Shorter mirrors?

[fleetingyouth]

Hey all anyone have or seen mirrors that are shorter then the handle bar width? I have to turn mine in all the time and im tired of them getting loose while riding.

Id like something that has the look of the stock ones just not as wide or far out.

Thanks

 

[Grey1one]

You might be able to use some adapters like the ones in this thread, just turn them in instead of out.

http://nc700-forum.com/forum/nc700-general-discussion/1859-mirrors-any-alternatives-2.html#post42351

 

[Jelly]

Bringing the width between the mirrors in? You won't see anything.

You may as well take em off completely.

 

[Fuzzy]

Bringing the width between the mirrors in? You won't see anything.

You may as well take em off completely.

Around here law is you have to have at least one. Doesn't say you have to be able to see anything with it.

 

[670cc]

These Doubletake Mirrors are discussed elsewhere on the forum, but they are on adjustable RAM mounts so you can loosen them and fold them in easily. As mentioned already, if you just get narrower mirrors all you'll see is your shoulders.

 

[fleetingyouth]

I did see those doubletake mirrors if they came in different looks it would work but they are so ugly. I dont think they match the style of the bikes.

The mirror size doesnt need to be shorter just the arm length. If they stuck out an inch less they would be near the same length of the handle bar ends. This wouldnt make then useless at all lots of bikes have shorter arm mirrors. I def dont want to get rid of the mirrors I use them a lot just tired of them coming lose.

 

[L.B.S.]

The mirror size doesnt need to be shorter just the arm length. If they stuck out an inch less they would be near the same length of the handle bar ends. This wouldnt make then useless at all lots of bikes have shorter arm mirrors. I def dont want to get rid of the mirrors I use them a lot just tired of them coming lose.

I am confused as to how narrower mirrors would make them less prone to loosening? Why are your mirrors coming loose in the first place? I take my mirrors off at least twice per day to go in and out of where I park, and I simply remove them/reinstall them by hand. No tools, just hand strength. They never, ever, ever, loosen by themselves.

 

[fleetingyouth]

I have to do the same thing as you LBS loosen them to get through my gate then I tighten them up by hand. A lot of the time that is fine and works. But I live in Boston and we have nothing but bad roads with potholes and construction. So they always loosen up. A bumpy ride is just part of riding in Boston and the mirrors will come loose.

I could just take the time to tighten with tools everyday but Id rather just get shorter mirrors and not take them off at all.

 

[L.B.S.]

I have to do the same thing as you LBS loosen them to get through my gate then I tighten them up by hand. A lot of the time that is fine and works. But I live in Boston and we have nothing but bad roads with potholes and construction. So they always loosen up. A bumpy ride is just part of riding in Boston and the mirrors will come loose.

I could just take the time to tighten with tools everyday but Id rather just get shorter mirrors and not take them off at all.

Ahh! I totally get it now. Narrower mirrors would mean you not having to muck with them at all, gotcha!

What *part* of the mirror is loosening? At the lower hex nuts, or the mirror stem above the lock nuts? The reason I ask is because the mirrors have a two part construction, which I never even knew. I always thought they were one piece, threaded at the end, and the exposed hex nuts were the locknuts.

Turns out that the mirror stems have another threaded bit at the bottoms, which in turn have a threaded end, including the hex nuts that snug up to the mounts on the handle bars.

Since my mirrors only loosen up at the very bottom hex nuts at the mounts, I surmise the upper bits that thread onto the mirror stems, are exceptionally tight. Yours maybe looser at the upper lock nuts, than the lower hex nuts.

If you were to take your mirrors off, undo the very lowest threaded bits, apply red loctite, (no loctite where the mirror stems thread into the handlebar mounts!!) reassemble them, and thread them back into the handlebar mounts (at your preferred setting for looking through them behind you) let them sit overnight and set up. Then, in theory, your mirrors would act like mine do, and only loosen up at the very bottom, where they enter the handlebar mounts. Like I say, they only move if I choose to re/re them.



As mentioned in a post above mine, you could get some mirror "wideners" but instead mount them inward instead of outward, making your mirrors narrower.

Alternatively, if that position made the mirrors too narrow or interfered with anything when turning, you could always buy some of the adjustable kind:



These ones I randomly use for an example happen to be rather spendy, but if you look online I'm sure you can find similar ones at a lesser cost somewhere.


040-0760- T-Alpha Listings- Sierra BMW Online- Touratech Adjustable Folding Mirror

 

[fleetingyouth]

I think ill try your loose nut theory as that does seem to be the problem. The right acts more like yours if it loosens up i push it back and it stays the left needs to be done with 2 hands usually.

 

[bduffey]

I'm still wondering why your mirrors come loose so often. I too live in the Boston area with all of Mass's lousy roads and I never have mine come loose.

 

[fred_jb]

Ahh! I totally get it now. Narrower mirrors would mean you not having to muck with them at all, gotcha!

What *part* of the mirror is loosening? At the lower hex nuts, or the mirror stem above the lock nuts? The reason I ask is because the mirrors have a two part construction, which I never even knew. I always thought they were one piece, threaded at the end, and the exposed hex nuts were the locknuts.

Turns out that the mirror stems have another threaded bit at the bottoms, which in turn have a threaded end, including the hex nuts that snug up to the mounts on the handle bars.

Since my mirrors only loosen up at the very bottom hex nuts at the mounts, I surmise the upper bits that thread onto the mirror stems, are exceptionally tight. Yours maybe looser at the upper lock nuts, than the lower hex nuts.

If you were to take your mirrors off, undo the very lowest threaded bits, apply red loctite, (no loctite where the mirror stems thread into the handlebar mounts!!) reassemble them, and thread them back into the handlebar mounts (at your preferred setting for looking through them behind you) let them sit overnight and set up. Then, in theory, your mirrors would act like mine do, and only loosen up at the very bottom, where they enter the handlebar mounts. Like I say, they only move if I choose to re/re them.

I think the reason the locknuts appear to be very tight is that for some reason those on bike mirrors are generally threaded the opposite way to a normal thread. It is very counter-intuitive, but to to loosen them you have to turn them in the opposite direction compared to normal nuts. If you do this you should be able back them off enough to easily tighten by hand to lock the mirrors in any chosen position.

Fred

 

[fleetingyouth]

Bduffey i have to turn them in to get through my gate then I tighten them up by hand. Its the hand tight that eventually comes loose on the roads.

 

[bduffey]

Bduffey i have to turn them in to get through my gate then I tighten them up by hand. Its the hand tight that eventually comes loose on the roads.

Got it. If you're ever up on the North Shore, let me know.