Yeah, I know, luxuries...
But in all honesty, having perfectly clear mirrors, no matter if it's freezing cold, raining and foggy, makes me happier riding in traffic.
This is a simple and cheap mod, with one step a little risky if you're too impatient. As always, you're looking at something written by a stranger on the internet, so any mistakes you make are your own
Parts needed:
Stock mirrors (I've not tried with other mirrors, but the method should be similar)
el-cheapo DIY heated grip set (similar to
this. Try to find the highest wattage/lowest resistance you can)
Soldering iron
Heat shrink (or electrical tape if you're cheap
)
Doublesided tape
Drill bit (~4-5mm, or if you're lazy and don't mind the fumes, a hot soldering iron bit)
Heated grip controller (optional, but nice to have)
Your finest, freshly cleaned, oven/grill combo :limp:
Step 1)
Remove the mirror from your bike, and place under the grill on LOW HEAT (80-90degC max) and wait until the plastic is hot to touch and soft. Needless to say, don't burn yourself...
You can just about see that I've already started step two.
Step 2)
Using your fingernails/credit card/bread knife, carefully lever/pop the mirror out of the plastic. Careful - not enough patience in step one can lead to a broken mirror (been there, done that). The 'mirroring' on the back of the glass can also be scratched off with a sharp instrument, and the glass is glued to the foam underneath. It may take two heatings to get the glass off completely.
Step 3)
You now have a nice hot mirror. Let it cool naturally, then clean any excess foam from the back. Again, be careful, don't scratch the surface or cut yourself...
Step 4)
While the mirror is drying/cooling, turn your attention to the heated grips kit. Cut the wires, leaving a decent length attached to the heater part.
, Also, cut a small hole near the ball joint part of the mirror for the wires to pass through.
Step 5)
Apply plenty of double sides tape to the mirror side of your heater. On my set, one side was clear plastic, the other was a waxy brown paper. I made the mistake of removing this - don't. It protects the incredibly thin layers of metal and carbon which make up the heater.
Step 6)
Stick the heater to the mirror. This image shows the carbon under the brown paper. As above, you shouldn't remove this (if present).
Step 7)
Thread the wires through, and stick the mirror back under the grill. This image shows the brown paper removed and double sided tape applied. Don't copy that - leave the brown wax paper where it is. The double sided tape is not required.
Step 8)
Once the plastic is soft again, pop the glass back in. Finger pressure is all that is required. Again, impatience here can crack the glass, extra heatings may be required. Once the glass is in, and cooled down, clean off all the grease and grill juice.
Step 9)
Solder the heated grip connection to the heater wires. (The heated grips controller is good, as you can select different power depending upon the weather, and it automagically turns off with the ignition (if wired correctly). Most also have an LED indication.)
Step 10)
Re-fit to the bike! I've also shown two methods of tidying the wire away. The mirrors will now clear of mist within a few seconds, and rain will be gone within 2-3 minutes.
I was initially concerned about overheating, but this has proved to be a non-issue. As the heaters get hotter, their resistance increases, so the power output drops. Mine seem to stabilise around 50-60degC, but of course this will change depending on revs, ambient temperature, heater kit used etc. Once moving, the temperature drops a touch too, but stays warm enough to keep the mirrors clear even during downpours.
