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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Montreal, QC
Posts: 16
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Another mirror fix (a definitive one)
So, after suffering from those poorly designed mirrors for a year I decided it was time I did something about them.
At first I was planing on machine some extenders and just tightening the mirrors up, but as I was trying to loosen the nut to see how they were put together the damn screw end snapped in half and the mirrors were now useless (you have to give credit to the engineers who came up with an alloy that's weaker than Loctite, really!).
I scrambled and decided to recycle the mirrors and fix the problem definitively. I turned an M10x1.25 thread onto a 1/2" rod on the lathe because I had no dye to cut it ([email protected]#%# metric fine threads), bent the rods with a MAP torch, cut the mirrors off at the bend and welded both halves together. I had to set the welder to a ridiculously low setting, again because that cheap steel melts like butter and spatters everywhere. I power-sanded the welds and gave 'em a fresh coat of black paint.
The mirrors are now 1" higher and 2" further off to the side (almost flush with the bar ends). I can now see BOTH lanes of traffic behind me (as opposed to just seeing my shoulders). They are awesome. I'd say the only damn thing Kawa got right with these things is that they made them big enough. The rest is all crap.
The only down side to the new design is that I can't adjust them without a wrench (save for the swivel on the mirror itself), but I've never had to do that while riding so... I'm happy as hell!
At first I was planing on machine some extenders and just tightening the mirrors up, but as I was trying to loosen the nut to see how they were put together the damn screw end snapped in half and the mirrors were now useless (you have to give credit to the engineers who came up with an alloy that's weaker than Loctite, really!).
I scrambled and decided to recycle the mirrors and fix the problem definitively. I turned an M10x1.25 thread onto a 1/2" rod on the lathe because I had no dye to cut it ([email protected]#%# metric fine threads), bent the rods with a MAP torch, cut the mirrors off at the bend and welded both halves together. I had to set the welder to a ridiculously low setting, again because that cheap steel melts like butter and spatters everywhere. I power-sanded the welds and gave 'em a fresh coat of black paint.
The mirrors are now 1" higher and 2" further off to the side (almost flush with the bar ends). I can now see BOTH lanes of traffic behind me (as opposed to just seeing my shoulders). They are awesome. I'd say the only damn thing Kawa got right with these things is that they made them big enough. The rest is all crap.
The only down side to the new design is that I can't adjust them without a wrench (save for the swivel on the mirror itself), but I've never had to do that while riding so... I'm happy as hell!
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 66
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Nice job! I did just the opposite of your method and reworked them to be bar end mirrors. So far they work excellent. Yours is a pretty darn good fix.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: S.W. Wisconsin
Posts: 628
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Very nice job!
Ride em if ya got em!
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