Blown bulb close call............!

I prefer my HID spot lamps not the fog lamps for night riding on unlit roads - much better range. Both have to be turned off when oncoming traffic is around as they will dazzle unless its low/bad visibility and then its the fogs. IMHO I think the fogs dazzle at night unless they're pointed down and then you don't get the range needed to make progress.

Sorry, I meant a HID conversion to the dipped beam headlight. Fogs (properly adjusted) won't make much difference to how far ahead you can see at night.

Andres
 
For the love of all things holy...

If I can rebuild a bike by the side of a road in Cambodia, or make a new thread for a gear lever using a file in a supermarket car park (Kawasaki rider was in trouble) then I'm sure that you lot can replace a bulb by the side of the road, even at night...

Pull off cover, pull wire through no more then 2 inches
Pinch the wire and gently pull away from its mounting tabs
Remove bulb from housing
Remove bulb from connector
And then reverse the above with the new bulb

Same as my car my dads car my girlfriends car no problems doing theirs either, I guess it's practice knowing how your bikes put together (familiarity) and having a light touch. And yes I do know about those people that lose the spring, but then again those are the people that haven't put a small washer over the spring in the first place so don't read the forum posts that help those in need...

You can flame me but if you can't fix your bike for little simple things that go wrong then what you gonna do when your trip turns to shit in the wilderness when your cold and wet and shivering and your all lone in the night... that's my quote and I've been round the globe 2.5 times and been in the shit more then once but always managed to sort myself out...

.........that's as maybe, but, have you ever been to Tesco on your bike?

Andres
 
For the love of all things holy...

If I can rebuild a bike by the side of a road in Cambodia, or make a new thread for a gear lever using a file in a supermarket car park (Kawasaki rider was in trouble) then I'm sure that you lot can replace a bulb by the side of the road, even at night...

Pull off cover, pull wire through no more then 2 inches
Pinch the wire and gently pull away from its mounting tabs
Remove bulb from housing
Remove bulb from connector
And then reverse the above with the new bulb

Same as my car my dads car my girlfriends car no problems doing theirs either, I guess it's practice knowing how your bikes put together (familiarity) and having a light touch. And yes I do know about those people that lose the spring, but then again those are the people that haven't put a small washer over the spring in the first place so don't read the forum posts that help those in need...

You can flame me but if you can't fix your bike for little simple things that go wrong then what you gonna do when your trip turns to shit in the wilderness when your cold and wet and shivering and your all lone in the night... that's my quote and I've been round the globe 2.5 times and been in the shit more then once but always managed to sort myself out...

That's all good and well but I bet you can't put a 'fruit pastel' in your mouth without chewing it...............!:augie



I was only fifteen minutes from home and a big well lit workshop so no real drama:nenau

FP.:D
 
It may be better to stop referring to these side lights as fog lights.
Its a £30.00 spot fine for using them unless in fog.
Better to call them day time running lights.
 
Sooty : there's a Helicopter Police officer at my local nick who has a GSA he rides ALL day with the Aux lights on, and told me to get the control centre to give him a shout if I get any Police officers give me hassle for having them on. Why not go to your local nick find out who their riding team are and ask for their numbers that way you have some professional backup who are 'JOB' who will speak out for YOUR road safety.


Yes I even ride to the local Tescos LMAO

NOW here's MY TAKE on the above situation so stick with me a second:

Buying the BIKE and the RIDING KIT is STAGE 1
Stage 2 is learning to ride the bike SAFELY and to NOT use the RIDING KIT (I mean not to crash test it).
Stage 3 is working on fine bike control and getting smoother and sharper.
Stage 4 is tinkering with the bike and fitting FARKLES.

Ok everybody should be saying yes I agree with that

Stage 5 is light servicing, lights, fairings, panels, filters, oils.

5.5 same as 3
Stage 6 is night classes or mates to learn more about the engine and how the bike works.

6.5 same as 3
Stage 7 is full servicing and diagnostics at home or 70% rebuild whilst travelling.

7.5 same as 3

That's the rough format that I followed when I started out and the more I ride the more I want to know about the bike, and more about the physics of what's happening and more importantly on how the bike lets me do what it does so well. To do that and to push a little more you have to know that your bikes in good order and as I'm not rich I've learnt that I need to know how it all goes together if that makes sense.

I'm all for being prepped for things going wrong and always try to be able to fix my own kit at the roadside with the minimum of help, now hand on heart I'm a 5.5 - 6 at the moment as I need to learn more about adjusting valves and striping down the FD but I can take 90% of the bike apart and put it back together again SAFELY, and this site and some of the others help out greatly with that point.

Now for each person reading this take a moment to think about where you are on the above scale, if your riding around and don't carry or can't change a BULB then don't you think that you should know a little more about the bike you love so much? Or are you the kind that pop out to Matlock for a cuppa and then straight back home again with your AA card in your pocket?

That's where I'm coming from, so again feel free to disagree as it's nice to hear different view points.
 
