September 25th, 2016, 06:05 PM | #1 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Phil
Location: Pittsburgh
Join Date: May 2014 Motorcycle(s): 2005 Ninja 250R Posts: 60
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How Do You Adjust Your Mirrors?
Been riding 4 years but wanted to revisit a basic skill... how do you adjust your mirrors?
I learned in MSF to point them so you see some behind you, and some of the lanes to the side. When reading "Proficient Motorcycling" he mentioned that someone points them only to the side. I switched to that a while ago and I find it way more useful. I see more of the adjacent lanes, and am not stressed by people behind me. I found previously I'd always be stressed about someone behind me, when really there is nothing you can do about that (I don't ride in passing lanes, etc...). It's still possible to get a sense of someone tailgating you when you turn, stop, etc... I think realistically there is very little you can do with knowing what is behind you except at a stop, when usually you can angle the bike to see what's behind you anyway. Just curious how other feels about this, has your ass been saved seeing what's behind you at all times? |
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September 25th, 2016, 06:25 PM | #2 | |
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The trick is not using much time continuously looking at the mirrors. Take just a glance and return your sight forward, then process the information that you collected during that glance. Most danger comes to you between your 11 and 1 o'clock.
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September 25th, 2016, 06:29 PM | #3 |
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On my pregens all I see are my elbows.
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September 25th, 2016, 06:41 PM | #4 |
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I find it important to know what's behind me so I can pull over to let people pass, especially while lane splitting. Definitely safer for everyone to pull over for a rider who is splitting faster so they're not trying to squeeze through in the same space or split between lane 2 and 3.
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September 25th, 2016, 07:09 PM | #5 |
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I learned that the hard way and spent some time in a hospital because of it 35 years ago. Now I promote just what you said, and also that things like GPS displays belong out of view. Now if I take my eyes off of what's going on ahead and to the sides by looking at something like a speedometer, an alarm goes off in my head that quickly gets louder and louder.
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September 25th, 2016, 07:54 PM | #6 | |
ninjette.org member
Name: Phil
Location: Pittsburgh
Join Date: May 2014 Motorcycle(s): 2005 Ninja 250R Posts: 60
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Quote:
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September 25th, 2016, 09:02 PM | #7 |
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I've got mine adjusted to show the lanes next to me, sort of, and a little bit behind me. I can't ignore what's behind me, need to see.
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September 26th, 2016, 06:50 AM | #8 |
Guy Who Enjoys Riding
Name: Jim
Location: North Carolina
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Same here, I like them aimed so the left one's right edge looks straight back, and the right one's left edge looks straight back. I turn my head to see what's to the side, no matter what view the mirror gives me.
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September 26th, 2016, 06:54 AM | #9 |
Vintage Screwball
Name: B
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Slightly out to the side since my elbows block what's directly behind me. To look behind me I just lift or lower my elbows a tad...makes me look like I'm flapping chicken wings but it works.
Tried bar end mirrors, don't like them. Have to turn/lower my head too far to see out of them.
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September 26th, 2016, 07:01 AM | #10 |
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Name: Michael
Location: Northern NJ
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I adjusted mine by switching to other bike.
Boy, it makes a difference, being able to see at a glance everything behind you and to the left/right. Still turning head to check immediate dead zones before changing lanes though |
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September 26th, 2016, 08:41 AM | #11 |
n00bie to wannabie
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It is an excellent strategy for n00bs to remind oneself to relax the arms and grip!
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September 26th, 2016, 08:44 AM | #12 |
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September 26th, 2016, 10:42 AM | #13 |
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Name: Teri
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The stock Ninja mirrors were so stupid short that I kept having people surprise me by suddenly appearing next to me as they passed. I bought the longer 650 mirrors and ride much more aware of what's around me.
