I am curious as to what do get back whips do? I see them often enough, every after market catalog has a them but I honestly do not understand their function. Can somebody help me out here?

 

This ought to cover it:

Video containing profanity removed.

 

Sadly Jesse showed what they have morphed into.
The original idea/whip had long streamers and many times placed on a sissybar,, the motion of the streamers fluttering in the wind at speed is/was a visual que for cagers behind a bike,
Many times the rear guard in a group ride would sport the get-back
"Get Back" is/was about tailgaters and/or just to allow bikes more space

 

Aside from make the owner look like a complete tool not much but they do show the world said owner has lousy taste in motorcycle accessories.

 

Dan, they're lovely on a Road King!

 

I suspected there must have been a practical idea of some sort behind them but like the OP, didn't really know. Thanx JohnMn.

 

Don't need no stinking whips when you aren't afraid to use a throttle

 

And most you see do not contain the lead weight braided into the end for it to function as a window opener.

There is a local RC here that rides around looking toolish with the unweighted whips on their bikes.

I'm guessing that video was the result of photographing clubs(MCs)

They frown upon that kind of thing.

 

Given that same situation, I would have probably wound up dead. But before I went, that effin' interstate would have looked like a bowling alley with the pins being Harley's scattered from ditch to ditch.

And I agree... those things look ridiculous. JMO...

 

Talking about whips. This subject has been whipped to death several times on HD Forums. If you need to know more about it, just do a search. You can read past threads on it for the rest of the day.