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well tonight i had my first ride at night. i think i was more nervious about it than taking the bike out for the first day. it turned out to not be that bad though. i just couldn't keep up with cars to use their lights to help me. i just didn't feel comfortable going that fast at night. and there were a few things that snuck up on me (bumps in the road and such). thankfully i didn't see any deer or other critters. but, i've done it and now know that i can.

one question, i noticed that when i would bring my clutch in and let off the throttle, it seemed like my headlight would dim considerably. is that normal?

Welcome to the world of night riding! Not many enjoy it. I do! It's very peaceful and beautiful (other than the bugs).

I don't notice a significant dimming with my bike but, I can't say whether or not it's normal for yours. I'm sure some of the other more experienced folks will pipe in with some answers for ya though.

Have Fun and Stay Safe Out There!

It could be an indicator that your battery is not in the best shape. Your charging system doesn't put out a whole lot of juice at low rpm, so the headlight is making up the difference by drawing from the battery.

(My $.02, somebody correct me if I'm wrong.)

I think mgdavis is correct. I have an 81 GL500 that has a weak electrical system. Do you have any extra lights, or a radio on yours?

or you could have a loose nut on a wire somewhere. I had a loose nut on the battery terminal that would cause my lights to do that. I ride everyday at night (cept past 2 weeks cause I didnt feel safe riding with a stretched chain). Fun times but it is the coldest time to ride at night. I mean it may be 80 here during the day and then drop down to 40 at night (yes we have that high of a temp swing here).

Personally, I love riding at night, there is something mystical about it.

one question, i noticed that when i would bring my clutch in and let off the throttle, it seemed like my headlight would dim considerably. is that normal?

Typical for early eighties Honda. The engine provides a significant portion of the electrical power when running.

My CeeGee would have the headlight blink in counter-point to the indicators

Johnj wrote:I think mgdavis is correct. I have an 81 GL500 that has a weak electrical system. Do you have any extra lights, or a radio on yours?

no, nothing extra. it's a full dresser but it's all pretty much stock with no radio. i hadn't riden it in a few weeks (and i'm going to be out of the country for 2 weeks) so i wanted to get a ride in. i thought i was going to kill the battery trying to start it yesterday. don't know if that had anything to do with it.

the battery was put in a few months ago. so i would assume it has plenty of life left in it.

btw, nice bike. i wish i could come accross some highway bars. i have the two bar engine cradles on mine. i have "highway pegs" on the cradles. although i can stretch out a little, i know having them a few inches further down and away would make for a much more comfortable cruise.

I like riding at night, but also fear the issue with deer and reduced visability. Something awesome though about the glow of my speedo and tach, and the headlight throwing that single beam out in front of me. On a warm night with a big moon, I'm just lost. But the amount of concentration you need to use to keep from clocking a deer around here makes it hard to relax and enjoy the beauty.

ceemes wrote:Personally, I love riding at night, there is something mystical about it.

it was fun. just nerve-racking. i'm sure with a little practice i would come to love it. the only problem i have right now is i have no bright. i have one of those mods on my headlight to blink when the bright is on. only broblem is the switch is broke off in the blink pos. i hope over the winter to find some time to take that out. then riding at night will be a little better when there isn't a car around.