Riding at Night?
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Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Connecticut
Riding at Night?
Still havent ridden the scoot at night and thinking about doing that soon. First is it any fun? anything other than the right gear to think about? anyone have any stories? pretty bored at work right now! oppsss haha
Road Captain
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 608
Likes: 0
From: Westchester, New York
I enjoy riding at night but it has its challenges. Rider visibility is very important - to avoid getting hit by a cager. I try to wear either a white helmet or a hi-viz vest. An easy way to help protect yourself is to get yourself seen!
In terms of riding, watch out on the winding roads and parkways in our area. Many have no street lights so it can be difficult to look through turns and confirm road conditions (gravel, pot holes, puddles, etc) - make sure you adjust your speed accordingly.
Also, watch out for deer and other animals!
In terms of riding, watch out on the winding roads and parkways in our area. Many have no street lights so it can be difficult to look through turns and confirm road conditions (gravel, pot holes, puddles, etc) - make sure you adjust your speed accordingly.
Also, watch out for deer and other animals!
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 555
Likes: 0
From: Moorhead, Minnesota
YO....I just rode my first time on the highway at night last week. Two of us went to a street dance about 45 miles away and rode home at night through deer country.. We left about 1:30am....I thought it was cool being out there on the highway in pitch black but I gotta admit, I was nervous because we have a buttload of deer on that stretch of HWY 10. Plus, the last 20 miles of the trip was down to one lane due to construction so it was a little unsettling. Try it out!
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,073
Likes: 6
I ride at night, probably more than most folks here. It isn't my favorite time to ride, but there's nothing wrong with it.
What do you need? Well, depends on you, where and how you will be riding.
The stock headlight on the Sporty is vintage Lucas, so you might want to do something about forward lighting if you plan on heading out on rural roads at night. Personally, I run 1 pair PIAA 35W driving lights and 1 pair Trailtech 30W HIDs, I would not recommend the TrailTech lights as their reflector and lens shapes waste a significant portion of light.
Rear lighting, depending on your bike, is poor to mediocre. I spliced a pair of HyperLite 16 LED pods into the turn/brake signals and I am very satisfied with the visibility they add.
Regarding gear, well, I'm not a black leather village person but I won't tell you what to wear. I'll simply point out that black leather ain't exactly visible in the daylight, it sure ain't visible at night.
Do I have stories? Of course, but who doesn't.
Most recently, I got caught on Natchez Trace after dark and the oncoming traffic didn't care for my forward lighting too much, but there was so much wildlife I needed ever last lumen I could to pick them all out - I stopped counting at 75 deer....
I turned off the Trace near Tupelo and that rain system I had been avoiding all afternoon finally nailed me. It rained HARD on my *** all the way from Tupelo until I got to Lafayette around 6AM. I would have stopped, but I needed to get to a shop and Cajun HD in Lafayette was where I needed to be that morning. Those folks took real good care of this drowned rat, the bike was ready by 10AM, but I slept until noon and was promptly on my way.
What do you need? Well, depends on you, where and how you will be riding.
The stock headlight on the Sporty is vintage Lucas, so you might want to do something about forward lighting if you plan on heading out on rural roads at night. Personally, I run 1 pair PIAA 35W driving lights and 1 pair Trailtech 30W HIDs, I would not recommend the TrailTech lights as their reflector and lens shapes waste a significant portion of light.
Rear lighting, depending on your bike, is poor to mediocre. I spliced a pair of HyperLite 16 LED pods into the turn/brake signals and I am very satisfied with the visibility they add.
Regarding gear, well, I'm not a black leather village person but I won't tell you what to wear. I'll simply point out that black leather ain't exactly visible in the daylight, it sure ain't visible at night.
Do I have stories? Of course, but who doesn't.
Most recently, I got caught on Natchez Trace after dark and the oncoming traffic didn't care for my forward lighting too much, but there was so much wildlife I needed ever last lumen I could to pick them all out - I stopped counting at 75 deer....
I turned off the Trace near Tupelo and that rain system I had been avoiding all afternoon finally nailed me. It rained HARD on my *** all the way from Tupelo until I got to Lafayette around 6AM. I would have stopped, but I needed to get to a shop and Cajun HD in Lafayette was where I needed to be that morning. Those folks took real good care of this drowned rat, the bike was ready by 10AM, but I slept until noon and was promptly on my way.
Riding at night is alright? visibility is the hardest. I tend to ride with brights on so I can see more than 15 ft ahead of me. It's been nothing but cold and rainy here in NJ so riding at night I try not to do, do to the fact my full face mask fogs up and makes it impossible to see out when cars headlights are shining on you.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 933
Likes: 1
From: Indianapolis
I love riding at night, but I live in the city so we have lots of street lights. Vissibility is never an issue. I love the way riding at night feels, nothing but cool wind. No sun to burn the living crap out of you. But remember just because you can see, doesn't mean the cagers can see you.
Retro-reflective clothing is always a plus.
Make sure you choose the best lane position to stay as vissible as possible. Its even more important to stay out of other people's blind spots.
When on country roads. Ride slower and be aware. Broad siding or getting broad sided by a dear isn't the best way to end the night. Make sure you look out for the little critters too.
Retro-reflective clothing is always a plus.
Make sure you choose the best lane position to stay as vissible as possible. Its even more important to stay out of other people's blind spots.
When on country roads. Ride slower and be aware. Broad siding or getting broad sided by a dear isn't the best way to end the night. Make sure you look out for the little critters too.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 396
Likes: 7
From: Dubuque, Iowa
I think my biggest consern when riding at night is the fact that you can't see dangers in the road as easily, the pot holes and such. Other than that, I love it! There is nothing like putting in a long hard day out in the heat and then jumping on the bike and taking a nice cool evening scoot ride.
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Done it a number of times. Biggest thing I found was visibility - both mine and being visible to other drivers.
I put a PIAA rough service bulb in for my visibility (works great - I can light up across the valley on bright) and my FXRG nylon jacket has the reflective piping. When it's really dark (raining or one of those really dark overcast nights with no moon ), I put on my rain gear jacket - orange and black with LOTS of reflective piping.
I've been thinking of doing the LED lighting pods under the tank and on the swingarm and forks to reflect light off the chrome as well. Where I'm at, I can do amber lighting only but no-one will be able to say they didn't see me...!
It's worth it to slow down though. As others have commented here, wildlife tends to be more active in the dark and road obstacles that would be easily seen from a distance during the day suddenly appear in your lights.
I put a PIAA rough service bulb in for my visibility (works great - I can light up across the valley on bright) and my FXRG nylon jacket has the reflective piping. When it's really dark (raining or one of those really dark overcast nights with no moon ), I put on my rain gear jacket - orange and black with LOTS of reflective piping.
I've been thinking of doing the LED lighting pods under the tank and on the swingarm and forks to reflect light off the chrome as well. Where I'm at, I can do amber lighting only but no-one will be able to say they didn't see me...!
It's worth it to slow down though. As others have commented here, wildlife tends to be more active in the dark and road obstacles that would be easily seen from a distance during the day suddenly appear in your lights.
Last edited by iceman336; Jun 19, 2009 at 03:33 PM.
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