Product Review: Monstrack Mirrors
05-25-2003
reviewed by: Jeff H.

Intro
Mirrors are one of the most commonly replaced items on Ducati Monsters.
Some people replace the mirrors because of their function; depending on the rider's height (or width), the stock mirrors may provide a terrific view of their elbows or shoulders, but little else.
Other people replace the mirrors simply for aesthetic reasons. The large, round mirrors perched on long stalks don't flow well with the sleek appearance of the bike.
Now, I have heard that there are people that think the stock mirrors are functional and attractive, but personally, I think these people may be a myth, or a figment of somebody's overactive imagination, like Bigfoot or the the Loch Ness Monster.

Product
Billet mirrors are the first new Monster accessory from Monstrack, a division of D&J Precision Machining. D&J is a manufacturer of medical devices and is currently developing a line of accessory products for Ducati Monsters.
The mirrors are available in two lengths, long or short. The short version ends flush with the bar-end while the long version extends slightly past the bar. According to Kevin from Monstrack, the long version was designed specifically for those riders who had difficlulty seeing behind them with the stock mirrors. The longer length allows the rider to see more of the road behind them , and less of their own elbows and shoulders.

The mirrors are currently being offered in two finishes, clear anodized (silver) or powdercoated flat-black. The flat black finish complements the Monster Dark version espeically well, and also provides a less conspicuous profile than the silver.

The fit and finish on the mirrors is beautiful. Craftsmanship is flawless and everything fit together perfectly. I specifically liked the machined texture on the back of the mirrors…very high-tech and mechanical looking. If I had to nitpick, the only thing I would have changed are the threads at the bottom of the mirror. A small bit of threads remain exposed to enable you to easily get a wrench in to adjust the nut at the bottom. I would have liked the looks better if the threads went all the way in, or if there were some type of cap available to conceal the threads. If this is something other people would perfer, Monstrack told me it would be a simple change for them to make to the product.

*Note: the mirrors we received were Short-version pre-release beta-test units

Installation

Installation of the mirrors was simple and straight-forward. Screw the old ones out and screw the new ones in, adjust the position for visibility and tighten. Included in the package was a detailed instruction sheet with pictures included. It was also nice that Monstrack included the teeny hex key that was needed to tighten the mirrors in place, as some people may not have one.

Testing

Our method of testing was thorough, comprehensive and scientific; we went out for a couple rides to find out if we could see what was behind us. The mirrors performed their function just fine. The size of the mirrors is smaller than the stock ones, but because of their improved position, rearward visibilty was greatly improved. One of our smaller testers thought an extra ½ inch wider would help eliminate the little bit of shoulder view that existed. Most people should probably get the long version if they are concerned about the best possible rear view.
On one of our testbikes ('97 M750) the mirrors did vibrate a little at higher speeds, but not enough to ruin your view. And in all fairness, this particular M750 is pretty buzzy for some reason. When we put the mirrors on our second test bike ('01 M900Sie) the "buzziness" was drastically reduced.
How much of a change in view you get with the Monstrack mirrors depends on how your view was with the stock mirrors. For those that are able to see fine using the stock mirrors, the Monstrack mirrors will provide roughly the samevisibility as the stock mirrors, but in a smaller package. If you were unable to see with the stock mirrors, we believe that the Monstrack Long Version might be a functional improvement over the stockers. Please note that we did not have the Long Version available in order to test our theory.

Conclusion

Priced at $195 a pair, the Monstrack mirrors are not cheap. If you want cheap, get a Third Eye Mirror for $10 from a bicycle shop; but if you want a beautifully made part that works as good as it looks, the Monstrack mirror is hard to beat.

(ed: Update 9/20/03 Mirror price has been reduced to $149/pair for the long version, and 139/pair for the short)

Scoring

Function: 8
They work well, but may or may not be a big improvement in function over the stock mirrors.This depends entirely on the physical make-up of the rider and the model of mirror purchased (Long vs. Short Version)

Form: 9
Excellent fit and finish, the only thing keeping it from a 10 is my subjective view of the exposed threads. All of our testers agreed that the Monstrack mirrors were much more visually appealing than the stockers. The photos simply do not do the mirrors justice. Quality and craftsmanship are top-notch.

Before and After