One of the greatest aspects of owning a Harley-Davidson is the ability to customize it and make it truly your own. It makes no difference whether you decide to check out the aftermarket or stick with nothing but genuine Harley-Davidson parts-the sky's the limit. Most guys have a vision in their minds of just what it is their bike should look like, letting functionality take a back seat to form on many occasions. But that just doesn't have to be the case. Here we have a perfect example of how to take a bike and, by using different components, change not only its look but drastically alter its role as well. Case in point, we took our '02 Road King that was outfitted with a stock seat and changed it into a bike that is right at home loaded down for a cross-country trip, and then within a few moments had it ready to cruise the boulevard in all its stripped-down glory.
After thumbing through the parts and accessories catalog, we found just what we were looking for. We ordered a Sundowner Touring Bucket Seat (part No. 52447-96; MSRP: $325), a matching Adjustable Rider Backrest (part No. 52475-01A; MSRP: $350), and a Sidekick Custom seat (part No. 51444-04; MSRP: $339) and went to work.
We began with the stock Road...
We began with the stock Road King two-piece seat. The only thing missing is the grab strap, which we removed. The bike is set up with a detachable backrest and luggage rack.
This shot shows the King with...
This shot shows the King with Harley's Sundowner Touring Bucket Seat, Adjustable Rider Backrest, and Tour Pack.
After removing the extra comfort...
After removing the extra comfort and storage capabilities of the touring pieces. we added a Sidekick Custom seat, then removed the windshield, giving the bike a very stylish look.
Swapping out the seats is...
Swapping out the seats is really quite simple. The stock seat was removed to gain access to the area where we would be mounting the patented air-spring assembly.
We began by slipping the speed...
We began by slipping the speed nut over the hole in the frame.
Next, we lined up the base...
Next, we lined up the base mount over the speed nut and lowered its back end over the studs, which protrude through the fender.
When bolting the base unit...
When bolting the base unit in place, care must be taken to be sure the wiring and air lines are tucked out of the way to avoid damaging them.
Adjusting the position of...
Adjusting the position of the backrest is controlled by a remote handle mounted to the left side of the frame. The mounting hole for the handle's bracket is very close to the framerail. In order to get the bolt into the hole, we needed to grind down one side.
With the cable routed properly,...
With the cable routed properly, it was snapped into place on the air spring.