Bar-end mirrors: Up ⬆️ or down ⬇️?

[DRACKO]

Hey everyone!

I wanted to get your thoughts on both the looks and functionality of a little mod I just did. I decided to ditch the stock mirrors on my 2021 FE and replace them with some bar-ends.

Since Wunderlich doesn't make their Montana mirrors for the R18 anymore, I picked up the Wunderlich R18 Bar-End Mirror Adapters and paired them with a set of chrome Highsider mirrors. Highsider actually manufactured the original Montana mirrors for Wunderlich, so they’re also German-made and the quality is absolutely top-notch. They look great!

I’m attaching a few photos showing them flipped both up and down. Just a heads-up: please ignore the protective plastic on the chrome. I'm leaving it on until I finalize the position! I’m trying to decide on the best setup and wanted to know your preference: mirrors up or down? Personally, I really dig the underslung (downward) look. I’ve already positioned them so they don’t touch the gas tank at full lock. Surprisingly, the visibility is great either way (I don't just see my shoulders). I get a clear view of the road directly behind me.

By the way, getting that stock handlebar screw out was an absolute pain in the ass! I tried a regular ratchet, heating it up, and even a hand-impact driver to break whatever cement they used at the factory, because let me tell you, that stuff was definitely NOT regular Loctite, no way in hell, haha. I ended up having to ride down to a tire shop, and the guys there finally got it loose using a massive, like, 3-foot breaker bar. Total overkill, but it worked!

If any of you are running bar-ends, I'd love to hear about your experience with them, whether you have them facing up or down!

 

[Manhattan Matte]

Unit Garage drag bars, mirrors and bar ends on my R18 Pure. Facing up - otherwise you'll probably have a limited view.

 

[HUNTS]

With MM….Up

 

[Noelpolar]

I run them on my r9t.... down for cool and blind, or up on that bike. Down sorta gives a "don't give a f...k vibe". For some reason when I added them I needed to ride faster.

I do note that with bar ends I feel I can't just glance at the mirror quickly (say an eyeball move) like I could before... more a small head move now (or tilt head first whilst still looking ahead, then move eyeballs for a "pre-prepared glance").... that makes me feel more distracted/at risk in close traffic... down is even worse for that feeling.

Also, "undoing" any bolt on this bike for the 1st time is like a bag of mixed lollies. Wait to you try the fork caps... had me some hard candy there. A decent breaker bar is also worth a purchase these days..... I use it to loosen my cars wheel nuts before retorquing them properly whenever I have the wheels worked on... rattle guns in idiots hands are to common these days... a 2ft bar gives me my 30yo strength back... a 3ft bar is future proof..... and an awsome home defence weapon.

And... worth a watch about torx..... from the 15m mark they discuss some of the issues with torx...

 

[HUNTS]

Hey everyone!

I wanted to get your thoughts on both the looks and functionality of a little mod I just did. I decided to ditch the stock mirrors on my 2021 FE and replace them with some bar-ends.

Since Wunderlich doesn't make their Montana mirrors for the R18 anymore, I picked up the Wunderlich R18 Bar-End Mirror Adapters and paired them with a set of chrome Highsider mirrors. Highsider actually manufactured the original Montana mirrors for Wunderlich, so they’re also German-made and the quality is absolutely top-notch. They look great!

I’m attaching a few photos showing them flipped both up and down. Just a heads-up: please ignore the protective plastic on the chrome. I'm leaving it on until I finalize the position! I’m trying to decide on the best setup and wanted to know your preference: mirrors up or down? Personally, I really dig the underslung (downward) look. I’ve already positioned them so they don’t touch the gas tank at full lock. Surprisingly, the visibility is great either way (I don't just see my shoulders). I get a clear view of the road directly behind me.

By the way, getting that stock handlebar screw out was an absolute pain in the ass! I tried a regular ratchet, heating it up, and even a hand-impact driver to break whatever cement they used at the factory, because let me tell you, that stuff was definitely NOT regular Loctite, no way in hell, haha. I ended up having to ride down to a tire shop, and the guys there finally got it loose using a massive, like, 3-foot breaker bar. Total overkill, but it worked!

If any of you are running bar-ends, I'd love to hear about your experience with them, whether you have them facing up or down!

What did you use to fill the hole where the original mirror stalk was?

 

[HUNTS]

You’ve got me thinking and I’m now considering these…

 

[DRACKO]

What did you use to fill the hole where the original mirror stalk was?

