Jthmeffy wrote:the only problem is, you arent nicely lit! lol, just gotta watch out for crazy drivers.
This is a good point. It's not just a matter of what you can see, but others seeing you. I wear bright yellow reflective gear both day and night, and while it may not look "cool," I don't really care about how I look when I ride, just enjoying it and staying safe.
jthmeffy, doesn't seem like a mini cooper could do much damage? My dad drives one and I swear my bike is bigger.
2004 BMW K1200RS
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The only crash I ever had on the street was when rearended by a drunk driver. I was going 70mph down a long, straight country road with nothing for a couple miles in any direction at 3:00 AM.
My TW200 has a 55/60w H4 halogen headlight bulb, and I can see pretty well, up to about 50mph. It's much better than the old 35/50w incandescents. MUCH better. My 836 sports a 7-inch round offroad-only replacement for sealed beams with an 80/100 H4. It's good for 60mph on high beam, but only because the bike stops really well. The Boss Hoss wears a 7-inch off-road replacement with 100/130 bulb, a pair of 100w white fog lights on low beam and a pair of 100w driving lights on high beam. 70mph, no problem. I have ordered a HID replacement for the H4 in the TW. It is supposed to draw only 35 amps, but provide 300% as much illumination. We shall see.
To be seen, I have a black t-shirt I screenprinted in several locations with silver retro-reflective ink. It fits over my leather jacket and rainsuit. I also have reflective tape on my helmet. I'm in the process of replacing all the 1156 and 1157 tail and turn bulbs with multiple 3W LEDs scavenged from semi trailer lights. It is cheaper to find the LED lights on sale and strip them for parts than to buy the parts and build for the bike. The LED tail and front marker lights I've done on the TW200 are about as bright as the turn and brake with incandescents. The light output then doubles with brake and turn. I've also added a modulator to flash the brake lights quickly when the brake is first applied.
I'm going to HID and LED on the TW to free up alternator capacity to charge a laptop. I'm planning to do the TAT this summer and plan to blog the entire trip via wireless internet.
That said, I only ride at night on roads I know well.
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving isn't for you.
Living in the Tampa Bay area is an exercise in traffic avoidance. I find that riding at night is not only more pleasant due to the decrease in traffic congestion after 11PM, but I also feel like I am seen better at night. More lights are definitely better. One of my first purchases for the Gold Wing was a set of fog lights. I know people see me. The bike is lit up like a christmas tree. Any set of additional lamps will help you see and be seen better at night.