Biker Accessories

OK, now that you went out and purchased a Harley Davidson motorcycle and you’ve taken a course on how to properly ride the thing, you hopefully want to get all the accessories to make yourself look the part. Bikers, of course don’t really look at things that way, they have learned over the years that being a biker is a lifestyle, not a style of choice at age 50. Bikers have accumulated accessories over the years that help them live their lives the way they want to live. They have made the choice to snuff societies way of life and have chosen to live their lives on an open highway on two wheels. It’s more of an attitude thing, rather than a choice.
The attitude of a biker is to purchase things that make life easier for them. A set of saddle bags has become an important accessory to the American biker, because in the beginning, back when it all started after WWII, men rode motorcycles and hung out together. They formed a group of people with the same attitudes and dislikes of the way society thought of them. They became the outcasts of American society, the 1%ers of the motorcycle world according to the AMA (American Motorcyclist Association). As the biker community grew, bikers began to form different rides to various parts of the country that would allow their members to party with other men with the same likes and dislikes, thus the term ‘Motorcycle Run’ was formed. Many of these runs were a great distance from the bikers original origin and strapping bedrolls and leather jackets on their bikes became a hassle, so bikers designed leather saddlebags so they could carry the belongings easier without having to worry about losing articles on the open road.
Breakdowns were another problem back in the day. Harley Davidson’s were notorious for breaking down, especially during a long run up the coast. Bikers learned to carry a small bag of tools that hopefully came in handy on the side of the road and thus they could be back on the road in a respectable time limit as opposed to waiting for the backup vehicle to transport them to the nearest motorcycle repair shop. Tool bags were designed and placed in various places on the motorcycle that looked good and had easy access.
Bikers don’t really think of saddlebags and tool bags as accessories; those have become necessities on a motorcycle, like keys to the house, you don’t really need them to open a door, a keyless doorknob works fine, but to secure the house, it’s best to put a locking doorknob on the entry doors. Accessories for a biker are more to the liking of the biker himself. They are the things that a biker doesn’t really need, but enjoys having around for personal use. Liquor Flasks , buck knives, ladies hair wraps and chaps are the accessories that bikers purchase to make their lives a little easier on the road.