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Can you see your mirrors without moving your head?

R

r65_steve

Member
Should you? I don't know. I was on a ride with a friend (usually I ride solo) and I was leading. So I was in my mirrors a bit to make sure he was still with me. Got me thinking, I need to look down a little to see the mirrors. This really started when I got a new helmet last fall, my old one had a bigger field of vision.

So, can you see your mirrors without looking down? I'm sure there's a lot of bike designs where even with no helmet on, you'd have to look down.
 
it depends

on which bike i'm riding. On my GS's, I can look in the mirrors by just moving my eyes. On my S, not so much. But I try to always check in the direction that i want to go by looking over my shoulder first anyway. I just think that it is a very good practice.

R65_Steve said:
Should you? I don't know. I was on a ride with a friend (usually I ride solo) and I was leading. So I was in my mirrors a bit to make sure he was still with me. Got me thinking, I need to look down a little to see the mirrors. This really started when I got a new helmet last fall, my old one had a bigger field of vision.

So, can you see your mirrors without looking down? I'm sure there's a lot of bike designs where even with no helmet on, you'd have to look down.
Click to expand...
 
dieselyoda said:
Drive a truck, question answered.
Click to expand...

Not sure I understand you. ???

In my cars, I set it up so I don't need to move my head. On this bike I could do that till I got the new helmet. I don't have a.ton of experience on other bikes so I was curious how it was for others...and how you all.prefer it.
 
The drive a truck comment was, most likely, directed at the mirror set-up on a semi truck. With the mirrors being approximately 102" apart, one cannot view them without turning one's head.

On my RT, I have them set to minimize head movement, however, I feel head movement adds to the communication to other drivers when I am about to change lanes (coupled with turn indicator after mirror check.) I wear a Schuberth C4, which has decent field of view. If I had mirrors at the grips, I think quick glimpses can be made by eyes only. But depending on their adjustment, a lean-in-closer check will help see the field of view a little better; the head movement is really noticeable in this regard.

During a ride with other bikes, constant head movements from the bike in front is common. I believe this is done as to notify the following rider that they are being scoped out, which helps with following distance, lane placement, and such as the like.
 
Another one of those things that I don't dwell on as I am a swivel headed rider/driver. I adjust quickly to whatever bike I am on. The helmet openings have gotten larger on the brands we use which has helped.

Having driven a variety of utility vehicles in urban traffic of different heights and lengths, it was more work than climbing poles to navigate even with multiple mirrors. On the bike or bicycle, I am a bobble head.

Some of our bikes the mirrors are in eyeline, some are not. My 05RT was the lowest until added the K-RS stalk mirrors. Our S's are far forward, but still in sight line for me.
I do a head check 95% of the time prior to lane changes as it takes only once to get run over from a mirror only assumption move with a faster vehicle appearing out of nowhere.
 
This guy has some good videos:

<iframe width="946" height="532" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ius9Wpr1bMU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
I have my bike mirrors adjusted "just right", and it drives me nuts when they get moved. Left mirror is set for when I'm on Interstate (can see wayyyy behind me and when the other vehicle is right on my left rear)...right mirror is set for everything else I need to see that is behind. With that said, I ALWAYS turn & look to make sure before I make a move, but I don't have to move anything but my eyes.
 
My mirrors are adjusted to minimize the size of the blind spots, which means they're adjusted out a little further than some folks like. I can either see them in the mirror, or when they move up so that the even back of the car begins to move out of view I can see the front in my peripheral vision. I can see the full width of my lane in either mirror about 100 feet back, and of course even when it's closer I don't need to see a whole car to know there's something behind me. The way I have them adjusted, I do move my head but not much.

But I always keep in mind something I learned early on: Mirrors can say NO but they can't say YES. I always do a head check before changing lanes.
 
Can I See My Mirrors

Not only can I see them, but I can use them (without having to do anything more than swiveling my head)!

Kent
 
Added GS mirrors to my RT

I was not real happy about having to move my head for blind spot checking on my '16 RT. I bought the driver-side handle bar clamp pieces for the GS (which is where the mirrors mount), replaced the ones on my RT and added 2 GS mirrors. Problem solved!

Ski
 
AKsuited said:
This guy has some good videos:

<iframe width="946" height="532" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ius9Wpr1bMU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Click to expand...

His recommendation on elbows on mirrors was spot on IMO. That's how I've got mine set, opened up to see more road on either side, elbows barely visible at the inner most portion of the mirrors. Like him, I think it gives me more area coverage behind me and affords less head movement to check the mirrors.

I do need to get more diligent about turning my head before changing lanes.
 
R65_Steve said:
Should you? I don't know. I was on a ride with a friend (usually I ride solo) and I was leading. So I was in my mirrors a bit to make sure he was still with me. Got me thinking, I need to look down a little to see the mirrors. This really started when I got a new helmet last fall, my old one had a bigger field of vision.

So, can you see your mirrors without looking down? I'm sure there's a lot of bike designs where even with no helmet on, you'd have to look down.
Click to expand...

I can see the stock mirrors which i have added 2" glass blind spot mirrors to very well by glancing w/o moving my head which I typically do in dense traffic, but in lighter traffic I will turn my head a bit to see them. Also, I installed a rear-view camera w/ LCD monitor mounted in my '16 RT's GPS prep when I'm not using Nav V. Since I moved to Denver recently I'm using Nav V a lot more now as I don't know my way around yet. But in Paradise CA my former residence I hardly ever needed Nav V to get around and I really liked having the rear-view camera on. I expect I'll put it back on again as I'm learning my way around pretty well now.

IMG-0665-zps3gi4slnl.jpg
IMG-2476.jpg
 
So, can you see your mirrors without looking down? I'm sure there's a lot of bike designs where even with no helmet on, you'd have to look down.[/QUOTE]

I was in very heavy traffic Washington,DC freeway and looked down to mirrors. I then realized when nose goes down bike will move in that direction.
I went to ACE hardware bought bolt extenders and raised mirror so now I just move eyes. Smoother riding and works so much better at stop signs and traffic lights.
 
R65_Steve said:
Should you? I don't know. I was on a ride with a friend (usually I ride solo) and I was leading. So I was in my mirrors a bit to make sure he was still with me. Got me thinking, I need to look down a little to see the mirrors. This really started when I got a new helmet last fall, my old one had a bigger field of vision.

So, can you see your mirrors without looking down? I'm sure there's a lot of bike designs where even with no helmet on, you'd have to look down.
Click to expand...

What part of your helmet is blocking the mirrors?
 
The analogy between single seat fighter aircraft and motorcycles may be a bit of a stretch, but there is an old saying among pilots- "move your head or you're dead".
 
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