motorcycle mirrors is there a trick or angle to get the best view, seeing elbows?

[holden j caufield]

I adjust them many different ways so I can see the left and right lane but I'm really seeing a lot of my damn elbows.

Closed due to necro-bump.

Zenmervolt - AnandTech Moderator

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Either raise the mirrors or lower your elbows.

 

[theApp]

Bar-end mirrors or flapping your arms about to look at the mirrors 🙂

 

[JulesMaximus]

I went with bar end mirrors and ditched the stock elbow viewing devices on my bike. They give a wider angle view which allows you to see more but at the cost of making everything smaller.

 

[MiataNC]

Read enough reviews and you will see that this is a common problem (most often with sport bikes). On some bikes the mirrors shake so much they are useless even if they give you a clear view without elbows.

Your options are:

1. Move around when you need to use a mirror
2. Mirror extenders (custom parts that extend the mirror out and away from the bike.
4. Different style of mirror (bar end).

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I just kind of lean a little to one side and tuck the elbow in a little on the side I want to see. Kind of annoying but it gets the job done.

 

[halik]

Never had that problem with stockers, but aftermarket mirrors are only good for seeing your shoulder pads.

They look damn good though...

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Get a new helmet?
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motorcycle-helmet/reevu/msx1/

 

[JulesMaximus]

Never had that problem with stockers, but aftermarket mirrors are only good for seeing your shoulder pads.

They look damn good though...

I'd say it depends on the bike. The ones on mine were a PITA and looked ugly to boot.

Stock

Current

 

[Occ]

Yes, the trick is to move your elbows out of the way. :biggrin: Or get aftermarket mirrors. I got used to mine and don't even think about it anymore. You could also remove the mirrors and just go fast so you don't need to look behind you. :twisted:

 

[JulesMaximus]

Yes, the trick is to move your elbows out of the way. :biggrin: Or get aftermarket mirrors. I got used to mine and don't even think about it anymore. You could also remove the mirrors and just go fast so you don't need to look behind you. :twisted:

It's nice to have them for those times when you aren't breaking the law though, you know, for lane changes and for seeing what is coming up behind you at a light and stuff? 😉

 

[roguerower]

I like the bar ends that I upgraded to. Can see a lot and they're out of the way.

You're probably going to have problems with any mirrors on a bike unelss you get some monsters. The vibration and size do not help at all.

 

[Occ]

It's nice to have them for those times when you aren't breaking the law though, you know, for lane changes and for seeing what is coming up behind you at a light and stuff? 😉

You have to balance that against how you look at bike night, though. Mirrors spoil the most important part of the bike: how cool it looks. Everyone knows this.

 

[CZroe]

It took a long while and now I don't even notice that I lean away from the mirrors to see the lanes to either side of me and tuck my elbows a bit to see behind me. IOW, they are pointed more through/behind me than to either side, which is what you seem to be trying to do, but I find that it works great as long as I do a head check EVERY time as they said to do in training. I see everyone else with the same bike as I have (Kawasaki EX250J) angling the pointy tip of the mirror as far out as possible but it's ugly and doesn't really make them work any better. I tried that too for the longest time (seemed logical), but now I angle them slightly up and it looks/works much better.

 

[moomoorider]

As mentioned earlier, this is a very common problems on many different motorcycles particularly smaller bikes and sport bikes. It also seems to be a particular problem for people with bigger shoulders.


You need to get mirror wideners ("extenders").

Mirror wideners are of great help to improve your view regardless if you have this problem or not. Check out the comparison below.



Making a new post in a thread that's nearly three years old is generally considered bad form. When that much time has passed, the original poster has long since solved his problem and new replies tend not to be helpful.

Zenmervolt - AnandTech Moderator

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I hated the bar ends mirrors, and I tried a couple of them including the $$$ ones. They just 'buzzed' too much, and I didn't really like how they were attached to the bars vs fairings.


What I did was called the chicken dance... flap the elbows.. sort of annoying but it gets to be second nature.

 

[T2urtle]

I hated the bar ends mirrors, and I tried a couple of them including the $$$ ones. They just 'buzzed' too much, and I didn't really like how they were attached to the bars vs fairings.


What I did was called the chicken dance... flap the elbows.. sort of annoying but it gets to be second nature.

I have $10 to ebay bar end mirrors and they work great. Had to put duct tape on the ends so it wouldnt vibrate off. So far no problems this whole season. Only thing is I look down to see the mirror.