Quick answer: Most BMW standard (perch-mount) mirrors use a 10mm x 1.5 thread, but many popular models — R nineT, S1000R/RR, F800R, and the GS family — have 10mm x 1.25 mounts and need an adapter or BMW-ready bolts (included with many KiWAV mirrors). Bar-end mirrors are separate: they fit M8, M10, or M12 threaded handlebar ends depending on model and year. The fastest way to get it right is the fitment selector — pick your model, edition, and year.
Shopping for BMW motorcycle mirrors is different from shopping for any other brand. The hard part isn't choosing a style — it's the thread. BMW has used at least four different mirror mounting specs across its lineup, and the same model can switch specs between generations. Get the thread right and almost any mirror style is open to you; get it wrong and nothing bolts on. This guide sorts out the thread sizes first, then walks through the popular models with specific picks. Every mirror mentioned here is engineered and made in Taiwan by KiWAV.
Start With the Thread, Not the Style
BMW mirrors mount in one of two completely separate ways, and the specs don't overlap:
Perch-mount (standard stem mirrors) thread into the mirror boss on the control perch. Most BMW models take a 10mm x 1.5 pitch bolt. However, a large group of popular models — R nineT (all variants), S1000R, S1000RR, F800R, HP4, and the F-series and R-series GS bikes — use a 10mm x 1.25 pitch mount instead. KiWAV mirrors handle this in one of two ways depending on the product: some include a 10mm 1.25-to-1.5 adapter in the box, others come with BMW-ready bolts. Check the "package includes" list on the product page for your mirror. If you ever need the adapter on its own, it's available as a pair here: Mirror adapter 10mm 1.25 pitch to 10mm 1.5 pitch for BMW ($9.40).
Bar-end mirrors clamp into the threaded end of the handlebar itself — M8, M10, or M12 depending on the bike. This spec has nothing to do with the perch thread above. The next section shows which is which.
Not sure which spec your bike uses? Use the fitment selector at the top of our BMW mirrors page — pick your model, edition, and year, and you'll only see mirrors that fit.
Bar-End Mirrors for BMW: M8, M10 or M12?
BMW threads its handlebar ends in three sizes, and — this is the part that catches people — the same model line can change size between generations:
| Model | M8 | M10 | M12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| F800GS | 2013–2018 | 2024 on | 2008–2012 |
| S1000RR | 2018 on | — | 2010–2017 |
| S1000R | — | 2021 on | 2014–2020 |
| R1200R | 2006–2014 | 2015–2020 | — |
| R nineT / R12 | — | — | all years |
| R18 | — | — | all years |
| R1250GS / R1300GS | — | all years | — |
| F750GS / F850GS / F900GS | — | all years | — |
Our pick if you're unsure: the Blok bar-end mirror — a diamond-shaped CNC aluminum mirror with a chrome convex lens, and the one design we offer in all three thread sizes (M8 / M10 / M12, $101 each), so whatever year your BMW is, there's a version that fits.
A few practical notes that apply to all our BMW bar-end mirrors: they fit OEM handlebars only (aftermarket hollow bars need a different mounting set), minor modifications to grips or end caps may be needed, and you may want thin washers as spacers to clear the grips. If you ride an R1200GS or another model with many editions, skip the table entirely and use the fitment selector — with roughly 18 R1200GS editions across two engine generations, selecting your exact year and edition is the only reliable way.
One more installation tip: when you tighten a bar-end mirror, don't reuse the OEM bar-end weight torque figure — here's why in our guide: BMW Bar-End Torque Explained: Why We Recommend 19 Nm, Not the OEM 38–40 Nm.
Model-by-Model Guide
BMW R nineT (2014–2023) and R12 nineT (2024 on). The definitive candidate for bar-end mirrors — every R nineT and R12 variant takes an M12 bar-end mount. Our picks:
- MambaX glossy carbon fiber bar-end mirror ($128) — carbon housing that matches the R nineT's premium builds
- Wisp black bar-end mirror ($101) — the minimalist teardrop look, sold per side
- Orbix black bar-end mirrors, pair ($61/pair) — the budget way into round bar-ends
Riders keeping the stock perch mirrors should note the R nineT uses the 10mm x 1.25 perch thread, so check the package list for an adapter or BMW-ready bolts.
