[CZroe]

Can additional "bar end" mirrors give me a better view behind me?

I love the look of the stock mirrors on my '08 250R and I don't want to replace them, even if I can't see well around my fat ass. Can I augment them with bar-end mirrors and gain added visibilty behind me, or do bar-end mirrors typically have worse viewing angles? Heck, even if they are worse, all I need is a little extra visibility behind me. They don't need to give better visibility over the stock ones if I can adjust the stock ones for viewing parallel lanes and the bar ends for viewing behind me. Sound like a plan?

Also, when they say that they can be installed "into or onto" the end of the handlebars, does that mean that I can still install bar-ends or sliders outside the mirrors? You know, like this: LeftBarEnd-LeftBarEndMirror-LeftHandGrip-RightHandGrip-RightBarEndMirror-RightBarEnd.

I kinda want to buy some matching bar ends from the same seller, but not if the mirrors effectively "replace" them.

 

[HKr1]

Have a CRG mirror on one of our bikes, Can see really well with it. I think it can mount up to 7/8's bar end, the 250r is 1.1 I think. Being there so big(stock bar ends) I would turn it down so the CRG would fit. Greggs customs has an adapter that fits between the bar end and bar. It was for yamaha, not sure if he makes one for the kawi? I just made my own bar end to mount the mirror, yamaha's was so small it was the best option.
Anyway, not really sure how it would look with all the mirrors. Might be like those punk rock scooters

 

[cajuntlr]

Short answer. No.

 

[CZroe]

Have a CRG mirror on one of our bikes, Can see really well with it. I think it can mount up to 7/8's bar end, the 250r is 1.1 I think. Being there so big(stock bar ends) I would turn it down so the CRG would fit. Greggs customs has an adapter that fits between the bar end and bar. It was for yamaha, not sure if he makes one for the kawi? I just made my own bar end to mount the mirror, yamaha's was so small it was the best option.
Anyway, not really sure how it would look with all the mirrors. Might be like those punk rock scooters

I was thinking of getting some tiny ones marketed as being for the Ninja 250R from jagmotorcycle and hoping they'd seem low-profile. They also had "Ninja" marked bar-ends that match the bike colors. One has to wonder if they adequately describe them though... most of their 250R products say that they fit "all."

My bike is still in the shop for the 600mi service, so I can't look at the handlebars and imagine what kind of visibilty they'd give me or how they'd impact the overall look, but I certainly don't want the "punk rock scooter" look.

 

[mg66]

I have always had bar end mirrors on bikes and must say I dont think it is probably a better rear view than stock. not sure about 250R mirros and how adjustable they are though.

 

[Kurosaki]

Short answer. No.

Long answer. noooooooooooooooooo

 

[CZroe]

I have always had bar end mirrors on bikes and must say I dont think it is probably a better rear view than stock. not sure about 250R mirros and how adjustable they are though.

Well, stock gives me effectively NO rearview within my lane if I adjust them for adequate visibility of parallel lanes. If bar end mirrors can give me just a little bit of that visibility (I'd still have my stock ones for side visibility), I'd be OK. It sounds like you're saying that it doesn't work that way though.

Thanks for the input guys.

 

[univox]

Eh? Bar ends work awesome if you want to see directly behind you. The only way you improve your view behind you is to get the mirrors as far away from the center of the bike as possible, which is an inherent trait of a bar end mirror.

 

[Sagittarius30]

I use the rectangular blind spot mirrors. It was designed to slant out-wards to see a car's blind spot. But I just stuck them on backwards so it slants in and now I can see clearly behind me. Not to mention they blend in very well with the existing side mirrors.

 

[kawixxx]

it kinda depends on what mirrors suits you best. some works best for others. it really dont matter what kind of mirror u get just as long as it is good enough for you to see.

 

[mg66]

I only have mirrors to keep my bikes legal. I always turn my bloody head

 

[CZroe]

Eh? Bar ends work awesome if you want to see directly behind you. The only way you improve your view behind you is to get the mirrors as far away from the center of the bike as possible, which is an inherent trait of a bar end mirror.

That's exactly what I was thinking, but I didn't know if their visibility suffered because of being designed as replacement vs. augmentation mirrors. I've just never had the opportunity to see them in person. As I understood it, most people got those to get rid of the stock mirrors and stay legal.

I use the rectangular blind spot mirrors. It was designed to slant out-wards to see a car's blind spot. But I just stuck them on backwards so it slants in and now I can see clearly behind me. Not to mention they blend in very well with the existing side mirrors.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'd really like to see a picture. Where did you get them? Are you driving an '08 250R also?

I only have mirrors to keep my bikes legal. I always turn my bloody head

I always do a head-check too (part of the training), but can you really go all the way behind you; 180 degrees?

Granted, it's often irrelevant if you always behave like there is someone tailing you regardless of what you see, but a lot of my early riding experience has been following or being followed where it is necessary that I see them.

For example, my brother left the dealership following behind me in his truck. While I was busy/distracted signing paperwork, he had asked the people where the closest garbage landfill was and determined that it was extremely close. He had a load of debris in the back of his truck to dispose of. Rather than tell me where it was, he told me to set the pace according to my break-in limit and he would signal when we got there, following me the whole way. Even with my mirrors adjusted optimally, his truck was completely invisible the entire way unless I leaned far enough over to inadvertantly move the bike (move my body out of the way of the mirror).

Of course, we missed our turn. If the mirrors don't stick out farther than my body, there's no way they can see around it.

 

[kawicavy4ever]

how do you take the oem mirrors off?? Must you take the front peice, and fairings off?

 

[nineJA]

Might want to check these out as an alternative, look pretty good.

 

[madskillz]

No they dont work for shit lol..There only for people like ME who remove there stock mirrors and want the cops to stay off there back