Checking rear view

[47ninja]

Hello everyone! I just recently passed the MSF and joined the rider community with a used 2010 Ninja 250r! I've started to take it out on the road and really enjoying it so far. One thing that I haven't really figured out yet is how to best check my rear view. When I drive in my car, I regularly glance at my rear view mirror to be fully aware of my surroundings. Obviously with a motorcycle, it's hard to do the same thing. My side mirrors really only give me a view the lanes on either side of me, so I do head checks behind me every once in a while to look for tailgaters or cars coming up fast behind me. But at the same time, I don't want to do that too often and get distracted from what is down the road. Also, whenever I am the first to come up to a red light intersection, I'm paranoid about the traffic behind me. We were taught in the MSF class to be aware of cars that don't see motorcycles and plow though intersections, but I'm already too preoccupied with braking and downshifting to also head check what's behind me. Tips or suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks.

[Jiggles]

angle your mirrors so that while your riding you can see to the sides of you and your elbows. When you need to look behind you, pull your elbow in and you will be able to see

[Motofool]

At red traffic lights, stop your bike in an angle respect to the lane.

That will give you a perfect view (through one mirror) of the cars stopping behind you and also a way to escape quickly if one of them is ready to hit your tail.

Most of the accidents come from the left front (43%) and a minimum from behind (3%); hence, keep your eyes on the more dangerous zone most of the time, except just before changing lanes or turning in intersection.

It takes less than a second for the picture in front of you to change for the worst (and for some sick reason, exactly at the moment you move your focal point away from there).

If you are riding at 45 mph, any obstacle appearing from under the car ahead of you, is approaching at 66 feet per second.
If a car coming from behind is moving 10 mph above your speed, is closing the gap at 14.6 feet/second.
Just to give you a perspective of the importance of looking at front as much as possible.

Best

[Jay72]

Chris I know exactly how you feel, myself being 5'10" and 190 my body takes up a fair amount of the mirrors, even when pulling in my elbows. I think I finally have my mirrors adjusted better to see behind me, but still not comfortable with it. So through some research and reading, it seems some riders of the Ninja 250 have ordered Ninja 650 mirrors which are a fair bit longer hence making it easier to see behind you. So I am going to start to price out the mirrors and order myself some.

[Whiskey]

Originally Posted by Jay72

Chris I know exactly how you feel, myself being 5'10" and 190 my body takes up a fair amount of the mirrors, even when pulling in my elbows. I think I finally have my mirrors adjusted better to see behind me, but still not comfortable with it. So through some research and reading, it seems some riders of the Ninja 250 have ordered Ninja 650 mirrors which are a fair bit longer hence making it easier to see behind you. So I am going to start to price out the mirrors and order myself some.

Try sitting on a 650 before you decide on getting it's mirrors for the 250, they offer a much smaller field of view than the 250's. I've heard of people going the other way, putting 250 mirrors on the 650.

[flynjay]

I've found that if I angle the mirrors a little low (or perfect height while tucked) the view of behind me is better. Basically my elbow and forearm are in the upper left of the mirror.

A quick pull in of the elbow and I can see behind me.

[47ninja]

Very helpful suggestions guys. Thanks!

[Cringer]

I know how you feel about wanting to be able to see behind you. I found the Reevu helmet and am really thinking about getting one.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motorcycle-helmet/reevu/

http://www.hardwaresphere.com/2010/0...n-rear-mirror/

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by Motofool

At red traffic lights, stop your bike in an angle respect to the lane.

That will give you a perfect view (through one mirror) of the cars stopping behind you and also a way to escape quickly if one of them is ready to hit your tail.

Most of the accidents come from the left front (43%) and a minimum from behind (3%); hence, keep your eyes on the more dangerous zone most of the time, except just before changing lanes or turning in intersection.

It takes less than a second for the picture in front of you to change for the worst (and for some sick reason, exactly at the moment you move your focal point away from there).

If you are riding at 45 mph, any obstacle appearing from under the car ahead of you, is approaching at 66 feet per second.
If a car coming from behind is moving 10 mph above your speed, is closing the gap at 14.6 feet/second.
Just to give you a perspective of the importance of looking at front as much as possible.

Best

great advice. well written too. i have avoided getting rear-ended twice by using the slight angle trick. you can see much better, plus if you need to GTFO, you are alright lined up to be getting out of the way, not just darting out into another busy lane.

