Riding fast A roads in the dark
Discussion
Hi All,
I've come back to riding after a good fews years away, probably mid-life crisis or something, but never mind.
I was riding this evening on some fastish A-roads on my Yamaha XJ600 Diversion. I haven't done much out-of-town fast A-road stuff in the dark yet (ie no street lights), and I must admit, I was struggling to see where the road was going in front of me.
With cars coming the other way, so I was flipping between low and high beam. Anyway, I was kind of embarassed to be holding up the occasional car behind me, as I was struggling to ride as fast as a car can go (within the legal speed limit by the way) on these roads. I guess I was going about 50 mph in a national spead limit (ie 60), with lights that were properly angled, and didn't feel I could see well enough to go faster.
Do others have this problem or do I just need brighter lights (is this possible)???
Merry Christmas
Tony
I've come back to riding after a good fews years away, probably mid-life crisis or something, but never mind.
I was riding this evening on some fastish A-roads on my Yamaha XJ600 Diversion. I haven't done much out-of-town fast A-road stuff in the dark yet (ie no street lights), and I must admit, I was struggling to see where the road was going in front of me.
With cars coming the other way, so I was flipping between low and high beam. Anyway, I was kind of embarassed to be holding up the occasional car behind me, as I was struggling to ride as fast as a car can go (within the legal speed limit by the way) on these roads. I guess I was going about 50 mph in a national spead limit (ie 60), with lights that were properly angled, and didn't feel I could see well enough to go faster.
Do others have this problem or do I just need brighter lights (is this possible)???
Merry Christmas
Tony
wackydo said:
Hi All,
I've come back to riding after a good fews years away, probably mid-life crisis or something, but never mind.
I was riding this evening on some fastish A-roads on my Yamaha XJ600 Diversion. I haven't done much out-of-town fast A-road stuff in the dark yet (ie no street lights), and I must admit, I was struggling to see where the road was going in front of me.
With cars coming the other way, so I was flipping between low and high beam. Anyway, I was kind of embarassed to be holding up the occasional car behind me, as I was struggling to ride as fast as a car can go (within the legal speed limit by the way) on these roads. I guess I was going about 50 mph in a national spead limit (ie 60), with lights that were properly angled, and didn't feel I could see well enough to go faster.
Do others have this problem or do I just need brighter lights (is this possible)???
Merry Christmas
Tony
Don't ever feel pressurised to ride more quickly than you feel confident, no matter what the circumstances. You need to see what the surface is doing far more badly than the bod in the car behind you. Forget the brightness of your headlight or the speed you are travelling, if you can't see, you aren't safe.
About 3 weeks after getting my licence I went to meet some friends at a pub in some Deliverance type village near Hitchin and had to use a very twisty, badly surfaced road with no lighting, no road markings and potholes that'd embarrass a meteorite shower.
Had a chap in a Mercedes behind me and I was obviously holding him up. I indicated, pulled over and let him pass and then continued on my merry way. Actually made it much easier to see where his taillights were going.
Had a chap in a Mercedes behind me and I was obviously holding him up. I indicated, pulled over and let him pass and then continued on my merry way. Actually made it much easier to see where his taillights were going.
wackydo said:
Hi All,
I've come back to riding after a good fews years away, probably mid-life crisis or something, but never mind.
I was riding this evening on some fastish A-roads on my Yamaha XJ600 Diversion. I haven't done much out-of-town fast A-road stuff in the dark yet (ie no street lights), and I must admit, I was struggling to see where the road was going in front of me.
With cars coming the other way, so I was flipping between low and high beam. Anyway, I was kind of embarassed to be holding up the occasional car behind me, as I was struggling to ride as fast as a car can go (within the legal speed limit by the way) on these roads. I guess I was going about 50 mph in a national spead limit (ie 60), with lights that were properly angled, and didn't feel I could see well enough to go faster.
Do others have this problem or do I just need brighter lights (is this possible)???
Merry Christmas
Tony
It's not just you, I get that all the time, especially when it's damp. I find the road and the grass look the same colour, and the white lines are barely visible. It gets pretty scary at times. (It's even worse when the car behind is sat on your arse with his main beams on glaring off the mirrors onto the visor, or as happened last night, sending his main beams into the fog bank ahead of me so I can't see a sodding thing...)
I am planning to replace the headlight with an HID unit, both to make the most efficient use possible of the meagre 35W which is all that is available on a 6V MZ, and in the hope that the colour rendering will be better as well as the intensity.
