Mirror Vibration

I did a search with no results and hope I'm in the right section but here goes... I ordered and recieved a replacement set of chrome/stainless mirrors for my '80 KZ650, fit perfect,look great but upon getting on the freeway found them to be totally usless! At 70mph (6000rpm) all I see is blur! Is there any trick to clearing this up? A few years ago I saw ads for a small adapter that goes between the stalk and the mount that was supposed to fix this. Any ideas...Thanks

Bluemeanie wrote:

...A few years ago I saw ads for a small adapter that goes between the stalk and the mount that was supposed to fix this. Any ideas...Thanks

I have those - I haven't installed them yet. I actually bought them because I just wanted about an inch or so more height on my useless mirrors. However, the part on the adaptor that screws into your existing female mirror socket is too long, and so I have to cut some off before I can use them, and I just haven't got around to it...

I have a set too, JCWhitney has them. I haven't installed mine yet either. It'll probably be the last thing I do before I ride this year. My mirrors are detachable from the stalks, I'm wondering if it would be better to put them between the mirror and the stalk or the stalk and the bars. Any suggestions?

I've been trying to get a link for them for you, but the whitney site won't even come up.

Post edited by: The Milkman, at: 2007/03/10 20:24

I would think between the stalks and the mount,that would keep vibration further away from the mirrors. Thanks guys, I'll chec out JCW.

in my experience, the rubber insulators don't really work.

i had a hard chrome spacer so the right mirror could clear the master cylinder. then i replaced it with one of the jcwhitney rubber insulators and the vibration was worse.

I think I remember reading somewhere before that some people put weights on the bar ends, and some people even fill their handlebar with BBs to give it more weight and dampen the vibration. I've never tried it, though, so no idea if it works.

Jeff at Z1 has some sweet short stem round mirrors that I think I will give a try for the next set. I have a set of the rectangular Napolean mirrors and I don't get any vibration. I have to admit when I get my riding jacket on, I can't really see out of mirrors anyway. Luckily my neck is pretty limber. haaa.

If you want to try out the napolean mirrors, I got them here: store.azmusa.com/mirrors1.html . I think the short stem roundies would be pretty cool though.

Good luck.

None of my bikes has the problem right now, but last century (I really love saying that) I had the problem after buying an aftermarket set of handle bars.

I melted some automotive wheel weights and filled my handlebars with the lead.
Problem solved!

NOTE:
The handlebars must be removed from the bike to do this. Set the bars on end in a bench vise.
Plug the lower end with something. Maybe a couple of wheel weights. A little leakage is no problem.
Fill handlebars with melted lead.
When it hardens reverse the bars, and finish the job.
Any leakage on the lower end is easily removed.

The BBs sound ok, but possibly noisy and difficult to work with. Maybe BBs in epoxy?

actually, I've had good luck and have had friends who've done this too:
Lead shot mixed in that latex caulk stuff that stays soft. Fill the bars, and it's done. Weighs a BUNCH less than leading the entire bar, and seems to work as well. We got this idea from using deadblow hammers in the machine shop. Now, the only question is, is lead shot still available?

From the way back file...

Shot Filled Bars

The BBs sound ok, but possibly noisy and difficult to work with. Maybe BBs in epoxy?

No on both accounts. Easy to work with, and never heard 'm make so much as a peep... :laugh:

Post edited by: Pterosaur, at: 2007/03/11 09:17

pstrbrc wrote:

Now, the only question is, is lead shot still available?

If not, wheel weights (again).
They are lead, and most tire stores will give you the old ones.

pstrbrc wrote:

Now, the only question is, is lead shot still available?

If not, wheel weights (again).
They are lead, and most tire stores will give you the old ones.