Barend Mirror Positioning

Ease

Ease

83 XJ650RK, 77 TS-250
I have barends on my bike (cheapo napolean barends) and I find they aren't too good for visibility.
I have had them in the normal position (up a little and stretched out to the end) and also stretched out almost all the way straight. I have little convex mirrors on there now to help with the blind spots - but they aren't the best and are even a little distracting.

I'm gonna go try puttin it below the bar for a run there now and see how I like it.

How do you all set em up? - and do you find they work good or just look good?
 
OK... down is for people with invisible arms... Motorcycles are dangerous. lol.

Straight out wins (WITH blind spot mirrors).
 
Ease said:
How do you all set em up? - and do you find they work good or just look good?
Click to expand...

The best way to configure them is to make yourself the most comfortable with what they show you... Which ever way that works out to.

When I had them installed on a CX650E back in the 90's, I loved them dropped down below the bars, even though I couldn't always see them instantly - I had to lift my arm a bit to see clearly what was behind me, but this also helped eliminate glare from headlights behind me at night, something that was more predominant with the mirrors lower than normal. I like that position visually for style and for comfort, as in general riding I had nothing in my field of view except the dashboard area of the bike.

I have bar-end mirrors on my X1 now, but due to the styling of the bike, I can't put the mirrors on the underside of the bars because they would hit the gas tank when the steering is fully cranked. So, I compromise, and they're set above the bars, and aimed in for a tight view of what's behind me.

Generally, bar-end mirrors tend to be low-visibility, so I encourage a lot of shoulder-checks to verify what is happening around you.

x.

barendmirrors.jpg
 
Damn, I love buells.
Friend of mine is a harley / buell mechanic from MMI.. and a Buell maniac.
So much fun to drive. They're the reason I go to the Harley test ride (and almost get sent home) every year.
;D

Cool Bike.


... Oh, and thanks for the heads up.
8)
 
ease, i notice your clubman bars are steeply slanted. i had some similar bars on my kz550 and bent some stock mirrors to run parrallel to the bars. i thought they looked pretty good. (but it doesn't look good if the clubman bars are relatively flat)

i thought the mirror on this bike looked interesting (the last two pics):

http://www.z550-rider.de/z_550_cafe_racer.htm
 
THe few weeks I rode with a left bar end mirror were a little scary. I couldn't see s#*t! Too far to glace to, and too little visable in it. Lots of shoulder checking is right. :o
Having a fairing, I found me a set of fairing mounted ones really quick!
 
*shrugs shoulders..* i like my one bar end mirror.. all the visibility i've needed (i know it's not the best tho..) and looks nice and simple. i keep mine in the up position..

215020865RL895351887.jpg

052507_10051.jpg
 
No doubt you can see with the higher bars.

The clubmans make it more difficult. With the stock mirrors on my bike I could see perfect, then with the clubmans and the stock mirrors I couldn't see past my shoulders.

As of now having them straight out with the blind spot lenses is working good. I still look over my shoulder before lane changes to be safe, but visibility is as good as it's going to get with my current setup.

Like the Bats BTW ;D.
 
yea true dat.. didn't think about the difference in bars.

and for the bats.. someones gotta stay on the darkside.. ;) gotta keep the hooptie kustom. haha
 
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