Do sissy bars work with the saddle bags or do you have to remove them?

Sissy bars do work with saddlebags although you may need to install your sissy bar before you install saddlebags. Sissy bars that use side plates will need to be installed with the saddlebag brackets because they typically mount at the same location. For custom applications where the sissy bars mount to the frame, you typically will not have any issues with mounting saddlebags.

How tall of a sissy bar should I get? How do you accurately measure a sissy bar?

The height of your sissy bar is totally up to you. There is no rule that you have to follow concerning the height. To measure a sissy bar, there are a few measurements you need to take. First measure the width. This measurement should be taken at the bottom of the sissy bar and you are measuring from the outside to outside of the bar. To measure the height of the sissy bar, measure from the bottom bolt hole to the highest part of the sissy bar. Depending on your application you may need to measure your side straps. Side strap brackets are model specific. Measure the side strap by measuring from center point to center point of the two holes at the bottom of the side strap.

Can this sissy bar be used as a back rest?

Yes. If you plan on using your sissy bar as a back rest then you should choose a sissy bar that has a design that is comfortable to lean against. A padded sissy bar will give the best comfort, but if you do not like that look you can choose a sissy bar that has a smooth surface to lean against. A sissy bar can even work as a back rest for the rider, as strapping your motorcycle baggage to the sissy bar often gives a comfortable backrest to lean on while on long rides.

What sissy bar do you guys recommend?

There are a lot of things to consider before we can recommend the right sissy bar for you. If you have a bike with side plates (fender struts), then we would recommend one of our bike specific sissy bars that comes complete and ready to mount to your specific motorcycle. If you have a full-on custom bike and you want to add something that takes a little more effort, then we would tell you to look at one of our Gasbox sissy bars. These look great but will take a little more time and effort to install as they are custom. There are full custom versions, the DIY Sissy Bar Kits, that require welding, as well as chrome-plated, ready-to-go sissy bars that will work with many rigid frame choppers and different style motorcycle rear fenders, and bolt in place.