Mirror vibes

[guzzipete]

First rule of Driving Italian machinery. Who cares what's behind you!

 

Said in jest, I am sure.

 

I do know one chap who wouldn't find it so funny though. He died many a year ago (whilst I was working at Lithgow ED), and may still be alive today if he was paying attention to the errant cage that was coming up behind him.

 

I can imagine that he was probably day dreaming, enjoying the afternoon sun on his back whilst motoring along the smooth tarmac that is the Great Western Highway between Lithgow and Bathurst, and as such didn't see the car behind him getting closer and closer until it took him out.

 

The young female driver claimed to have not seen him. Most likely she was busy texting a friend on her phone, or applying make up.

 

Who knows? Either way, he still came into ED in a body bag. In pieces.

 

So I very much care what is going on behind me, especially on motorways. In these situations I find I devote an almost equal amount of time to what is happening in my mirrors to what is happening on the road ahead. I can recall that on more than one occassion I have sped up (or changed lanes) because of the "weird" behaviour of the traffic behind me.

 

For those who live State side, rear end collisions are the most common type of auto collision, with about 2.5 million (out of almost 6.3 million total accidents annually) being rear enders. I'd dare say the numbers show a similar percentage here in Australia (having been the recipient of three myself). Ewan McGregor Long Way Round anyone? Young driver "I didn't even see you guys". Ewan's response "I was right in front of you, how could you not see me?!". How indeed.

 

Anyway, enough of the soap box. I have been satisfied with the image produced on other bikes I have owned in the past, so I know it's not an impossible ask...

[guzzipete]

I find turning my head is quite effective for seeing what is behind me

 

A great tactic for checking your blind spot before changing direction, but insufficient for monitoring the flow of traffic behind you.

[guzzipete]

...extra-terrestrial launch into titanium pressurized nitrogen gas MIRROR SHOCKS with high and low speed compression and rebound damping with ceramic, carbon fiber, and kevlar shock valving. . .

 

How about Teflon balls then?

 

http://plasticballs.com/teflon.htm

[Guest ratchethack]

Said in jest, I am sure.

 

I do know one chap who wouldn't find it so funny though. He died many a year ago (whilst I was working at Lithgow ED), and may still be alive today if he was paying attention to the errant cage that was coming up behind him.

 

I can imagine that he was probably day dreaming, enjoying the afternoon sun on his back whilst motoring along the smooth tarmac that is the Great Western Highway between Lithgow and Bathurst, and as such didn't see the car behind him getting closer and closer until it took him out.

 

The young female driver claimed to have not seen him. Most likely she was busy texting a friend on her phone, or applying make up.

 

Who knows? Either way, he still came into ED in a body bag. In pieces.

 

So I very much care what is going on behind me, especially on motorways. In these situations I find I devote an almost equal amount of time to what is happening in my mirrors to what is happening on the road ahead. I can recall that on more than one occassion I have sped up (or changed lanes) because of the "weird" behaviour of the traffic behind me.

 

For those who live State side, rear end collisions are the most common type of auto collision, with about 2.5 million (out of almost 6.3 million total accidents annually) being rear enders. I'd dare say the numbers show a similar percentage here in Australia (having been the recipient of three myself). Ewan McGregor Long Way Round anyone? Young driver "I didn't even see you guys". Ewan's response "I was right in front of you, how could you not see me?!". How indeed.

 

Anyway, enough of the soap box. I have been satisfied with the image produced on other bikes I have owned in the past, so I know it's not an impossible ask...

Wisely said, GP. I have a friend whose son was killed on his moto when he ran out of gas in the #1 lane on a 4-lane divided freeway, fumbling for his reserve valve. He had obviously made the fatal mistake of failing to practice the switch often enough to commit it to muscle memory, which would have made it quick and easy. He was in fairly heavy traffic at 80 mph at the time, and was struck from behind when he failed to spot a car overtaking him from behind in the next lane at a high relative speed, and had pulled directly in front of it, while attempting to get over to the shoulder. Lack of adequate rear vision is ultimately what cost him his life.

 

Though I try to avoid riding on the slab, when I do, I always try to maintain a speed higher than that of the general flow of traffic to keep as much of changing conditions in front of me as possible, but ALSO always constantly monitor the mirrors whenever in traffic at all times, knowing that a smaller part, but THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PART of traffic will ALWAYS come up to overtake from behind.

 

Can't ever have too high quality rear vision, IMHO.

[savagehenry]

Is that the Highway Patrol behind me, or just a regular family sedan?

 

Cheers.

If you are concerned with safety, then it doesn't matter if the image in your mirror is "clear", just that you can simply identify that there is a vehicle behind you, regardless of if it's some nutjob on the cellphone or "johnny law". We have a case a town or two from my home where a young girl killed a woman by rear ending her motorcycle. The driver was putting on nail polish. It looks as though she will get no harsher punishment than a moving violation for "failure to yeild right of way". Local law enforcement feels it was an "accident", and nothing would be learned by further ruining the young girls life!!!

