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Riding Without Mirrors?

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 7:34 am
by JHScoot
Anyone do this? I saw a 'fella on the youtubes doing it right when my last one broke and I been doing it ever since.

I mean do you really need mirrors on a motorcycle if you're passing things all the time and shoulder checking all the time? I mean, really now!

Who rides sans mirrors? You wild, wild things...

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 12:38 pm
by JHScoot
Wolfhound wrote:Not a problem--------if you are suicidal!!! :goofy: :wink:
my last one broke and i recalled this guy and checked out the vid again and thought "well, alrighty then."

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/NeLkNmWTt1k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 1:14 pm
by Wolfhound
Not a problem--------if you are suicidal!!! :goofy: :wink:

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 1:24 pm
by BuddyRaton
Some states require at least one mirror whether or not it was OEM. I do ride some vintage sans mirrors but I prefer at least a legshield mirror.

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 2:26 pm
by Wolfhound
Interesting video. Wonder about the guy riding with his left turn signal on and never turning into that lane???? :wha: :wha: In Atlanta that would be considered 3:00 in the morning traffic. Lane splitting in downtown Atlanta traffic in the daytime the way this guy is riding would eliminate him from the gene pool quickly. Cages swap lanes with out giving signals and will squeeze into any spot that they can find. To each his own, I suppose. :wink:

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 4:31 pm
by scootERIK
I rode for years on a Honda Elite 50 with no mirrors, ~4,000 miles. I got pretty good at looking over my shoulder. Also, got good at estimating how long it would take for cars to catch up to me.

I've ridden 20,000 miles on a Buddy 125 with only the right side mirror. The worst part is group riding when I get stuck in the middle of the pack, especially when people don't know how to ride in formation.

Re: Riding Without Mirrors?

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 4:48 pm
by skipper20
JHScoot wrote:Anyone do this? I saw a 'fella on the youtubes doing it right when my last one broke and I been doing it ever since.

I mean do you really need mirrors on a motorcycle if you're passing things all the time and shoulder checking all the time? I mean, really now!

Who rides sans mirrors? You wild, wild things...
Riding without mirrors would be about as dumb as riding without a helmet. And, I can say this without impunity as my helmet and face shield saved my head and my left eye 2 1/2 years ago when I crashed an '86 Honda Elite 150. I still have the helmet with the noticeable scuff marks on the top and the shield to prove it.

Bill in Seattle (go Seahawks!)
'12 170i Italia
'11 220i Blur
'08 250ie Sport City

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 4:57 pm
by Wolfhound
Right on, Bill. Just my opinion. :clap:

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 8:35 am
by monnoracing
I use no mirrors on my buddy.

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 3:41 pm
by psssniper
Took the stock mirrors off the Stella first thing, put on a legshield.

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 4:07 pm
by Wolfhound
Refer to Bill in Seattle's posting above. :sigh: :sigh:

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 6:14 pm
by Witch
It would be illegal in most states.

My first scooter only came with one mirror as stock, and the first thing I did to it was get a second mirror. I couldn't live without 2 mirrors on a scoot at this point.

I suppose the exception would be if I were going off-roading, but I'm too sissy to try it.

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 9:42 pm
by JHScoot
do you really need mirrors if you're passing everything and know everything you just passed?

its a philosophical question, really :nerd:

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 10:19 pm
by BuddyRaton
JHScoot wrote:do you really need mirrors if you're passing everything and know everything you just passed?

its a philosophical question, really :nerd:
Do you really think there is no faster vehicle than a Buddy?

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 11:34 pm
by Wolfhound
:clap: :clap: :clap: What he said!!!!! ^

Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 12:34 am
by theemptythrone
Frankly I think its a bad idea, why make driving a two wheeled vehicle any more dangerous then it already is?

And my mirrors keep my windscreen and hand guards mounted to my scooter.

Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 2:28 am
by TVB
BuddyRaton wrote:Do you really think there is no faster vehicle than a Buddy?
I am reasonably confident that that there are ... several. :helmet:

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 8:46 pm
by Dooglas
JHScoot wrote:do you really need mirrors if you're passing everything and know everything you just passed?
One of the things I consistently use mirrors for is being sure the guy behind me is stopping when I pull up to a light or stop sign. I'm also watching the vehicle in front of me as I stop so looking back over my shoulder would not be a good move. Why is this important you ask? Know another rider who has been rear ended? This is more common than you might think - and dodging to one side could save your fanny.

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 11:35 pm
by Wolfhound
Right on, Dooglas! :clap: :clap:

Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 1:38 pm
by skully93
Dooglas wrote: Know another rider who has been rear ended? This is more common than you might think - and dodging to one side could save your fanny.
I got tagged, fortunately at low speed.

Personally wouldn't ride without at least 1 mirror, as we're in urban traffic constantly. Now, you could go bar ends if you wanted a different look!

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 11:17 am
by lefthandedrighty
I took the mirrors of my bobber because I wanted to 'look cool'

Scariest feeling not having mirrors to at least glance at

Found myself almost panicking and quickly looking over my shoulders

Put one mirror back on flipped upside down under my bars and I feel much 'safer' with that

Doesn't offer much of a view but it seems to give me some peace of mind

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 1:45 pm
by slotrod65
Mirrors are part of your safety equipment, and I am not sure why anyone would ride without them. Do you ride in a T shirt and shorts, or with bare feet?

Youtube is full of videos of people doing really stupid things (and getting hurt), so why would that be any incentive to copy them?

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 2:24 pm
by Wolfhound
Exactly , SlotRod. I see guys and their girl friends riding Hardley Davidsons
here in the summer wearing helmets, get ticketed with out them, T shirts,
shorts, and tennie pumps. They sure make greasy spots on the road when they go down. :bleh: Oddly enough the crotch rocket kids around here wear the most protective gear and I have not seen anyone riding with out mirrors. :wink:

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 4:07 pm
by lefthandedrighty
Same around here. Most rocket guys have nice matching gear.

Looks pretty sweet when your gear matches your bike with a badass helmet.

I'll admit, I should wear more gear, but I don't. However, I always wear jeans and decent shoes at least.

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 4:47 pm
by slotrod65
I have been thinking about this thread and wondering: Why would you not want to remove your mirrors? Is it for looks? I know I was frustrated with the stock mirrors on my Stella as they only showed me my shoulders. I purchased aftermarket chrome extended brackets, longer stems, and a pair of repro stadium type mirrors. Now I can see much better to the rear, and the Stella looks better.

The problem for me will not be too few mirrors, but how many are too many: I have a front crash bar I intend to install this spring and plan on adding multiple mirrors in the mod style.

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 8:49 pm
by BuddyRaton
Dooglas wrote:
JHScoot wrote:do you really need mirrors if you're passing everything and know everything you just passed?
One of the things I consistently use mirrors for is being sure the guy behind me is stopping when I pull up to a light or stop sign. I'm also watching the vehicle in front of me as I stop so looking back over my shoulder would not be a good move. Why is this important you ask? Know another rider who has been rear ended? This is more common than you might think - and dodging to one side could save your fanny.
They come in "handy" in other circumstances too. I was riding my Burgman Ex on I-95 once when a semi jackknifed in front of me. The Ex had true ABS..I knew no one was behind me...I grabbed as much brake as I possibility could and felt the ABS pulsing. I stopped in plenty of time and didn't get run over.

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 10:06 pm
by EvilNerdLord
not in caslifornia you don't....this place is SOOOOOOOOO regulated I'm suprprised we're not required to have seat belts on our rides....