Rawwr said:
About 3 weeks after getting my licence I went to meet some friends at a pub in some Deliverance type village near Hitchin and had to use a very twisty, badly surfaced road with no lighting, no road markings and potholes that'd embarrass a meteorite shower.
Oh, the B roads round Wheathampstead way are "interesting" in the dark
Rawwr said:
Had a chap in a Mercedes behind me and I was obviously holding him up. I indicated, pulled over and let him pass and then continued on my merry way. Actually made it much easier to see where his taillights were going.
I do that too. I do find it irritating that you have to take positive action to get them to pass, as they will not pass on their own initiative (I'm talking about rather straighter roads per the OP, rather than your example) - but following the lights in front does take a lot of the stress out of the situation.
Wackydo
Find your local IAM www.iam.org.uk/IAMGroups/regions.php and join a motorcycle training course. Best fun I had in a long time, and so much to learn.
Find your local IAM www.iam.org.uk/IAMGroups/regions.php and join a motorcycle training course. Best fun I had in a long time, and so much to learn.
get a hid headlight upgrade , that will help you , www.hids4u.co.uk , also when riding in the dark the key it to be nice and smooth and dont ride faster than you abilitys .
If you know the road then riding at night can be very good fun. If you don't then its definately not as easy progress as driving a car at night. I'd still be more confident in a car on an unknown unlit twisty A road at night than on a bike, following someone safely definately helps as they aid your reading of the road ahead.
Some older bikes (by that I mean even mid/late-90s) bikes I've owned had shockingly poor headlights.
My current 99 R6 however has fairly supurb twin light setup where both light on dip and main beams.
My nicked gixxer6 had pretty good lights but by far the best lights I've ever had on a bike were on my Aprilia Falco the single large dip was superb and on full beam it was two separate lamps. Simply the closest I've ever had to car lights on a bike. Pity the rest of the bike had niggling faults to annoy me.
The hid lights looks interesting but I've seen comments on different threads/forums stating that aftermarket hid kits are not exactly road legal. My understanding is that its only technically road legal if its fitted by the manufacturer std. Has anyone fitted one of these kits to a bike and then had any issues with getting a MOT?
Some older bikes (by that I mean even mid/late-90s) bikes I've owned had shockingly poor headlights.
My current 99 R6 however has fairly supurb twin light setup where both light on dip and main beams.
My nicked gixxer6 had pretty good lights but by far the best lights I've ever had on a bike were on my Aprilia Falco the single large dip was superb and on full beam it was two separate lamps. Simply the closest I've ever had to car lights on a bike. Pity the rest of the bike had niggling faults to annoy me.
The hid lights looks interesting but I've seen comments on different threads/forums stating that aftermarket hid kits are not exactly road legal. My understanding is that its only technically road legal if its fitted by the manufacturer std. Has anyone fitted one of these kits to a bike and then had any issues with getting a MOT?
sjtscott said:I was never particularly impressed by the lights on my Aprilia. They are OK, I guess.
My current 99 R6 however has fairly supurb twin light setup where both light on dip and main beams.
My nicked gixxer6 had pretty good lights but by far the best lights I've ever had on a bike were on my Aprilia Falco the single large dip was superb and on full beam it was two separate lamps.
I definitely agree about the R6 headlamps, though. Superb.
Headlight on my bandit was equally as cack, needed to get a new headlamp bowl as old one was rusty & pitted & then got a new decent bulb (philips power blue or somat simlar- had used some on a car & was impresed with 'em) & riding at night was finally a pleasure.
Headlight bulbs dull over time anyway & a new one will always have a benifical effect. You could also use a higher wattage bulb like 80 or 100w, but the relay/wiring/fuses etc would most likely all need to be uprated.
Headlight bulbs dull over time anyway & a new one will always have a benifical effect. You could also use a higher wattage bulb like 80 or 100w, but the relay/wiring/fuses etc would most likely all need to be uprated.
sjtscott said:
The hid lights looks interesting but I've seen comments on different threads/forums stating that aftermarket hid kits are not exactly road legal. My understanding is that its only technically road legal if its fitted by the manufacturer std. Has anyone fitted one of these kits to a bike and then had any issues with getting a MOT?
My intention is to carry out the conversion in such a way that reverting to standard for MoT purposes is a matter of one screw and some connections. I have very little patience with legal technicalities that reduce safety - another example is evident in the crap mirrors bikes are fitted with for such reasons. Needless to say I will take care to align it so as not to dazzle oncoming traffic.