P.S. If you want vibe free mirrors, buy a Honda Goldwing, they are smooth as silk.

[DeBenGuzzi]

WELL, put your money where your mouth's are and if you are seriously that serious about your rear view then you should all buy these to compliment your bar mirrors.

http://www.reevu.com/moto_product.asp

 

and even buzzy mirrors let you see behind you, so what if you can't tell if its a police cruiser or a cager said cases are parties not paying attention than mirrors not functioning, don't forget your head turns and being on a motorcycle means you have to look out for yourself AND every other idiot on the roadway. Also I have no idea why my mirrors don't buzz at all (except for in the low rpm range in town) I get crystal views.

 

EDIT, had didn't read savagehenrys response, I'm thinking we need to get some beers

[The Monkey]

Beers are a great idea! Excuse me for being flippant. I couldn't help quoting the Ferrari Driver in the movie "Gumball Rally" when I read this post. But as the member correctly assumed, it was said in jest. To be any use to the original question I agree with not having these motors at too low RPM. My mirrors are as clear as I would expect from the size of them. If yours shake above 4500 then something must be loose or unbalaced. I've found 4th gear the happy one when restricted to 55mph. Are you lugging your mill?

[gavo]

I'm as curious as you are if anyone here has tried it.

 

I haven't, but I've considered it. Makes perfect sense to me. Same principle as bar-end weights taming vibrations at the grips. Adding 14 oz. Throttlemeister heavy bar-end weights didn't have any negative effects on the balance of my Sport (or other motos), and I reckon another 14 oz. or more in the mirrors wouldn't either, regardless of being 9-10 inches higher. Seems to me hands and forearms put lots more mass in direct connection with the front end than this, some Big Boys considerably more than others -- not to mention fork mounted "barn door" fairings and windshields on some bikes -- apparently without adverse effects.

 

And yet motorcycle manufacturers strive to keep weight low and have a low center of gravity. Eg underslung fuel tanks and suspension components. I doubt a barn door would be very aerodynamic but most large fairings are frame mounted, eg Windjammer Having 2 high mounted lumps of lead on your handlebars could seriously affect handling in say, rapid or continuos changes of direction. As for your arms well when you can ride without em let me know <_>

But seriously if your mirrors are like mine they contain a sort of smokey or dark class which I found bad ,I took the mirrors off to the local glass shop, he replaced the mirrors with a standard mirror glass which was a great improvement and for just $10 each

[guzzipete]

WELL, put your money where your mouth's are and if you are seriously that serious about your rear view then you should all buy these to compliment your bar mirrors...

 

Review by webBikeWorld.com "When the rider was leaned too far forward, only the sky was visible in the mirror..."

 

Perhaps not so great with clip ons.

 

Still a very interesting idea though. If they do one in a flip up design I'll buy it...

[guzzipete]

Are you lugging your mill?

 

Yes, and notorious for doing so. Will try to adjust my riding style to see if that improves things.

 

Cheers.

[mdude]

I've tried the Reevu lids and didnt like them.

The idea is brilliant and the periscope itself works well enough, but the helmet itself dont feel like quality item, furthermore its made to fit a pregnant male hippo with huge sideburns and didnt feel right at all. I'm a Shoei-head.

And with low clipons you will have perfect control over the seagulls overhead, as said before.

[guzzipete]

And with low clipons you will have perfect control over the seagulls overhead, as said before.

 

Well we will have the usual Magpie problem here in Sydney come Spring, so maybe I'll get one for the walk to the shops!

[Richard Z]

If I need to see something in my rear view mirrors at speed, I just pull the clutch lever in and unwind the throttle briefly. Everything clears right up. When I feel that I've seen everything I need to see, out goes the clutch and twist goes the throttle....

[guzzipete]

...out goes the clutch and twist goes the throttle....

 

oh, but doing it the other way around is much more fun!

 

Good point though.

[Guest ratchethack]

If I need to see something in my rear view mirrors at speed, I just pull the clutch lever in and unwind the throttle briefly. Everything clears right up. When I feel that I've seen everything I need to see, out goes the clutch and twist goes the throttle....

Hm. This^ takes what, say 3-4 seconds to get a clear view? This may be adequate for most casual situations.

 

But at 80 mph, a car, truck, or another moto overtaking from behind at 100 MPH (happens all day long every day on the local freeways here) is closing at a rate of 30 ft./second. If it takes 3 seconds to pull in the clutch, unwind the throttle and drop the RPMs to get a clear view, that car, truck, or moto will have got 90 feet closer. If it took 4 seconds to get a clear view, it will have got 120 feet closer. If said overtaking vehicle happened to be fuzzed-out within that 3-4 second window -- you may well have missed him. In some situations, I reckon this could get more'n a little dicey, especially when something suddenly appears out of the fuzz in the mirror and it's already up close and getting larger fast with your clutch in and RPMs somewhere around idle. . .

 

No, thanks. I'll keep the power on, take the clearest mirror view possible, and THEN double check the margins of my blind spot with a quick head turn to look every time before making a lane change.

 

But o' course, that's just me. . .