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Old September 25th, 2016, 06:05 PM   #1
momoru
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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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Old September 25th, 2016, 06:25 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by momoru View Post
........ Just curious how other feels about this, has your ass been saved seeing what's behind you at all times?
I adjust mines as you do.

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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Old September 25th, 2016, 06:29 PM   #3
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Old 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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Old September 25th, 2016, 07:09 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Motofool View Post
The trick is not using much time continuously looking at the mirrors.
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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Old September 25th, 2016, 07:54 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tfkrocks View Post
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.
Hmm good point, I'm not in Cali/Europe though, so no lane splitting.
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Old 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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Old September 26th, 2016, 06:50 AM   #8
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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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Old September 26th, 2016, 06:54 AM   #9
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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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Old September 26th, 2016, 07:01 AM   #10
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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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Old September 26th, 2016, 08:41 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RacinNinja View Post
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.
It is an excellent strategy for n00bs to remind oneself to relax the arms and grip!
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Old September 26th, 2016, 08:44 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by Triple Jim View Post
I turn my head to see what's to the side, no matter what view the mirror gives me.
That, too. Maybe more than once, depending what traffic is doing.
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Old September 26th, 2016, 10:42 AM   #13
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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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Old September 26th, 2016, 11:38 AM   #14
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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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Old September 26th, 2016, 12:04 PM   #15
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Old 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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Old September 26th, 2016, 01:04 PM   #17
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What are mirrors?
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Old October 14th, 2016, 01:40 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by momoru View Post
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?
I adjust mine to see as much around me and behind as possible. I actually avoided being punted from behind one time because I noticed the guy flying up behind me by seeing him in my mirrors. I could tell he wasn't going to stop in time so I lurched ahead and narrowly missed being rear ended. So...I'd be hesitant to not be able to see what is going on behind me.
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Old October 14th, 2016, 07:11 PM   #19
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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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Old 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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Old October 18th, 2016, 06:27 AM   #21
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If you really want to know what's going on back there -

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Old May 16th, 2017, 02:54 PM   #22
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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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Old May 16th, 2017, 05:28 PM   #23
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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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Old May 17th, 2017, 07:35 AM   #24
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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?
So if you are tucked 50% of the time, then 50% of the time you have 50% of your mirrors pointing in a direction that is 100% not helpful.
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Old May 18th, 2017, 12:59 PM   #25
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So if you are tucked 50% of the time, then 50% of the time you have 50% of your mirrors pointing in a direction that is 100% not helpful.
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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Old May 18th, 2017, 04:58 PM   #26
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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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Old May 19th, 2017, 05:28 AM   #27
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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?
My comment was slightly tongue in check.

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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Old June 11th, 2017, 03:25 PM   #28
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I usually let the ground adjust my mirrors for me
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