When it comes to transforming your Harley Sportster, you have plenty of options. Riders looking to develop their bike into a custom Cafe Sportster can approach the project in different ways. There are many factors to consider; among them time, cost, experience level, style and design preference are some of the major ones. Who will be doing the work? Are you a DIYer or do you plan on paying for the work to be done?

We just recently completed our own Cafe Sportster Project (see before and after above). We totally renovated a 2004 Harley Sportster 883 - here's a partial build parts list - tearing it completely apart and building it back up. This may be your goal as well or you may prefer to do things incrementally or simply give your Sportster a few new distinct cafe touches.

Visit our Cafe Sportster Parts Page to view more parts that could be a fit for your Cafe Build

No matter your approach, we've put together a trio of Cafe Sportster Kits that give riders something to consider as they move ahead with their Cafe Sportster Build. Keep in mind that these are starting points - parts can easily be swapped in or out to create the ideal kit for your bike and your budget. These are not intended to be full conversion kits, though we are happy to help in any way that we can with technical details or any other questions you may have.

As far as inspiration and style goes, there's simply no one size fits all in the cafe sportster world or anywhere else in the land of custom motorcycles. You may want to put your own twist on the cafe style with a unique gas tank. Maybe you prioritize comfort and will take a pass on a sleeker seat in favor of a more comfortable plush saddle. Finishing touches like paint, grips and even your corresponding gear can be opportunities for you to put your personality into the bike.

Basic Cafe Sportster Kit

Burly 13" Stiletto Shocks
Burly 1" Clubman Handlebars
Burly Cafe Solo Seat/Tail Section

Midrange Cafe Sportster Kit

Roland Sands Design 1" Clip-On Handlebars
Roland Sands Solo Seat for RSD Sportster Cafe Tail Section
Roland Sands Cafe Tail Section for Sportster
Burly Brand 13" Stiletto Shocks

Premium Cafe Sportster Kit

Roland Sands Designs 1" Clip-On Handlebars
Roland Sands Solo Seat for RSD Sportster Cafe Tail Section
Roland Sands Cafe Tail Section for Sportster
Roland Sands Sportster Rearsets
Progressive Suspension Monotube Fork Cartridge Kit
Legend Suspension Revo Coil Shocks

Once you have a base, you can pick and choose among plenty more performance parts - from air cleaners to grips, upgraded exhaust to a new set of levers and more. Many riders aren't able to totally renovate their bike from top to bottom all at once. If that's the case, take your time - tinker with your bike bit by bit. There can even be benefits to putting a bike together over time. For one, you'll get to ride it along the way, it won't be stuck in your garage or at a shop for weeks or even months. Plus, you have the added advantage of being able to carefully consider each change and new addition. A choice you may have initially made may not make sense after giving it some time. You'll be able to ride it along the way and get a feel and vision for what's next.

No matter what, enjoy your build and try to learn along the way. If it's your first build, like the Cafe Sportster was for us, have fun. Expect that there will be bumps along the way, but don't get discouraged. Building a Cafe Sportster isn't an intuitive task for the majority of us. Keep your head up and focus on the vision you have of the completed project. Once your custom Cafe Sportster is ready to roll, it'll all be worth it.