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Review Summary
The Doubletake Adventure Mirrors are a quality aftermarket mirror constructed from quality materials and offering multiple positioning and adjustability options. Fitting a number of different motorcycle models with affordable replacement parts available, it's a great option that will make you do....a Doubletake.
Build Quality
Rear Visibility
Adjustability
Availability of Replacement Parts
Value for Money
Pros
Sturdy build quality
Unlimited ways to position mirrors
Can easily be removed completely when needed, no tools required
An incredible number of motorcycles can be fitted
Replacement parts are very inexpensive
A variety of RAM arm lengths are available and utilizes standard 1” RAM ball attachments
Greatly reduces the possibility of damage to the clutch or brake master cylinder parts
Can be mounted separately from the clutch or brake masters with optional handlebar mounting brackets
Cons
RAM mount arm can be easily removed and stolen
RAM ball mounted to the screw in clutch/brake housing can deform over time
4.8
Buy Now
Doubletake Mirror
There are not many things in this world that people routinely overlook, take for granted, assign little or no value to, and seldom consider – until it’s no longer available or broken. As an example, if we all think back to early 2020 when ‘those people’ hoarded toilet paper at the beginning of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Perhaps you were one of ‘those people.’ In any event, one of the most basic items necessary for personal sanitation became a commodity that was tough, if not downright impossible to find. And staying in the same vein, if for some reason your only household toilet broke, well then we all know how that feels.
For me, the same can be said for the lowly motorcycle mirror. Often maligned, cursed, pitied, yet so often missed if it’s broken during a tip-over or fall. In most cases, the lowly bike mirror is attached to the front brake lever or clutch master cylinders. And if Murphy wants to apply his law, the lowly mirror damages either or both of those as it hits the ground. In a best-case scenario, the mirror cracks and the stalk bends without damaging either master cylinder.
So in this little article, I will talk about the lowly motorcycle rearview mirrors, the DoubleTake (DT) Adventure mirrors to be exact. These are made in Colorado USA, by riders like you and me. Oh yeah, if you’re wondering about my crazy banner image; well I could not find out why they named these “DoubleTake” so I made a graphic with two completely unrelated and absurd things in my rearview mirrors which would have me doing a double take! Silly yes, but fun too.
Ok, let’s talk mirrors. Doubletake makes four different mirror styles:
I purchased these mirrors to use on my Zero DSR for several reasons. First I used my bike for some off-pavement excursions and was worried about the stock mirrors. Like most mirrors, the OEMs are attached to the clutch and brake master cylinder housings. The stalks are solid and then attach to the mirrors. So on a tip over or fall, the chances of the mirror stalk bending, glass breaking/etc. is pretty high. The worst would be if a fall resulted in enough force causing a fluid leak in either of those masters, which could leave me stranded. Not to mention the expense involved to repair them.
The following image shows the OEM mirrors that came with my DSR. Both were attached to each side’s master cylinder mounts.
The other aspect of OEM mirrors is they lack an effective range of adjustment. In addition to a limited range of mirror twisting range, I wanted the mirrors to be higher than was possible to adjust the stalks. And my elbows were the most prominent object in my rearward view. I think mirrors are a personal thing, meaning how they adjust based on each individual’s body dimensions, bike accessories all conspire to offer a good/bad or meh view.
It was not long until I started researching mirrors and almost to a person, the Doubletake Adventure mirrors seemed to be the pair most hardcore dual sport riders preferred. After reading all of the Doubletake replacement parts available and the pricing, I was sold. And then I saw this video Doubletake displayed on their site to demonstrate how much abuse their mirrors can withstand!
Here are the parts supplied with the DT Adventure mirrors.
The RAM ball mounts come in standard and reverse threads to match the threads supplied on any motorcycle. Just FYI, the small convex mirrors do NOT come with the DT mirrors but are ones I install on all of the street motorcycles I’ve owned. They reduce my blind spots for me. The DT mirrors are appropriately convex as well.
I have mentioned the wide variety of positions the DT mirrors can be adjusted and the video shows those positions much better than I can describe. Here is my DSR with the DT mirrors installed.
My gripe about not being able to elevate the OEM mirrors was solved by the DTs. And the ability to swivel the actual mirror housing in whatever direction or angle I wish meant that I no longer needed to see if I had wear holes in my elbows whilst riding!
