Wide angle rear-view mirrors

Paul Wakefield said:
I used to use those stick-on wide angle mirrors you can get in Halfords (Paddy Hopkirk?). Cheap and cheerful but effective. Make sure the mirror is clean first and they'll stick just fine otherwise they fall off. Bottom of the mirror is the best position.
Ditto

See the image below for an idea of the wide angle that it gives you.



Mike
 
Mike O said:
Good luck finding them - as I said, Yosi & Spanish Bob tried to get them through M&P and were told they'd been discontinued. If it's any help, they're made by B&M, a German firm who actually make the original GS mirrors for BMW.

Fitting isn't quite straightforward - you need to replace the thread on the RH mirror with the same calibre as the original mirror (you can get away with leaving the LH one, but the RH fitting is very restricted). It's nothing a halfway competent machine shop can't cope with and will probably add £10 or so to the bill...

Mike:)

Ruth Casson - Amba said:
Hello Mike and co.

Firstly thanks for all the phone calls in regard to the Busch & Muller mirrors code 926/38TVM. Also thanks for the referal Mike. Usually Amba doesn't deal direct with consumers but in a situation such as this it is nice to be able to help out.

I have spoken with the Technical Director at Busch & Muller and he advises me that usually BMW mirrors have an 8mm thread. The above mentioned mirrors have a 10mm thread but can also be used. Would those of you wishing to make an order please let me know if you need the 8mm or 10mm version of the mirrors? We have the 10mm version here in the warehouse and can have some 8mm versions in end of next week.

Does this mean we will be able to do a straight swap without buggering about if we buy the 8mm version? Hopefully :D
 
Hi Guys

i have orderd a pair today but now i dont know if i need 8mm or 10mm???

i have got a r150gs adventure 2004.

i need to know soon as im away friday for a week so i want the right ones on my return..

please help
cheers
 
Not Ruth actually, but her other half. I've had a look at the mirrors on my 1100gs (Remus pipe+cheap chip off ebay, and filthy), and they are the 8mm fitting of which some will be coming in at the end on next week (hopefully), which should save on mucking about with machined inserts.
Norbert at B+M who make the mirrors said that normal BMW OE fitment is 8mm, but i can't guarantee that this is so for the 1150GS unless told otherwise by an owner.
 
I unscrewed one of the mirrors from my '04 1150 GSA last night and it's definitely an 8mm fitting.
 
Update on mirrors:

Have got lots of cheques-thankyou.
We will pay the cheques in when we send the mirrors, which have been slightly delated until next week, they are shipping from Germany today (it was the mirrors that held the order up) and will be with us next week.
We only have a total of 20 pairs coming in on this order, so if you want a pair let us know sooner rather than later.

Cheers,

Nik
 
Mirrors-Latest update!

Good news-we have the mirrors here.

Bad news- they won't fit straight on.

The left hand mirror requires a little filing because the threaded section is a little on the short side (about 8-10mm). This requires filing of the larger diameter part of the stem to allow the treaded part to drop through far enough. Five minutes with a decent file would see that on.

The right hand mirror is a different kettle of fish, because it is a different fitting to the left (The same mirror is used left and right side with the wide angle models). The issue is that the allen bolt (and therefore thread in the switchgear) is of the left hand variety. This would need to be drilled out to allow the stem to fit in, and then tighened up with the nyloc nut supplied in the space in the switchgear (you will understand if you look at it). You will also have to use a spacer/washer to get things to sit correctly.

I understand that people would be wary of taking a drill to their pride and joy, as it would render the switchgear incompatable with the standard mirrors. To refit these you would have to get a left handed nut, or an allen key bolt the same size as standard but of a normal thread with matching nut.

Norbert from Busch+Muller is sending me some other stems to see if these will be easier to fit. I don't think that Busch+Muller supplied the OE mirrors for the GS, so i'm guessing that they are not going to match up to the OE GS mirrors exactly anyway.

Unfortunately, we cashed the cheques this morning, so if anyone wishes to cancel, just drop us a line, and we will write a cheque back to you.

Will update when i know any more, or have pictures of my mirrors fitted (with mods!!)

Cheers,

Nik
 
I agree - indeed I hope mine is in the post. What we need is some bright innovator type to come up with a way of modifying the right-hander to fit without mucking about with the fitting on the bike. I prefer non-invasive and reversible fixes where possible. Any ideas? NOrman
 
Latset fitting info.

We have now managed to get some stainless A2 grade M8x40mm bolts which will enable fitting of the standard RH mirror back on the bike if the standard reverse thread has been drilled out. We will supply these free of charge with the mirrors. For all these fitting insructions i am assuming that the 1150GS or GSA has exactly the same fitting as my 1100GS as that is all i have to play with (unless someone wants to donate one of course).
I have not had time to fit my own yet, as the inlaws are due this weekend, but i will post pics when i have done.

NCoutts-will send yours North of the border today.

As for everyone else, let us know one way or the other if you would like yours now, or will wait until i've fitted mine, or someone else has posted with a successful fitting, or whatever.

Keep it upright,

Nik
 
I'll happily wait until all has been sorted and someone confirms (or denies) that all is the same for the 1150's.

(I've no choice really as the outfit is till on "holiday" :( )

Lee
 
NeilF said:
I'll wait until this has been resolved with a definitive, non-terminal, procedure!
In the meantime those little sticky Paddy Hopkirk mirrors are a perfectly acceptable (and much cheaper) solution.

Mike
 
My mirrors arrived today and I fitted them this evening - to my GS1150 02.

The good news - they fit to this bike more or less as supplied and certainly without any need to modify the bike in any way. In other words fitting is completely and easily reversible. No drilling or what ever needed as mentioned for other bikes. And they look decent quality, compared with the originals. They are also big and bright.

The first bit of bad news - fitting is a real fiddle. The left hand side needs a 'spacer' on the mirror stem underneath the handlebar as the threaded area is not long enough to allow tightening without it. I happened to have a 6mm one left over from fitting my panniers. Without it I would have been stuffed on the left hand side. With it I got a decently tight fit, but the spacer does not sit flush to each side of the bar, which is curved at that point. On the right hand side there is a different problem. The threaded area on the stem again does not extend long enough to allow tightening, but you cannot use a spacer as there is no room. I found that 4 washers and the nut worked, but its a devil of a job to get these into place as you have to lower the mirror stem into place through the washers and nut to use the available space. Difficult to explain, but obvious when you are doing it. After I had dropped the nuts or washers 20 times and seen them bounce off the tank and the cylinder head fins, I finally thought to cover them with a rag. However, with patience I got a good tight fit on the right side and everything sits nicely in place.

The second bit of bad news. The mirrors add 3-4 inches to the width of the bike on both sides and they are never going to survive any sort of drop or adventure with a white van if you are into adventurous filtering. They also sit a little lower and look as if they will take a bit of getting used to.

So all in all I am pleased with them - they certainly ain't expensive and they ought to give a much better rear view. But I am going to live with them for a while and could imagine going back to the originals.

Ruth at Ambra siad they were developing a good relationahip with the manufacturers. It would be great if they could get their hands on a B*W original and iron out the trivial change needed in the threading and length of the stems for the next generation. My thanks to Ruth and Nik in the mean time - they have bee a pleasure to deal with. Norman
 


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