Riding without mirrors?
Discussion
I think riding without mirrors on a bike apart from a track is really silly. Thats just me.
I had a peep bar end mirror on My Ducati Cafe racer Sport 1000 and got pulled by the plod april before last because I couldnt see them clearly. I got done for doing 65 in a 50 3 lane A road.
I am certain had I had regular mirrors I would have spotted Cagney and Lacy.
Have road bike... need mirrors... well I do anyway.
I had a peep bar end mirror on My Ducati Cafe racer Sport 1000 and got pulled by the plod april before last because I couldnt see them clearly. I got done for doing 65 in a 50 3 lane A road.
I am certain had I had regular mirrors I would have spotted Cagney and Lacy.
Have road bike... need mirrors... well I do anyway.
Always had mirrors on my road bikes, I can't imagine not having them. It would feel like I Was missing an arm or something!
However, about 10 years ago, I had a Malaguti Phantom 100cc scooter which I used as a paddock bike for racing mainly. It was because the organisers started to get the hump about dodgy paddock bikes and electric scooters etc. in case anyone ran into a pedestrian in the paddock. So they banned everything except for road-legal scoots with insurance, tax and mot.
Anyway I digress. I took the mirrors off the thing because it was easier to load it in the race van. Occasionally, I would use it to go shopping or something local.
I got pulled by plod on the motorway, I was just going from one junction to the next to go to town. First of all, and fair enough, he pulled me because he thought I wasn't allowed on the motorway with it.
After me explaining that it was a 100cc bike, he didn't buy it, and he wasted about an hour of my life by insisting on radio-ing up and fetching some of his colleagues who 'knew about this kind of thing.' Once they arrived and had a look, they reluctantly agreed (after also then getting on the radio to base and doing a load of 'research') that I WAS allowed on the motorway.
THEN.....the next thing matey said was 'ok, fair enough...but ooohhh, I see you have no mirrors! Now THAT'S definitely an offence
Cue a load more 'investigations' until, yes, it turned out that mirrors weren't needed either.
A testing time with plod that day. It nearly started to eat into my normal respect and trust for the law....
However, about 10 years ago, I had a Malaguti Phantom 100cc scooter which I used as a paddock bike for racing mainly. It was because the organisers started to get the hump about dodgy paddock bikes and electric scooters etc. in case anyone ran into a pedestrian in the paddock. So they banned everything except for road-legal scoots with insurance, tax and mot.
Anyway I digress. I took the mirrors off the thing because it was easier to load it in the race van. Occasionally, I would use it to go shopping or something local.
I got pulled by plod on the motorway, I was just going from one junction to the next to go to town. First of all, and fair enough, he pulled me because he thought I wasn't allowed on the motorway with it.
After me explaining that it was a 100cc bike, he didn't buy it, and he wasted about an hour of my life by insisting on radio-ing up and fetching some of his colleagues who 'knew about this kind of thing.' Once they arrived and had a look, they reluctantly agreed (after also then getting on the radio to base and doing a load of 'research') that I WAS allowed on the motorway.
THEN.....the next thing matey said was 'ok, fair enough...but ooohhh, I see you have no mirrors! Now THAT'S definitely an offence
Cue a load more 'investigations' until, yes, it turned out that mirrors weren't needed either.
A testing time with plod that day. It nearly started to eat into my normal respect and trust for the law....
In the 80s, it was a regular fail on the bike test for lack of rear observation and indeed, that is what I failed on (bit of a scam in my view). We advised everyone (I sold motorbikes) to remove their mirrors for the test and exaggerate the rearward checks. I did and passed without issue.
However, I keep my current ones on as it's easier to see who is behind at a glance.
However, I keep my current ones on as it's easier to see who is behind at a glance.
I don't like no mirrors at all; the only time this occurs is with dirt bikes or my ex-mighty supermoto.
My biggest issue is that if there is one bike that I am more likely to be riding like a t
t, it's (was) my supermoto, either because of it's questionable legality, tiny plate, horrendous Akra, no lights or because it does (on it's own) wheelies everywhere. If I'm on said beast then mirrors are good, because if Plod is following me then I'd like to know about it rightaway, not when I've been riding another five minutes and done another twenty wheelies/a giant stoppie.
My biggest issue is that if there is one bike that I am more likely to be riding like a t
t, it's (was) my supermoto, either because of it's questionable legality, tiny plate, horrendous Akra, no lights or because it does (on it's own) wheelies everywhere. If I'm on said beast then mirrors are good, because if Plod is following me then I'd like to know about it rightaway, not when I've been riding another five minutes and done another twenty wheelies/a giant stoppie. Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff