories customize a bike and also lend a personalized touch to the two-wheeler.
A bike accessory can be part of the original motorcycle or added by the owner for several reasons such as enhancing appearance, augmenting safety, and for providing comfort. Many types of accessories have flooded the market. However, not all of them add significant value to a bike's performance, comfort or security. The focus here is primarily on accessories that are considered more or less as essential components of any motorbike.
It is interesting to note that some people call motorcycle accessories as farkles. Farkle is an accepted term and is simply a combination of the words function and sparkle.
Motorcycle Fairing
Motorcycle fairing is by far the most visible accessory on a bike along with windscreen. This device is actually a shell placed over the frame of a motorcycle primarily to reduce air drag. Some motorcycles have both front and back fairing. The accessory market is flooded with many types of fairing. These include full fairing, dustbin fairing, dolphin fairing, half-fairing and quarter fairing to name a few.
Windscreen
A windscreen can be part of fairing or simply attached on an unfaired bike. The material of construction of windscreens is generally high-impact acrylic plastic. Modern windscreens have the feature of being electrically controlled for height adjustment.
Luggage Rack
A luggage rack is a very common addition to bikes accessories. This component eliminates the need of a separate backpack while travelling and provides safety too.
Crash Bars
Crash bars are also called highway bars or engine bars. These are fitted on bikes to protect the engine and body panels during skids and tipovers. Crash bars are less popular these days and are replaced by original equipment fitted snubs.
Sidecars
A side car is a one wheeled contraption attached to the side of a motor cycle. This device transforms a bike into a three wheeler. A side car does not appear to be very popular these days. One reason could be this equipment requires the motorcycle to be very powerful. The mode of construction is another reason. Proper alignment is critical in a sidecar as it places a heavy strain on the motorcycle's bearings. Generally a bike owner's purpose is solo riding, in which case a sidecar seems redundant.
Heated Components
Unlike in a motor car, a bike is devoid of climate control gadgets. However, some manufacturers offer heated seats and hand grips that provide comfort during cold months.
A list of bike accessories can go on and on. Host of other motorcycle accessories include saddle bags, drink holders, helmets, sunglasses and floorboards to name a few.