Bar end mirrors?

[Molly]

Good morning from the Isle of Man. 

Considering bar end mirrors but wonder how much vibration I'll get through the handlebars once the bar end weights are removed? Anybody bought bar end mirrors and found them to be unsuitable on a V11? 

Thank you in advance. 

[mikev]

my 2000 v11 sport had aftermarket bar end mirrors on it, I found the bar end mirrors provided good rear view visibility but with some vibration, which I didn't like; but I also found they kept bumping into things particularly in the garage.  I replaced them with rizoma mirrors and bar end weights.  

[Molly]

30 minutes ago, mikev said:

my 2000 v11 sport had aftermarket bar end mirrors on it, I found the bar end mirrors provided good rear view visibility but with some vibration, which I didn't like; but I also found they kept bumping into things particularly in the garage.  I replaced them with rizoma mirrors and bar end weights.  

Thanks. I noticed some fold inwards so I'd be looking at those. Also, some seem to fit over the bar end weights. Wary of cheap and nasty. Lots of Rizoma on eBay though so I'll look at those. Thanks again. 

 

[GuzziMoto]

My preferred bar end mirrors fit over existing bar end weights, as long as the bar end weights are not tapered. Some are. As to brands, the standard high end options are always good. But I am running cheaper knockoff mirrors that are sold by a number of people but all likely made in the same chinese factory. We actually have a set from Husqvarna (factory accessories) that are pretty sweet and have a round mirror. But they replace the bar end weight. Keep in mind, the bar end weight does what it does by placing weight at the end of the handlebars. Pretty much any bar end mirror is going to be placing weight at the end of the handlebars. I would be surprised if many bar end mirrors weighed less then the stock bar end weights.

Edited Tuesday at 05:40 PM by GuzziMoto

[Molly]

8 hours ago, GuzziMoto said:

My preferred bar end mirrors fit over existing bar end weights, as long as the bar end weights are not tapered. Some are. As to brands, the standard high end options are always good. But I am running cheaper knockoff mirrors that are sold by a number of people but all likely made in the same chinese factory. We actually have a set from Husqvarna (factory accessories) that are pretty sweet and have a round mirror. But they replace the bar end weight. Keep in mind, the bar end weight does what it does by placing weight at the end of the handlebars. Pretty much any bar end mirror is going to be placing weight at the end of the handlebars. I would be surprised if many bar end mirrors weighed less then the stock bar end weights.

Thanks. Some have come up on ebay second-hand that look good. Appreciate the help. 

[docc]

Fair warning: have the barkeep pour you a double before perusing this topic link . . .

 

[audiomick]

What I don't get about "bar-end mirrors":

It is fairly inevitable that a motorcycle will fall over at some point. An experienced rider can avoid this for a very long time, but said experienced rider must know that this can happen. If he doesn't know this, then he is, in my opinion, not really experienced.

So why would one, as an experienced motorcyclist, mount mirrors that will be the first thing to hit the ground when the bike falls over and definitely be destroyed?

Further, I don't know how it is elsewhere, but the fashion amongst "really cool bikers" here is to mount the bar-end mirrors such that they hang downwards from the handlebars. Result: you have to look past your arms to see them, and they very definitely hit the ground first. Super idea.

Besides that, bar-end mirrors are not really attractive, I reckon.

Edited 16 hours ago by audiomick

[docc]

In order to mount the CRG bar end mirrors to mySport while retaining the factory weights, I had the weights machined.

The machine shop charged me accordingly to work from the dimensioned machine drawing specified to the thousandth of an inch . . .

[footgoose]

14 minutes ago, docc said:

the CRG bar end mirrors

can't tell if yours are the 'lane splitters' that I use on another bike. they have a quick pivot feature to easily bend out of the way when struck..

[docc]

11 minutes ago, footgoose said:

can't tell if yours are the 'lane splitters' that I use on another bike. they have a quick pivot feature to easily bend out of the way when struck..

Mine are not the fold-able "Lane Splitters." That is a nice feature!

