a confession
Author
Discussion

DSMSMR

Original Poster:

1,215 posts

18 months

Thursday 24th September
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Nights are drawing in as they say. So last night, the usual mid week meet, tea/coffee a burger and chat about stuff. Thought I'd stop for a pint at a local pub on the way home. Got chatting to a mate then b4 i realised it was 8 and dark...in the country.....on country roads.

First time I have ridden in the darky dark for maybe 15 years. Was weird, felt tunnel like vison wise. The angle of the light as I leaned over etc, car approaching, dipped beam, seeing next to fk all for a split second......shadows/shapes all different. I actually quite enjoyed it.

HybridTheory

692 posts

61 months

Thursday 24th September
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I ride in the dark often and every day I spend a few seconds not being able to be seen as blinded by the lights of other cars

Ghs

815 posts

6 months

Thursday 24th September
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Don’t mind riding at night , though cars that don’t dip
There lights do get on my nerves , lots more wildlife around as well , this time of the year it’s the cold that gets me more than anything .

spoodler

2,306 posts

184 months

Thursday 24th September
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I used to love riding at night. When I was young I'd switch my lights off and ride the lanes under the moonlight... Long time ago.
A few years back, I posted that I no longer enjoyed night riding due to being dazzled by oncoming lights. Someone on here suggested I see an optician. Eventually, I did. They told me I needed urgent cataract surgery.
Massive improvement. I still struggle at night, but to a lesser extent... and at least I haven't gone blind, which was apparently, the next stage.

some bloke

1,707 posts

96 months

Thursday 24th September
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spoodler said:
I used to love riding at night. When I was young I'd switch my lights off and ride the lanes under the moonlight... Long time ago.
A few years back, I posted that I no longer enjoyed night riding due to being dazzled by oncoming lights. Someone on here suggested I see an optician. Eventually, I did. They told me I needed urgent cataract surgery.
Massive improvement. I still struggle at night, but to a lesser extent... and at least I haven't gone blind, which was apparently, the next stage.
We used to do this in rural NZ when I was young and daft in the 80s, drove home in bright moonlight in the early hours, in cars though. Yeah, I know, stupid...

Zedboy

885 posts

240 months

Thursday 24th September
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Whizzed into work on my weekly 60 mile commute this morning and unbelievably actually remembered to grab my clear visor for the return journey.

That being said, the automatic lights on my K1600 are light years ahead of all my bikes up until a zH2 in 2023. The night rides of the 80’s and 90’s were literally only managed on memory and intuition!

SS427 Camaro

8,612 posts

199 months

Thursday 24th September
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I too used to love riding and driving at night. Near deserted roads, senses hightened,

DSMSMR

Original Poster:

1,215 posts

18 months

Thursday 24th September
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Zedboy said:
Whizzed into work on my weekly 60 mile commute this morning and unbelievably actually remembered to grab my clear visor for the return journey.

That being said, the automatic lights on my K1600 are light years ahead of all my bikes up until a zH2 in 2023. The night rides of the 80 s and 90 s were literally only managed on memory and intuition!
Same as mine a K1300GT, my first bikes headlight was a joke

Bob_Defly

5,856 posts

260 months

Thursday 24th September
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I generally don't ride at night, unless it's the start of a long road trip, which has that super special very early morning feeling. Like you're doing something awesome and no one else around you knows.

DSMSMR

Original Poster:

1,215 posts

18 months

Thursday 24th September
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Silly thing is...after last night, I now wished I went out some more during our recent hot spell, not having to wrap up, like a feckin Eskimo.

Xcore

1,521 posts

119 months

Thursday 24th September
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I don’t think iv ridden at night yet!

Biker9090

1,886 posts

66 months

Thursday 24th September
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Main issues are

1 - oncoming vehicle lights. Dirty glasses/visor etc make it far far worse

2 - Deer! Other animals as well but christ they're annoying

66mpg

698 posts

136 months

Thursday 24th September
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I picked up my first bike at 4pm on a Saturday afternoon, rode it home and tucked it up at the back of the garage. A couple of hours later I just had to try the headlight out so I geared up and off I went. Loved it, but then I have always enjoyed night driving.

CubanPete

3,806 posts

217 months

Thursday 24th September
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If you're lights are badly adjusted / have dodgy LED bulbs or chinese driving lights, oncoming vehicles are going to be much less likely to dip their lights too.

OutInTheShed

14,536 posts

55 months

Thursday 24th September
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Years ago, I had a bike with a simple round headlight.
I got a stonechip right through the lens, so I bought a new Cibie unit.
Every bike I've owned since then seems to have worse lights.

TechnoKnows

61 posts

19 months

Thursday 24th September
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I always ride at night, it's unavoidable with shift work.

Bit chilly in the mornings now at, but in the summer at 4.30am when the run is rising, crisp before a hot day...bliss.

Clear visor all year road for me for work duties.
Don't like that goldfish bowl feeling but it's better than swapping a visor each trip

Melange

72 posts

9 months

Thursday 24th September
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I used to adore riding at night, especially in the early hours, but unfortunately a gradually worsening astigmatism means I don't dare do it these days due to potential oncoming headlights - won't even take out the car after dark anymore as it's simply not safe. Bloody sucks, but could be worse in the grand scheme of things.

P675

879 posts

61 months

Don't know if my lights are just bad compared to the car, but I struggle to see anything without high beam on so generally avoid it. Not being able to see ahead limits speed and it's just not fun.

Alex9

243 posts

10 months

I'm looking forward to the night stage of the Kielder 500 off-road rally in a few weeks! Riding at night on the road is one thing, off-road is quite an experience!

Bob_Defly

5,856 posts

260 months

Alex9 said:
I'm looking forward to the night stage of the Kielder 500 off-road rally in a few weeks! Riding at night on the road is one thing, off-road is quite an experience!
Do you have another light on your helmet? I used to do a lot of MTBing in the dark and found that helped massively with depth perception.