Tech Views — Vol. 3 Mirrors
User Reviews
PCX
Male, 30 years old
The original mirrors on this scooter have a fairly radical design that really fits the styling of the bodywork, give a good, clear view of what's behind, and really look like they were well-engineered by the maker. Needless to say, I've noticed no loss of visibility caused by mirror shaking or bodywork vibration. However, if the mirrors could somehow be lowered and more closely integrated with the bodywork while still maintaining their current visibility, I think they'd look even cooler and create more of a sense of oneness with the overall form.
SH mode
Male, 43 years old
When I was younger and just starting out on a motorcycle, I never paid much attention to the mirrors, and figured one should be enough. However, as I've gotten older and had more experience riding, I've become more aware of the importance of good mirrors, and even get a bit worried when other makes of mirrors are mounted. I've found that Honda's Genuine mirrors were designed with meticulous care, even if they accidentally bump into something. However, I think that the mounting and tightening method has become more complicated than in the past, so I'd be happy to see this problem solved somehow.
CB1100
Male, 55 years old
I used to ride a CB750F when I was young. At the time, I really liked the styling of its mirrors. I like this 1100 too because, more than just its air-cooled engine, overall it exudes a feeling of the Honda classics. It doesn't hurt that its mirrors are also similar to the 750F's in styling. I have no complaints about their viewing ease, and I like their styling as well. I'm reminded of my younger days whenever I polish those mirrors.
Female, 32 years old
A beautiful wine red color and the good feeling it exudes made me determined to buy a CB1100. Although many people say it has an old Honda look, I find its styling refreshing and delightful. Its mirrors also blend in well with the total design. If I polish not only the front surface of the mirrors, but also their entire bodies, I really like that I can see the surrounding scenery reflected in their shine. When I first switched from my earlier Super Sport, I was initially puzzled by the totally different positioning of the mirrors. But I soon got accustomed to using these easy-to-see mirrors, and now ride with complete confidence and peace of mind. I also enjoy seeing a bit of the sleeves of my dark-colored riding jacket reflected in the mirrors, though it might be better if the mirror height was lowered a bit.
CRF250L
Male, 58 years old
Since turning 50, I've been riding an off-road bike almost exclusively. That doesn't mean, however, that I've actually been doing any off-road riding. The reason is the bike's lightness and easy maneuverability, as well as its comfortable riding position for people of my generation who have less strength and slower reflexes. Off-road bikes are also the best in terms of their rearview mirror visibility. My CRF's mirrors were really well designed for an easy view of what's behind, which has definitely proved useful. With sports bikes, your rear view is often limited by your arms and shoulders. However, that sort of stress is totally eliminated with the CRF250L's mirrors.
CB1300SB
Male, 38 years old
Since I have the Super Bol d'Or version of the big CB, it comes equipped with quite a large frame-mounted front cowl, though its design is remarkably advanced compared to the Racer Replicas of a decade ago. Of course, its aerodynamics are excellent, and its rearview mirrors don't interfere at all with my riding. Their rearward range of visibility is as good as on a naked bike, so I never feel bothered in any way. Also, their design is beautifully integrated with the front cowl, and since they're positioned a bit farther away than normal, they're really easy to see.
FORZA
Male, 35 years old
Although I've been riding Honda scooters for many years now, I've found that the Forza's rearview mirrors are, in fact, very well designed. With my hands on the handlebars and facing the road ahead, I only have to glance to the side a bit to get a clear view of the conditions behind me. There's no need to turn my head a lot, so I feel a lot more comfortable. However, the height of the mirrors is almost exactly the same as the side mirrors of other cars on the road, which has given me a bit of a fright every now and then. If this problem could be eliminated, they'd be perfect. I really hope they come up with some sort of epoch-making idea to solve this.
VFR1200F
Male, 49 years old
For quite some time, I've been impressed by the Super Sports capabilities of the VFR. However, I've come to like the VFR1200F just as much as a touring bike. Before I actually bought it, I thought its mirrors were small and nicely styled. But when I finally had a chance to ride it, I was delighted to discover that I could see everything behind me in a wide field of view, even though the mirrors aren't particularly large in actual size. Since I have several motorcycles in my garage, I have to fold back the mirrors when I park there, as space is tight. When rotating the mirrors around, I can really feel that they're well-made and of the highest quality. Even the mirrors themselves are easy to adjust, so I have no complaints. They're all good.
CB500F
Male, 35 years old
I'm 176cm tall and ride a CB500F. Wherever I ride and whatever happens, the bike's superb Honda Genuine mirrors never shake or blur due to vibration, so I can't imagine replacing them with mirrors from other makers. However, if I could make a suggestion, I think it would be really helpful if Honda produced at least three different sizes of mirrors, so that riders could choose a set that best fits their body height. Also, a small portion of my rear view is blocked by the reflec tion of my arms, which I find distracting. If the mirrors could be raised a bit, I think I could have an easier view of conditions behind me.
GOLD WING
Male, 52 years old
Riding a monster like the Gold Wing, it's surprising how unobtrusive its mirrors are. I sometimes feel like I could split lanes and maneuver my way through the densest traffic. In other words, these mirrors are so well integrated into the Wing's front cowl that I hardly notice the bike's width. What's more, even wind protection was calculated into their design. When riding around town at normal speeds, I hardly ever feel any wind on my hands while holding the grips. And I'm also happy to report that I don't feel the cold so much in winter.
400X
Male, 26 years old
I chose this motorcycle with the idea of doing some long-distance touring on it. Although I haven't ridden it very much yet, I really like it a lot. I found that its mirrors were much easier to see with than those on a friend's bike. I wonder, is this related to their shape? I think these mirrors provide a very good view behind with just a quick glance. I usually don't pay much attention to mirrors, but this is something that I only really noticed for the first time when I rode other makes of motorcycles. I don't intend to ever replace the mirrors.
F6B
Male, 40 years old
I chose the F6B because I like how cool its styling looks with its top case mounted on back. Although I used to ride a bike with a V-twin engine until now, I'm really enjoying the tremendous power and acceleration produced by this bike's smooth and powerful engine. Even though its mirrors are essentially the same size as on the Gold Wing, a simple change in color makes them appear to be smaller and slimmer. I also really like that you can see with them as well as with a car's mirrors. And since replacing them with custom parts looks to be difficult, their excellent workmanship really eliminates any sense of stress.
CBR1000RR
Male, 35 years old
This is my third CBR1000RR, and I'm quite satisfied with the visibility offered by the mirrors, and their styling. One thing I especially like is how the turn indicators are integrated into the mirrors. I often take my CBR to a race circuit on track days, but even in such conditions, I don't like riding without the mirrors. The lack of mirrors makes me feel nervous, since it's hard to check who's coming up from behind judging from sound alone. I also sometimes take short touring trips from home to a café I frequent. The clear, wide view behind that these mirrors provide through town is definitely a plus.
CBR600RR
Male, 28 years old
I love sports bikes, and even the midsized ones feature full cowls, powerful engines and sharp handling. I chose the CBR600RR after I heard its engine is being used as the base for the World GP Moto2 class racers. Soon after buying it, I replaced the mirrors with some that had a carbon fiber finish and short stays that positioned them closer to the cowl. However, while I really liked the styling of these mirrors, the view out the back was so drastically narrowed that it made it impossible to see behind without contorting my body. As a result, it wasn't long before I went back to the original mirrors. The styling may have been good, but with such a drastically different range of visibility, my feeling of riding confidence was different as well. The aftermarket mirrors were cool, but they didn't help in any way, except to teach me how good the Genuine ones are.
