Bar end Mirrors/Flat Bars

[Flip]

While my bike is currently in a state of dismantled refresh I have been thinking about the possibility of a few further changes, one being swapping the handlebars to some with less lift than standard so if anyone has flat bars (almost straight with a little sweep) fitted how do you find them for both handling and comfort compared to what was there before?

With the above handle bar swap in mind I might take the opportunity to change my Ducati Performance tear drop mirrors to some bar end type.

So I would like to hear people's comments on those too please. If you have them fitted or tried them and didn't like them, how are they affected by vibration etc. and what is the view like- all information both good and bad gratefully received!!

[Dirty]

I like my bar end mirrors. Just ebay cheapo's but they do the job well enough. I don't find vibration is an issue.

[jdp683]

Re bar end mirrors I had some on my S2R and now have them on my 796. I love them and they're cheap ebay jobbies. get a better view than the mickey mouse looking OEM ones!!

[Drumnagorrach]

I tried some Norton straights on my M900,and there wasn't enough clearance ,they fouled the tank.
It looks ,well on my bike,that you need the uplift to get away from the tank.
Ace bars would clear I think.

[Dukedesmo]

I've got Renthal flat bars on my M900 along with CRG 'Hindsight LS' bar end mirrors, I like them (although never ridden it with anything different).

I did have to raise the bars though to clear the fork tops (adjustable forks) and so they're at a similar height to standard but, IMO look much better.

The bar end mirrors are brilliant, best mirrors I've ever had as I can actually see behind me rather than just my elbows. Also they fold in so I can squeeze through narrow gaps and don't break if knocked, no vibration or folding due to the wind even at (allegedly) very naughty speeds, I was dubious at first (before actually trying them) but now I'm sold on them completely.

[Flip]

Thanks for those so far- good to know.
DD, any chance of a pic or two of the flat bars please?
My forks have hidden adjusters since being reworked by Maxton so look similar to the non adjustable Monster forks so I may get away with them as I also have the earlier type risers fitted.

[Dukedesmo]

DD, any chance of a pic or two of the flat bars please?


http://ducatiforum.co.uk/forum/data/photos/l/2/2241-1381956344-99b58af3c12b1f57d071307380c32c95.jpg

http://ducatiforum.co.uk/forum/data/photos/l/4/4684-1408801136-d1db895922d57e6774a138b1299e7800.jpg

[Nasher]

I have Oberon bar end mirrors on my M900, and although I'm getting used to their small size they do make the bike a few inches wider, which gives me an issue getting the bike up my drive between mine and Mrs Nashers Cars.
One can be seen quite well in this image
<a href="http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/Nashersimages/media/M9001_zpseb45123a.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y481/Nashersimages/M9001_zpseb45123a.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo M9001_zpseb45123a.jpg"/></a>

I've been considering a swap to normal mirrors when I convert to clip-ons in the next month or so.

I'm not completely sure yet about the change, but perhaps a swap is on the cards?

Nasher.

[utopia]

I have Oberon bar-end mirrors too, though not the same design as Nasher's.
Mine are 75mm round, and held on a slim stalk which pivots at the bar end and has a brass ball-socket type fitting at the mirror itself.
I love them.
At first I had them on Renthal ultra-low bars, which are virtually a dead copy of the original monster bars.
The view in the mirrors was far better than the mickey mouse originals, being both less obscured by elbow and also better matched to my natural eyeline/head position, so requiring less of a shift to look in them. Absolutely no vibration problems either.
I then fitted flat bars last year, and found the mirrors equally good on those.
I also really like the flat bars.
They put more weight over the front, which seems to help the handling and/or improve the feedback/feel. They actually made me change my riding attitude and become more focussed, due to the more "up for it" stance, if you see what I mean.
The mirrors do stick out a bit but in my opinion the std bars are unnecessarily wide anyway and so, for both the flats and for the ultra-lows, I cut about 3/4 inch off each end.
Well actually, for the flats, I cut it all out of the middle, then slugged and pinned the halves back together. This was to preserve maximum length of the straight outer section where the controls fit.
The whole setup is now nicely slim, causing very few concerns in tight filtering situations. And my shed is in the back garden, so I have to negotiate a narrow gateway twice, every time I take the bike out, but its no problem at all.
One possible downside of the style of Oberons that I have is that they don't flip up and down between indexed fixed points, but rather require adjusting each time... but actually its so simple that I never find it a problem, in fact it kinda serves as a mirror-check anyway.
They were pricey at about £65 a pop. (that's each mirror). But they do have that certain quality which would tempt me to buy another pair.
Equally though, I reckon you'd get 90% of the value from a £12 Chinese set. The Dommie might have to put up with those.
It was tight, but I had no clearance issues with the flat bars, either at the fork tops or at the tank. However, I also wanted to fit my handguards to the coffin masters, so I ended up dropping the forks 'til they're not far off flush with the top of the yoke. On its own, that makes the steering dangerously slow, but with rear hoop extenders fitted as well, the geometry is restored.
As you know, I have the non-adjustable forks ...and will more than likely get the same, discrete Maxton conversion done on them at some stage too.
Basically, I love the flat bars. Though I do teeter on the brink or wrist stress sometimes if I'm honest. Fine on a good road, but not sure I'd want to commute much with them.

