Opinion: Don't ride with brights on.

[DivideOverflow]

I always run my high beam during the day. I personally notice bikes better that have them on, so I take that as a clue that I should ride with them on as well.

Really doubt it runs down the battery, especially if you are going faster than idle.

[rapidblue]

yeah the whole point of an alternator/generator is to continuously recharge the battery while the bike is running so that you CAN run healights and such

[ZooTech]

My two halogen driving lights are ten times brighter than my low-beam, and they go off when the high beam is on...so I just run on low-beam and save the high for backroads at night.

[dr_bar]

What about the pulsed headlights? I've heard they are great, but have no experience with them myself.

[Mr_X]

I normally ride with high's on also unless it nighttime and I'm behind somone.. its easyier to be seen and if anyone ever hits me I can always say I had my highs on..

Flashing your high/low here also mean's go ahead.. (here = maine)

[mydlyfkryzis]

I use a headlight modulator. I love it.

It is legal in NJ, but I covered the sensor that turns it off at night when I had it inspected to avoid getting into the discussion of it's legality. State inspectors are not always clear on the law.

At any rate, it is an 18 mile ride to the insp. station. All the way there and back, I was being pulled out in front of and turned left in front off. I had forgotten the modulator was off. I commented to my wife that it seemed more idiot cagers were around that day. The next day, I pulled the tape off and went back to modulating. A number of cars pulling out of intersections would start, then stop as I approached. It was then I realized that the reason I had so many pull out in front of mes was the lack of modulator that day.

I still ride like they can't see me, but it is nice that much fewer miss seeing me than without the modulator.

I also use the Hyperlites in the rear. These are bright LEDs that supplement your regular stop light. They consist of 8 very bright LED's in a pod, with 2 pods total. On brake application, the lights flash rapidly for 5 seconds and then stay on steady (Or flash continuously if you prefer).

I believe they also help cagers see the stopped or stopping motorcycle in front of them.

[honda599]

I ride with high beams but angle the light down lower and adjust a little to the right so you don't blind on coming traffic

[iwannadie]

I flash my brights at intersections, or when someone is poised to make a turn in front of me. On several occasions I've had cars 'panic stop' when I did this.

Well, here in PA and other states I've visited, flashing lights means "Go Ahead" and not the warning of "I'm coming though". When you flash your lights you are telling the oncomming driver to proceed with his/her turn.

ya same here, when i see someone flash their lights to me that means they are letting me go ahead of them or whatever. i thought its always been a common thing amongst truckers also to do that. if a truck is passing you and about to change lanes back in front of you and you flash your lights to let him know hes clear to come over they usually appreciate that with a flash of their own lights. ever since i was a little kid my parents did that when we traveled the interstates(which we did alot). so its always been in my mind 'flash your lights to let them go' not flash your lights to let them know im going to do something.

as for riding with brights on i dont. i hate when people do, when in my car its so low the mirrors blind me when anyone has brights on behind me day or night. on the bike its not As bad but still can be annoying to be blinded. or not be able to use your mirrors because the person behind you feels they need brights to be safe.

[PhilD9er]

"yeah the whole point of an alternator/generator is to continuously recharge the battery
while the bike is running so that you CAN run healights and such"

You wisenheimer, you. What I mean is that, as an urban schlepper, I'm always trying to bring my battery to full charge. Lots of short trips and low speed running run it down. No outlet for a trickle charger where I park.

Guys, re 'headlight modulators'

Doesn't this just flash the high-beam? How does this square with the point many of you make about the 'go ahead' signal? How is it different from me flashing rapidly from low to high beam at intersections?

[ronboskz650sr]

They flash continuosly at 4-10 times per second, so it's more like a pulsating strobe effect, than a one time flash. They show up a long way off. I saw one coming on a country road a few years ago, and wondered when it was ever going to get here.