Double Take Mirror- a new (and better) Dual Sport Mirror

Mine can't handle speed over 50mph on the highway without, as you put it, wilting.
Really frustrating. I've even gone through the effort of roughing up the mirror ball to no avail.

Wilting?

Great description. Mine used to do that before I added the dowels. That was two years ago. Haven't done anything to my mirrors since then except use them as intended. No more wilting.

Its been awhile since my last post in this thread, so now we're updated with the dowel progress

Discussion of the dowel mod starts at post #365 here:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=571500&page=25

Who else besides Cyborg has tried the dowel mod/addition? I may have missed some of those posts, and I'm curious if the dowel mod DIDN'T work out for someone

I recently ordered a set for my R1200GS but I ordered the wrong size toughball base. My order # was R384563522. Can I exchange them for the BMW Stud Base? I wrote to ride@doubletakemirror.com but have not received an answer so I thought I would try here as well. Thanks!

Eric

I missed the dowel method. I will try that too.
Thanks!

Odd, we try to respond every day!

Yes, of course you can. When I get in tomorrow, I'll sort it out.

I ended up just submitting another order for the BMW bases yesterday. If I can just get a refund after I send back the wrong items, that would be great! Thanks for responding!

Eric

Yes, can do! Sorry for the dropped communication, at least now everyone here can follow our saga.

I had to do that alteration, and so far it has worked great. described here

ontic,

Cool I did miss your post.

That makes three successful dowel mods. Anyone else, pro or con?

Someone should tell RAM Mounting Systems. They should modify their design to include the dowels.

Spud

Hey Ned,,,,

how about selling dowels cut to the correct length?

Since reading about it (when first posted, and again now) I'm thinking I should make some that I can send to anyone who wants them.

I don't want to disassemble every RAM clamp that goes out the door, but we could sure have them available for anyone with "wiltage".

Update will follow, when I get a chance to figure out the easiest way to make them in some kind of volume.

Ned,

I hope you have a test plan in place to figure out the optimal length of the dowels.

The reason I took such care to creep up on the right length with mine is because my RAM balls were already crushed quite a bit. Not having used the RAM system before, I didn't want to make the dowels too short which I thought might further reduce the life of the rubber balls.

The more sphere shaped the RAM balls are, the easier it is to adjust the angle. With the 'set' that mine now have, I find making fine adjustments to the clamp to ball angle to be limited to what I already have crushed into them That may be normal for everybody, wiltage or not, but I only have my one example set to draw experience from.

Of course this is not a big deal because the mirror side is still adjustable as if it were new.

The optimal length for a new/non-deformed RAM ball is probably longer than my dowels, but that's just a guess that should be tested.

All I can tell you is that I haven't made any further adjustments to my setup since I first posted about it. At some point I may have to shorten them some more due to wear/age, but it hasn't happened yet

The other reason I took the time to creep up on the dowel length for both the left and right side separately, is that I didn't know if the RAM clamps themselves were manufactured to tight enough tolerances to have the same length dowels. In retrospect, a difference of 0.3mm is probably not enough to justify custom lengths. And that difference is probably due to the crush difference between my right and left RAM balls.

You've probably already thought about this. At least the thread is now bumped back onto the first page

One of the things that is tough about this is that I still haven't had a "wilting" mirror, so while I have no doubt that this happens, the ones on my bikes have all stayed put, making it tough to say if a change is a fix.

It seems like consistently a few percent of folks have the issue, leading me to wonder what the variable is. My best guess is that the aluminum plug inside the rubber of the ram ball is not round, meaning that there are presumably angles at which the ram ball is more firm, and less firm, so depending on how the threads are cut on a given bike, the RAM arm may be gripping at a different angle relative to the internal features hidden under the rubber of the RAM ball.

But I'm not very convinced of this explanation.

In any event, I'd love to come up with a solution to offer people that have the issue. One option we already do is that we keep some 1" heat shrink tubing around, and are happy to send that to anyone who has a problem- it seems to universally solve it. A second are the pins you've (ingeniously!) come up with.

I was casting around the shop this week trying to figure out what I could use short of machining a part, and my eye settled on a clothes hangar, which appears to be roughly the right diameter, etc, to fit inside the spring. I was thinking of hacking one up and seeing how it worked, my suspicion is that there would be a small range that would accomplish a firm (enough) grip on the rubber ram ball while giving more strength with which to grab the Doubletake ball. But I have not yet done so, it wasn't the alligator closest to the boat, so to speak, this week.

Thought about, but haven't acted on yet. Fever of 104 Monday night and still not feeling right! But like you say, at least we're back on the front page.

I always thought it was the vibrations that caused the wilting. My handlebars are mounted to the old style rigid upper clamp. Combine that with some out of balance tires with just the right vibrations at 50 mph, allows for the rubber RAM ball to give/oscillate just enough for the wind to push over the mirror. At least that was my theory.

After my last tire change, I took extra care to balance the tires. Noticeable reduction in vibes. Since I bought another pair of Doubletakes when on sale not too long ago (for my other XR which I want to plate), I will swap out mirrors and see if the wilting still occurs. If so, then there will be one bike on the front range that wilts. I'm in Broomfield.

Perhaps consider adding weights to the front wheel to unbalance it on purpose for testing?

Or consider building a test bed using a VSR drill clamped down to a 2x6. Use an offset weight in the drill's chuck to create the vibes. Mount the mirror on the board and then take a leaf blower to simulate riding in the wind

Then you can add the dowel/spacer and test the effectiveness. Compare with heat shrink.

Product testing

Whatever you do, use a better material for the dowels you send to customers, not the clothes hanger wire. Too much corrosion in most places of this world

Just ordered a pair for my KTM from the Doubletake website about two minutes ago. Didn't even think to look on here for a discount code for us inmates before ordering. Doh! Thems the breaks. Looking forward to the mirrors showing up next week though.

^
Is there a current discount code for advriders?

Is there someone that has a picture of this "wilting"?? I do not think mine is doing it any bike( on either bike-KTM or Yami)...or just do not worry about because I accept that a bike with knobbies is gonna have vibes on road.

I just made "2013wasawesome" which will give you (and anyone else) 10% off until the end of the year.

FWIW, I made my dowels from 1/4" aluminum rod purchased from Home Depot. It was an exact fit for the spring.