Brass and copper used to be common materials in motorcycles and now Harley-Davidson is going brassy with its latest collection of accessories.
They will be available soon and are included in the annual bible-sized catalogue Harley-Davidson Australia spokesman David Turney lovingly refers to as the “Big Book”.
“The collection is made from real, solid brass and as an alternative to chrome, adds a warm, hand-crafted look,” the historic car and bike fan says. 
“They’re also a living finish. Natural and while treated to slow the ageing process, each piece will age differently, taking on the characteristics of each rider and its use.”
Use of brass and copper is often referred to as Steampunk; a reference to 19th Century Jules Verne-style science fiction featuring steam-powered machinery.
Brass highlights were recently added to the Triumph Bonneville T120 and Bobber and they look very smart, indeed.
However, the Harley Brass Collection is different because each piece is pre-aged and protected with a renaissance wax that helps delay the natural ageing process.
The brass accessories will therefore appear different on each bike to which they are fitted and should make a production bike look more like a garage-built custom.
Unlike most Harley accessories, there is minimal bar-and-shield branding to create a stripped down, custom look.
Harley also concentrated on making the parts easy to install.
Brass accessories include:
- Air Cleaner Trim
- Axle Nut Covers
- Brake Pedal Pads
- Derby Cover
- Footpegs
- Medallions
- Shifter Pegs
- Hand Grips
- Headbolt Covers
- Fuel Cap
- Fuel Gauge, LED
- Swingarm Pivot Bolt Covers
- Tank Cover, Left hand
- Timer Cover
- Upper Fork Stem Covers
Prices range from $99 for an engine timer cover to $268 for the derby cover.
Softail accessories
Meanwhile, the 2018 Softail range, which is a marriage of the Softail and Dyna families, has more than 300 new accessories in the Big Book.
They include quick-release “HoldFast” sissy-bars, luggage racks, Tour-Pak mount, detachable saddlebags, and windshields.
The HoldFast system is also easy to fit and with an intuitive snap-in and release design. The one-piece backrest eliminates the need for side plates and turn signal relocation kits. They come in chrome or black.
Of course, there are Screamin’ Eagle Stage I, II, III and IV exhaust kits available to suit the new Softail models that now come with the Milwaukee-Eight 107 and 114-cube engine.