8. I don't

9. I ain't

Here's one who does a pre-ride check and behonest, probability of those that don't carry or can change a bulb won't do those checks. :nenau
 
Here's one who does a pre-ride check and behonest, probability of those that don't carry or can change a bulb won't do those checks. :nenau

I never do a pre ride check and never carry a spare bulb. :D
If my dipped blows I'll just flip the headlight to main beam and angle it down, feck everyone else.. :thumb2
 
i must be a twat cos i would just ride and blind the feckers,maybe next time i'll just push my GSA all the way home or stay put until its daylight just like car drivers do when they're bulbs blow.:JB
 
Asstro - Is it grey? don't get ya matey! I was saying if he rides like it then it's ok for the rest of us, I'd ride with him but the freckers too fast for me to keep up with, and if I could keep up he'd do me for speeding LOL

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Morty - I'm carrying all of my FRANCE break down kit in my Cage, bulbs vest med kit etc so your point about cars only goes as far to prove my point about carrying and using the kit!

Do you travel on your bike outside of the UK?
Do you carry the required by LAW kit?
If so why don't you carry the same kit in the UK? Duh

Some people do and some don't, I can't wait for you to shake the hand and say "oh it doesn't matter" to the next idiot in a car (90% Polish) with one light that doesn't see you coming next time your riding after dark. Not that I want that to happen of course but just in case remember my words when your about to rip the spuds head off mate.

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Steptoe - I'd Like to see you pull that off in Matlock matey, when the Police have that little road check thing going on in the WHATSTANDWELL (A6) food stop, Munch should know that place as his quite local to him as well as myself.

"Hello Mr Steptoe traffic check sir, I see you only have your main beam", and then the fun starts as they have a FULL MOT team go over your ride, yes a FULL MOT vehicle check by the road side with rolling road trailer for cars and everything else they need to fine the hell out of people.

We also have Tescos in Heanor and Ikea that they use for the exact same thing (A610) and the Motorway Service Station on the M1 think it's just before Junc 26 all of those can pop up anytime of day or night and all are MOT station checks. In theory if you pass their inspection then you should really get a MOT given to you (I will have to ask about that one).

So I guess it depends on where you live as much as your level of tech knowledge, there's lots of stop checks and radar ambushes (even at night) where I live as there's lots of traffic from the M1 and A6 both Manned and Van/Camera based and the chance of meeting Mr Plod when visiting the local TESCO/Sainsbury's is very very high indeed as that's where they go to buy their goodies and MC D's is right next to that so an even better chance of meeting them.

I guess I'm a :rob frecker for not wanting fines/points and I guess I'm just plain wrong for wanting to ride safe and keep my Bike in good running nick. I also guess that someone will try their best to try to say they are a great biker coz they blind other road users because they can't/won't do a very simple change of a bulb dead bulb.

Especially when it's the forums GURU of fixing things Mr Steptoe stepping up to the line, yes I do read your posts Steptoe and have learnt a bloody lot about the bike from what you have posted :) so no insult intended implyed or otherwise poked at.
 
Asstro - Is it grey? don't get ya matey! I was saying if he rides like it then it's ok for the rest of us, I'd ride with him but the freckers too fast for me to keep up with, and if I could keep up he'd do me for speeding LOL



Juddadredd
I was just wondering if his GSA is grey because i might have known him :thumb
 
wow,have another shandy or cup of tea,we are allowed to take the pi**,it's our duty. regardless of where i'm driving if my dip bulb blows at night I would flip to main beam.As you know being abroad you would take your own life in your hands stopping to faff with a bulb at night.besides in some countries you wouldn't want to stop as you'll end up bikeless & probably gang raped and a bulb would be the least of your worries.make sure you've got plenty of vaseline just in case and an inflatable water ring.and yes i do carry spares overseas & a couple at home.regardless enjoy yourself & the banter mate.:D
 
ASSTRO whats the first two of his Collar Number as I ain't going to name anyone ? might very well be the same nice salt of the earth chappy.


Pinch of salt taken matey... :) Now Speaking of gang raped when you shouldn't stop even if you really need to, I was in Da Stans this once and...

Well that's a story for another time, huge black guys with AK47's and BDU's (cargo pants but NOT like your Dads) and me thinking I was going to be the entire CAMPS bitch for the night... :pullface
 
My "fogs" for want of a better name are on all the time but they don't dazzle anyone because the light is set no higher than the dip beam.

I have Hz as ground ride the bike so I can check out the lights. The fogs don't dazzle but they do make the bike MUCH more visible.

I now want some narrow angle spots to back up main beam. 95% of the time they won't get used, but without help the standard main beam is rubbish.
 
My "fogs" for want of a better name are on all the time but they don't dazzle anyone because the light is set no higher than the dip beam.

I have Hz as ground ride the bike so I can check out the lights. The fogs don't dazzle but they do make the bike MUCH more visible.

I now want some narrow angle spots to back up main beam. 95% of the time they won't get used, but without help the standard main beam is rubbish.

I can recommend a couple of FF50 spots with 50w HID conversions - its like turning the sun on. I also fitted a handlebar ON/OFF switch so they can used as and when :thumb
 


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