Bar-End Mirrors on my 1980 GS450E

[talonslade]

I am looking to install a set of Napoleon Bar End Mirros on my '80 GS450E. Currently the bike still has the stock handle bars on it. When I pulled back the hand grips, the end of the bars are sealed with metal. Are the bars solid all the way through or could I drill through the ends to use the mirrors? Or do I have to get new bars?

[mriddle]

Someone else will answer your question .. I would guess that they are capped on the end.

Welcome to the forum ..

Post up some pics of that bike for us to see !!

[jola]

I have that same bike but mine had Grab-On grips put on. I put new grips on and it is hollow all the way through so either they are just caps or one of us doesn't have stock handlebars.

EDIT: So I mean to say that I believe my handlebars are stock and they are hollow.

[talonslade]

Knowing my luck, I don't have stock bars. What I'll probably do then is attempt to drill out the ends later this week and I'll see what happens! Wish me luck!

[jola]

Good luck. I have a feeling bar end mirrors will look excellent on your bike.

[PAULYBOY]

If the bars were solid, they'd weigh around 30 lbs.

[AOD]

I like the Napleon bar end, it's a nice mirror.



~Adam

[talonslade]

Well, we attempted to drill out the ends of the bars to see what would happen. It seems like the metal lug goes in quite a ways into the bars! We drilled in about an inch with out breaking through to the other side and it was some hard metal. At this point I'm just going to order a new handle bar and call it good. I'll post at the end when I've got it all done. (I hope!)

[bgmart450]

I like the Napleon bar end, it's a nice mirror.



~Adam

Should be much better than the crappy Emgo's I tried on the wife's 450. They got loose on the mounting and the mirror points. Useless in less than a month. Was lucky enough to find a 'stock' GS450S barend mirror. Now to find the other side.....

[salty_monk]

I thought the bars were 7/8" not 1"... if so he'd be closer than you at about 28lb

What's happened to the laugh smiley best I can get is this one

[talonslade]

Well, thought I'd give a quick update to my little project and a new question to boot. I ordered a some new handle bars to install so I can use the new bar-end mirrors. I also ordered a new headlight while I was at it because my current one is being kept together with duct tape!

[Zooks]

So what's the question???

[Junkie]

Hmm, I'm surprised at a lot of steel in the bar-ends. I suppose they did it in order to reduce vibration, I've heard of people putting lead shot in there in order to do the same. Steel seems excessive though, as it's less dense (so doesn't dampen vibration as well) and harder to drill. Maybe it's cheaper?

I've got a $50 pair of bar-end mirrors from Cyclegear (I guess normal price of $60 but they're on sale a lot). They're round and 3" diameter, convex lens. They come with a clamp that can go on the end of the bar without drilling into it or anything. I don't currently have my GS running, but on my KLX650 (650cc single, so lots of vibration) with no weights in the bars they're still very usable at freeway speeds.

I'd recommend them to anybody, I think they're made by Motrax. They're available in both black and silver, if they don't have it in the one you want at your local cyclegear ask them and they can order it, took I think 3 days to get there for me. If they're marked as $60 in store ask them to look at the online price (currently $50) and they'll give it to you.

[talonslade]

Well, I finally received my new handle bars the other day and I got them installed along with the bar-end mirrors and let me say, I like that way it looks! I got cafe style handle bars so it changes the ergonomics a bit of the seating position, but in my opionion so far, it's actually a more comfortable seating postion. I'll try to post a pic or 2 in the next few days as soon as I can find my digital camera

[jola]

Well, I finally received my new handle bars the other day and I got them installed along with the bar-end mirrors and let me say, I like that way it looks! I got cafe style handle bars so it changes the ergonomics a bit of the seating position, but in my opionion so far, it's actually a more comfortable seating postion. I'll try to post a pic or 2 in the next few days as soon as I can find my digital camera

Waiting...lol.