A couple of months ago, I installed a set of Napoleon bar end mirrors on the SV. Unfortunately, I got about three good weeks of use out of them before I noticed the right mirror was covered with… spots!
The entire surface of the mirror was dotted with small, irregular spots. And no amount of cleaning would get rid of them, as they were clearly under the glass and in the silvering. Sorry for the poor quality pics. It’s not easy to take a good picture of a mirror in bad lighting!
Closer inspection showed that the spots looked a lot like snowflakes:
Since this was very clearly a defect in the mirrors, I decided to return them under warranty to Motostrano. First, I requested an RMA. After a few days, they wrote back and wanted pictures. Pictures were sent. After a few more days with no word, I called them up only to be told that I needed to deal with the importer for warranty support. What? Okay… So I called the importer. The importer said they couldn’t help me, as warranty requests needed to be initiated by the retailer. Yay, I’m riding the runaround carousel!
Called Motostrano up to explain what the importer said and finally got an RMA #. Then, I sent the mirrors off, and waited, and waited, and waited. Four or five weeks pass with no word and no mirrors, so I call again. Apparently, they are still having trouble getting the warranty honored by the importer. I say I understand and empathize with the situation, but it’s really not my problem. My problem is that I paid $50 for mirrors that I don’t have. Motostrano says they will send a new set of mirrors out the next day, and they do.
So almost two months later, I have new mirrors. They’re still in the box, waiting, like I am, for the weather to improve to make the installation worth it. And please, Moto Gods: I really like these mirrors, so let’s not have the same spotting problem again, all right?
January 30, 2009 Update: One mirror has a very tiny spot in the very center of the glass. It hasn’t rained much this month, so who knows if it will get worse.
Final Update: The replacement mirrors spotted again. The black housing also faded something fierce. They look like hell.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I hope these new ones work out. I totally hate waiting for stuff like you went through. The mirrors aren’t on, yet? It’s 33 degrees. Time to ride again!
Funny you should mention riding today…
Ok, this one I’m all over. Done a few mods so far, but I totally hate my mirrors, and this is something I keep coming back to. I’ve been looking at all kinds of different things, and seeing what you’ve done to your SV, I love it. Don’t love the spots, though. Are they still there, and are they getting worse?
I returned the first set to Motostrano. The replacement set held up for a few weeks before I noticed a spot in the very center of the right side mirror. This set has not spotted as drastically as the first set did, but some de-silvering has occurred. The left mirror also has a warped spot in the corner, too. The black color has faded as well, and only after 4 months of winter use.
Based on my experience, and my experience alone, I can’t recommend these mirrors to anyone. It’s a shame — I love how they look.
I’m actually looking at a set of CRGs instead.