[Jay72]

Scott if I could afford that helmet I think I would buy it. There are a few good reviews about it. If you guys search there are a couple of good threads on how to position our mirrors, as well as a good post on someone that installed the 650 mirrors and really likes them.
I should also note that at least for myself, I have a hard time looking over my left shoulder as I was born with scoliosis, had rods placed along my spine when I was 12 so it didn't get any worse, so form that for some reason I have a hard time turning my head or twisting my back far enough to the left, on the right side I have no trouble at all, but to the left it is almost a lost cause. So that is why it is important to be able to see behind me better than I can with our stock mirrors.

[choneofakind]

Turning your head will save your life. Don't rely on your mirrors. Same thing as a car, only there's no blind spots since your motorcycle doesn't have pillars in the way

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by Jay72

Scott if I could afford that helmet I think I would buy it. There are a few good reviews about it. If you guys search there are a couple of good threads on how to position our mirrors, as well as a good post on someone that installed the 650 mirrors and really likes them.
I should also note that at least for myself, I have a hard time looking over my left shoulder as I was born with scoliosis, had rods placed along my spine when I was 12 so it didn't get any worse, so form that for some reason I have a hard time turning my head or twisting my back far enough to the left, on the right side I have no trouble at all, but to the left it is almost a lost cause. So that is why it is important to be able to see behind me better than I can with our stock mirrors.

scoot your butt off the seat the opposite direction, you can more easily turn your entire body. i also have slight issues twisting and this method helps a lot. you might want to get some of those domed wide-angle mirrors

[squaregamer476]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

angle your mirrors so that while your riding you can see to the sides of you and your elbows. When you need to look behind you, pull your elbow in and you will be able to see

works everytime.

[Jay72]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Turning your head will save your life. Don't rely on your mirrors. Same thing as a car, only there's no blind spots since your motorcycle doesn't have pillars in the way

I do turn my head, just not that easy or comfortable to turn it to the left, so if I had a good mirror to help on that side it sure would help. I also have the problem in the Jeep, but because I have been driving for 23 years I have been able to adapt to it and just move in my seat to check the left shoulder.

[Jay72]

Originally Posted by alex.s

scoot your butt off the seat the opposite direction, you can more easily turn your entire body. i also have slight issues twisting and this method helps a lot. you might want to get some of those domed wide-angle mirrors

Thanks Alex I am going to try that, I actually do it sometime but I also let go with my left had for the second to look behind me easier, but since I only have my M1 here in Ontario Canada, I have to go for my M2 test on May 4 and I highly doubt they will let me let go with one hand. But I am going to try what you said and scoot my ass over a bit more. And I was thinking about getting those little convex mirrors to see if that would help a bit.

[Jay72]

This may sound kind of silly but the guy I use as a mechanic suggested I try these, he sells them in his shop, they are only 10 bucks and he sells out all the time. He said they are good for up to around 230 km/h. lol Then they flatten out. Anyways he is a very reputable mechanic in the Southwestern Ontario region so it wasn't as if he was just trying to make a sale. I didn't buy it when I was there but I am going back in a couple of weeks to get my 1000 km service done and I think for the $10 I will give it a try.

http://www.bugeyes.com/

[Jay72]

Ok Bret, you got me there seeing as you only have one. lol I am just not sure what they would say if I did it. I do know that they give us an ear piece and follow in a car and you are supposed to point to you head if you can't hear them. I was just getting at the fact if I have two hands I would have to keep them both on at all times.

[Jay72]

Originally Posted by trixter

lets hope someone behind you does not have their brights on.

That would be the least of my worries Bret, plus I would think if that was the case I could just angle it a bit to move it so it's not right directly in my vision.

[Jay72]

Originally Posted by trixter

well I can and have ridden just using my prosthesis. I wave, I play with my bluetooth headset changing songs, adjust gear, whatever is needed. I re-read what you wrote and understand what you meant now.

Just for the sake of saying it, and not that I know at all, but I wonder what they would say here in Ontario Canada if you showed up for the test? I understand that you have zero trouble riding and you made a really neat set up to help you, but the testers here at our DMV and known to be total and complete ignorant asses. I was actually thinking of asking them about letting go with my one hand, after I pass my test, as in asking if it would have been alright to do.
Do you have any videos of you riding or pictures of you on your bike, I am very interested in what your set up looks like and how you operated it. I have read you threads on it but I would love to see it in action.