Wunderlich mirrors: how not to install
I recently posted the following on bmwsporttouring.com:
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Peripheral vision is a 'good thing' to have when riding a bike. On the RT I had a small convex mirror stuck to the normal mirror. On the GS that is not so convenient to do, since the mirrors are smaller. As I was ordering some other parts from Wunderlich, I decided to try a set of their mirrors with a convex (aspherical) outer edge. The mirrors are lightweight, look good, and can provide superior vision compared to the standard mirrors. However, my enjoyment of the mirrors was to be rather short-lived, due to my own stupidity.
Each mirror housing has a ball-joint on the back, allowing the mirror to be adjusted. The tightness of this ball-joint is adjustable. The ball-joint screws into the ends of the mirror arms.
First attempt. The ball-joints had not been tightened sufficiently, so before I had ridden half a mile the mirrors were hanging down like a pair of floppy ears, making them totally useless for rear vision. Of course I had not brought a suitable spanner with me, so it was back home to get a spanner and get them tightened.
Second attempt. Now the ball joints were tight enough. The mirrors could be adjusted, although adjustment was rather difficult. The right-hand mirror housing needed to be turned slightly upwards, so I did this. Unfortunately the turn did not happen at the ball-joint, but where the ball-joint screws into the mirror arm. At about 110km/h the mirror housing suddenly does a very good impression of a propellor blade, making about 5 complete turns, and goes flying down the road alongside the bike. After about 15 minutes of searching I managed to find a rather beat-up mirror housing, with a 25-piece instead of a one-piece mirror.
Third attempt. The original mirrors were re-fitted.
Lesson 1: read the instructions, even if it means translating from German with a dictionary in one hand, the instructions in another.
Lesson 2: make sure the mounting part of the unit is tighter than the adjustment part.
Lesson 3: never underestimate the aeronautical properties of bike accessories.
Fortunately I should be able to buy a single mirror housing next time I need some parts from Wunderlich.
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