The ability to adjust the mirror is simply accomplished by loosening the RAM arm twist grip, moving the stalk or mirror (or both) to the position you prefer, and tightening the grip. I found that a medium amount of tension was just enough to prevent either component from going out of adjustment. At first, I worried about someone simply taking the DT mirrors off of my bike by loosening the grip and walking away. So I purchased the theft-resistant knobs which use an odd-shaped core to loosen or tighten the RAM mount grip. I got tired of having to search for the key when I wanted to adjust my mirrors, so I got rid of that device and went back to the normal grips. And if I was going to be gone for a long time, or in a shady area, I simply removed the mirrors and put them into my top box.
The DT mirrors have no vibration in them as I ride. Granted this is on an electric motorcycle that has no vibration. The view to the rear can be adjusted to see traffic on either side as well as directly behind me.
I recently sold my DSR and replaced it with a 2022 Ducati Multistrada V4S Sport (MS) which I’ve reviewed here on wBW. The MS has VERY EXPENSIVE mirrors which house blind spot monitoring warning lights. I plan to use the DT mirrors on the MS when I embark on camping trips which will take me off-road for the majority of the journey. The aforementioned possibility of damaging either master cylinder combined with the expensive nature of the MS mirrors makes swapping them worthwhile. I’ve dropped the MS on both sides and even though the OEM mirrors did not break, I don’t want to tempt fate!
The ability to adjust the DT mirrors on my MS makes them just as useful as they were on my DSR. And even on my ICE MS, they remain vibration free on the road with a clear view to either side and directly behind me.
Look, there’s not a ton to say about mirrors, much like there’s not a lot to say about toilet paper. Both are a necessity (at least for me!), TP we talk about single or double-ply, with mirrors how well they work. The DT mirrors are well designed, offer very reasonable replacement parts, are inexpensive by comparison to other aftermarket mirror alternatives, and are damn well designed. All I can say is for anyone that has had their OEM mirror cause master cylinder damage while out on the trail or road, this is a no-brainer. And for those who view their OEM mirrors in a similar way to single-ply TP, consider this… keep using what you use and if there’s a misjudged slip or tear, you may end up in a world of sh!t either at home or on the trail.
The post Doubletake Adventure Mirror Review appeared first on webBikeWorld.
Continue reading...
The Doubletake Adventure Mirrors are a quality aftermarket mirror constructed from quality materials and offering multiple positioning and adjustability options. Fitting a number of different motorcycle models with affordable replacement parts available, it's a great option that will make you do....a Doubletake.
Build Quality
Rear Visibility
Adjustability
Availability of Replacement Parts
Value for Money
Pros
Sturdy build quality
Unlimited ways to position mirrors
Can easily be removed completely when needed, no tools required
An incredible number of motorcycles can be fitted
Replacement parts are very inexpensive
A variety of RAM arm lengths are available and utilizes standard 1” RAM ball attachments
Greatly reduces the possibility of damage to the clutch or brake master cylinder parts
Can be mounted separately from the clutch or brake masters with optional handlebar mounting brackets
Cons
RAM mount arm can be easily removed and stolen
RAM ball mounted to the screw in clutch/brake housing can deform over time
4.8
Buy Now
Doubletake Mirror
There are not many things in this world that people routinely overlook, take for granted, assign little or no value to, and seldom consider – until it’s no longer available or broken. As an example, if we all think back to early 2020 when ‘those people’ hoarded toilet paper at the beginning of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Perhaps you were one of ‘those people.’ In any event, one of the most basic items necessary for personal sanitation became a commodity that was tough, if not downright impossible to find. And staying in the same vein, if for some reason your only household toilet broke, well then we all know how that feels.
For me, the same can be said for the lowly motorcycle mirror. Often maligned, cursed, pitied, yet so often missed if it’s broken during a tip-over or fall. In most cases, the lowly bike mirror is attached to the front brake lever or clutch master cylinders. And if Murphy wants to apply his law, the lowly mirror damages either or both of those as it hits the ground. In a best-case scenario, the mirror cracks and the stalk bends without damaging either master cylinder.
So in this little article, I will talk about the lowly motorcycle rearview mirrors, the DoubleTake (DT) Adventure mirrors to be exact. These are made in Colorado USA, by riders like you and me. Oh yeah, if you’re wondering about my crazy banner image; well I could not find out why they named these “DoubleTake” so I made a graphic with two completely unrelated and absurd things in my rearview mirrors which would have me doing a double take! Silly yes, but fun too.
