Bar end mirrors

[midnightblue]

Anyone on here have any recommendations for a good bang for buck bar end mirror compatiple with the FJ's stock clip-ons? All the ones I've seen are designed to be inserted inside of a 7/8 inch tubular handle bar. Are there bar end mirrors compatible with clip-ons?   

[JPaganel]

When I bought my FJ it had aftermarket bar end mirrors that replaced the bar weights. It was pretty terrible, as they are light and do not dampen vibration like weights.

[FJ1100mjk]

I have a set of seemingly good quality (Barber?), that were on my '87 when I bought it. The OEM bar end weights' ends were drilled and tapped to accept a fastener to hold the mirrors on, and do their job well.

Although the mirrors look good (my opinion) on the bike, they pose the risk of snagging on something, since they add about a foot's width to the handlebars. I'm not a fan of them. For me, I'd rather look straight ahead to check what's in my mirrors (OEM ones), than to have to momentarily take my eyes off the road, to glance downwards, and see what's behind me with the bar-end type mirrors.

To each their own...

[midnightblue]

Unfortunately my FJ never had it's stock mirrors, at least since I purchased it. My son dropped it the other day in the garage, bending the stalk of the right side mirror, and also it bent the mounting. I took the mirror off and could not put it back on. Holes no longer line up. Both sets of after market mirrors I've had on it to date show nothing but my elbows. I have not had a decent set since I've owned this otherwise amazing motorcycle. The stock mirrors are available but are amazingly expensive. I don't think I will ever be able to mount a mirror on the right side again due to my son dropping the bike and bending the receiving threads. Anyone have any ideas?......Help!

P.S. How do I apply an avatar photo to my account?

[Joe Sull]

Avatar- Go to your profile and on the left it says "modify profile" click on "Forum profile information"

If you have a pic that is resized to somewhere around 100 x100 pix on a site like photobucket choose "I have my own pic:"

If you want this site to resize a pic automatically choose "I will upload my own picture:" You'll end up with an avatar with a scroll bar.
It wasn't doing that till about a month ago. Look at my avatar scroll bar. I'll be resizing my own soon. Another thing is that if you want the site to upload the pic, you may have to try a couple of times as it will upload it when it wants too.

Good luck! Joe

[Burns]

Anyone on here have any recommendations for a good bang for buck bar end mirror compatiple with the FJ's stock clip-ons? All the ones I've seen are designed to be inserted inside of a 7/8 inch tubular handle bar. Are there bar end mirrors compatible with clip-ons?   

I discarded the stock bar-end weights and replaced them with mirrors. The grips that I use (old Brit bike style from "Norton Bits") are all that I need for vibration control.   IMHO they are vastly superior to the stock grips/weights.

To mount the mirrors I bought two bolts with the same threads as the weights/cut them to the proper length and "turned" them down with an angle grinder so they could be used as stems for the bar end mirrors.

The total width w/mirrors is about the same as the stock bars with the weights and it looks a LOT nicer.  Bye-Bye blind spots.

Costs: under 20 bucks for the mirrors and about 25 for the grips.

p.s. I've used this type of grip on a lot of motorcycles over the years*, simply because they WORK.  Admittedly sometimes the styling leaves something to be desired (e.g. they looked stupid on my SV650).  But they look great on the FJ. **

* my favorite, which was Italian,  is no longer available but the English ones are nearly as good.
** I'll get a photo of the grips/mirrors once I finish making a rack for an upcoming 3 day camp/ride through the mountains of WA with my Triumph-riding son; well after that too I guess.

[charleygofast]

Michael, I'd like to see a pic of your mirrors and grips. I used those style grips for years on my Nortons, /2 B.M.W, and Guzzis and love them! I also have a set of bar ends lying around...I never thought of useing either of those on my 84 FJ, but now I'm curious.                                                                                         Charley.

[midnightblue]

Burns, can't wait to see the pic of those grips / bar end mirrors! Have a great trip with your son and don't forget to post the pic when you get back. ;-)

[ribbert]

Michael, I'd like to see a pic of your mirrors and grips. I used those style grips for years on my Nortons, /2 B.M.W, and Guzzis and love them! I also have a set of bar ends lying around...I never thought of useing either of those on my 84 FJ, but now I'm curious.                                                                                         Charley.

Haha, the only thing that would dampen vibrations on a Norton are a couple pillows wrapped around the handgrips.

Noel

[Burns]

Michael, I'd like to see a pic of your mirrors and grips. I used those style grips for years on my Nortons, /2 B.M.W, and Guzzis and love them! I also have a set of bar ends lying around...I never thought of useing either of those on my 84 FJ, but now I'm curious.                                                                                         Charley.

Haha, the only thing that would dampen vibrations on a Norton are a couple pillows wrapped around the handgrips


True enough for the Atlas /featherbed-framed Nortons, but the Commando/Isolastic-framed ones weren't so bad.




that's why those grips were so popular with the Brit/Euro (e.g. Guzzi) old-schoolers

[Burns]

Michael, I'd like to see a pic of your mirrors and grips. I used those style grips for years on my Nortons, /2 B.M.W, and Guzzis and love them! I also have a set of bar ends lying around...I never thought of useing either of those on my 84 FJ, but now I'm curious.                                                                                         Charley.

I'm sure you'll dig 'em.  They are form AND function - gotta luv 'em.
I'll post some pics in a couple of weeks.

[rktmanfj]

I'll post some pics in a couple of weeks.

Old-school camera too, huh?   

[Burns]

A thought just hit me that I'll share with you all before I forget it (I'm old).

If you use the bar-weight threads in the bars to mount your mirrors using a bolt/stud for the stem it would be very simple to fashion a throttle stop on the right side stem.

Simply put a nut (e.g knurled, wing-nut, flanged, etc.) on the stem between the mirror and the grip. Finger tight will be plenty for "cruise control".

You might have to cut your own threads on some bar stock - most nut & bolt shops won't have a bolt of that length with threads cut the full length.

Easy-peasy

[Burns]

I'll post some pics in a couple of weeks.

Old-school camera too, huh?   

Gee, I don't know.  It's 16.4 mega-pixel. Is it obsolete already?

[charleygofast]

Yes, isolastics! Miss my Nortons vibration was never an issue, at least I never thought it was...but that was almost 20 years ago. In 1995 I had 4 Commandos, one had Dunstall bits and a T.C.Christionson built motor...then I had to sell due to divorce...now I've got the FJs,a better motorcycle in so many ways!                     Charley.