I’m

What did you use to fill the hole where the original mirror stalk was?

Hey Hunts, since the mirror hole isn't threaded and is just smooth, I purchased these cheap push-in plugs on Amazon. I’m waiting for them to arrive today to see how the quality and finish look. Honestly, it’s such a small detail that I don’t want to spend too much just to plug the holes. If they don’t work out, there’s another option like the Joker Machine plugs, but they’re almost $50 a pair.

 

[david.finkelstein]

My vote is for down, but it depends on comfort and ease of use when acquiring a rear peak at the road and traffic. I run my mirrors down on my Harley but up on my Ducati due to seating posiiton. As others have noted, the down position looks and feels good on my R9T too.

 

[MilwDave]

 

[DRACKO]

What did you use to fill the hole where the original mirror stalk was?

@HUNTS they actually work for me! The only thing I had to do was spread the tabs open a bit so they would fit tight inside the tube. If you look really closely, you can see a tiny color difference between the bike's chrome and this piece, but honestly, it’s so small that you barely notice it.

 

[BAD MIKE USA]

My mirrors aren't bar end but I like them and can see pretty well. I like to clear everything off above the bars for a better view down the road. just stock mirrors upside down. Because of where they are attached, they don't make your bars wider. An issue getting into my garage space!

 

[HUNTS]

View attachment 21336View attachment 21337You’ve got me thinking and I’m now considering these…

Ordered them today

 

[DRACKO]

I ended up installing facing up. Honestly, they look killer flipped down and that’s how I wanted them at first, but you have to angle them so much to keep them from hitting and scratching the gas tank at full lock. That part was fine while standing with both feet on the ground. The real issue started when I got on the bike and put my feet on the pegs. The mirrors would literally hit my legs when trying to turn the handlebars all the way. @MilwDave I think you might be fine though, since your mirror arms look a bit shorter.

It's not a big deal while cruising since you lean more than you actually turn the bars, but during low-speed maneuvers, like a really tight U-turn, not being able to turn the handlebars fully turned into a huge concern for me. I'm not sure if adding a handlebar riser, rotating the bars slightly upward, or even swapping out the style for a short, straight handlebar would’ve fixed it, but for now, I just left them facing up . @HUNTS let me know how it goes when you install yours flipped down, maybe I'll give it another shot!

 

[HUNTS]

I ended up installing facing up. Honestly, they look killer flipped down and that’s how I wanted them at first, but you have to angle them so much to keep them from hitting and scratching the gas tank at full lock. That part was fine while standing with both feet on the ground. The real issue started when I got on the bike and put my feet on the pegs. The mirrors would literally hit my legs when trying to turn the handlebars all the way. @MilwDave I think you might be fine though, since your mirror arms look a bit shorter.

It's not a big deal while cruising since you lean more than you actually turn the bars, but during low-speed maneuvers, like a really tight U-turn, not being able to turn the handlebars fully turned into a huge concern for me. I'm not sure if adding a handlebar riser, rotating the bars slightly upward, or even swapping out the style for a short, straight handlebar would’ve fixed it, but for now, I just left them facing up . @HUNTS let me know how it goes when you install yours flipped down, maybe I'll give it another shot!

They should arrive in about 2 weeks. 99% chance that they will be

 

[BAD MIKE USA]

I ended up installing facing up. Honestly, they look killer flipped down and that’s how I wanted them at first, but you have to angle them so much to keep them from hitting and scratching the gas tank at full lock. That part was fine while standing with both feet on the ground. The real issue started when I got on the bike and put my feet on the pegs. The mirrors would literally hit my legs when trying to turn the handlebars all the way. @MilwDave I think you might be fine though, since your mirror arms look a bit shorter.

It's not a big deal while cruising since you lean more than you actually turn the bars, but during low-speed maneuvers, like a really tight U-turn, not being able to turn the handlebars fully turned into a huge concern for me. I'm not sure if adding a handlebar riser, rotating the bars slightly upward, or even swapping out the style for a short, straight handlebar would’ve fixed it, but for now, I just left them facing up . @HUNTS let me know how it goes when you install yours flipped down, maybe I'll give it another shot!

I agree about being able to turn the bars from max laft to max right without hitting the tank. NEVER hit the tank and never limit your turning ability. And never hit the tank!

