Difficult time adjusting to the lack of rear view mirror

3434 Views 15 Replies 11 Participants Last post by Curt, Apr 3, 2004

BradPeart

Discussion Starter · Mar 28, 2004

I am having a difficult time adjusting to the lack of rear view mirror. I like to know what's going on all around me. I like to know if there is someone tailgating me. Or if there is a cop behind me.

I've been atempting to see behind me without turning me head all the way around. I pull my right elbow in and **** my head to the right. It sort of works. Is there another/better way to do this? Are aftermarket mirrror bigger or better? Are my mirrors not correctly adjusted? Am I asking too **** many questions?

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Mizz ZZR

· #2 · Mar 28, 2004

I'm not exactly sure what you mean, whether you have no mirrors at all, or (more likely), you have mirrors and you're having trouble seeing with them properly. I suspect the latter.

I had trouble when I first got my ZZR, cause the Virago mirrors are way up high on the handlebars, and brilliant. Now, with the ZZR, the mirrors are down much lower and don't "wrap" around the back of me like the others did.

I adjust my mirrors so I can just see the tip of my elbow in them. From this angel, you don't have to turn your head too far to see if anyone is beside you or not, and it has fair coverage of your back quarter sides (if that makes sense). If I want to look seriously behind, I either lean out in that direction for a second, or lift my arm (or pull my elbow in). Lifting your arm gives you way more vision, but not good for a great length of time of course.

I'm actually getting heaps more used to these mirrors now, but initially, the seriously freaked me out. I like to know what's going on around me at all times too!

Hope that helps

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axledeep

· #3 · Mar 29, 2004

I've got the same worry with my 500R. My jacket has built in armor, which makes it very hard to see around my elbows when looking in the mirrors. I have to tuck my arm in and lean my head to the side to get any kind of decent view. I'm thinking of putting some little spot mirrors on them - has anyone done this?

Aikata

· #4 · Mar 29, 2004

Hmmm... it took me about a week and a half to get the mirrors set up like I want. This was riding every day btw... But I keep looking all around me at all times to keep a "mental map" of where all the cars are. So I use the mirrors more to confirm the location of things more than anything. I dunno, I couldn't really see well for quite a few days but I kept fiddling with them and found a spot where they work now.

I've read multiple people complaining about not being able to see much more than their elbows on most sport bikes so I'm not sure what to expect. I'm still way too new... but that's been my experience.

Mizz ZZR

· #5 · Mar 29, 2004

axledeep said:
I'm thinking of putting some little spot mirrors on them - has anyone done this?

I haven't yet, but I'm also considering it. There's a couple of people I know who have them, I'll ask them for an opinion first. Only thing that worries me about that, is although the spot ones are small, they're still going to take up a reasonable amount of space on your existing mirrors, cause they're not real big to begin with. Unless of course I can get some that are only 1 inch diameter or so. The ones I've seen to date are a little bigger than that.

ekinnee

· #6 · Mar 29, 2004

Head check, head check, head check. Get used to it, it's not a car. Really the only thing your mirrors are good for is seeing just off the left and right of your tail.

You could mount mirrors on your helmet!

michiganarft11

· #7 · Mar 29, 2004

Just go faster than anyone else around you, then you don't have to worry about what's behind you, you already passed it!! :twisted:

Imposter

· #8 · Mar 29, 2004

I go by a philosophy when it comes to the mirrors... that is, use them but don't rely on them. Always do a head check, nothing beats looking for yourself. As far as my mirrors go, I got my left one looking as much behind me as possible and my right one at the lane next to me. Just my preference.

jonesie619

· #9 · Mar 29, 2004

The mirrors on my 500A are reversed, the left one on the right and the right one on the left. They stick up in the air instead of pointing out. The guy I bought my bike from said it was easier to see this way, my reaction was :roll: "yeah right". Strange as it may sound, he was right. ALthough I don't rely on my mirrors for the full picture, they are set just right to help me get 'the big picture'.

axledeep

· #10 · Mar 29, 2004

Hmmm, that's an interesting idea. I'll have to take a look at mine and see if that would make them easier to use.

And yeah, I agree...a head check is a must with every lane change etc. But, sitting at a light waiting for the auto behind you to stop or cruising up the highway watching fast approaching autos behind you would sure be easier if you could just look in the mirror.

Uncle Bob

· #11 · Mar 30, 2004

Here's a solution, www.reevu.com

jonesie619

· #12 · Mar 30, 2004

Uncle Bob said:
Here's a solution, www.reevu.com

I bet that's a pretty eerie feeling. I'd like to see or demo one of those.

Imposter

· #13 · Mar 30, 2004

jonesie619 said:
Uncle Bob said:

Here's a solution, www.reevu.com

Click to expand...

I bet that's a pretty eerie feeling. I'd like to see or demo one of those.

I was thinking the same thing... and is it DOT certified, does it have SNELL backing?

Kazama

· #14 · Mar 31, 2004

Two mirrors; two settings

hey, what i've found works pretty well is to adjust each mirror differently. my right mirror is adjusted to see part of behind me and part of to my side as i'm sitting upright (going slow). the left mirror i've tilted so that when i'm laying on the tank and going fast, i can see from that as well. eliminates 'on-road adjusting' and too much head turning

Uncle Bob

· #15 · Mar 31, 2004

Imposter said:
jonesie619 said:

Uncle Bob said:

Here's a solution, www.reevu.com

Click to expand...

I bet that's a pretty eerie feeling. I'd like to see or demo one of those.

Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing... and is it DOT certified, does it have SNELL backing?

I had a brief exchange with a rep from the company a while back on another site. They are Snell certified ( they're sold in Europe ) it's a new product and should be available on the web if you check out european sites, it is scheduled to be marketed in North America in the near futur.

Curt

· #16 · Apr 3, 2004

Re: Two mirrors; two settings

Kazama said:
hey, what i've found works pretty well is to adjust each mirror differently. my right mirror is adjusted to see part of behind me and part of to my side as i'm sitting upright (going slow). the left mirror i've tilted so that when i'm laying on the tank and going fast, i can see from that as well. eliminates 'on-road adjusting' and too much head turning

I do exactly the same thing, except that sometimes I reverse the mirrors. My mirrors get adjusted with every ride, since my bike shares a parking space with my car, and I fold in one mirror (depending on which way I drive into the space).

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