5 Easy Bolt-On Upgrades That Transform Your Harley Softail
Stock Softails are great bikes. But "great" and "yours" are two different things. The good news is you don't need to strip an engine or rebuild a frame to make a Softail feel and look like something special. These five bolt-on upgrades require basic tools, no machining, and deliver results you'll notice on the first ride.
Whether you're on a Heritage, Fat Boy, Slim, Standard, Street Bob, or Low Rider — this list applies. We've focused on upgrades that work across the Softail family, and noted where model-year matters.
1. Handlebars & Risers — The Single Biggest Rider Impact
Nothing changes how a bike feels to ride more than bar position. It affects your reach, your wrist angle, your back, your shoulders, and how much wind you're taking in the chest. And yet most riders put up with whatever came stock because swapping bars sounds complicated. It isn't.
Softail bars are a straightforward swap — remove the controls, swap the bar, reinstall. The main considerations are:
Rise and pullback. A taller bar with more pullback brings the grips closer to you, which suits a more relaxed, upright riding position. Lower, flatter bars push you forward into a sportier crouch. Most NZ riders on Softails lean toward mid-rise to high-rise bars for touring comfort on our long straights and winding roads.
Width. Wider bars give more leverage and a more commanding feel. Stock bars on most Softails sit around 28–32 inches. Going wider opens up the cockpit.
Bar diameter. Softails use either 1" or 1-1/4" bars depending on the model and year. Make sure your controls (grips, levers, switches) match the diameter you choose.
Cables and lines. If you go significantly taller than stock, you may need longer throttle cables, brake lines, and clutch cable. It's a known consideration — not a deal-breaker, just factor it in.
We carry a full range of 1", 1-1/8", 1-1/4", and 1-1/2" bars in black and chrome, along with matching risers across clamp sizes. Pair a new bar with billet risers for a clean, finished look that lifts the whole front end visually.
Shop handlebars → proclasscustoms.co.nz/collections/handlebars-risers
2. Foot Controls — Set Your Riding Position Right
Foot controls are the other half of the ergonomics equation. Stock controls are designed for the average rider — which means they're perfect for almost nobody. Shifting them forward, back, or changing the peg style can make a profound difference in comfort on longer rides.
Forward controls move your feet ahead of the frame, dropping your knees and extending your legs. This suits taller riders and anyone who prefers a cruiser-style seating position. If you're riding the open road between Auckland and Wellington, your hips will thank you.
Mid controls keep your feet more directly below your hips, putting you in a more neutral, upright position. Good for Softail Sport or Low Rider riders who want a more active, engaged feel.
Extended controls let you keep your stock setup but shift the pegs outward or forward a few inches — a subtle but effective adjustment if you're close to where you want to be.
We carry foot control kits for Softail 2000–2017 and Softail 2018-up separately, since the 2018 frame redesign changed the mounting points. Always confirm your model year when ordering.
While you're at it: swap the stock rubber pegs for billet aluminium foot pegs. They look sharper, provide better grip, and give the bike a more custom feel without touching anything structural.
Shop foot controls → proclasscustoms.co.nz/collections/foot-controls-extensions
3. Air Cleaner — Performance and Presence
The stock air cleaner on a Softail does its job quietly and inoffensively. Aftermarket air cleaners do their job loudly and beautifully.
But it's not just aesthetic. A high-flow aftermarket air cleaner genuinely improves airflow into the engine. Combined with a free-flowing exhaust and a proper tune, it's a meaningful performance upgrade — especially on Milwaukee-Eight models, where the engine already wants to breathe.
What to look for:
High-flow filters use oiled cotton gauze or similar materials that flow significantly better than the stock paper element. Brands like S&S Cycle, Arlen Ness, and others build air cleaners that combine filtration performance with distinctive styling.
Fitment matters here. Air cleaners are throttle-body specific. The key split for Softails is:
- Twin Cam 1993–2017 (CV carb or Delphi EFI, cable-operated throttle) — one category
- Milwaukee-Eight 2017–2023 — 58mm throttle body, specific fitment
- Milwaukee-Eight 2024-up — updated throttle body, different again
We stock air cleaner kits across all these categories. If you're unsure which throttle body you have, the model year and displacement will confirm it — or just call us.