[GuzziMoto]

12 hours ago, audiomick said:

What I don't get about "bar-end mirrors":

It is fairly inevitable that a motorcycle will fall over at some point. An experienced rider can avoid this for a very long time, but said experienced rider must know that this can happen. If he doesn't know this, then he is, in my opinion, not really experienced.

So why would one, as an experienced motorcyclist, mount mirrors that will be the first thing to hit the ground when the bike falls over and definitely be destroyed?

Further, I don't know how it is elsewhere, but the fashion amongst "really cool bikers" here is to mount the bar-end mirrors such that they hang downwards from the handlebars. Result: you have to look past your arms to see them, and they very definately hit the ground first. Super idea.

Besides that, bar-end mirrors are not really attractive, I reckon.

Generally, any mirror will be the first thing to hit the ground if/when the motorcycle falls over, including the stock mirrors. My wife has a collection of broken stock and replacement stock mirrors as a result. The bar end mirrors do hit the ground, but they tend to act as protection for more important things. You can keep riding with a broken mirror, you may not be able to do so with a broken throttle. As to aesthetics, I find them to be way better looking then the standard bug antenna mirrors. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Suffice it to say, some people think they look better then stock and some don't. To each their own.

[Weegie]

Couldn't agree more with @GuzziMoto sentiments

I use CRG Arrow mirrors on my bikes, I only use one mounted on the Offside. 

https://constructorsrg.com/mirrors/arrow.html

Find them superior to stock mirrors, improved looks, don't vibrate and give me clear wide view behind (the mirror is convex glass).

Glance down and I know what's behind me, they fold in towards the bar easily for tight lane splitting when required.

Word of advice if you're thinking about them. 

Many cheap copies out there and the originals are relatively expensive.

The cheapies are garbage, purchase the CRG originals or don't bother (don't ask me how I know).

 

[cowtownchemist]

When I bought my bike the previous owner had bar end mirrors.  I don't know the brand.  I found that they vibrated so much that I couldn't clearly see in them when travelling at freeway speeds.  I did not get the factory mirrors with the bike, so I bought some generic ones online and put them in the factory location.  The vibration has reduced and they are much more usable for me now.

Side question about bar end weights though.  My bike has the aftermarket Verlicchi swan neck clip on handlebars.  Does anyone else have these and if so, what information can you share about bar end weights for them?  After removing the mirrors from the bar ends I had no weights.  I again found some generic weights online but inside the handlebars there appears to only be some type of rubber material in which to screw the bar ends into.  Is this normal?  Is a replacement for this rubber insert available anywhere in different sizes?

[GuzziMoto]

Cheap bar end mirrors do vibrate. Nicer ones tend to be heavier and more solid, reducing vibrations.

The rubber insert / mounting is specific to the V11. I have seen mirrors use a simpler version of the rubber mount, basically using a rubber sleeve that expands when you tighten the mounting bolt. But the V11 setup has the rubber inserts pretty much permanently in the bars. With the right sized bolt you can usually get an aftermarket bar end weight or bar end mirror to attach to the factory mounting point, as long as you can make the right size bolt work with it (it may require enlarging the hole in it to fit the right size bolt). It may also require a spacer to get the length right. In the scheme of mods, this is fairly easy. But it is not likely to be a direct bolt on thing. Some creativity is likely to be required.

Most aftermarket bar end weights and bar end mirrors have their own means of attachment. If using them with bars that have nothing, use what they come with. If using them with bars that already have threads inside to attach to, I would use that with the right size bolt to match the threads. Some aftermarket mounts involve, as mentioned, a rubber sleeve with a nut on the other side. If someone removed them by completely unscrewing the bolt it would make it near impossible to re-use that mount. Typically with that type of mount you need to loosen it enough so you can wiggle the whole assembly out of the bar as a unit. That way you do not leave the rubber sleeve and nut inside the bar. That applies to aftermarket rubber sleeve and nut style mounts. I do not believe that applies to the factory Guzzi mount.