Sissy bar

Some bikers began making excessively tall sissy bars as a form of protest, which later became part of the modern chopper look.

A variety of materials were used to fabricate these custom sissy bar designs such as tubing, wrought iron, plate metal, and even welded chain.

[1] Sissy bars for cruiser-style motorcycles are usually affixed to the rear fender struts, and are typically made of chrome-plated steel with a foam padded seatback for comfort.

Inspired by its motorcycle counterpart, a smaller version of the sissy bar was a common feature on 1960s- and 70s-era wheelie bikes, such as the Schwinn Sting-Ray and the Raleigh Chopper.

This extended backrest, which attached to the rear of the bike's banana seat, gave a passenger something to lean back on and hold on to besides the rider doing the pedaling.