| Author | Message | ||
     Dwolk |
Purchased a set of CRG bar-end mirrors from American Sportbike for my 04 12XBs but have not installed them yet. I'm changing to reduce vibration and tired of them coming loose and flapping in the wind, not to mention the cleaner lines; never had a problem seeing past my shoulders with the stock mirrors which many people mention as a problem. I'm having second thoughts because it seems I will have to make a much larger shift of my head down and to the sides, take my eyes off the road longer, to get rear-view vision. I'm probably going to install them but are these real concerns? Anyone have this experience or is it just a small change that one gets used to? Thanks in advance... | ||
| Eexb |
I have some cheap bicycle shop bar ends and they work great. Were easy to adjust to and provide a pretty good view to the rear. I think they are much better than the stockers and they look great. EE | ||
| Brad_buell |
I am on the fence about the bar-end mirrors, as well. I definitely need/want to get rid of the stock mirrors, but there are no other alternatives other than the bar-ends. I guess that there is the Buell European market, but I'm hesitant. | ||
| Loki |
Small change that you will get used to. Besides you will like the sight lines to the rear much better. I have been running CRG for the past four years. One other benefit(imho)is movement of your head. Really helps if you are target fixation prone. | ||
| Tommy_k |
I just ditched the stockers on my 06 xb12ss in favor of a CRG on the left side.(right is on order) My stockers vibrated like a mother and I couldn't see ANYthing in them! The CRG is rock solid...not ONE vibration! It took me two rides to get used to the new location, but it's no problem now. I still head-check every time though. Put them on...you'll love em. BTW, go order two of the screw socket plugs from your HD/Buell dealer, I just had them look em up for me . PN: N0001.B Under a buck! FWIW, TK | ||
| Pa_xb9sx |
Put on the bar ends and you will never look back...to the stock mirrors, not behind you. I have Third Eye mirrors which are the cheap bicycle plastic ones that Eexb is probably referring to. They are great - rock solid and they do provide a better line of sight, and at $12 a piece, you can't beat the price. Hope you like them. | ||
| Kdan |
And you guys are worried about what's behind you because...? | ||
| Xring |
I put on two Catseye bicycle bar-end mirrors and love them. For a while it bothered me that I had to look down to see in them, but I quickly got used to it. Switched back to the stock mirrors the other day while I was painting my bar-end mirrors and spacers, and I really hate them. Don't like the way they look or work. Maybe someday I'll save up for the CRG's, that sure is a chunk of change. I got the Catseye mirrors for $12 for 2 on ebay. See my profile for pic. Good luck, Bill | ||
| Tunes |
I bought and installed a bar-end mirror on the XB 'cause the stock mirrors were useless. They vibrated and became loose... which sounds like there's an echo in here. The Napolean bar-end's are a bit larger than what most other Buellers run, from what I've seen. Also, they're above your hand, if you get my drift... so you're eyes don't have as far to move. This is the mirror I run, and it provides a clear view at all speeds and still looks cool (to me). | ||
| Dwolk |
The mirror plugs are coming with the shipment. Loki's comment about target fixation strikes home for me. Xring's bike looks good. I like the lowered profile after losing the stock glass. And I also liked and looked at the Napolean mirrors that Tunes has. But it's Kdan who reminds me that I've just got to let go and expand my thinking. Thanks all for your comments. Really appreciated. | ||
| Pwnzor |
with the stock mirrors I can see "ok" behind me as long as I'm not wearing a jacket. Once I put the jacket on, my elbows become much thicker and I have to move my arms to see behind me. Barends are the way to go. What to use to cover the stock holes, thats the question. | ||
| Rarebird |
Anybody using barends with the handguards on the CityX? How'd you mount 'em? -Mike | ||
| Dagwood |
Paging Reepicheep... Rarebird, the moderator mentioned above will help you with this. You have to drill a small hole through the bar end plug that holds the handguards in place. Reep has pictures that will help you visualize. It's an easy mod. | ||
| Rarebird |
Cool, thanks! -Mike | ||
| Trojan |
These Rizoma billet bar end mirrors are expensive but very good quality and the rear view is excellent. You can position the mirrors either outboard or directly over your hands if the extra width is an issue. I run just one of these on the XB9S and the view is good. They come in black, natural or polished. Price to the US would be approx. US$104 each.    | ||
| Ted |
While the cateye mirrors work well, i find they are fragile. I dont know if they cant handle the wind resistance (at mach1 ???) or if they break when bumped somehow.. but i've got thru 3 of them. The bar plugs are still there ,but at somepoint i look down and the friggin thing is gone!  | ||
| Flick |
Like the looks with the CRG mirrors...cleans up the appearance, gets rid of the antlers! Yes, you will grow accustomed to looking down to see what's behind you...but...remember the CRG's are not optically "accurate" (i.e. things ARE CLOSER than what they appear in these mirrors...you will notice this the first time you change lanes without shoulder checking...a mistake you will only make once!). And, you really cannot identify the vehicle behind you (i.e. police cruiser) until it is too late...unless his lights are flashing... Oh, the price we pay for aesthetics!?!? | ||
| Tank_bueller |
And, you really cannot identify the vehicle behind you (i.e. police cruiser) until it is too late...unless his lights are flashing... My "lollipops" vibed so bad at times, I may not even see the flashing lights!! I just put on a set of the Third Eye bicycle mirrors this past weekend. It took less than a mile for me to get used to them. They work so good, it was almost dangerous because I was enjoying my new-found view and not watching where I was going.  I believe I noticed a little bit less vibe at the grips due to the extra weight of the mirrors......BONUS!! | ||
| Dwolk |
Thanks for all the additional comments. Yes, the Rizoma's look beautifully made. And Flick, currently I can't tell if there are eight or nine police cruisers behind me with all the vibration...not just aesthetics I'm going for but good design and strong function, which is why I bought the Buell in the first place. But i'll pay attention to the altered perspective. Thanks all. | ||
| Bjack |
I put the Third Eye bar ends on my CityX this past weekend and retained the hand guards. Used the instructions/photos posted by Reepicheep and the install was a breeze. The only modification required was drilling the hole in the bar end plug that holds the handguard and putting a longer bolt in the mirrors to clear the plug. Visibility increased and vibration in the mirrors decreased. Rode 400 miles this past weekend after the install and no problems with the mirrors at all. | ||
| Dwolk |
CRGs arrived, look great and will install them this weekend. American Sportbike was attentive enough to include the plugs for the stock mirrors. Now I just have to find the threads that describe how to remove and replace the grips with the new traction grips, how much to cut off the end, etc. I've got use of an air compressor and grip lock for installation came with the grips (so I guess I don't need hairspray) and good advice from Sportbike about the throttle controls and tightening the mirrors carefully...so what could possibly go wrong? | ||
| Tunes |
Dwolk - I bought and installed the Traction grips also. The left (clutch) grip on my bike was glued all the way around. I had to cut the grip length-wise and then "shave" the grip off. Took me over an hour! Throttle grip is a snap.. take the throttle housing apart, remove the handlebar plug, and replace the grip. Yer gonna luv 'em too! | ||
| Fookinbueller |
I am a very broad shouldered guy @ 265lbs and I see next to none of myself in the stockers... what bothers me about them is that I constantly check the mirrors looking for Police, especially because the Buells despise slow speeds, with their extremely tall gearing and brutal off Idle torque. You can plainly see if a car is behind you but you could NEVER make out if it is a cop or not... or even the type of car it is. Although I can make out if my fellow bikers are still with me, for the most part anyway. |
