riding within my headlight at night

[Stig / Major Tom]

All of my scooter rides start out in the dark - year around, here in Ohio.
The deer and I cohabitate the roads so I ride well within my headlights on every scooter (the Burgman's twin headlights, esp. after I re-aimed them, were like a 747 landing!)....the 35W LIKE's lights are sorta like your flashlight needing new batteries....So I set my speed accordingly.
Fine by me. I'm in no hurry.


CRUISING HERE....




TOP SPEED....



There are all kinds of LEDs and spots that people use on their scooters. From what I can see they throw a massive flood of light directly in front of the scooter....which would be helpful I suppose in a parking lot full of holes.
I did replace the LIKE's bulb with a slightly brighter bulb, which has a bit of an orangish look - which is supposed to make me more visible to drivers.
Stig

[Stig / Major Tom]

I do know that I am very lucky to be able to cruise regularly between 23 and 33mph - without getting into trouble from cars.
It's no accident that my route permits those speeds.
Coming home today I had not one single car come up behind me - and only one on the ride out.
I'm not your typical scooter rider - not sure I'd still be here in this town if I was.
Stig

[Iahawk]

Your early morning rides have always impressed me. Not only getting up that early but riding in complete darkness. I think I'd be afraid of...a lot of things...riding in total darkness. Road debris, critters, deer, potholes...

I guess the speeds you travel help mitigate or minimize any potential issues you might run into.

Keep on Truckin', Stig!

[Stig / Major Tom]

Your early morning rides have always impressed me. Not only getting up that early but riding in complete darkness. I think I'd be afraid of...a lot of things...riding in total darkness. Road debris, critters, deer, potholes...

I guess the speeds you travel help mitigate or minimize any potential issues you might run into.

Keep on Truckin', Stig!

Thanks - don't forget that I never ride an unfamiliar road in the dark.
And, if it stormed overnight - I ride watching for tree debris in certain areas.
The city is quiet, the farms are quiet, the countryside cool, the skies often amazing.
Only excitement this morning - was a squirrel doing the "I-don't-know-which-way-to-go" Rumba,  in front of me.
I slowed to a stop and gave him a score of 7.5, for originality and great hip action.
Stig

PS: and a rabbit. I swear that rabbit ran through my front spokes! or between my front and rear wheels!





 

[john grinsel]

Just good common sense to ride within range/cover if headlight....or maybe a little slower.  I like to see what I might hit...

[Kansas kymco]

Just realized I have never seen any of my Scooters headlights or dash lights at night.   Did see a bicycle rider pulled over close to my house last night. I imagine the police had something to say about riding at night with no lights.

[Neil955i]

Just realized I have never seen any of my Scooters headlights or dash lights at night.   Did see a bicycle rider pulled over close to my house last night. I imagine the police had something to say about riding at night with no lights.

I don’t often! Saying that, I rode my XT300i in the dark for the first time on Friday night and the headlamps are OK, not led brilliant, but adequate.


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[Stig / Major Tom]

Just realized I have never seen any of my Scooters headlights or dash lights at night.   Did see a bicycle rider pulled over close to my house last night. I imagine the police had something to say about riding at night with no lights.

That is so strange to read!

I was looking at my LIKE's dash during my dark the other morning.....comparing it to the clean dash on the Liberty.
Looking down at the KYMCO for the speed is like looking at a lit, too small, bowl of colored Ramen noodles mixed with pieces of green and red peppers.
The correct info is in there - but requires more than a quick glance.

The 55W-60 headlight of the Liberty is SO much better than the 35W-35 bulb in the LIKE!
In the fog the pattern is very different.
The Liberty puts out a focused flat cone of light, well cut-off on each side. The LIKE puts out a .....well, it's just out there, by comparison, and not very bright. The high beam looks like a DollarStore flashlight, with a dark hole in the middle.
I ride the LIKE routinely about 5>8 MPH slower than the Liberty - for a number of reasons.
Still....I'd rather be out there in the dark, than in daylight with distracted, impatient drivers who have anger issues!!


Stig

[Kansas kymco]

Just not that many aggressive drivers here. Most of my rides I take old hwy 81 which parallels 135 interstate.  The routes I take traffic is almost non-existent. I worry more about animals of a night then drivers of a day. Deer are especially active at dusk and dawn. Last Wednesday on Roxbury road 20 mile stretch before turning South to Duram only seen 2 vehicles  but did see 4 Deer.

[CROSSBOLT]

Disappointed in the lights on the Downtown! Understatement! Four lights and virtually useless..

So, if riding within my lights, I would be backing up! Har, har!

[Stig / Major Tom]

Disappointed in the lights on the Downtown! Understatement! Four lights and virtually useless..

So, if riding within my lights, I would be backing up! Har, har!

 

[Neil955i]

Considering how much lighting has come on of late, thinking halogen, projectors, led etc., why is it most motorcycles & scooters have such pathetic headlamps? 

Surely it’s not too much to ask to see where you’re going at night at 40+ mph?
[emoji2959]


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[JJJoseph]

I ride well within my headlights on every scooter

I guess that's why Some people go overboard with a lot of lighting up front!

[Stig / Major Tom]

Disappointed in the lights on the Downtown! Understatement! Four lights and virtually useless..

So, if riding within my lights, I would be backing up! Har, har!

It's not a question of adjusting the aim of the lights?
I had pretty good twin headlights on the Burgman - and they really improved when I took the time to adjust the aim of them - especially the right one  - extending it for a better view of the curbs and fog stripes!

Think of limited access highway night driving - and then think of driving at 80>90% of those speeds on a dark country road.
To my way of thinking - vehicles simply cannot provide enough non-blinding light at night for the speeds most people drive when off of the highways.. And darn few seem to slow down on wet roads where the view of the pavement is so vastly impaired.

If you're running in the Baja 1000 you can run with massive lighting - but not on the streets.

My every ride starts in the dark - but at an hour with very, very little traffic. Even in the daylight my route can have little traffic. I mentioned to my wife that, the other morning, not one single car came up behind me from the time I left my side walk coffee table - to my driveway nearly an hour away.

I do see plenty of blinding lights added on big motorcycles - never seen such on Japanese crotchers.

Stig

[Iahawk]

not sure if these count as 'blinding'...but they probably double my light output, at least!  Installed them more to be seen than to see.