Some years ago I went thru a puddle of ATF on a fairly heavily traveled road at night, stayed off the brakes although I did shut the throttle. The bike (still have it - '77 KZ 1000, great bike) did 3 weaves and then I was out on the other side. I smelled the stuff about the same time as I saw it. Basically limiting my stupid moves to shutting the throttle saved my bacon. Would have been better to keep it just where it was but WTF.
Ever since, I have not been much for trying to make speed at night.
Most bikes don't have the lights for speed at night, and the need to read the road surface is much greater. Accessory lights as used in the Iron Butt rally will help some but not likely to get you to where a car is.
An additional point is that most traditional bikes have a single headlight with just 2 filaments, so if one burns out (most likely when you go from low to high or high to low) you will not have any lights at all. Remedy is to put on at least some sort of aux light, and/or to change out the headlight bulb well before it's near end of life.
I won't ride in heavy traffic at night, period. If you fall off you are roadkill, plain and simple.
Ever since, I have not been much for trying to make speed at night.
Most bikes don't have the lights for speed at night, and the need to read the road surface is much greater. Accessory lights as used in the Iron Butt rally will help some but not likely to get you to where a car is.
An additional point is that most traditional bikes have a single headlight with just 2 filaments, so if one burns out (most likely when you go from low to high or high to low) you will not have any lights at all. Remedy is to put on at least some sort of aux light, and/or to change out the headlight bulb well before it's near end of life.
I won't ride in heavy traffic at night, period. If you fall off you are roadkill, plain and simple.
Pigeon said:I thinkyou will find that your bike will be fine with the HId , only if its fitted at the factory does it have to have self leveling and washer .
The hid lights looks interesting but I've seen comments on different threads/forums stating that aftermarket hid kits are not exactly road legal. My understanding is that its only technically road legal if its fitted by the manufacturer std. Has anyone fitted one of these kits to a bike and then had any issues with getting a MOT?
My intention is to carry out the conversion in such a way that reverting to standard for MoT purposes is a matter of one screw and some connections. I have very little patience with legal technicalities that reduce safety - another example is evident in the crap mirrors bikes are fitted with for such reasons. Needless to say I will take care to align it so as not to dazzle oncoming traffic.
DennisTheMenace said:I don't know where this comes from as my car has HID but doesn't have a headlight washer
I thinkyou will find that your bike will be fine with the HId , only if its fitted at the factory does it have to have self leveling and washer .
http://tinyurl.com/baj2p
rsvmilly said:
I thinkyou will find that your bike will be fine with the HId , only if its fitted at the factory does it have to have self leveling and washer .
http://tinyurl.com/baj2p
It says you have uprated bulbs mate but not gas discharge HID units , do they take a second or so to get to full brightness ?
DennisTheMenace said:It says HID sixth bullet point down.
I thinkyou will find that your bike will be fine with the HId , only if its fitted at the factory does it have to have self leveling and washer .
http://tinyurl.com/baj2p
It says you have uprated bulbs mate but not gas discharge HID units , do they take a second or so to get to full brightness ?
And yes they do take a moment to reach full brightness - same as my old Clio did, with HIDs.
The Evo does have headlamp levelling but no washer.
I have heard this leveller, washer story before. No idea where it originated, though.
Autobulb website said:
11 Are these HID systems road legal?
According to EU legislation HID systems factory fitted from new require a self levelling system and a lens washer to be fitted. However this is not specified for aftermarket kits. Our kits have passed all safety and emmissions tests and produce the correct light pattern. We know they will pass an MOT (original bulbs can be reinstalled in minutes if required without uninstalling the HID system). We are not aware of any legality issues in terms of the police. However this issue is a grey one with lots of confusion so until we can obtain official written proof either way, we must sell these for off road and display systems only.
Well don't tell anybody because my car has no washer and a MANUAL levelling system.
eliminator said:
Wackydo
Find your local IAM www.iam.org.uk/IAMGroups/regions.php and join a motorcycle training course. Best fun I had in a long time, and so much to learn.
Hi Eliminator,
Normally, I'd agree with you. The IAM 'Skills for Life' programme can be extremely valuable for many riders.
However, how many IAM rides take place in the dark? (Practically none, in my area.) More to the point, are IAM Observers themselves trained in night riding techniques, such as how to use the limit point at night?
Training can be a great answer for many. However, I'd recommend one of the plod/ex-plod professional trainers like UK Advanced (www.advanced-motorcycle-training.co.uk/ ) or Rapid.
(Incidentally, in the car I've done some night driving under police instruction, which was excellent and made a massive difference.)
Cheers
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