How to replace your mirrors

[WingAdmin]

The mirrors on the GL1100 are hanging out in the wind. They're chrome, and are subjected to bugs, rocks and debris. The 30-year-old mirrors on my bike were looking pretty old, and the mirroring had started to delaminate from the glass, leaving dark spots. I decided it was time for new mirrors.

A new set of replacement mirrors can be had from PartsnMore.com for $24. I don't know if they are OEM or aftermarket - but if they are aftermarket, it's a great job, because they look and fit exactly like the OEM mirrors. Replacing both mirrors shouldn't take you longer than 20 minutes or so.

1. Remove the two front turn signals. This is done by removing the two philips screws in each turn signal, then gently pulling it from the fairing. You can let them dangle by the wires while you do the rest of the work.



2. Inside the fairing, you will see the wingnuts that hold the speakers in place. Remove the four wing nuts from each speaker.



3. Pull the speaker from the fairing - no need to disconnect its wires. Behind the speaker, you will see two oddly-shaped metal nuts. These are the nuts that the mirror screws are screwed into. While it appears the original design is for these nuts to remain in place and not turn, so that the mirrors can be removed and replaced without removing the speakers, this rarely happens. You will need to hold these nuts with a small set of pliers while removing the mirrors.



4. Unscrew the screws holding the old mirrors in place, and remove the old mirrors. The new mirrors do not come with the black plastic gasket shown in this picture, so make sure you retain it to use when you install the new mirrors. The old screws and nuts are used to fasten the new mirrors in place.



Installation of the new mirrors is the reverse of the removal of the old mirrors. Make sure you tighten them very tight, to keep them from coming loose!

[Newwinger]

I just recently needed to pull my left mirror off and thought I lost one of those nuts. I didn't know about removing the speakers (although I can tell they were in the way). I used needlenose pliers to hold the nut in place when putting the mirror back on.

Anyway, on a slightly different note, I needed to tighten my mirror because it would move when traveling over a bumpy patch of road. There is a screw on the underside of the removed mirror that can be tightened so it will stay in place once set.

[WingAdmin]

You can try using double-sided foam tape to hold those nuts in place...but for all the trouble, I just pull those speakers off, it only takes a couple of minutes, and you're not left fishing for those nuts from wherever they dropped.

I dropped one of those nuts while working on my bike once. I heard it drop, but I did NOT hear it hit the ground. I looked on the ground to be sure, but didn't find it. I spent a good hour with a magnet on a stick fishing around every nook and cranny in the bike trying to find that damn thing. I finally gave up and figured it had been stolen by gremlins, and replaced it with a standard hex nut and washer that fit the threads.

Two months later, I pushed the bike off of the center stand, and *clink* I heard something hit the ground. I looked, and there was that nut! I still to this day have no idea where it was hiding. I've since put it back in its rightful place.

[colemadad]

WingAmin - I'd be interested in knowing how these mirrors work out. My mirrors flop all over the place and tightening them up only lasts for a short time. At least a couple people have told me that replacement mirrors don't last long either, although I don't know where they were bought. I really don't want to go with the handle bar mounted mirrors but the floppy mirrors aren't an option either. Thanks.

[WingAdmin]

I've put about 700 miles on my bike since I installed those mirrors, and they are still just as solid and vibration-free as they were when I put them on. I'm quite happy with them - I can make adjustments to them, and they stay put where I want them to go. They were VERY stiff when I first put them on, to the point where it was difficult to adjust them, but they loosened up a tiny bit, so that they are just right now - stiff enough to hold their position at highway speeds, but loose enough that you can adjust them with one hand even while riding.

[colemadad]

Thanks - looks like another order to partsnmore.

