OEM / FZ1 Mirror Comparison

One thing I noticed when looking at the various threads about FZ1 Mirrors is there wasn't a picture comparison between the two for Gen II bikes.

So here you go...

One thing that doesn’t get a lot of mention in the various threads is that the OEM rubber gasket between the mirror base and the fairing is too small in width and length for the FZ1 mirror base, although it will work. To remedy this I ended up creating my own out of some 1/8 inch thick sheet rubber.



OEM Mirrors / FZ1 Mirrors







As you can see in the last two pictures the view gained with the FZ1 mirrors more than compensates for the loss of the pretty painted OEM mirrors.

Thanks! Always wondered what improvement it really made. Good job with the photos.

jaffjrae said:

One thing I noticed when looking at the various threads about FZ1 Mirrors is there wasn't a picture comparison between the two for Gen II bikes.

Click to expand...

I believe I saw a thread that had some pretty good pix comparing the FJR/FZ1 mirrors similar to yours except....You have two great shots looking into the mirror at the red truck. Now that really tells a story.

Thanks great post.

jaffjrae said:

One thing I noticed when looking at the various threads about FZ1 Mirrors is there wasn't a picture comparison between the two for Gen II bikes.
So here you go...

One thing that doesn’t get a lot of mention in the various threads is that the OEM rubber gasket between the mirror base and the fairing is too small in width and length for the FZ1 mirror base, although it will work. To remedy this I ended up creating my own out of some 1/8 inch thick sheet rubber.

OEM Mirrors / FZ1 Mirrors

As you can see in the last two pictures the view gained with the FZ1 mirrors more than compensates for the loss of the pretty painted OEM mirrors.

Click to expand...

Thanks Jaff for posting that info. I have a 2007 and have been thinking of doing this swap. Because of the lack of info on Gen II, concern for getting zonked with Emgo passed off as OEM (reputation not so good), inability to locate OEM FZ1 mirrors through Ebay or online, and various other factors I just put this on the back burner until I could stumble across the info/etc. needed. Have you tried this out as far as riding goes? I wondered since the mirrors are set further from the bike, whether there would be more vibration causing blur in the mirrors. There's no doubt in my mind that this swap would be, from a safety aspect, a good move. Too, with the black cherry I wondered if the black mirrors wouldn't look a little odd. Then again, any oddness wouldn't be near as bad some moron running over you from behind might look. Anyway, thanks for your writing and Ride Safe! The Hound

good post! I added a new section to the Bin-o-Facts for gen 2 called "Mirrors", and added a link to this thread.

Hey, dude!!!

Your clutch lever is missing...

I notice the OEM mirrors are obstructed by the V-Strom handguards, but it looks like your arm isn't in position in the OEM picture. If it were, I think you'd see more arm than pickup.

The FZ-1 mirrors are one of my best improvements, and are available at a discount from Mike Kolstad, University Motors 866-551-6478

Toecutter said:

I notice the OEM mirrors are obstructed by the V-Strom handguards, but it looks like your arm isn't in position in the OEM picture. If it were, I think you'd see more arm than pickup.
The FZ-1 mirrors are one of my best improvements, and are available at a discount from Mike Kolstad, University Motors 866-551-6478

Click to expand...

Didn't that discount go the way of all good things?

Toecutter said:

I notice the OEM mirrors are obstructed by the V-Strom handguards, but it looks like your arm isn't in position in the OEM picture. If it were, I think you'd see more arm than pickup.
The FZ-1 mirrors are one of my best improvements, and are available at a discount from Mike Kolstad, University Motors 866-551-6478

Click to expand...

Hopefully UMOTORS new UPPED price policy won't be to high for our memebers. Out of pure market fairness, I ran the two part numbers for these mirrors:

3C3-26280-00-00, 3C3-26290-00-00 at a couple wholesale OEM retailers. Ronayers.com sells these mirrors for $73.11 each. Cheaper shipping rates(I have always found their shipping to be fair) than most too. I wonder if UMOTORS can beat them?? Knowledge is key when bargaining. BTW, I have ordered parts quite a few times with both of them and they both have had very good service!

WW

Wicked Webby said:

Ronayers.com sells these mirrors for $73.11 each. Cheaper shipping rates(I have always found their shipping to be fair) than most too. I wonder if UMOTORS can beat them??

Click to expand...

Last time I bought one, before the price increase, it was $46.00 shipped.

I've been hoping someone would do this. Thank you! :clapping:

I need to get me some of these!

Great pics of the mirror layout . Like to pass this info along for a place to purchace parts.

