need mirrors for commmuting?

[jrandom]

I use them to look out for white bikes with riders wearing fluoro vests.

IMHO, if you're splitting and you actually see one of those in your *mirrors*, you're fscked, and you better just don your rubber underpants, start praying and hope that the rider thereof is having a good day.

I try to see them while they're still a klick or so up the road in front of me.

Failure has resulted in embarrassment...

[sAsLEX]

the other day i just knew i wasn't going to fit through a gap so did a mountain biking trick of leaning a little to make the bike thinner in a sense, was only moving just above walking pace and nicked the front brake lever as they aint standard i dont thingk and hang out a bit and my left elbow!! lol

As for mirrors, my left one is fokkin useless(off a cbr) and the right aint much better so turn head.

[inlinefour]

Would be asking for trouble if your not using/have them???

[DebK]

I lane split most of the time now in slow traffic. I do however keep one eye in my mirrors to make sure I'm not holding up faster lanesplitters - I move back in line, let them through & move back out again.

Have found however that if I keep my attention to the rear just a fraction too long, I increase my chances of failing to see a car change lanes in front. Only takes that split second of inattention.

[Hitcher]

Bolt-on mirrors. Now there's a concept...

[wkid_one]

Common theme in the US and UK is to take the mirrors off bikes and replace with blanks to fill the hole. Does kinda make the bike look better.

Given most mirrors are not much wider than the edge of your bars - if you are using the mirrors to find the gap - good fucken LUCK!

I tended to fold my mirrors flat against against the fairing most of the time anyway - esp when punting as it prevented me worrying about who was up my date.

Lane Splitting - why would you need mirrors anyway as you stay down the centre of two lanes?

[Zed]

Here's a question for the more dedicated lane splitters on the site:

When forcefully filtering through the traffic (this isn't relevant for filtering through stopped traffic), are mirrors a help ie. let you see quickly before you duck into the next lane, or a hindrance ie. stop you getting through those tempting little gaps

I lost my RHS mirror two weeks ago to a loose bolt and although its a nuisance having to look over my shoulder everytime and not being able to watch cars behind me (specially when merging into the fast lane if they're coming up quickly)... I have noticed its much less daunting nipping through the gaps when the mirror isn't there to distract me. so a bit of a pro for a few cons.

anyone tried more 'progressive' filtering without mirrors and if so, was it better with or without?

I'm consciously always using my mirrors when commuting, spose cos I like to be aware of everything around me - frankly I'd feel lost without them.

One major reason I use my mirrors when lanesplitting is to check for other bikers who are following me, sometimes they are going at a faster pace so I'll pull over and let them through!

[chickenfunkstar]

This is why I think mirrors are vitally important for lane splitters. I split large parts of SH2 in to Wellington and my biggest fear is either moving into "the zone" late and taking out another (faster) bike splitting behind me, or conversely being the faster bike and getting cut up by the bike I am attempting to pass. This has lead me to wonder what the etiquette (if any) exists for moving into "the zone"..... I usually try to indicate but concede that this could be confusing/misleading for the cagers and would it mean anything to a bike behind me?

I find the SV's mirrors give me a massive blind spot behind me that's very easy for a bike to hide in!.

I think i know what you mean, i usually make sure i turn my head and have a good look behind me then indicate when entering "the zone" for the first time. I.e. when traffic is just starting to slow down to the point where you first start to lane split.

Also i never ever pass another biker when lane splitting unless he specifically moves over to let me past.

CFS

[sAsLEX]

I'm consciously always using my mirrors when commuting, spose cos I like to be aware of everything around me - frankly I'd feel lost without them.

if you move faster than the rest of the traffic as in splitting, you have no need for your mirrors as they are only showing you the past, you need to remain focussed on the future as that has the ability to change rapidly!!!

Where as the cars you just past are not going to suddenly brake in front of you, nor can they get to close as you are in lane 1A 2A etc rapidly putting a safety margin between you and every car you pass

[Zed]

if you move faster than the rest of the traffic as in splitting, you have no need for your mirrors...

An exception to that would be the speeding ambulance or police vehicle on their way to an emergency...would be good to see them coming up the rear eh!

[sAsLEX]

An exception to that would be the speeding ambulance or police vehicle on their way to an emergency...would be good to see them coming up the rear eh!

while splitting I have often passed fire trucks, ambulances with their lights and sirens on as they are too slow!!! ok twice i think!! But they need people to move out of their way to filter bikes dont.
Mind you I wouldn't pass a cop on their way anywheres!!

That just leaves the likes of JRs friendly lane splitting enemy to avoid, so i will just try keep an eye for those white bikes

[John]

Heh, I dont mind mirrors when lane splitting, were abit annoying when I got stuck in peak on the NW, but all the same no incidents with nicking any cars or such, what do you guys do IF you nick a car, even thought they wouldnt hear it I guess.

Few days back I was late for a class and was breaking some serious laws i.e 100 in 50k zone , And got stuck at the back of the que as the dorks in front all parked in close to the centre line, so I folded the mirrors into the fairings, filtered to the front and flicked them out again, those at the front of the que werent to impressed, but not many bikers that lane split up here, I mean most are crusiers (although you get the odd few that try to out boggie you at the lights, only to be at the lights without the clutch engaged, after you have gotten 20m ahead, I have mean spider senses lol.)

[Mr Skid]

I folded the fairings, filtered to the front and flicked them out again

I folded my fairings too. I can't get them to fold back they way they were though. Maybe you could give me some tips?

[John]

I folded my fairings too. I can't get them to fold back they way they were though. Maybe you could give me some tips?

Oh thats just cheap and untastfull, my mirrors are flushed into my fairings, duh - zxr's are like omg so much better.

[madboy]

I find the faster I split the less attention I pay to my mirrors. Since I figure I'm narrower than a Beemer (particularly white ones) I'll prob spot them coming before they get close enough to cause financial inconvenience - and my power/weight wins. And I KNOW I'm narrower than a Commodore

I used to keep an eye out for bikers coming up, but find that 99% of the time these days I'm "the biker coming up". Some bikers are great and just about ride off the road to let you past, or wave you through quickly or something to that effect. Some just think it's a friggin race and go for it (hate those bastards). Others just seem to not notice you. And as my preference is not to barge past another rider, I actually find bikes more inconvenient to pass than cars.

Although I note that today I officially joined the ranks of "those bastards" mentioned above when a red VTR1000 (anyone here???) rolled up behind me at the Korokoro lights on the way home. I've only had my bike a few weeks, it was the first time something decent caught up to me, and I was dying to extract revenge for all "those bastards" on bigger bikes who used to regularly pound my little FZR400 in a straight line. Sorry, I apologise to the red VTR for being a tosser, but my ego just had to do it.