14 replies to this topic

[THE "driverider"]

Why is there no mirrors or headlights in superbike racing?

[byronbolscher]

Why is there no mirrors or headlights in superbike racing?

You don't need headlights at daylight and mirrors only slow you down, looking behind is just as efficient.

[Dolph]

Headlights - same reason as in F1. To save weight. In case of 24 hour races they have lights - just like cars that participate in 24 hour races.

Mirrors - I'm guessing aerodynamics.

[Anssi]

When riding a motorcycle I have found the mirrors often pretty poor. Depends on the bike but it's in my opinion more a norm than an exception that the mirrors are poor. With some bikes using the mirrors requires moving my arms out of the way. I can see why a racing team would not bother to have them on the bike.

[Snetterton-b17]

When riding a motorcycle I have found the mirrors often pretty poor. Depends on the bike but it's in my opinion more a norm than an exception that the mirrors are poor. With some bikes using the mirrors requires moving my arms out of the way. I can see why a racing team would not bother to have them on the bike.

The reason Superbike's don't have headlight's or mirror's is simple SAFTEY !!!

[pacwest]

Aerodynamics yes but at speed, bike mirrors are useless. Oddly, I don't have mirrors on my street bike - you become far more aware when not relying on them.

[krapmeister]

The reason Superbike's don't have headlight's or mirror's is simple SAFTEY !!!

Yes - I would've thought having mirrors bouncing around the track wouldn't be a good thing...

[primer]

A mirror will only be useful in one position and a rider moves around quite a bit. Mirrors will add drag, weight and break off easily in any fall. With some experience you do not need them either, racing close quarters you are able to 'sense' the other rider and hear his bike to get enough idea where he is and what he is doing. Then there is the board at the pitwall which can tell you how much further behind your rival(s) are.

[Xaus]

lol, there are absolutely no POINT in having mirrors on bikes when you're not strapped into a safety cell and can only move your head left or right.

Bike racers constantly physically look behind themselves to check gaps and the visors are much, much larger than say, the visors for car racing helmets. They can see a lot more through their peripheral vision than someone in a open wheeler.

[Chubby_Deuce]

This is worth starting a thread for?

[Just waiting]

Headlights should be obvious.
The other reason for the lack of mirros is several; (1) no mirrors limits the ability of the one in front to play swerve games (2) requires all riders to ride a bit more uniformly (again no swerving) (3) it is the responsibility of the rider behind to safely pass the one in front---and when doing so, the length of the bike is very short and the width even shorter compared to a car, so unlike a car, the pass and movement can be done very quickly and when executed properly, both can manage just fine.

Both cars and motocycles use the apex of the corner, such that a rider suddenly darting in at the apex is going to stick his bike where it will not go, but the bikes are so short, that only the dumb and reckless try such passes.

Cars are longer and require far more length of track to make the pass.......OTOH___ I have sometime wondered if those little mirrors in F! were removed, that drivers would be forced to take consistent lines and leave gaps for passing, rather than be playing swerve games and solve one of F1 more boring issues---no real passing because of cars in front playing blocking games:confused:

[Just waiting]

A mirror will only be useful in one position and a rider moves around quite a bit. Mirrors will add drag, weight and break off easily in any fall. With some experience you do not need them either, racing close quarters you are able to 'sense' the other rider and hear his bike to get enough idea where he is and what he is doing. Then there is the board at the pitwall which can tell you how much further behind your rival(s) are.

and this needs to be added above,

[Kucki]

I drive my Honda CBR600F in the summer, sometimes driving 200 - 280 km/h on the Autobahn in Germany, the thought of racing closely and not having a mirror at those speeds is unbelievable to me.

[Chubby_Deuce]

Why?

I've done some instructing using mirrors and they are for the most part useless when you start upping the pace. Beyond that, in a racing setting, what would they do for you? Is knowing that someone is a certain distance behind going to make you any faster?

If you want to see how big your gap is then a look over the shoulder is all that you need.