I don't have a pic of the flat bars, but will try and get one.
Here's a link to the thread about the "cut & shut" flat bars.....
http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/showthread.php?t=48339&highlight=flat+bars



And a couple of pics showing the mirrors, on the ultra-lows.



http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u644/photopia132/033_zps6f1f8139.jpg (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/photopia132/media/033_zps6f1f8139.jpg.html)

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u644/photopia132/027_zps6f5dc775.jpg (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/photopia132/media/027_zps6f5dc775.jpg.html)

[uksurfer]

I've got a pair of flat bars and a pair of ultra lows in the garage if your interested in the bars or trying them.

I have also put bar end mirrors on all my monsters, definitely worthwhile and stops you from looking at your elbows when riding

[Dukedesmo]

And folded;

http://ducatiforum.co.uk/forum/data/photos/l/5/5022-1422050199-95ff448db9453b0f1f2689c6cb387304.jpg

http://ducatiforum.co.uk/forum/data/photos/l/5/5023-1422050209-dbba915058e6cde162392d61488b0740.jpg

Plus, like car mirrors they 'click' back into the set position.

[Nasher]

I have Oberon bar-end mirrors too, though not the same design as Nasher's.


I can't see Oberon making two styles of bar end mirrors, and if you know yours are Oberon then that probably means mine are not.
I didn't put them on the bike, and they are not marked, I was just going by what I was told when I first brought the bike used.

Nasher.

[ChrisC2925]

I have Napoleon bar ends, they look like truck mirrors but give a great rear view compared to the tear drop ones that were on the bike when I got it, all I could see with those were my arms. These are well worth having.http://s6.postimg.org/6tq3vkrtt/001.jpghttp://s6.postimg.org/le76qemsh/002.jpg

[Dukedesmo]

I have Napoleon bar ends, they look like truck mirrors but give a great rear view compared to the tear drop ones that were on the bike when I got it, all I could see with those were my arms. These are well worth having.http://s6.postimg.org/6tq3vkrtt/001.jpghttp://s6.postimg.org/le76qemsh/002.jpg

:shocked: Blimey, did you steal those from the Hubble telescope? those are some seriously large mirrors... :D

[ChrisC2925]

They're not quite as big as they look! No vibration & you can see virtually everything behind you with the exception of your own rear end!

You can flip them over so they don't stick out as much if you want to be narrower

[utopia]

I can't see Oberon making two styles of bar end mirrors, and if you know yours are Oberon then that probably means mine are not.
I didn't put them on the bike, and they are not marked, I was just going by what I was told when I first brought the bike used.

Nasher.

Actually, I think they do ....and the most widely available seem to be of a similar design to yours.
......which also seems to be the design favoured for copying by the Chinese.

You didn't buy Blah-Blah's old bike, did you ?
If so, I remember that his mirrors were the Chinese copies.

[Nasher]

You didn't buy Blah-Blah's old bike, did you ?
If so, I remember that his mirrors were the Chinese copies.

Ah, yes I did, so they are copies.

Nasher.

[Flip]

Thanks everyone- very helpful and much appreciated as always!!!