[jpmurphy]

WingAdmin: Nice article on the 1100 mirror replacement. How about an 86 GL1200 Interstate ? My right side mirror has 2 screws that are exposed by pulling back on the flexible rubber boot. When I first got my bike a few months back I removed both mirrors so I could remove the windshield to clean up accumulated soot and stuff. I replaced the left mirror with little problem. Both of the screws for the right side mirror would not grab the threads so I could screw them in. Closer inspection showed both screws appeared to be slightly striped. I managed to get the upper screw to grab thread but after a couple of turns it refused to go any further. The local Honda dealer doesn't have any of these screws and claims they are no longer available from Honda. The local bike shop owner just shakes his head and sez good luck. The left mirror is perfect. The right mirror however, gives me a great reflection of my right knee even though I have it wired to the fairing, which looks really sharp.

I rethreaded both screws for the right side, but niether will grab thread. Luckilly I had the bike inspected prior to this situation happening. Can I use the same proceedures as you outlined for the 1100 or is the 1200 way different ? I ride with Legion Riders several times a month and this right mirror situation is a real problem.

Murph in KansaS.

[WingAdmin]

The GL1200 doesn't use the individual internal nuts to mount the mirrors like the GL1100 does - it has a base plate inside the fairing that the bolts screw into. It's possible this base plate is stripped, or it's also possible that the base plate itself has fallen off inside the fairing (the diagram doesn't show how the base plate is mounted inside the fairing, so I can't say for sure). Hopefully it's a start for you, anyway.

[jpmurphy]

Thanks for the attachment. It's more than I found in my book. The warm weather is starting to become history here so when I move the bike to the shop for the winter I guess I'll just get into the fairing to see whats going on. I need to replace the front speakers any way and they're right in the same neighborhood !

Thanks again.

[idjit]

I found the mirrors on the site@ 34.00. They say 82-83. Is the 80-81 different? The pictute looks right.

[WingAdmin]

I believe they are the same, as long as you have a fairing. Unfaired bikes have different mirrors that mount on the handlebars.

[Britanicus]

What model is yours? Mine is a gl and it is nothing like yours. I changed my mirrors today and it was not at all like what you posted.

82 goldwing gl1100

[WingAdmin]

What model is yours? Mine is a gl and it is nothing like yours. I changed my mirrors today and it was not at all like what you posted.

82 goldwing gl1100

All Goldwings are "GL" bikes. Where are your mirrors mounted, and what did they look like?

[mortalgo]

Does anyone know on an 85 Aspencade if the mirrors can be adjusted up. I just got the bike and when I sit on it or ride it, I have to bend down to see behind. Not a good idea I know but I can't see anything obvious to adjust them.

Mortlago

[WingAdmin]

Does anyone know on an 85 Aspencade if the mirrors can be adjusted up. I just got the bike and when I sit on it or ride it, I have to bend down to see behind. Not a good idea I know but I can't see anything obvious to adjust them.

You mean up farther than they can normally adjust? Are you a tall guy?

I know that when my air shocks are down, my mirrors seem to look too "low" - pumping up the shocks fixes that. Also, when I replaced my old, worn out rear shocks with new Progressives, it made a big difference in where my mirrors were looking, because the new, fresh springs raised the back end of the bike up an inch or so in comparison to the old tired springs.

[mortalgo]

I don't know how to adjust them so I am not sure if they are up as high as they go.
I am 5' 11". I could try lowering the the rear shocks that would bring my vision down and that might work. I am not sure how that would affect the ride.

[dakotanator]

I used wing nuts to replace the OEM ones. Works great. You just have to use a good adhesive to keep them in place. I used a dab of JB Weld. The "wings" in the wing nuts allow you to firmly secure the mirror. Just DON'T over tighten them. hahahaha It's not like you'll be replacing mirrors too often, so the modification seems to be working perfectly for me. Take care, ride safe.

[jeffcosmo]

My OEM mirrors were getting floppy, so I simply removed them, took the pivot apart, smeared valve grinding compound on the rounded pivots, and reassembled. No more flop.

Cosmo

[Wheelburr]

Just ordered the replacement mirrors from Parts and More. Then-$24.00 Now-$42.00.