Adding 2nd Set of Mirrors?

gunsmoker

gunsmoker

Joined
Oct 16, 2024
Messages
76
Location
Cumming, Georgia USA
Bike
2007 ST-1300
2024 Miles
004000
The low-mounted mirrors on my 2007 ST 1300 do not give me a good view behind me. I don't have much experience on sport bikes or other motorcycles with similarly low positioned mirrors, but I've ridden a couple like that and I noticed the same problem .
My own shoulders and arms block most of my view. I am a big heavy guy and one of my jackets that I ride in is size 4 XL.

I can (and did) adjust the mirrors to see a diagonal view behind me at an angle, thus eliminating the usual blind spot.

CAN I GET AFTERMARKET MIRRORS that will sit higher and maybe wider (away from the bike's centerline) so that I can look over my own shoulder and see more or less straight behind me?

P.S. Nearly all of my motorcycle experience up to this point has been on cruisers or Enduro/trail bikes that have mirrors mounted on stems several inches high above the handlebars.

P.S. I bought my bike with the left mirror cover and turn signal assembly missing.
I was planning on replacing that with the same OEM type, but now I'm wondering if I might want to fabricate an extension bar to take that same exposed mirror (without any fairing around it) and put it several more inches to my left, and higher, so I have at least one mirror that gives me a good view rearward.

(I would Jerry-rig some type of replacement front left turn signal as well.
I know this would not look symmetrical but at this point I'm just really interested in the bike's performance more than aesthetics.)
 

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1-- Do you or anybody else here have experience using bar end mirrors that attach onto --or as a substitute for-- the metal bar end weights? How does this affect wind noise handling and does it increase the risk of getting that "pan weave" at high speeds?

2-- I don't understand what this suggestion means. Unless---- are you talking about sticking a smaller mirror onto the surface glass of the factory mirror?

3-- I've never heard of mirrors being attached to a sport bikes "upper fairing" can you tell me more about this or show me a photo of what that might look like?
 
gunsmoker said:
1-- Do you or anybody else here have experience using bar end mirrors that attach onto --or as a substitute for-- the metal bar end weights? How does this affect wind noise handling and does it increase the risk of getting that "pan weave" at high speeds?

2-- I don't understand what this suggestion means. Unless---- are you talking about sticking a smaller mirror onto the surface glass of the factory mirror?

3-- I've never heard of mirrors being attached to a sport bikes "upper fairing" can you tell me more about this or show me a photo of what that might look like?
Click to expand...
1 - It's been done (probably a picture on this website somewhere).

broguemotorcycles.com

Triumph Bar End Finishers & Mirror Kits - 1” to 7/8" Adapter - Handleb

Brogue Moto 1" to 7/8" Bar End Finishers & Mirror Kits feature a two piece mount system designed to clean up any gaps left behind from swapping aftermarket mirrors. Black type three hard coat anodized finish Compliments bar end mirrors with a 7/8 mounting area (CRG, Motogadget, Messner Moto)...
broguemotorcycles.com broguemotorcycles.com

cafe-racer-garage.com

Motorcycle Rear View Mirrors - Cafe Racer Garage

CAFE RACER GARAGE offers a wide range of cafe racer parts including motorcycle rear view mirrors. FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!
cafe-racer-garage.com cafe-racer-garage.com

https://www.amazon.com/Motorbike-Universal-Motorcycl-Rearview-Modified/dp/B0CJM7QNDL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1L6O947WBQQOR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.PvN1nPNvEmBCvJajLHQY2hele82B-1v_jfQQgIVs25gmcpFyooS_JkRtj40YuP-YlyROkZX4IzBgJcgjyw7j5nOzNGcrznTRIuMB8SxMYJwt3zRRN8HLUsGDQO-NfeB30pY1Z3HfSWYFnlNpf_bBHwscUVpTzYjQaWJCKIOatR7UD2AoucykW-z0qY-B7Te7PdTE0BtEUOKOsXRTXEuV3Q4F9gRrXy7Cxwgix4eNLXG1PPKMBWMrK6JrzU85jOt8_pmzd_dzJG4dwlNJMJsx-YMDnDxnbuFdIPvSRBM6dz5EtD8fX_KRBQnIf78aZJVBIw34_UKqEiFHVmQ-a_lmyHK_Fqafc_D-WfrHNfv8sVPlSgCVYtKv15eBzzpWKER4phd8NFP3Y6-JyoMDx1gWXpRbmxFishLvADPBvj5KJphA6YHmOWWddXs3eVT_7bLz.Donr67VbvnBtBRKKO2GNuFd7in6b7CbNdqfFhL98RGo&dib_tag=se&keywords=Motorbike%2BMirrors%2Cfor%2BH-ONDA%2BST1300%2FST1300A%2BModel%2BPCX-125%2F150%2BUniversal%2BMotorcycl%2BHandle%2BBar%2BEnd%2BRearview%2BMirror%2BMotorbike%2BSide%2BMirrors&qid=1734015299&sprefix=motorbike%2Bmirrors%2Cfor%2Bh-onda%2Bst1300%2Fst1300a%2Bmodel%2Bpcx-125%2F150%2Buniversal%2Bmotorcycl%2Bhandle%2Bbar%2Bend%2Brearview%2Bmirror%2Bmotorbike%2Bside%2Bmirrors%2Caps%2C822&sr=8-1&th=1



2. Picture from my ST1100s (the spot mirror is adjustable) -
RedBirdMirror.jpg
Also - https://www.st-owners.com/forums/threads/rear-view-mirrors.168039/#post-2146915

3. You mount them up near the windshield but it requires drilling and reinforcing the mount (not done it myself).
 
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Buy some of the police over-the-mirror light mounts and use them as a base for whatever mirrors you want. Any moto shop, dennis kirk, revzilla, JP, cycle world, will all have many choices. You can find a set in any configuration you can think of. There are also some that attach to the sides of your windshield, altho I have never run them.
 
