Handlebar mirror solution for pre 2013 models

General discussion of the BMW R1200RT/R1250RT
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Doctor T
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Handlebar mirror solution for pre 2013 models

Post by Doctor T »

Sitting in the garage pondering life's problems. Things like Indian or Chinese tonight. My mind wandered to a cheap solution of how to mount handlebar mirrors to a pre-2013 RT.[/size] Looking at my other bike, a Royal Enfield Himalayan the idea hit me between the eyes.All you need to buy is an 8mm threaded rod. Most DIY shops sell there for under £6.00 for a meter length. With 4 nuts and washers to suit and a pair of handlebar mirror extenders. You can pick these up for about £11.00 on eBay.First cut the threaded rod to length. Pass this through the handlebar switch unit. Here you will find an 8mm through-hole here. With one nut(locking type) and washer attach this to one end. Thread the threaded bar through the 8mm hole and then through the mirror extender bracket. Now with another nut and washer tighten the nuts down. Do not over-tighten the bolts as you are clamping the soft ally casing. Do the same on the overside of the bars and hay presto you can now fit any mirror with the correct 8mm thread to your bars. You can fit the 10mm extenders but still, use the 8mm threaded bar. Am going to use a pair from a KTM 1290/390 adventure mirror i have in the junk box. I think these will suit the bike as there are no spindly rods showing under the rubber sleeve. Plus you can get a replacement glass for them(£6.99). The pictures below show what you need
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Last edited by Doctor T on Sun May 01, 2022 7:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Trust me I am a retired Doctor and lecturer at Oxford University of Structural and Mechanical/Electrical engineering.
"Blessed are the cracked, for they shall let in the light". Groucho Marx
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Doctor T
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Re: Handlebar mirror solution for pre 2013 models

Post by Doctor T »

Just an update. There were 2 pieces i forgot to add. You will also need a tube spacer. I use a spacer leftover from when i fitted handguards to another bike. You could just use a piece of steel tubing. The part i used is below. I've also added some pictures of the finished job, just have to clean the mirrors up a bit.
As i had all the bits and pieces in my scrap box this cost nothing. Never throw bits of brackets away as they may come in handy in the future
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Last edited by Doctor T on Sun May 01, 2022 2:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Trust me I am a retired Doctor and lecturer at Oxford University of Structural and Mechanical/Electrical engineering.
"Blessed are the cracked, for they shall let in the light". Groucho Marx
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Doctor T
Posts: 1998
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Re: Handlebar mirror solution for pre 2013 models

Post by Doctor T »

Look right but £50 per mirror is expensive. From my background, I always prefer to make my own. I've just made a set of crash bar spot lamp mounts as i couldn't see any design that would suit for where i wanted to fit the lamps. Again from leftovers. They can also act as a Go pro mount. Am working on making a pair of folding highway pegs now. I have a pair of round footpegs already from an old 250cc bike. Now just designing the mounting brackets. which will be from the junk box again
Trust me I am a retired Doctor and lecturer at Oxford University of Structural and Mechanical/Electrical engineering.
"Blessed are the cracked, for they shall let in the light". Groucho Marx
jackronner
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Re: Handlebar mirror solution for pre 2013 models

Post by jackronner »

DoctorT,  We're of a mind about using what's on hand. a.  I've a bunch of mirrors but all with a 10mm thread.  I've looked on Ebay but I'm not sure from their vague descriptions that they're actually an adaptor rather than just an extender.  Do they make them with an 8mm thread on one side and a 10mm on the other, into which I could place my 10mm mirror?  I'm going to be on a 2009 RT in July in France and England, and I dread using the RT's awful rear view mirrors.  On my own 2009 I just did an ugly DIY version of your conversion by drilling a horizontal piece of steel to accept the 10mm mirror, and passing an 8mm bolt through the switch housing, with appropriate locking nuts (I also used a spacer).  It would be better with the 8mm to 10mm adaptor on the bike I'll be sort of renting over there from France - I don't want to mutilate it.  Thanks for any thoughts you might have on this.
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David.
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Re: Handlebar mirror solution for pre 2013 models

Post by David. »

jackronner wrote:It would be better with the 8mm to 10mm adaptor on the bike.
There seems to be plenty of mirror adaptors available. The key thing would be what length of 8mm (male) thread is required to go through the switch housing and what 10mm (female) thread length is required to accept the mirror.
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Re: Handlebar mirror solution for pre 2013 models

Post by David. »

Looking back at this thread, BMW R1200RT / R1250RT forum - The BMW R1200RT/R1250RT forum how about a pair of R1150GS mirrors.
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