Motorcycle Mirrors: A Small Price to Pay For Significant Safety Gains

Having mirrors on a motorcycle may seem like something redundant to a lot of people, because you can easily turn around to see what’s behind you, right? It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it actually is. When I was a dumb teenager, I used that logic as an excuse to not spend a few bucks on proper motorcycle mirrors, until one day when I turned around to look back for a brief moment, just as I came across a decently sized rock in the middle of the road, bumped into it and nearly killed myself. Luckily, I wasn’t driving too fast and I wasn’t dumb enough to not wear protective gear.

Mirrors seem like the most simple component on your motorcycle, but just like everything else, they can be a huge difference maker in your riding safety and experience. A lot of bikes come with mirrors, because they’re mandatory in Australia, but if you’ve gotten your bike from somewhere overseas, then it may come without them. However, many bikers find that stock mirrors aren’t ideal for them, because every rider is different in size, while stock products are typically “one size to fit them all”. The motorcycle mirrors on your bike may affect your ride if they have low visibility, aren’t the right height for you, aren’t durable and break easy, or vibrate too much.

You’d think that there are not many things to consider when shopping for motorcycle mirrors, because they’re just mirrors, but that can’t be further than the truth. Mirrors come in various styles, mounts, sizes, and glass types, meaning that there’s a right combination for any type of bike and rider out there. That being said, here are the details about all the factors that you need to consider in order to make the right purchase.

First and foremost, you need to consider the mount. There are three types of mounts – bar end mirror, bar mounted mirrors and fairing mounted mirrors. Bar end mirrors are the most popular type, and they’re either clamped onto the end of the handlebars, or feature an insert that can be slid into the bar. This mount allows for the widest range of vision. Bar mounted mirrors are mounted to the handlebar, just before the grip, and they have a narrower range of vision. Lastly, fairing mounted mirrors offer a more unique look, as they’re mounted on the fairing. Fairing-mounted mirrors are popular on sports bikes, because their handlebars are more forward.

In terms of glass type and mirror size, it’s mostly up to personal preference. With smaller mirrors, you obviously won’t be able to see as much. However, if you go with convex glass, your field of vision will be decently wide. Flat glass mirrors, on the other hand, are the same type of mirrors that you have inside your house – they don’t offer as wide field of vision as convex mirrors, but there are no “tricks” on the distance.