I angle the right mirror to look straight back with a hair off to the right side so that I can see when I fully pass a car. I angle the left one to show mostly the lane to my left with just a hair straight back. Between the two, I have a mostly fully view behind me and to my left. I like keeping an eye on people behind me, knowing if they are coming up way to fast or wanting to pass. Since it pisses me off so much when a slow driver/rider doesn't get out of the way, I make sure I am not that person and always let someone around when safe for me to do so. I also like keeping an eye on anyone I am leading so I don't lose them, so I can match their speed and keep them in sight, and so I can make sure they are riding ok and not getting in trouble. On the Honda the mirror placement is awesome and gives me a much better view of the situation around me. I love knowing if a 4x4 is coming up behind me so I can get out of their way while I am learning how to ride off road. Though whomever designed the dual nut locking gizmo on the stock was a moron. *rolls eyes*
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September 26th, 2016, 11:38 AM | #14 |
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Name: Kevin
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I get it up to at least 75 on a straight piece of road, then bust out a handstand on the bars. I then lower myself down so my eyes are level with the mirrors, turn my head where I want the mirror to point, shift over to a one handed handstand, and use my other hand to point the mirror in the same direction as my face. I then switch hands and repeat for the other side. I'm still going at least 60mph by the time I'm sitting down again, which is important because you start to lose stability below 55.
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September 26th, 2016, 12:04 PM | #15 |
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I have mine folded back... Law says they are required not that they have to be used
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September 26th, 2016, 01:01 PM | #16 |
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To the side.
Same deal with my car. The inner edges of the side mirrors show what's at the edges of the rear-view mirror inside the car... just a bit of overlap. Most people adjust to see their own car. That's wrong: it leaves big blind spots. When a car leaves my side-view mirror, I can see it in my peripheral vision. No blind spots.
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September 26th, 2016, 01:04 PM | #17 |
The Corner Whisperer
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What are mirrors?
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October 14th, 2016, 01:40 PM | #18 | |
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October 14th, 2016, 07:11 PM | #19 |
ninjette.org newbie
Name: Elliott
Location: Minnesota
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resource on mirrors
the ninja250.org folks have a page on suggestions for mirrors on a pregen:
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/I_hate_these_mirrors I do the "droopy" thing and set them so I can see adjacent lanes, and behind me if I move my arm. But I also do a shoulder check whenever I'm changing lanes, in part to signal to others what I'm doing. |
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October 14th, 2016, 08:18 PM | #20 |
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I have to see at least a little bit behind me. I like to know as much as I can about what's happening around me, and what kind of nut is flying up from the back.
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October 18th, 2016, 06:27 AM | #21 |
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May 16th, 2017, 02:54 PM | #22 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Damon
Location: WI
Join Date: Aug 2015 Motorcycle(s): 2006 Ninja 250 Posts: 19
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I've also wondered what people do for adjusting mirrors with respect to being tucked vs. upright. My current setup is that my left mirror is usable when tucked (since I'm tucked on the highway and always in the right lane, so I only need to see behind and left) and right is usable when upright. Both mirrors are generally aimed to see behind, but both also have wide-angle mirrors to see more beside.
Any thoughts on that setup? Does it seem reasonable? |
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May 16th, 2017, 05:28 PM | #23 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Kerry
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I hadn't considered setting one for being in a tuck. I don't spend that much time there. But it makes sense if you use it that often.
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May 17th, 2017, 07:35 AM | #24 | |
not an actual panda
Name: dan
Location: philadelphia
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Quote:
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May 18th, 2017, 12:59 PM | #25 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Damon
Location: WI
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Right, as opposed to not adjusting this way and having 100% of my mirrors 100% not helpful. I'm not sure what you were getting at. Do you think I shouldn't have my mirrors useful for when tucked?
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May 18th, 2017, 04:58 PM | #26 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
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I checked my mirror focus today and I don't find much difference in or out of a tuck with the mirror focus. Dropping into the tuck gives a slightly different aspect but I could still see out of them like normal.
I've got my mirrors focused more or less on the lane-line behind me. |
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May 19th, 2017, 05:28 AM | #27 | |
not an actual panda
Name: dan
Location: philadelphia
Join Date: Aug 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250, 2009 CBR600RR (Sold) Posts: A lot.
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Quote:
You probably spend most of your time untucked so the safer option would be to set the mirrors for untucked riding. When you're tucked it's easy enough to come out of a tuck momentarily to get a view to the rear or you can set the mirrors when you do go into a tuck. And not jokingly as you have it now 100% of the time you don't have coverage to one side of your bike. |
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June 11th, 2017, 03:25 PM | #28 |
ran when parked
Name: Katie
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I usually let the ground adjust my mirrors for me
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