This post is contribution from Josh @CarInsuranceCalculator.info, car and cruising specialist. For more of his articles visit the blog section here.

For many motorcycles riders owning a stock cruiser is just not enough. It doesn’t matter if they own the cleanest or nicest Harley-Davidson FXR, a Honda Shadow, Suzuki Boulevard or another bike, having a stock motorcycle is not enough! Luckily, there is the option to customize your cruiser and it is very affordable to do! It’s so easy to customize your motorcycle that it can be done at home in a rider’s garage. To do this all you have to do is replace a few of your stock parts with custom aftermarket parts.

However this leads to the question which aftermarket parts should be used to customize a motorcycle? To answer this question, I came up with a list of 10 parts that I think would make great parts for a custom motorcycle.

1. Exhaust- There is no greater sound in the world, then the sound of aftermarket exhaust system! An exhaust system is “mechanical music” to a rider’s ears! Upgrading your exhaust kit is a great way to customize your motorcycle. Not only will a performance exhaust system sound better but it will improve the appearance of your bike and it adds more power as well! A variety of exhaust types are available, from 2 into 1 style pipes to Drag Pipes and many more! When it comes to upgrading exhaust the possibilities are endless!

2. Air Filter- Air Filters are another great part that can be used to customize your motorcycle. They are very affordable (most cost less than $100), then can help the appearance of your engine look nicer and then can help the engine breath better which means better performance!

3. Lights- One of the best ways to customize the appearance on your motorcycle is to replace the headlights and taillights with nicer looking aftermarket lights. Changing lights may not seem like make a huge difference in the appearance of your bike but believe me they will. If your bike has a big Headlight try replacing it with a smaller headlight or if you have a modern style headlight try replacing it with a classic style headlight off of an old Harley. Your taillights can be replaced with a variety of taillights as well! Some of them have unique designs and others resemble old Ford lights.

4. Wheels- Replacing your stock wheels with custom wheels is one of the easiest mods that you can do to your motorcycle. Wheels are affordable, easy to replace and they come in a variety of different designs! There several different types of aftermarket wheels available from spoke wheels to spun billet wheels, chrome wheels and even mag wheels! There are literally thousands of different motorcycle wheels available that can be used to customize your bike!

5. Gauges- One of the parts that is commonly over looked is the gauges. The gauges may be seem like simple parts that won’t make much difference in the appearance but replacing the stock gauges with aftermarket gauges it gives your bike more small details. The more small custom details bike has, the better it looks.

6. Seat- Tired of that boring and plain black seat that originally came with your bike? How about replacing it with a custom saddle? Try a different color such as brown or try a seat with a design stitched on it.

7. Gas Tank- If you like the stock appearance of your bike and you are doing a mild custom than changing your gas tank is not the mod for you! However, if you are doing a wild custom or building a bobber then I encourage you to change your gas tank! If your bike has a Fatbob tank, try replacing it with a sporty style tank or a mustang style gas tank for a new look! The Gas Tank makes up a huge part of a motorcycles look, so changing it will be a big difference!

8. Controls/Foot Pegs- Replacing your stock controls and foot pegs with aftermarket controls is a great way to customize your bike. While controls may look small from a distance, they can actually make a big difference from your motorcycles appearance. Adding chrome controls, or controls that have a unique design can make a difference in the appearance of your bike.

9. Rear Fender- Just like the gas tank, if you want to keep a stock appearance than changing your rear fender is not for you. The reason for this is, like the gas tank the rear will make a huge difference in the appearance of your bike. If you are going for a stripped down look I recommend a chopped rear fender, if you want a more finished look try a larger rear fender. Other types of custom fenders are ribbed fenders and fenders with a chopped design.

10. Handle Bars – The best part that can be used to customize your motorcycle is Handle bars! Get rid of your boring stock handle bars and replace them with better looking drag bars, larger ape hangers or custom z bars! Handle bars can a make a huge difference on your bike with out breaking the bank!

These are the ten aftermarket parts that I recommend that a rider uses when customizing their motorcycle. Just by using one of this parts your motorcycle will be customized. However, by using all 10 of these parts your motorcycle will be a one of a kind custom!