Night riding is one of the most enjoyable experiences you will encounter on your motorcycle. However, night motorcycle riding can also be an extremely dangerous activity as it is difficult for some motorist to see you and respond by avoiding you. This thread includes helpful hints that can make your night motorcycle riding safer and more enjoyable.
Safety comes through increased road presence. While your bike is 1/12 the size of a typical SUV, there are some steps you can take to increase your visual road presence to something much larger. It's a proven fact that larger vehicles are easier to see and avoid. With the steps herein, you can greatly improve your road presence and help avoid an accident with another motor vehicle.
The most common cause of accidents and death for motorcyclists is a motorist turning left and into the pathway of the biker. Other types of common accidents is at intersections and rear end collisions. The techniques herein are designed to improve your day and night presence and help other motorist see you.
Steps
1. Wear bright clothing. Those black leather/mesh jackets look good in the day, but for the night, you might want to consider wearing something that reflects light. Consider adding a fluorescent highlights on the back of your jacket, a smart message maybe. Your helmet is also a nice place for the same.
2. Motorcycle Lighting: Good lighting is a crucial factor in your safety. In the quest for stylish lighting, many manufacturers use undersized brake lighting and most will aim the headlight lower to the street than the legal angle allows. Your first step is to examine your front and rear lighting. If you have a tiny brake light, consider replacing the light with a larger model.You can also buy super bright HID lighting that is much brighter than the typical automotive bulb. HID's are more expensive than the usual.
3. Check your headlight aiming angle. Check your state regulation on aiming. Raise the beam to the maximum angle allowed. You can do this without special tools by uprighting your bike and casting the headlight on the wall of your garage. Measure from the ground to the exact center of your headlight, then adjust the beam projected on the wall (high beam). A rule of thumb is to drop 2" for every 10 feet (5 cm every 3 meters), but you should check with LTO websites to conform with their regulations.
4. Ride with your lights on always during the day!
5. Add dual running headlights to your motorcycle. Three properly aimed headlights are much more noticeable than a single headlight.
6. Consider replacing your headlamp bulb with an HID DOT approved model. Some bikers have been known to replace their headlight bulb with a non-DOT approved off-road lamp which is 40-50% brighter than the brightest legal lamp.
7. Add reflective tape to your bike. You can also purchase reflective decals and add reflective flame decals to your helmet.
8. Consider your driving technique: Are you speeding so fast you will not be able to stop in time? Are you driving between vehicles waiting at a red light to get in front of the traffic? Are you racing with other motorcyclist? Are you trying to show off in front of a large group of people?
Tips
* Stay near the center of the lane when practical. This is where you are best seen. Riding on the edge of the road causes you to blend in with street lighting. Riding on the center of the lane is also dangerous, as this usually is the dirtiest and most slippery part of the road. However always give yourself plenty of room when passing other vehicles traveling in the next lane in case they decide to change lanes while you're passing. This will give you more time to react. And never stay in their blind spot.
Hope this help fellow Hurricane Riders.
Safety comes through increased road presence. While your bike is 1/12 the size of a typical SUV, there are some steps you can take to increase your visual road presence to something much larger. It's a proven fact that larger vehicles are easier to see and avoid. With the steps herein, you can greatly improve your road presence and help avoid an accident with another motor vehicle.
The most common cause of accidents and death for motorcyclists is a motorist turning left and into the pathway of the biker. Other types of common accidents is at intersections and rear end collisions. The techniques herein are designed to improve your day and night presence and help other motorist see you.
Steps
1. Wear bright clothing. Those black leather/mesh jackets look good in the day, but for the night, you might want to consider wearing something that reflects light. Consider adding a fluorescent highlights on the back of your jacket, a smart message maybe. Your helmet is also a nice place for the same.
2. Motorcycle Lighting: Good lighting is a crucial factor in your safety. In the quest for stylish lighting, many manufacturers use undersized brake lighting and most will aim the headlight lower to the street than the legal angle allows. Your first step is to examine your front and rear lighting. If you have a tiny brake light, consider replacing the light with a larger model.You can also buy super bright HID lighting that is much brighter than the typical automotive bulb. HID's are more expensive than the usual.
3. Check your headlight aiming angle. Check your state regulation on aiming. Raise the beam to the maximum angle allowed. You can do this without special tools by uprighting your bike and casting the headlight on the wall of your garage. Measure from the ground to the exact center of your headlight, then adjust the beam projected on the wall (high beam). A rule of thumb is to drop 2" for every 10 feet (5 cm every 3 meters), but you should check with LTO websites to conform with their regulations.
4. Ride with your lights on always during the day!
5. Add dual running headlights to your motorcycle. Three properly aimed headlights are much more noticeable than a single headlight.
6. Consider replacing your headlamp bulb with an HID DOT approved model. Some bikers have been known to replace their headlight bulb with a non-DOT approved off-road lamp which is 40-50% brighter than the brightest legal lamp.
7. Add reflective tape to your bike. You can also purchase reflective decals and add reflective flame decals to your helmet.
8. Consider your driving technique: Are you speeding so fast you will not be able to stop in time? Are you driving between vehicles waiting at a red light to get in front of the traffic? Are you racing with other motorcyclist? Are you trying to show off in front of a large group of people?
Tips
* Stay near the center of the lane when practical. This is where you are best seen. Riding on the edge of the road causes you to blend in with street lighting. Riding on the center of the lane is also dangerous, as this usually is the dirtiest and most slippery part of the road. However always give yourself plenty of room when passing other vehicles traveling in the next lane in case they decide to change lanes while you're passing. This will give you more time to react. And never stay in their blind spot.
Hope this help fellow Hurricane Riders.
