When I was still working at the mill, I would sometimes ride my bike home after I got off swing swift. I didn't mind it because I knew all the places where there was a possibility that deer would cross the road. My loud pipes also helped with the deer problem. When I am on a trip, that is a different story. I ride till early evening then get a room for the night and then roam around town and see what's going on there. Riding at night might be fun for some but I choose not to let some free ranging animal cross the road and ruin my trip.

 

Funny, you posted this thread today. Like I said, I avoid night riding. But tonight I rode to a Memorial service for a friend, in Green Bay, 100 miles away.
I have 40 more miles to go now and it going to be dark.

 

I like riding between 8pm until after midnight, all the minivans and RVs are pull off and only the truckers are still rolling. Moonlit nights or skies full of stars are nice. Remember that you need to make hotel reservations before midnight, the major chains all convert to local rack rates after midnight and most discounts evaporate.

 

I work nights and ride in about half the time during riding season. a 40 mile trip around the loop. Coming up Chisolm trail to hit the loop is where wild life is most likely but still pretty thin. no wooded areas means my light work pretty good in covering the areas approaching the highway. Would like to take advantage of the cool evenings and take more trips out but once out of the city, the danger factor is just too much to offset the joy of a starlit trip.

 

I'll ride at night in the city, but not out in the sticks. It's not worth the risk to me.

 

I'll try to find an 18 wheeler or a group of cars going my way and tuck in behind them. I get some help from their lights, and if they hit the brakes or weave, I know to slow way down. Truckers often will warn me of obstacles or speed traps, hitting their blinkers or slowing down.

Semi busy two laners are the worst, you've got glare from the oncoming headlights to blind you, can't run high beams, can't slow down too much cause of following traffic. Not fun.

I've got a good bright H4 in the headlight and 55w H3s in the passing lamps. The right lamp is aimed at the bushes about a block ahead to catch the critters, the left hits the road a ways ahead of where the H4 cutoff is.

Hate that sharp cutoff, you're bright up close where you don't need it, and dead black past that.

My passing lamps throw almost a spotlight beam, so I'm not worried about oncomings, and I almost never get flashed.

 

We try to be at our Hotel by dinner time on trips.
I love riding at night when its warm but the wildlife keep me on the edge of my seat.

 

Not where I am from. Kinda like russian roulette, eventually your luck will run out.

 

I do night rides in the city all the time. Some times during the summer its the only time you can go out without being miserably hot. Long road trips at night on unfamiliar roads I try to avoid.

 

Back in the 60's, Fort Rucker to Panama City, almost every weekend. Attending flight school, orders to Nam, we would blast off every Friday night, stop in Dothan for fuel, then down a rural, smooth two lane thru the country side. Never a thought or concern. Just get to PC about 10 or 11 PM. On my sportster, no battery, magneto only, a couple of 68 triumph Bonnevilles, a Ducati, and a BSA.

Never gave critters, road debris a second thought, one night i actually ran out of fuel about 35 miles from PC, not having a battery on the XLCH, magneto only, lost my head light, reserve on, find a place to stay overnight. Slept in the back of a boat, being towed by another classmate. Only a few mom and pop general stores that opened the next morning.

When your young you are invincible. Don't know how i survived, what is it, fools and drunks.

Fast forward, a few years ago, a couple of acquaintances heading to Daytona. Naturally on a tight time schedule, required night time cruising down 95 to get there. One of the bikes ran over a tire alligator, it got wedged between his fender and the tire. A very bad outcome.

I still ride a little (less and less) at night, for the same "too hot during the day. But i take off about 7PM (i do like to see my nav screen switch over), i live in the sticks, speed limit is 45 on a road or two around the house, i do 35, the lights work well at that speed and road conditions. But a jacked up 4 wheel truck will still blind you, either coming or going, i hate when the occasional one is behind me. There is generally no place to turn off. And no street lights in the country, but great for star gazing. Then i still have to navigate my half mile, gravel, dirt, pine-needle covered windy drive way. Its an adventure.

Caution and common sense, adjusted lights, (don't over drive your lights) and don't follow too closely, you have to see that road debris (branches, rocks, logging truck mud, sand to avoid it. If you don't see them, they'll all get you at night. Naturally the critters are so unpredictable.