need mirrors for commmuting?

**Coldkiwi** · 5th April 2005, 12:41

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?

**vifferman** · 5th April 2005, 12:47

Originally Posted by Coldkiwi

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

A help - on most of the bikes I've owned, they're like cat's whiskers: help to gauge whether the bike will fit through a gap before I attempt it.
On the VFR750 they were a nuisance from the point of view that they seemed to be the same height as most car mirrors, so I broke them twice, but on my other bikes they've been good.
On my current ride, not only are they nicely positioned as 'whiskers', they also afford a very good rearward view, something that other bikes I've owned weren't good at, especially the Firestorm.

**pyrocam** · 5th April 2005, 12:49

Intresting idea. but I think you would get ticketed for not having one.

My mirrors are bolted on with a vetical bolt so If I need to get one out of the way I can just pull the wing forwards or backwards (unscrewing the bolt) and that gets it out of the way. then put it back when moving in the lane.

proberly quite time consuming at a bit dangerous too. I hate rearranging my mirrors while riding

**Motoracer** · 5th April 2005, 12:50

I reckon you only ever need mirrors to look out for the red and blue lights. Otherwise, it's better not to have em (the bike looks meaner that way anyway!)BTW, if you want to buy a set of mirrors let me know. I am selling my ones. They are K1 mirrors that are more beefy lookin than the little K2-K3 mirrors.

**Coldkiwi** · 5th April 2005, 12:58

yeah, I hear ya about the 'feelers'. But whats surprised me is that i now find I am able to take smaller gaps (not neccessarily more dangerous) because I'm not trying to provide a visual buffer between the mirror and car/truck/mirror etc as well as the width of the bike. I know where my hands are so I don't THINK thats a problem.

yeah, the lack of a right mirror is possibly a bit dodgy legally.. but would probably be the least of my worries if I'm getting pulled over! (haven't been done for splitting since ... well, a long time and no sense in tempting fate!)

**Coldkiwi** · 5th April 2005, 13:00

Originally Posted by Motoracer

I reckon you only ever need mirrors to look out for the red and blue lights.

hehe, yeah, i've had the head cranked backwards a few times just to make sure I hadn't raised any suspicions with parked HP as I tootle past (not lane splitting of course).

**vifferman** · 5th April 2005, 13:00

Originally Posted by pyrocam

Intresting idea. but I think you would get ticketed for not having one.

Yeah.

Tested that out when they changed the rules back in 1977 or thereabouts. Took mine off, as they vibrated so much I couldn't see anything anyway, so I still had to look over my shoulder. And what the heck do you want mirrors and indicators and all that crap on a trailbike for? :spudwhat:
Even removed the battery.

Anyway, despite arguing strenuously with the bike cop about it, he gave me a ticket, and a free Road Code after pointing out the relevant regulation in there. Dang. The ticket was 16 flagons of beer worth...

**T.I.E** · 5th April 2005, 13:08

wing mirrors? i recently brought a set of panniers for the cbr and have found them more dangerous than the mirrors. due to certain nicks on them from motorist mirrors.
think they are really gonna get pissed off with lane splitters if i keep it up.
they are great feelers, but due to the panniers being about 50mm wider its a pain. need little rubber extensions on the mirrors to tell me the exact width.
but most of the time i'm just bloody close as aposed to actually causing damage. but i only nic them.
and have since removed the panniers when i think i will be riding in rush hour in ak. which is almost all the time.
i do have a caution and that is watch out for other bikes ducking out when ya lane splitting at speed, and they think they are the only ones on the road.

and truckies seem to be the nicest out there. big wave to them

**Ixion** · 5th April 2005, 13:10

What I reckon would be cool would be a wide curved prismatic mirror along the top of the fairing blade. Prismatic so it showed what was to the side, not just a nice picture of the rider. Never seen such a thing though, but I reckon it would be possible.,

**FROSTY:Me** · 5th April 2005, 13:28

apsolutely poasitively need em. The XJ has big car wing mirror sized mirrors and I tend to flick a glance in e regularly.

**pritch** · 5th April 2005, 13:43

CRG make billet mirrors one model of which is named Lane Splitter or similar. You can fold the mirror back out of the way temporarily and then push it back without losing the original adjustment.

Nice mirrors, nice price ;-)

**jrandom** · 5th April 2005, 14:05

In traffic I use my mirrors primarily to manage filtering at speed, ie, when the traffic around me is moving above 30kph or so (I like to use proper gaps in lanes whenever I can rather than encouraging cages to share my lane at the same speed), and to make sure I don't inconvenience any other motorcyclists who might be filtering behind me.

Like this morning, when I was in a bonged-out sort of mood and just ambling along with the traffic because I didn't feel much like filtering, and a blue SV thou rumbled up behind me, and I got out of the way quick-smart (and then followed him).

I don't know *how* many times I have had the same thing happen to me with the bike in front just ignoring me, forcing me to stay behind them in the traffic so as not to run the risk of a collision due to them not realising I was coming past.

**Zookey** · 5th April 2005, 14:31

,Dont worry about mirrors its when ya got your toes out like the smiley fella,and ya catch one on a tanks jumbo rubber flaps.PAIN

**Clockwork** · 5th April 2005, 14:41

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!.