Handle bar end mirror installation.

Hi,

I'm trying to install a bar-end mirror on my 1990 Honda VFR and ran into some difficulty. I removed
the bar end weight but there is this thing in the bar end (where you screw the end weight to) that I
can't remove. Is this thing screwed in, or glued in? I need to remove it to install the mirror.

Thanks,
Chris...

 

to install the mirror.

Probably (based on Yamaha experience) it's spot welded. Possibly you
can remove it if you take off the grips and find the welds and drill them
out.

 

My vfr is a '98, so it might not be the same.......

There's a rubber-mounted internal weight inside the clipon. On a '98
the whole thing is held in by a small bent metal tab accessible by
removing the grips & throttle sleeve. Bend the tab in, the weights
can be pulled out.

However, as Scott observed the weights do help control vibration.

When I wanted bar end mirrors on my vfr I bought these:

http://www.mirrycle.com/mountainmirrycle.htm

I elected to mount them on the ends of the bar-end weights,
by re-working the mirror bases and using longer bolts.
The two leftmost images here show the idea:
http://imlpld1.berkeley.edu/~bob/mc/handheat/handguard/

The weights are not rotationally rigid and at freeway speeds
the mirrors blow out of position in the absence of the wind
deflectors shown in the pictures.

As an aside, I have to say that bar-end mirrors are not ideal.
The mirrors shown, even with the upward offset, are too low to
be in the rider's field of vision. And, they make the bike a lot
wider, though they deflect easily and make good warning feelers.

A bicyclist's helmet mirror seems to work better:
http://www.3rd-eye.com/

Their "pro" mirror is steady up to about 60mph on an unfaired
bike. I tend to pay more attention to the helmet mirror. It's
always in view, and does not require the "where's the mirror
looking?" mental gymnastics of the bar-ends.

All three sets of mirrors are useful; stock, bar-end and helmet.
None are completely satisfactory.

bob prohaska

 

Hi, thanks for the input.

My purpose of the bar end mirror was to be able to see cars coming up behind me when I'm stopped at
a traffic light, for example. My regular mirrors work fine for finding cars in my blind spots, but
not directly behind me.

My bike's clipons have end weights that are held on the outside of the bars with a Phillips head
bolt (screw). This bolt screws into the bar end plug. This plug is about 3 inches long (it could
also be considered a weight). I tried to pull it out with pliers as about 5/16" protrudes outside
of the clipons. It didn't budge. I tried using heat (heat gun), again no difference. They seem to
be glued in place. When I removed the grips I noticed that half way up the bar (clipon) there is a
hole in the bar. The plug ends at the hole.

I did try to give the local Honda dealer a call on Saturday for their input, but they were too busy
to answer the phone, hence I thought I would try to get some help from this group.

Thanks,
Chris...