Why Aftermarket Upgrades Matter

A big part of the Harley Davidson culture is customizing your motorcycle with Harley aftermarket parts and for good reason. Custom motorcycle upgrades allow you to personalize your bike to match your specific needs and preferences, such as how you ride, how you want your bike to look and to accommodate the functional purposes you require. Your stock bike was literally built for customization for aesthetics, comfort, and performance, so you can build the bike of your dreams.

And, a stock parts replacement strategy can even up the resale value of your motorcycle. In this article, we shine some light on when it’s time to replace stock parts, what aftermarket parts to consider, the benefits of aftermarket parts, and how to choose the right ones.

Signs It’s Time to Replace Stock Parts

To be clear, purchasing aftermarket parts is about replacing as well as adding. When you first get your bike, whether it’s off the showroom floor or used, you’ll probably already be thinking about some customizations. If it’s a used bike, it might have some things that need to be replaced. First, let’s focus on why you may need to replace any stock parts.

Wear and Tear

No matter how well you take care of your bike, you’ll end up with wear and tear. Obviously, you’ll be getting new tires, brakes, filters, and standard maintenance items when the time comes, but other parts of your bike are susceptible to wear and tear as well thanks to exposure to weather, road debris, and just pure mileage. This includes fenders, fairings, crash bars, saddlebags/packs, gas cover and your seats. It’s everything that’s exposed to the elements and the road.

If one or more of your parts is scuffed or damaged to the point where something is cracked, torn, or chipped, it may be time to consider replacing it. The good news is that no matter what color your Harley is, your Advanblack replacement part will match the original color exactly. You might start with our Holeshot series of fenders, saddlebags, and gas tanks. Or go all out with our carbon fiber parts, which last a long time and look outstanding.

But if you just have a small nick or scratch, we recommend getting a Touch Up Paint Pen which we have in nearly 130 Harley stock colors!

Comfort

Once you’ve been on your bike a while, there may be some comfort issues you want to address. This includes seating for both you and your passenger, wind and noise, and upgrading your sound while you ride.

Let’s start with seats and backrests. Talk about an instant comfort upgrade! Most of our seats have Gel-Lab technology which provides better cushioning and heat/weight distribution which makes long rides easier on your tushes. Our “Sik Baggers” custom stitching seat is top of the line. And don’t forget backrests for your passengers!

Next, reduce wind and noise with new upper and/or lower fairings. Adding or replacing fairings can dramatically reduce air flow in your cockpit, which keeps wind out of your face. And on top of that, reducing wind drag will improve your acceleration and get better gas mileage. Finally, and maybe the best part, you’ll reduce the wind noise for your road tunes. Advanblack has a variety of speaker lids and pods to supercharge your sound system.

Desire for Customization

Customizing a Harley motorcycle is ingrained in the Harley culture. It’s part of our DNA. From the moment you drive a brand new one off the lot, you’ll be thinking about upgrades, add-ons, and anything you can do to make it just a little bit more special. This is especially true if you have a used bike, because you want it to reflect who you are, not the previous owner. From a simple seat upgrade, to adding saddlebags, extended fenders or maybe just a splash of chrome, the desire to customize your bike is an itch that we can help you scratch. If you’re into a dramatic change, we have a variety of Holeshot Full Body Color Swaps for Street and Road Glide models.

Key Parts to Consider for Upgrades

Some upgrades are more noticeable and impactful than others. Here are a few that you might consider in different price ranges.

Saddlebags and Storage

Storage on your motorcycle is primarily about how you ride and use your bike, as much as it is aesthetics. Saddlebags come in a variety of styles that include chopped, stretched and down and out. Some kits come with a rear fender as well. Saddlebags can generally hold enough gear for an overnighter. And saddlebags have their own upgrades too, including speaker lids to enhance your sound system and liners to protect whatever it is you’re storing.

If you need even more storage, a Tour Pack is the upgrade you need. With three sizes to choose from (Razor, Chopped, and King), there’s enough storage for you and a passenger for an overnighter or a weeklong trip.

Fairings and Windshields

We’ve already talked about how fairings will make your ride more comfortable. But, fairings and windshields are must-haves especially if you ride long distances. It can be exhausting having the wind pummeling your body at highway speeds for any long period of time. Fairings come in a wide variety of styles for just about any Harley model, including touring and softails. Outer fairings are there to deflect the wind, while the inner fairing covers and protects your gauge cluster. Other fairing upgrades include lower fairings, air deflectors, spoilers and air ducts. Again, with Advanblack your fairing upgrade is guaranteed to color match your bike.

LED Lighting

Advanblack lighting packages are both practical and visually appealing. For the front of your bike, we have the “Attack” LED headlight that is ultra bright (4,000LM low beam and 8,000LM high beam) and has a tough, aggressive look. For the rear of your bike, our “Reaper” Smoke or Red are designed for your Tour Pack and sequential LED turn signals for your saddlebags. Advanblack has awesome lighting packages for softail riders as well!

And here’s a Harley customization tip – With Advanblack, you can install everything yourself. All Advanblack parts come with all the hardware you need to for a DIY installation. And if you need help, we have video tutorials for installations on our YouTube channel.

Benefits of Aftermarket Parts

Aftermarket parts and accessories have a few benefits to consider, if you need more convincing.

Improved Aesthetics

From a simple gas tank cover to a complete body swap, just about any upgrade you choose is going to make your bike look better. And what’s more, it makes you feel better too. This is about customizing your bike your way.

Enhanced Durability

Your stock Harley Davidson is perhaps the best-made, most durable motorcycle on the planet. Period. The difference with some OEM parts and accessories is that they are often made better, but it depends on the brand you go with. Do your research and make sure that anything you buy is at least OEM quality if you want it to last a long time. Advanblack has been the go-to aftermarket part supplier for thousands of Harley enthusiasts thanks to our quality and durability.

Better Performance

Again, with many of our parts, such as fairings and wheels, your bike is going to perform better, improve fuel efficiency, and most of all, give you a more comfortable ride. And with carbon fiber, the reduced weight assists in overall performance and handling.

How to Choose the Right Aftermarket Upgrades

Now that we’ve talked about “what” aftermarket upgrade to get, let’s talk about “how” to choose the right aftermarket upgrade.

Compatibility with Your Model

Harleys come in a variety of models and not every part is compatible with every model. Before you order anything, make sure the fitment is accurate. All Advanblack parts on our website will tell you the fitment. But if you’re not clear, just hit us up via chat on the website, email, or just give us a call. We have a direct line for parts and installation support – (909) 766-1791.

Quality and Brand Reputation

Advanblack adheres to the highest standards of production and materials in all our parts and accessories. From our one-piece heavy gauge still fenders to the heavy-duty injection molded ABS plastic for most of our body upgrades, there are no more durable and well-made aftermarket parts and accessories available than Advanblack. And we craft our carbon fiber parts from 100% real pre-preg carbon fiber and a UV-protected clear coat finish. As soon as you take an Advanblack part out of the box, you know it’s going to last a long time.

Conclusion: Make Your Harley Truly Yours

No Harley bike is the same as another. If you need proof, just head to Sturgis next August and see if any of the other half-million bikes look like yours. Customization is all about you and what you want. Remember, the world doesn’t need you to be timid. Be yourself and ride with pride on your customized bike. Advanblack is here to help you make it happen!