A sissy bar, also called a "sister bar" or "passenger backrest" is an addition to the rear of a bicycle or

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

that allows the rider or passenger to recline against it while riding. Alternatively it can serve as an anchor point or support for mounting luggage or equipment that is not part of the bike. They can serve as one of the main mounts securing the rear fender to the motorcycle. Over the years the sissy bars have been a focal point of expression for the bike builder. Custom sissy bar designs can be simple or extravagant. They can be built for comfort, purpose, style or a combination of all three. In the early 1960’s some states initiated laws that mandated the use of a bar on the back of a street motorcycle for safety reasons. At the time bikers were not a group particularly concerned with safety, and started referring to the bars as “sissy” bars because they were not happy about having to comply with the new law. Some bikers began making excessively tall sissy bars as a form of protest, which later became part of the chopper look we know today. A variety of materials were used to fabricate these custom sissy bar designs such as tubing, rod iron, plate metal, and even welded chain. Sissy bars for cruiser-style motorcycles are usually affixed to the rear fender

strut A strut is a structural component commonly found in engineering, aeronautics, architecture and anatomy. Struts generally work by resisting longitudinal compression, but they may also serve in tension. Human anatomy Part of the functionality o ...

s, and are typically made of chrome-plated steel with a foam padded seatback for comfort. Some elaborate custom examples can extend three feet or more. A backrest for a

touring motorcycle A touring motorcycle is a type of motorcycle designed for touring. Although almost any motorcycle can be used for this purpose, manufacturers have developed specific models designed to address the particular needs of these riders. Touring motorc ...

is often shorter and less elaborate and may be built into a

top box Motorcycle accessories are features and accessories selected by a motorcycle owner to enhance safety, performance, or comfort, and may include anything from mobile electronics to sidecars and trailers. An accessory may be added at the factory by t ...

On bicycles

Inspired by its motorcycle counterpart, a smaller version of the sissy bar was a common feature on 1960s- and 70s-era

wheelie bike A wheelie bike, also called a dragster, muscle bike, high-riser, spyder bike or banana bike, is a type of stylized children's bicycle designed in the 1960s to resemble a chopper motorcycle and characterized by ape hanger handlebars, a ban ...

s, such as the Schwinn Sting-Ray and the

Raleigh Chopper The Raleigh Chopper is a children's bicycle, a wheelie bike, manufactured and marketed in the 1970s by the Raleigh Bicycle Company of Nottingham, England. Its unique design became a cultural icon and is fondly remembered by many who grew up in ...

. This extended backrest, which attached to the rear of the bike's

banana seat A bicycle saddle, often called a bicycle seat, is one of five contact points on an upright bicycle, the others being the two Bicycle pedal, pedals and the two handles on the Bicycle handlebar, handlebars. (A bicycle seat in the specific sense als ...

, gave a passenger something to lean back on and hold on to besides the rider doing the pedaling.

References

* Motorcycle technology {{Motorcycle-stub