BMW R18 (2021 on). All R18 variants — Classic, B, Transcontinental, Roctane — take M12 bar-end mirrors, and the cruiser proportions carry round designs particularly well. From the dedicated R18 mirrors collection:
- Colin black round bar-end mirror ($93.90) — classic round face, blacked out
- Mamba matte real carbon fiber mirrors ($169) — for a subtle carbon touch on the bars
Prefer to keep mirrors on the perch instead? The R18's mirror mounts use the same 5/16-inch thread as Harley-Davidson — that's why you'll also find Harley-compatible mirrors in the R18 collection, and they bolt straight on.
BMW R1250GS, R1300GS and the F-series GS (F750GS/F850GS/F900GS). All current GS models take M10 bar-end mirrors — the Blok M10 ($101) is the direct fit. On the perch side these bikes use the 10mm x 1.25 thread, covered by the included hardware or adapter depending on the product.
BMW S1000RR and S1000R. Sport bikes are where the generation split bites hardest: S1000RR is M12 up to 2017 but M8 from 2018; S1000R is M12 up to 2020 but M10 from 2021. The Blok comes in all three sizes, so match your year — or let the fitment selector do it.
BMW R1200GS (2004–2019). With around 18 editions across the air-cooled and liquid-cooled generations, this is exactly the bike the fitment selector exists for. Select R1200GS, your edition, and your year to see every compatible mirror.
Standard and OEM-Style Replacement Mirrors
If you want to keep the stock look — or just replace a broken mirror without changing the bike's character — the standard mirrors for BMW collection covers about 60 options. Highlights across the price range:
- Blackline mirrors for BMW, 10mm 1.5 pitch ($53.90/pair) — the budget replacement pick
- 4Rizz black mirrors for BMW ($73.90/pair, on sale) — comes with standard bolts, a reverse-thread bolt, and 1.25-to-1.5 adapters in the box, so one set covers most BMW perch setups
- KiWAV folding rear view mirror ($36.50/piece) — folds in for tight parking and lane filtering
- MambaX glossy carbon fiber mirrors ($229.50/pair) — the premium carbon option
- BSDII blind spot detection system with Nonam mirrors ($510, on sale) and LED TPMS mirrors Lucifer ($388) — mirrors with radar blind-spot alerts or built-in tire-pressure monitoring, for riders who want tech the OEM mirrors never offered
Riding a pre-1970 /2? Those bikes left the factory with a single left mirror on the clutch perch and a blind plug on the right. We explain the parts-list evidence, and why the replica glass floats on a spring, in Why the pre-1970 BMW /2 came with only one mirror.
FAQ
Are bar end mirrors legal?
Mirror regulations vary by country and state, so check your local requirements — typically they specify the number of mirrors and the reflective surface area, not the mounting position. Several KiWAV mirrors use E-mark approved convex lenses; the approval status is listed on each product page.
Are bar end mirrors any good? Are they better than stock mirrors?
They sit wider than stem mirrors, so they typically show more of the lane beside you and less of your own shoulders. Riders also choose them for the cleaner handlebar look. The trade-off: they add width to the bar ends, and installation on some bikes takes minor grip or end-cap modifications.
Do bar end mirrors fit all motorcycles?
No — they need a compatible bar end. On BMWs that means an M8, M10, or M12 threaded handlebar end, and our BMW bar-end sets fit OEM handlebars only, not aftermarket hollow bars. Always match the thread size to your model year (see the table above).
Are motorcycle mirrors convex?
Most quality replacement mirrors, including KiWAV's, use convex lenses — the curvature widens the field of view. Objects appear slightly smaller and farther away than they are, which is the standard trade-off for the wider coverage.
Find Mirrors For Your BMW
Every mirror above — nearly a hundred options for BMW — is in one place: Motorcycle mirrors for BMW. Pick your model, edition, and year in the fitment selector, and everything you see will fit.