My FJR has been bulletproof with the exception of my mirrors. I had Clearwater Kristas installed on site in California during a 10/10ths. To accommodate my schedule,
they were installed quickly. I was told to file the mirror bases ASAP when I returned home. I procrastinated... When I finally did file them,the had already developed a vibration.
I left out on a ride to Deadhorse,AK and the mirrors "vibration became worse. By the end of my first day around central Missouri, the mirrors appeared to be held only by the plastic.
I turned around and returned to West Palm Beach. I had the mounts welded:
So when I returned from my ride the mounts became a concern of mine when they began to vibrate again. I had filed them with a large file and been in a hurry.
So when I had services on the bike, I explaned the problem and asked the Mechanic to even off the file job I had done along with a number of other services including
a support angle welded on the light mounting brackets themselves.
When I got the bike home, i was doing a walk around inspection when I lightly bumped one of the mirrors. It fell off in my hand. Upon inspection I discovered this:
There was a "Misunderstanding" and the mech. had tried to grind the mirror base FLUSH. The whole base FLUSH!
This is where the learning came in...
It turns out the mirror base mounts are merely incased bolts. You all probably knew this- I did not. I thought they were a solid molded base.
I took the mirror loss in stride. It gave me the perfect reason to upgrade to the FZ1 Mirrors!
So now I start thinking about the whole "Filing to mount" process. Many here use this method. My new opinion is that it weakens the mirror mounts.
To be continued...
OK..
So now the FZ1 mirrors arrive and I want to mount them. First off IF Aux. light brackets were not involved, the mounting is simple. You remove 2 nuts on each mirror, take the mirrors off
and replace the old mirrors with the FZ1 mirrors. Same 2 nuts same mounting, easy as that. The mirror has an outer base which rest flush on the faring's plastic, while the 2 mounting
bolts have bases that rest on the inset rubber faring mounts.
BUT if you have aux light brackets, there are some considerations: My brackets were from Clearwater and were flat on both sides. When the mirrors are placed on the brackets it will
reveal a gap between the two. This gap in a normal set-up (Without aux. brackets) is compensation for the rubber boot. However with a flat bracket it is my conclusion that the gap is too
much. The bolts base have a solid contact while the outer edge has a slight gap. This gap for me (With rough roads) caused a constant rocking jolt with bumps that eventually resulted in
a broken subframe. A method that has been used (And documented on the forum) is to file the bolt bases even with the outer base ridge. This method works under normal riding conditions.
However with having had the mirrors mounted both without any modifications and using the filing method and having adverse results with both, I decided to try a new approach. Actually
2 new approaches.
The base of the mirror mount:
Clutch side:
I redrilled the holes on the bracket to match the bases of the mounting bolts. The largest drill bit I had was a 1/2" so the rest of the "Matching" was done with a hand file. A real time
consuming PITA. Upon placing the mirror into the bracket, I found the bases to be a bit shorter with the thickness of the bracket. I then placed a washer on each bolt. The washer fit
over the bolt yet inside the drilled holes to give a flush mount. I installed the first mirror.
Mounted FZ1 on clutch side/ OEM mirror Throttle side
they were installed quickly. I was told to file the mirror bases ASAP when I returned home. I procrastinated... When I finally did file them,the had already developed a vibration.
I left out on a ride to Deadhorse,AK and the mirrors "vibration became worse. By the end of my first day around central Missouri, the mirrors appeared to be held only by the plastic.
I turned around and returned to West Palm Beach. I had the mounts welded:
So when I returned from my ride the mounts became a concern of mine when they began to vibrate again. I had filed them with a large file and been in a hurry.
So when I had services on the bike, I explaned the problem and asked the Mechanic to even off the file job I had done along with a number of other services including
a support angle welded on the light mounting brackets themselves.
When I got the bike home, i was doing a walk around inspection when I lightly bumped one of the mirrors. It fell off in my hand. Upon inspection I discovered this:
There was a "Misunderstanding" and the mech. had tried to grind the mirror base FLUSH. The whole base FLUSH!
This is where the learning came in...
It turns out the mirror base mounts are merely incased bolts. You all probably knew this- I did not. I thought they were a solid molded base.
I took the mirror loss in stride. It gave me the perfect reason to upgrade to the FZ1 Mirrors!
So now I start thinking about the whole "Filing to mount" process. Many here use this method. My new opinion is that it weakens the mirror mounts.
To be continued...
OK..
So now the FZ1 mirrors arrive and I want to mount them. First off IF Aux. light brackets were not involved, the mounting is simple. You remove 2 nuts on each mirror, take the mirrors off
and replace the old mirrors with the FZ1 mirrors. Same 2 nuts same mounting, easy as that. The mirror has an outer base which rest flush on the faring's plastic, while the 2 mounting
bolts have bases that rest on the inset rubber faring mounts.
BUT if you have aux light brackets, there are some considerations: My brackets were from Clearwater and were flat on both sides. When the mirrors are placed on the brackets it will
reveal a gap between the two. This gap in a normal set-up (Without aux. brackets) is compensation for the rubber boot. However with a flat bracket it is my conclusion that the gap is too
much. The bolts base have a solid contact while the outer edge has a slight gap. This gap for me (With rough roads) caused a constant rocking jolt with bumps that eventually resulted in
a broken subframe. A method that has been used (And documented on the forum) is to file the bolt bases even with the outer base ridge. This method works under normal riding conditions.
However with having had the mirrors mounted both without any modifications and using the filing method and having adverse results with both, I decided to try a new approach. Actually
2 new approaches.
The base of the mirror mount:
Clutch side:
I redrilled the holes on the bracket to match the bases of the mounting bolts. The largest drill bit I had was a 1/2" so the rest of the "Matching" was done with a hand file. A real time
consuming PITA. Upon placing the mirror into the bracket, I found the bases to be a bit shorter with the thickness of the bracket. I then placed a washer on each bolt. The washer fit
over the bolt yet inside the drilled holes to give a flush mount. I installed the first mirror.
Mounted FZ1 on clutch side/ OEM mirror Throttle side
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