CRG Hindsight LS Billet Mirrors - Total Eye Candy!
Written: Apr 24 '05 (Updated May 03 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: anodized billet beauty, excellent construction, high sex appeal [for mirrors!]
Cons: anodized billet beauty has a price…
The Bottom Line: if you want some well-designed and effective mirrors that make your bike look sexier, these are for you.
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| ron556's Full Review: Lockhart Phillips USA Folding Billet End Mirror |
these mirrors are manufactured by CRG [constructors racing group]. they are called the "hindsight LS" [LS for "lane-splitter"]. i just recently purchased a pair from bevelheaven.com [they are GREAT to work with, definitely check them out at www.bevelheaven.com. outstanding customer service!] and fitted them on to my 2002 SV650. i bought them to replace my el-cheapo bar-end mirrors that fell apart on me after 6 months.
first impression: when i received them, i was immediately impressed the overall quality + finish. the anodized coating on all the parts seemed pretty flaw-free and even. although not exactly heavy, they are rather substantial pieces as the mirror bodies are cnc'd from solid pieces of 6061 aluminum. as mirrors go, they are pretty minimalist + damn sexy. i guess machined billet is always kind of a chi-chi item.
i opted for the 7/8" handlebar adapter kit, as i didn't really feel like trying to move my controls around. since i don't use any type of bar-end weight, it was no problem. folks that do have them on their handlebars will either have to go the [recommended] direct-mounting to the bar end, or have part of their bar-end weight machined to 7/8".
installation was a snap, despite having nebulous "instructions." the trickiest part was trying to figure out how to mount the adapter inside the handlebar without losing the included shims. installation time was 5 minutes or so. you'll need a 4 + 5 mm allen wrench and probably a little grease [as recommended by CRG].
once mounted, the mirrors look dead sexy on the bike. they are so small and unobtrusive, which belies their effectiveness. they are a damn sight better than the stock, "mickey mouse ear" mirrors and they look better than the "napoleon-style" bar ends that i had. adjustments are infinite, so it may take you a few miles to figure out the best positioning for you.
the glass is convex, which gives you a pretty wide view, despite the 3" diameter of the mirror body itself. i could see quite a bit behind me. the solid mounting kept the vibration-induced "image fuzziness" to a very bare minimum [unlike my prior bar-end mirrors], so clarity is definitely not an issue. one thing to get used to is the whole "objects in mirror are closer than they appear" thing. with the convex glass, it takes some getting used to [as far as depth-perception goes]. and since the images in the mirror are quite a bit smaller than the stock mirrors, you really have to do head checks when switiching lanes [a good idea no matter what].
construction + fabrication are first-rate. one of the things that drew me to this particular model is the fact that they fold inward for storage, so putting on a cover [or wheeling into your basement/ squeezing it into a crowded garage], is quite a bit easier. also, the entire assembly is completely modular; there is no cheap gluing or chinzy plastic fasteners here. everything is fitted with allen bolts or machine screws so that one may replace individual pieces rather than entire assemblies if you should have an unfortunate encounter with pavement or cage [a nice feature considering their expense]. the detent-ball folding mechanism is simple and effective, making folding the mirrors in and popping them back into position is relatively easy.
the one gripe i have so far is that my left mirror's detent action is a bit stiff. folding it in makes the "ball-socket" adjustment joint move, requiring me to futz with the mirror and reposition it once i pop it back into the "open" position. not really a deal-breaker, but kind of annoying considering how much they cost.
which brings me to the next gripe: these suckers are stupidly expensive. but beauty has a price, i guess. my set [including two adapters] set me back over $200. low-end pieces, they ain't. so if you have a nasty habit of dropping your bike or cringe at the asking price, these are probably not for you. CRG makes no apologies for the price; it even says so in the accompanying mission statement. i respect that, but man it sure hurts the wallet.
are they worth it? considering the wide field of view, good design and first-rate construction, i'd have to say yes. there weren't a whole lot of alternatives out there that i was willing to chance, so i sucked it up and gave these a shot. i'll keep you posted on how they hold up in the future.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
ron556
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Reviews written: 6
Trusted by: 0 members
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