You boys with all the lights

[(RIP) Perryhill]

Here's a simple question for all you with lights scattered over your bikes. Do you ride with them on? I thought I might come to the aid of my 100 GS candle with something trendy but it says on the packet you shouldn't ride with them on except in adverse conditions ~(whatever that means).

I ride with the headlight on all the time but thought it might help to preserve me on the commute if I had more

Can you, do you, should you??​

 

[Wizard]

As long as they're set in such a way as not to annoy other traffic, then you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[Bigtwin]

Got no choice for 1/2 of them - Adv has no switch for the dipped.

 

[finglonga]

Usually ride with dip on as a minimum, but found more people see me if I have my hella DE fogs on as well. They are angled as not to dazzle people and I have followed num.. numeres..nimerouse....loads of police cars with them on and had no problems.

 

[Cookson]

Usually ride with dip on as a minimum, but found more people see me if I have my hella DE fogs on as well. They are angled as not to dazzle people and I have followed num.. numeres..nimerouse....loads of police cars with them on and had no problems.

What he said.

 

[Droopy Dick]

What he said.

Me too.

I also find that my dip beam, being a 6000K HID lamp, shines quite blue, and with the way that the bike bounces about on rough road surfaces, coupled with a white Sychrotec and a hi-viz jacket seems to help the cage drivers to either see me or get out of my way.

I think that as long as you don't dazzle other road users and are careful about displaying white to the front and red to the rear you're very unlikely to get pulled over.

I did get stopped last week by a copper who wanted to know where he could get the black Scotchlite panels that fit on the back of my panniers. When I said I was a tad concerned that he'd 'do me' because they reflect white and not red, he simply commented that anything that made a bike more visible was a good idea in his book. I gather you can now get this stuff in red as well. He also thought the repeater brake lights in my Givi box were a good idea and very hard to miss.

 

[earthmover]

I have "microflooters" on my 1200, set to where dip beam would be (if it were bright enough) and ride with them on all the time at night.
Mark

 

[(RIP) Perryhill]

I did get stopped last week by a copper who wanted to know where he could get the black Scotchlite panels that fit on the back of my panniers.

So where can you get them?​

 

[GlynnJ]

Me too.

Me three.

Always dipped beam. Micro DEs when filtering on motorway . The full 330 Watts means "feck off out of the third lane, I am late for my tea".

 

[Droopy Dick]

I don't know where to get the black Scotchlite that reflects red.

I got the white stuff from the USA from here: http://www.reflectivedecals.com/saddle.htm#Rbags

Bear in mind, however, that it is strictly illegal to have white light displayed at the rear of your vehicle at night, and that includes retro-reflective panels. You can have as much white Scotchlite attached to your clothing as to you like, but the vehicle is supposed to show red to the rear.

That being said, a number of traffic guys I know have said it would be someone with an extremely small penis who would do you for it.

 

[csd4t]

Sorry to hijack the original thread but I can supply reflective vinyl in most colours and can also cut decals, stickers logos etc. Anyway back to the lights!

 

[Padge]

Take no notice of the nitty-gritty disclaimers on the lights.
You need a light with a wide spread, something like fog lights (not spot lights).

I've used a pair of Ring Micro Cruise lights from Halfords. About 25 quid.
They have a very wide spread, about 90degrees so are very good to be seen but not too good for seeing in the dark, but that's waht I wanted.

Just make sure they are mounted in such a way that they don't dazzle cars. You want them to be able to see 3 distinct lights (Headlight and spots) so they can clearly tell its not a car.
If they're angled too high I find they just melt into one bright dazzling blur ruining the effect.

Here's a simple question for all you with lights scattered over your bikes. Do you ride with them on? I thought I might come to the aid of my 100 GS candle with something trendy but it says on the packet you shouldn't ride with them on except in adverse conditions ~(whatever that means).

I ride with the headlight on all the time but thought it might help to preserve me on the commute if I had more

Can you, do you, should you??​

 

[Harleyquin]

reflective red or black/white

So where can you get them?​

http://www.reflectivelyyours.com/homepage.html

has the black to white kits and also has reflective red if you prefer.

P