 

[DonC]

View attachment 21336View attachment 21337You’ve got me thinking and I’m now considering these…

I put the Motogadget ones on mine. Love them. The mirror isn’t glass, it’s polished aluminum and works great, very clear and stable. I tried them down and up and put them up because they work much better that way for me.

 

[HUNTS]

Hey everyone!

I wanted to get your thoughts on both the looks and functionality of a little mod I just did. I decided to ditch the stock mirrors on my 2021 FE and replace them with some bar-ends.

Since Wunderlich doesn't make their Montana mirrors for the R18 anymore, I picked up the Wunderlich R18 Bar-End Mirror Adapters and paired them with a set of chrome Highsider mirrors. Highsider actually manufactured the original Montana mirrors for Wunderlich, so they’re also German-made and the quality is absolutely top-notch. They look great!

I’m attaching a few photos showing them flipped both up and down. Just a heads-up: please ignore the protective plastic on the chrome. I'm leaving it on until I finalize the position! I’m trying to decide on the best setup and wanted to know your preference: mirrors up or down? Personally, I really dig the underslung (downward) look. I’ve already positioned them so they don’t touch the gas tank at full lock. Surprisingly, the visibility is great either way (I don't just see my shoulders). I get a clear view of the road directly behind me.

By the way, getting that stock handlebar screw out was an absolute pain in the ass! I tried a regular ratchet, heating it up, and even a hand-impact driver to break whatever cement they used at the factory, because let me tell you, that stuff was definitely NOT regular Loctite, no way in hell, haha. I ended up having to ride down to a tire shop, and the guys there finally got it loose using a massive, like, 3-foot breaker bar. Total overkill, but it worked!

If any of you are running bar-ends, I'd love to hear about your experience with them, whether you have them facing up or down!

Since I am purchasing BEMs with a similar arm to yours, I would have thought there would not be sufficient room between the bar ends and the throttle grip, thus causing interference. Did you not do the ends up to where they were when you put them pack on (excuse me if this is a dumb question)?

 

[DRACKO]

Since I am purchasing BEMs with a similar arm to yours, I would have thought there would not be sufficient room between the bar ends and the throttle grip, thus causing interference. Did you not do the ends up to where they were when you put them pack on (excuse me if this is a dumb question)?

Hey @HUNTS , how's it going, buddy? Like my friend @emgarciax once told me, there are absolutely no dumb questions in this group!

I'm not 100% sure if this is exactly what you're asking, but let me show you what I bought. I picked up a Wunderlich adapter kit (Part # 35661500) made specifically for the R18.

This little kit comes with longer bolts and a pair of black metal spacers. Basically, it pushes the bar ends out just a tiny bit, creating a perfect little landing pad for the mirror base. Since the mirror clamps directly onto that spacer, the throttle grip never actually touches or rubs against the mirror itself.

I'm throwing in some photos. As you can see, the spacer leaves a perfect gap next to the throttle. The mirror is locked down tight, but the throttle is completely free to spin and snap back without any issue.

Just make sure to check the width of your mirror's base. It needs to match the width of those black spacers perfectly

 

[HUNTS]

Hey @HUNTS , how's it going, buddy? Like my friend @emgarciax once told me, there are absolutely no dumb questions in this group!

I'm not 100% sure if this is exactly what you're asking, but let me show you what I bought. I picked up a Wunderlich adapter kit (Part # 35661500) made specifically for the R18.

This little kit comes with longer bolts and a pair of black metal spacers. Basically, it pushes the bar ends out just a tiny bit, creating a perfect little landing pad for the mirror base. Since the mirror clamps directly onto that spacer, the throttle grip never actually touches or rubs against the mirror itself.

I'm throwing in some photos. As you can see, the spacer leaves a perfect gap next to the throttle. The mirror is locked down tight, but the throttle is completely free to spin and snap back without any issue.

Just make sure to check the width of your mirror's base. It needs to match the width of those black spacers perfectly

Thank you for clearing that up.
I went back to the purchase info and the mirrors that I purchased appear to have an adapter, but this would seem to eliminate the OEM bar ends. My concern is now whether this would create unnecessary vibes through the ‘bars due to less weight at each end. If so, your solution will be happening.
Really appreciate the info.

 

[MilwDave]

These Biltwell mirrors work great for mounting below the bars, and they clear the tank.
Available in both chrome or black finishes.

https://www.biltwellinc.com/products/utility-mirror-round-ce-short-arm-perch-mount-chrome