The rider's guide
Leather for Your Bike
Every custom piece we make — tank bras, lever covers, engine-guard chaps, mud flaps, saddlebag fringe — is cut from a physical pattern kept on file for your specific year, make, and model. Here's how that works, and what we can build for the bike in your garage right now.
How our fitment system works
Off-the-shelf motorcycle leather is a compromise. A one-size tank bra either bunches at the sides on a small tank or gaps in the middle on a large one. A universal lever cover slides around because the hand-control housing shape differs across bikes. Fender bibs stop protecting the fender at the point where the shape stops matching.
We solve that by cutting every fitment-specific piece from a template designed for one specific piece of OEM hardware. When Chilhowee makes a tank bra for a 2018 Road King, the pattern was measured off the actual 2018 Road King tank — not a generic cruiser shape.
We keep those templates on file. If you order a lever cover for your 2019 Electra Glide, we don't measure your bike — we pull the “HD M8 hand controls” template from the shop rack and cut from that. That's why we can ship a custom-fit piece in 3 weeks instead of 6.
Which products need a template?
Fitment-required products (order these through the fitment filter — enter your year/make/model, we check the template library):
- Tank bras and tank bibs (per-tank shape)
- Fender bibs — front and rear (per-fender shape)
- Lever covers (per hand-control assembly)
- Engine-guard chaps (per guard-bar diameter and bend)
- Engine-guard covers (per guard bracket geometry)
- Mud flaps (per fender edge shape)
- Saddlebag guard-rail fringe (per guard-rail dimension)
- Saddlebag guard-rail covers (per guard-rail dimension)
Universal products (order these without a fitment check — one size or per-model color/length choice):
- Get-back whips (universal handlebar attachment, length is your choice)
- Deerskin gloves (fits by hand size, XS–XXL)
- Floorboard fringe (universal shape)
- Tassels (universal — mount anywhere)
- Grip covers (fit by bar diameter, common sizes stocked)
Our template coverage — by manufacturer
Live from the shop template database. Numbers reflect the physical patterns we have cataloged and the year/model combinations they cover.
| Manufacturer | Physical templates | Year/model combos |
|---|---|---|
| Harley-Davidson | 100 | 186 |
| Indian Motorcycle | 47 | 77 |
| Honda | 72 | 72 |
| Yamaha | 61 | 61 |
| Kawasaki | 54 | 54 |
| Suzuki | 38 | 38 |
| BMW | 14 | 37 |
| Victory | 6 | 37 |
| Triumph | 16 | 36 |
| Moto Guzzi | 11 | 35 |
| Royal Enfield | 13 | 30 |
| Ducati | 5 | 17 |
“Physical templates” is how many unique patterns we've cut. “Year/model combos” is how many rider bikes those templates fit — because a single Harley “M8 hand controls” lever template fits 13 different Big Twin models from 2017 forward, one physical pattern often covers many bikes.
What if my bike isn't on file?
It happens. We build for it anyway. Two paths:
- You send measurements. Our care guide page has measurement walkthroughs for each product type. If the piece is straightforward (a mud flap, a tank bra with clean edges), measurements plus a few photos are usually enough for us to cut a template.
- We measure the bike. If you're within driving range of the shop, or willing to ship us the specific part (a lever assembly, a fender, an engine guard), we'll cut the template from the piece itself. Most accurate, longest lead time.
Either way, request a custom quote and we'll respond within one business day with a price and timeline.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if my bike is on file?
On any fitment-required product page (tank bras, lever covers, engine-guard chaps, mud flaps, saddlebag pieces), enter your year, make, and model in the fitment filter. The page tells you immediately: either 'we have a template on file' (ships in normal lead time) or 'measurements needed' (add ~2 weeks for us to cut a new pattern from your bike's measurements or photos).
What if my bike isn't listed?
We build for it anyway — we've made pieces for bikes we had to look up. Submit a custom quote request and we'll ask for measurements or reference photos. Once we've cut a pattern for your bike, it goes into our shared template library, so the next rider with the same bike gets 'on file' pricing and lead time.
Do universal products need a template?
No. Get-back whips, deerskin gloves, floorboard fringe (no studs), tassels, and grip covers are 'universal' — they don't need bike-specific measurements. Order those directly.
Why is fitment important?
Leather that's cut oversized bunches, catches wind, and eventually creases along the wrong fold lines. Undersized leather gaps at the edges, exposing the tank paint or fender it was meant to protect. A template cut to your bike's actual dimensions gives you a piece that lies flat, protects fully, and ages evenly.
What year ranges do templates typically cover?
It depends on the manufacturer. Harley-Davidson Big Twins usually break by hand-control era (Pre-Rushmore 1990–2013, Rushmore 2014–2016, M8 2017+) — one template per era covers 6–13 model lines. Metric cruisers usually split by model generation redesigns. Every template's exact year range is on file with us; the fitment picker tells you which era yours falls into.
Do you ever need the bike itself?
Rarely. For most fitment work, measurements at the eighth of an inch and a few reference photos are enough. In the rare case where a bike has particularly complex geometry (custom tanks, aftermarket fenders, one-off frames), we ask for a shop visit or an unusually detailed measurement set.
Ready to check your bike?
Find leather that fits your bike
Enter your year, make, and model on the shop page — we'll tell you immediately which products we have templates for.
Not sure what you need? Email us — one business day response.