Try aiming them so they pick up just a small portion of the outer saddlebag lid. The view from each will converge behind the motorcycle maybe about 20 - 30 feet behind you. If you need to see what is directly behind, 0 to 30 feet behind, you shift in the seat a little to see.
 
My ST is equipped with the blind spot mirror on mirror set up. They are effective in letting you know without too much shifting in the seat if something is coming up behind you.
That being said, I would like to have an easier option to glance behind me. On a recent trip, my wingman had an additional stem mirror mounted on his left at just above elbow height and sticking out slightly from the wind screen.

When I was behind him, I couldn’t see his stock mirrors but I could see this auxiliary mirror no problem. This gave him an easier and effective option at a quick glance behind.

Mounting options are the problem for the ST. I was playing with the possibility of using a ball mount clutch master cylinder cover on which I could attach an AM mirror. Haven’t found the mirror yet but I have the ball mount cover. :think1::think1:
 
I added Saeng windshield mount wide view mirrors to two of my bikes. Expensive, but cheap for how they've helped me. I notice the old style are no longer available (I did buy a used set from Ebay), but they do have a new style that is much cheaper. I'm looking for some more old style sets used if you know of any.
 
I'm probably being thick or getting senile, but I'm not understanding this. I'm a big bloke but my shoulders and arms are nowhere near the line of sight. I am also tall. See Avatar.

The view from me To the mirror is clear for me over the top of my hand.

The view from the mirror - ie the reflection - is under my hands. - the mirror height is lower than the bars. The mirror is the widest part of the bike, so from the mirror the view should be past the top and side of the pannier. The only thing that ever slightly obscures my rear view is if I strap a tent to the grab rails on the top of the pannier.

So I am having trouble understanding where your shoulders and arms obscure the view ?

I know that this problem exists with bar mounted, high, stalk mirrors. I'm getting the muscle memory twitch in my right arm as I type this. The view from those mirrors is past your right upper arm. The 'twitch' was necessary for me to get my arm out of the way of the reflection. The ST1300 mirror position is much better in this respect.
 
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I've not found an aux mirror that isn't distracting in some manner. Even tried sport mirrors/lugged reservoirs on the 1100 for a while.....ended up removing them recently. I'm not comfortable with another distraction that I have to waste time focusing on. So, I'm back to a compromise setting on the stock mirrors and still shoulder check frequently.
 
jfheath said:
I'm probably being thick or getting senile, but I'm not understanding this. I'm a big bloke but my shoulders and arms are nowhere near the line of sight. ...

So I am having trouble understanding where your shoulders and arms obscure the view ?

I know that this problem exists with bar mounted, high, stalk mirrors. I'm getting the muscle memory twitch in my right arm as I type this. The view from those mirrors is past your right upper arm. The 'twitch' was necessary for me to get my arm out of the way of the reflection. The ST1300 mirror position is much better in this respect.
Click to expand...

I rode today and tested things based on what you wrote the problem is really just my arm my body my torso is barely visible in the mirror when I'm riding in the normal position but my arm blocks at least half of the view and that is to say the half that is more directly behind me the part of my view that my arm does not block is off at a 30° angle or so.

My SHOULDER Isn't in the picture when I ride in the normal posture, but when I lean over to try to get a better view through the mirror that's when my shoulder gets in the way instead of my arm.

If I tuck my arm across my body such as if I reach my left arm across my waist towards my first belt loop on my right hip area, And if I remain upright in the saddle, then I get a halfway decent view behind me, but I don't wanna have to take one hand off of the handlebar every time I want to check my mirror...
and that would also be a problem to use the right mirror because I need my right hand to stay on the throttle -- if cars are around me.

One thing I noticed about this bike compared to my Honda shadow 1100 --which has a much lower compression ratio of the engine -- is that the ST 1300 slows down more dramatically when I release the throttle.
 
Update: I was looking at my left mirror today thinking about how to fabricate some kind of extension to put it further away from the bike,

and I noticed that one of the support bars connecting the mirror bracket to the bikes frame is actually broken.

It looks like that mirror was completely folded backward during a prior owner's crash and when they pushed it forward they stress cracked the metal. The crack is 50% of the way through the hollow steel support bar so I'm gonna have to learn how to take the Tupperware off of this part of the motorcycle ASAP and bring the bike to a welding shop.
 
gunsmoker said:
Update: I was looking at my left mirror today thinking about how to fabricate some kind of extension to put it further away from the bike,

and I noticed that one of the support bars connecting the mirror bracket to the bikes frame is actually broken.

It looks like that mirror was completely folded backward during a prior owner's crash and when they pushed it forward they stress cracked the metal. The crack is 50% of the way through the hollow steel support bar so I'm gonna have to learn how to take the Tupperware off of this part of the motorcycle ASAP and bring the bike to a welding shop.
Click to expand...
If the ST1300 is similar to the ST1100, the mirrors bolt into the end of a fairing stay - which is bolted to the upper frame.
If that is the case (I don't know as I've not had a ST1300 apart), you might could source just a fairing stay.
Any ST1300 folks out there that can answer that question?
 
Esti1300 said:
This is the upper cowl stay on a ST1300.
As you suggested @Uncle Phil, the mirrors do bolt on the ends.
Click to expand...
Thanks - I sort of had a hunch that was the case.
So, other than the pain of removing all the tupperware, it could just be 'part' replacement (might be one on Fleabay).
I know on the ST1100 if it gets 'bent' (from a crash or tip over), the bolt holes for the mirrors will not line up through the upper fairings. ;)
 
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