I have dealt with them before, I purchased all the plastic and specialty hardware for a 2002 Kawa 600 zx and got great prices. I am thinking of getting those mirrors also. The dealers name is Mrcycle there in North Carolina.. I used a 2004 FZ1 for pricing, Since I have an 05 that fits my bike. The total less taxes and shipping for both sides, all parts required came to 131.96. So there prices seem still fair. So give them a try

They deal in all brands from Japan all bikes weekend rider

Plan on adding both of these to my unit this year (Mirrors and Hand Grip Covers)

Great pics

Toecutter said:

Wicked Webby said:

Ronayers.com sells these mirrors for $73.11 each. Cheaper shipping rates(I have always found their shipping to be fair) than most too. I wonder if UMOTORS can beat them??

Click to expand...

Last time I bought one, before the price increase, it was $46.00 shipped.

Click to expand...

I paid $50.44 ea from Cycle Parts Nation on 2/6/08. Shipping was free.

Walkerhound said:

Have you tried this out as far as riding goes? I wondered since the mirrors are set further from the bike, whether there would be more vibration causing blur in the mirrors. The Hound

Click to expand...

I get zero vibration problems and the view when riding is like having two car rearview mirrors. You can see everything. :yahoo:

Toecutter said:

I notice the OEM mirrors are obstructed by the V-Strom handguards, but it looks like your arm isn't in position in the OEM picture. If it were, I think you'd see more arm than pickup.

Click to expand...

Yes. My elbow was slightly in when I took the picture of the OEM mirror.

When you install the fz mirrors, is there any difference in wind noise. i will also be makeing the swap. Thankyou :yahoo:

On a 1st gen, there were no rubber gaskets under the OE mirrors, so I didn't put any under my FZ1's. My point is that I'm not sure if you really need them on the 2nd gen, either. In fact I'd bet you don't need to make those gaskets at all, which may reduce any chance for extra flexibility and vibration.

My price from U. Motors (pre-price change) was $34.58ea plus $10 for shipping. I can't imagine that they went up that much with the reduced discount. As previously mentioned the part numbers I ordered were 5LV-26280-00-00 and 5LV-26290-00-00. As these are a very popular farkle, I would imagine anyone can try these essentially risk free, as they would take literally seconds to re-sell if you should later decided you don't like them, or at time of selling the bike.

There is no wind noise at all from the svelte FZ1 mirrors.

Some people say they think they look like insect antennae. I really don't mind that at all. Think of them as your "feelers"...

dean33 said:

When you install the fz mirrors, is there any difference in wind noise. i will also be makeing the swap. Thankyou :yahoo:

Click to expand...

No noise difference that I can tell.

Fred W said:

On a 1st gen, there were no rubber gaskets under the OE mirrors, so I didn't put any under my FZ1's. My point is that I'm not sure if you really need them on the 2nd gen, either. In fact I'd bet you don't need to make those gaskets at all, which may reduce any chance for extra flexibility and vibration.

Click to expand...

On the Gen II bikes the metal mounting brackets that the mirrors connect to the fairing through stick out about 1/8th of an inch which is filled in by the OEM gasket. Probably to reduce the vibration in the OEM mirrors. Some people have replaced the metal bracket with a modified bracket that is flush with the fairing eliminating the need for the gasket when mounting the FZ1 mirrors and have not had any vibration problems. So, yes you don't have to have the gasket for the FZ1 mirrors. It's just less work to use a gasket than it is to figure out how to modify/replace the metal bracket. As I mention earlier the existing OEM gasket works fine. It just doesn't look as nice.

jaffjrae said:

dean33 said:

When you install the fz mirrors, is there any difference in wind noise. i will also be makeing the swap. Thankyou :yahoo:

Click to expand...

No noise difference that I can tell.

Fred W said:

On a 1st gen, there were no rubber gaskets under the OE mirrors, so I didn't put any under my FZ1's. My point is that I'm not sure if you really need them on the 2nd gen, either. In fact I'd bet you don't need to make those gaskets at all, which may reduce any chance for extra flexibility and vibration.

Click to expand...

On the Gen II bikes the metal mounting brackets that the mirrors connect to the fairing through stick out about 1/8th of an inch which is filled in by the OEM gasket. Probably to reduce the vibration in the OEM mirrors. Some people have replaced the metal bracket with a modified bracket that is flush with the fairing eliminating the need for the gasket when mounting the FZ1 mirrors and have not had any vibration problems. So, yes you don't have to have the gasket for the FZ1 mirrors. It's just less work to use a gasket than it is to figure out how to modify/replace the metal bracket. As I mention earlier the existing OEM gasket works fine. It just doesn't look as nice.

Click to expand...

The key is not to add a gasket as you've done (because the rubber boot on the Gen I FZ1 mirror serves as a gasket), but replace the stock mount bushings with shorter bushings. I recently covered that in this thread beginning with post #15. Believe me, once you've changed out those bushings, the fit is absolute factory - no gasket required.

I'd love to see someone like Skyway (since it's the short bushings he includes in his Soltek mount kit) or Bike Effects put together a Gen II stock to FZ1 mirror conversion kit which includes those short bushings.