Headlights
Author
Discussion

Vipers

Original Poster:

33,420 posts

251 months

Friday 27th May 2005
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Can some of you bikers tell me this, whilst I know it is a good idea to have your headlight on during daylight hours, to let some of us dozy motorist know that you are coming up behind us, why oh why do some of you have them on during the day ON FULL BEAM, it really pisses us of.

Dipped is fine, we can see you, but ON FULL BEAM, well words fail me sometimes.

As an ex biker, (my last bike was a BSA 650cc Clubmans Lightning which I sold in 1969 for £120) I do appreciate bikers and the road in general, but FULL BEAM in daylight, tell me, why?

Mon Ami Mate

6,589 posts

291 months

Friday 27th May 2005
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Vipers said:
Can some of you bikers tell me this, whilst I know it is a good idea to have your headlight on during daylight hours, to let some of us dozy motorist know that you are coming up behind us, why oh why do some of you have them on during the day ON FULL BEAM, it really pisses us of.

Dipped is fine, we can see you, but ON FULL BEAM, well words fail me sometimes.

As an ex biker, (my last bike was a BSA 650cc Clubmans Lightning which I sold in 1969 for £120) I do appreciate bikers and the road in general, but FULL BEAM in daylight, tell me, why?


A headlight left on full beam is not only anti-social, it's also dangerous, because it makes it very difficult for another driver to judge the speed of the bike.

However, bike lights have become much more effective in the last few years and many dipped beams can now easily be mistaken for full beams. The latest generation of bikes have no headlight on/off switch, the headlights are wired permanently on.

Mark_SV

3,824 posts

294 months

Saturday 28th May 2005
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Mon Ami Mate said:
However, bike lights have become much more effective in the last few years and many dipped beams can now easily be mistaken for full beams.


Yeah, especially if you've put in Philips Vision Plus bulbs or the like. (Or upgraded even further to one of those £300 full-monty-HID-Xenon light thingies).

Pigeon

18,535 posts

269 months

Saturday 28th May 2005
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It's not always easy to tell you're on main beams anyway. Bike dashes are less shaded than car ones and tell-tale lights vanish more easily in sunlight. Bikes like mine don't even have a full beam tell-tale...

rsvmilly

11,288 posts

264 months

Sunday 29th May 2005
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Another possible reason is that the bike is carrying a pillion. The extra weight would point the dipped beam higher.

vitesse39

731 posts

271 months

Tuesday 31st May 2005
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Mon Ami Mate said:

However, bike lights have become much more effective in the last few years and many dipped beams can now easily be mistaken for full beams. The latest generation of bikes have no headlight on/off switch, the headlights are wired permanently on.


Indeed, I hired a ZX6R (so new bike) 3 years ago and on a ride out the bloke I was out with asked if Iwas on full beam - which I wasn't.
I then bought a 92 ZXR400 H2, which had crap lights until I upgraded them.
Now I have a ZXR750 L1 which has very good lights and yes I do occasionally get flashed (not that way), and no I don't ride with full beams on.

Vipers

Original Poster:

33,420 posts

251 months

Tuesday 7th June 2005
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Lots of interesting comments, thanks fellas, a little surprised all bikes dont have tell tale indicators for full beam.

I do miss the 650 Lightning though, god I sold it for £120 in 69' when I passed my test in a 3 ton lorry, (which gave me a car license) and brought a Triumph Herald for £250.

Ligntnings, now if you can find them, are about £3500-£4000...... at least I have the memories of having one, stripping it down, painting it up, and cruising.............

Safe driving bikers....... Remember, a lot of car drivers are ex bikers, and will always be polite to you guys out there,

FAT MATT

177 posts

267 months

Wednesday 8th June 2005
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But not all drivers are Ex bikers.

Were not the only bad boys out there. How about all those fools that think front fogs are "Sporty" lights! Think youl find that theres more of them!

Davel

8,982 posts

281 months

Thursday 9th June 2005
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Always use dipped beam, but sometimes full beam if filtering between lanes on a dual carriageway.

The problem with bikes is that, as you accelerate, the front lifts a bit and often gives the impression that you are flashing at cars in front, or coming towards you, which can also annoy car drivers.

New bikes of course always have dipped headlights on from fire up.

Don't know many riders who use full beam all of the time - is it common?

Ston

635 posts

292 months

Thursday 9th June 2005
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Tricky one this.

I would rather been seen with my full beam on and my speed unable to be judged, than not to be seen at all on dipped beam.

It is quite easy to miss a normal dipped beam headlight in your rear view mirror, but the amount of times I have seen something out of the corner only for it to be a biker with full beam on, I could have well missed them if they had dipped on and being a rider I am always driving 'bike safe'... it proves it gives the biker more attention.

The flip side is what has been already said, it does make the bikers speed much harder to judge and dazzles motorists (less so during the day)

Rock and a hard place I guess.

Pigeon

18,535 posts

269 months

Thursday 9th June 2005
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Vipers said:
Lots of interesting comments, thanks fellas, a little surprised all bikes dont have tell tale indicators for full beam.

Mine is an old and basic bike. Modern bikes do have tell-tales, though they're not necessarily much use in daylight. (And quite a lot of people like old and/or basic bikes )