One important note: if you fit a free-flowing air cleaner, the bike will run leaner. For best results — and to avoid running issues — pair the air cleaner with an exhaust upgrade and get a fuelling tune done. A FuelPak or equivalent ECM tuner will dial everything in correctly.
Shop air cleaners → proclasscustoms.co.nz/collections/air-cleaner-kits-components
4. Seat — Comfort, Style, and the Most Underrated Upgrade
Here's a fact most riders learn the hard way: the stock seat is designed to look good in a showroom, not to survive a 500km day in the saddle. By the time you're two hours into a run from Christchurch to Queenstown, you'll be wondering why you didn't change it years ago.
Aftermarket seats address this properly. Options range from solo seats that give the bike a stripped, minimalist look, through to dual seats with deep foam, driver backrests, and passenger pillion sections that make two-up touring genuinely comfortable.
Key decisions:
Solo vs dual. A solo seat completely changes the visual character of a Softail — it exposes the rear fender, lengthens the visual line of the bike, and looks purposeful. A dual seat prioritises function and passenger comfort.
Foam density and profile. Not all foam is equal. A flat, firm seat that looks great in photos can be painful at two hours. Look for contoured profiles that put the foam where it matters, with a firmer base and softer top layer.
Material. Vinyl holds up well in NZ's changeable weather. Leather looks exceptional but requires more care.
Fitment. Softail seats split into two main eras: 1984–2017 and 2018-up, due to the frame redesign. Within those, Touring models (FLSTN, FLSTF etc.) and Sport/Street models may have different mounting configurations. We list seats by model and year, so finding the right fit is straightforward.
Shop seats → proclasscustoms.co.nz/collections/seats
5. Lighting — Instant Visual Impact, All Day
LED lighting upgrades are one of the fastest ways to modernise a Softail's appearance while adding real functional benefit. Stock halogen headlights, turn signals, and tail lights are dim by modern standards. LED alternatives are dramatically brighter, more visible to other road users, and draw less power from the charging system.
Headlight. The stock 5.75" or 7" headlight on most Softails accepts direct-fit LED replacements — no wiring modifications needed on most models. LED headlights throw a whiter, more even beam that makes night riding significantly safer on unlit NZ roads. They also give the front end a modern, aggressive look.
Turn signals. Stock bullet-style turn signals are functional but dated. Switching to slimmer LED units — smoked or clear lens, black or chrome housing — changes the whole profile of the bike. Running resistance load equalizers may be needed to prevent hyper-flash if your model has a traditional turn signal relay (common on older Twin Cams).
Tail light. LED tail lights react faster than halogens — measurably so — which gives following drivers more braking reaction time. On New Zealand roads where traffic situations can change quickly, that's not a trivial safety gain.
Auxiliary lighting. Passing lamps, fog lights, and accent lighting are also popular Softail additions, particularly on Heritage and Deluxe models that carry the full-dresser look. We carry passing lamps and accessory lighting in both black and chrome finishes.
All lighting on a New Zealand-registered motorcycle must comply with NZTA standards. Always confirm compliance for your specific application before fitting.
Shop lighting → proclasscustoms.co.nz/collections/lighting
The Right Order to Do It
If you're planning to do more than one of these, here's a practical sequence:
Ergonomics first. Get the handlebars, foot controls, and seat sorted before anything else. These affect how the bike fits you — and everything else is easier to enjoy when you're comfortable.
Performance second. Air cleaner and exhaust together, with a tune to match. Doing them in isolation without a tune leaves performance on the table.
Aesthetics last. Lighting, mirrors, grips, and other visual details. These are the finishing touches that tie the whole look together once the fundamentals are sorted.
Need Help Picking the Right Parts?
Every Softail is a little different depending on the year, model, and what's already been done to it. If you're not sure which version of a part fits your bike, we're here to help. We know this catalogue inside out — it's all we do.
Call us: 09 573 3003 Email: sales@proclasscustoms.co.nz Browse the full Softail range at proclasscustoms.co.nz
Pro Class Customs is New Zealand's nationwide distributor of aftermarket parts for Harley-Davidson, Indian, Kawasaki, and more. Based in Auckland, we ship nationwide.
