Deadly Mirrors

Otero

Otero

Member
Warning!!! If you are using a convex mirror, get rid of it right
now! While they do provide a wide angle view, cars approaching
from behind are MUCH closer than they appear. If your LBS
is selling them, let them know, THESE MIRRORS ARE DANGEROUS!
 
or you could just get used to them. i used convex bubble mirrors on all my bikes. never had a problem discerning where cars were at.
 
I used them for a long time 'til they nearly got me killed twice.
granted the cars coming up on me were speeding, but though
they looked as if they were a block away as I signaled & turned
left, they were on me in 2 seconds. Not good, not good at all.
 
that's why you still need to look over your shoulder. don't trust any mirror. they teach you that the first day of driver's ed. the same reason your parents taught you to look both ways before crossing the street.

"look left, right, and left again..."

"always check your blindspot..."

your safety is your responsibility. assume every driver on the road is out to get you.
 
It's not just that cars are closer than they appear, or that the discrepancy
increases with distance. The effect makes it nearly impossible to
accurately judge the other vehicle's speed. Not a problem if I could turn
my head 180 degrees. If your going close to that vehicle's speed you have
more reaction time, but when slowed to make a left, they can close on you
in a heart beat.
Don't fret that, I always assume they're out to get me. Let's face it, riding
a bike in traffic is always dangerous. Being hit is almost inevitable when
you've been on 2 wheels as long as I have,(60 yrs). So tell me me about it,
son.
 
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Convex mirrors are to let you know something is behind you, nothing more, nothing less. What you do with that info after is up to you.
 
I've been riding for 40 years myself and I use both regular and convex type mirrors, the convex work great for a nice wide angle view and the flat mirrors tell me much better where the cars really are. No way would I use a convex by itself nor will I use those little miniature mirrors that are so popular on custom cruiser bikes... I had a set of Arlen Ness mirrors on my sportster when I got it and even when set just right, the field of view was way too small for me to see what was really behind me or how far away the cars were so I found myself constantly looking over my shoulder until I bought a set of oem Harley mirrors.

Not liking how the bike looked with the large mirrors installed and not liking the lack of view offered by the smaller custom mirrors I took them off and installed them upside down under the bars then used a small stick on convex mirror which gave me the view I needed but a nice clean look with nothing above the bars.
Bar end mirrors also work very well if you can get a nice set and you can see more than just your forearms when sitting on the bike, basically these type work as long as the bars are set low enough or high enough, otherwise your arms can block the view.
So far I like the inverted mirrors on the sportster best since I can have a nice clean look but still run larger oem mirrors with a small convex stuck on one side for lane changing.
 
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