Description
Ok, let’s talk mirrors. Doubletake makes four different mirror styles:
- Adventure (subject of this review)
- Scrambler
- Enduro
- Trail
I purchased these mirrors to use on my Zero DSR for several reasons. First I used my bike for some off-pavement excursions and was worried about the stock mirrors. Like most mirrors, the OEMs are attached to the clutch and brake master cylinder housings. The stalks are solid and then attach to the mirrors. So on a tip over or fall, the chances of the mirror stalk bending, glass breaking/etc. is pretty high. The worst would be if a fall resulted in enough force causing a fluid leak in either of those masters, which could leave me stranded. Not to mention the expense involved to repair them.
The following image shows the OEM mirrors that came with my DSR. Both were attached to each side’s master cylinder mounts.
The other aspect of OEM mirrors is they lack an effective range of adjustment. In addition to a limited range of mirror twisting range, I wanted the mirrors to be higher than was possible to adjust the stalks. And my elbows were the most prominent object in my rearward view. I think mirrors are a personal thing, meaning how they adjust based on each individual’s body dimensions, bike accessories all conspire to offer a good/bad or meh view.
It was not long until I started researching mirrors and almost to a person, the Doubletake Adventure mirrors seemed to be the pair most hardcore dual sport riders preferred. After reading all of the Doubletake replacement parts available and the pricing, I was sold. And then I saw this video Doubletake displayed on their site to demonstrate how much abuse their mirrors can withstand!
Here are the parts supplied with the DT Adventure mirrors.
The RAM ball mounts come in standard and reverse threads to match the threads supplied on any motorcycle. Just FYI, the small convex mirrors do NOT come with the DT mirrors but are ones I install on all of the street motorcycles I’ve owned. They reduce my blind spots for me. The DT mirrors are appropriately convex as well.
I have mentioned the wide variety of positions the DT mirrors can be adjusted and the video shows those positions much better than I can describe. Here is my DSR with the DT mirrors installed.
My gripe about not being able to elevate the OEM mirrors was solved by the DTs. And the ability to swivel the actual mirror housing in whatever direction or angle I wish meant that I no longer needed to see if I had wear holes in my elbows whilst riding!
The ability to adjust the mirror is simply accomplished by loosening the RAM arm twist grip, moving the stalk or mirror (or both) to the position you prefer, and tightening the grip. I found that a medium amount of tension was just enough to prevent either component from going out of adjustment. At first, I worried about someone simply taking the DT mirrors off of my bike by loosening the grip and walking away. So I purchased the theft-resistant knobs which use an odd-shaped core to loosen or tighten the RAM mount grip. I got tired of having to search for the key when I wanted to adjust my mirrors, so I got rid of that device and went back to the normal grips. And if I was going to be gone for a long time, or in a shady area, I simply removed the mirrors and put them into my top box.
The DT mirrors have no vibration in them as I ride. Granted this is on an electric motorcycle that has no vibration. The view to the rear can be adjusted to see traffic on either side as well as directly behind me.
I recently sold my DSR and replaced it with a 2022 Ducati Multistrada V4S Sport (MS) which I’ve reviewed here on wBW. The MS has VERY EXPENSIVE mirrors which house blind spot monitoring warning lights. I plan to use the DT mirrors on the MS when I embark on camping trips which will take me off-road for the majority of the journey. The aforementioned possibility of damaging either master cylinder combined with the expensive nature of the MS mirrors makes swapping them worthwhile. I’ve dropped the MS on both sides and even though the OEM mirrors did not break, I don’t want to tempt fate!
The ability to adjust the DT mirrors on my MS makes them just as useful as they were on my DSR. And even on my ICE MS, they remain vibration free on the road with a clear view to either side and directly behind me.
Final Verdict on the Doubletake Adventure Mirrors
Look, there’s not a ton to say about mirrors, much like there’s not a lot to say about toilet paper. Both are a necessity (at least for me!), TP we talk about single or double-ply, with mirrors how well they work. The DT mirrors are well designed, offer very reasonable replacement parts, are inexpensive by comparison to other aftermarket mirror alternatives, and are damn well designed. All I can say is for anyone that has had their OEM mirror cause master cylinder damage while out on the trail or road, this is a no-brainer. And for those who view their OEM mirrors in a similar way to single-ply TP, consider this… keep using what you use and if there’s a misjudged slip or tear, you may end up in a world of sh!t either at home or on the trail.
Specs
- Manufacturer Doubletake Mirror
- Price (when tested) $135.00 – $145.00
- Review Date January 2023
Important Links / Where to Buy
The post Doubletake Adventure Mirror Review appeared first on webBikeWorld.
Continue reading...
