riding with high beams on | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

riding with high beams on

Seriously ? This is annoying ? What are you a snowflake ?
I have to agree with Low rider - it really is annoying!!

Side note - it looks like Marvel came out with new superheroes a while back:


newwarriors2020newkids-snowflake-and-safespace.jpg
 
What is your opinion on doing this?
Thanks for asking first.

Personally I dislike really bright headlights and especially high beams on all the time, only because the blinding effect lingers a few seconds after the vehicle has passed. This lowers my ability to be safe on the road if I need to quickly see and react to something while my eyes are recovering.

If you did not already know of SMIDSY - look it up. It’s a good lesson for how we can increase the visibility of ourselves as riders by other vehicles on the road.

I’m all for people running extra forward and rear facing lights that don’t negatively affect oncoming traffic. I agree that having a triangulation of forward facing lights really helps with improving visibility. Front headlight modulators can give confusing signals to approaching road users. Rear brake light modulators seem to be effective and not annoy people as much, but that could be because snowflakes are only affected by white light and not red.

Other things that riders do to improve visibility also include wearing bright helmets or clothing or using reflective stickers or decals on their bike like the ones made by 3M.

Safe riding!
 
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I have to agree with Low rider - it really is annoying!!

Side note - it looks like Marvel came out with new superheroes a while back:


newwarriors2020newkids-snowflake-and-safespace.jpg
You are correct the whiners about high beams . The biggest snowflakes around .
 
I'm sorry. I was being a bit of a *****.
I'm actually disgusted with myself.
Over the winter I actually installed 3 LED lights, each with 21 bulbs per light
I'm deathly scared people do not see me when I'm riding.

I'm sorry
 
Extra running lamps (physically spaced out from the headlight as far as you can) are a better plan than one single super-bright point light source; makes the bike physically look bigger.
 
Something to consider; riding with high beams on at night is not only a dick move but dangerous. On bikes where one headlight is low beam and the other the high beam, riding with both on can make you look like a car that's far away. That's why many bike manufactures avoided spacing out low beams OR keeping just one headlight for the low beam.
As for daytime, on a sunny day, I always rode with the high beams on the R6. They were the stock bulbs, not particularly bright and in no way annoying (I've ridden in front of my bike and seen it in the mirror) Yes, it does add to your visibility. As another user mentioned, flashing lights at someone else can be ambiguous, you can't assume their intentions after you flash them. The only time I've flashed headlights was for cops or for left lane cruisers.
 
I've been using a headlight modulator for about 12 years on my ST1100 and find them to be very effective. I only turn it on at interesections and other relatively high risk situations. Never run with it on 100% of the time as you will pi$$ people off and they will respond aggressively. I'm looking for a modulator for my new Tracer GT.
Congrats on the new Tracer. Perfect replacement for the ST1100. Hopefully our paths will cross this coming riding season.
 
I've always been a proponent of running hi-beams on during the DAY ONLY but having said that you can't blanket statement that. It depends on your particular set of lights. Some on cars are crazy bright (looking at your cars Acura) so the OP is doing it right by having a friend check them out. (y)

What I've since done on my bike is replace the bulb with an LED that's brighter on the low beam side such that I no longer feel the need to run high beams so that's an option in case no one's mentioned it already.
 
I've always been a proponent of running hi-beams on during the DAY ONLY but having said that you can't blanket statement that. It depends on your particular set of lights. Some on cars are crazy bright (looking at your cars Acura) so the OP is doing it right by having a friend check them out. (y)

What I've since done on my bike is replace the bulb with an LED that's brighter on the low beam side such that I no longer feel the need to run high beams so that's an option in case no one's mentioned it already.
The GSXS uses projectors? :oops:
 
I've always been a proponent of running hi-beams on during the DAY ONLY but having said that you can't blanket statement that. It depends on your particular set of lights. Some on cars are crazy bright (looking at your cars Acura) so the OP is doing it right by having a friend check them out. (y)

What I've since done on my bike is replace the bulb with an LED that's brighter on the low beam side such that I no longer feel the need to run high beams so that's an option in case no one's mentioned it already.
Since I haven't run a newer bike in quite a while :), I am of the same boat of thought. Running high beams during the day (ony) can't be too bothersome to other drives, I would think, and brings some awareness.

But at night? Use them only when needed. My 2 cents.
 
I would also turn the hi's off when in stop and go traffic where you're behind another car. If at the front, left them on.
 
Thanks these look pretty sweet. Amazon.ca has them for $50 including free shipping:

I think I read somewhere these use up 13.5w each, which would be nice compared to the dual 55w my halogens use.
 
Extra running lamps (physically spaced out from the headlight as far as you can) are a better plan than one single super-bright point light source; makes the bike physically look bigger.
Just like a toad puffs himself all up big so he looks bigger and harder to swallow.
 
Thanks these look pretty sweet. Amazon.ca has them for $50 including free shipping:

I think I read somewhere these use up 13.5w each, which would be nice compared to the dual 55w my halogens use.
Pretty sure they never had them on .ca when I bought although in hindsight I should've asked.
 
Thanks these look pretty sweet. Amazon.ca has them for $50 including free shipping:

I think I read somewhere these use up 13.5w each, which would be nice compared to the dual 55w my halogens use.

And a $10 coupon right now brings them down to $40.


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Thanks everyone.. Appreciated. Nobody likes being blinded by an idiot, and I for one, just an FYI, have gone to great lengths to reduce the intensity of the DRL's on my SUV (I had purchased some cool LED bulbs and they were stupid angry piercing bright, so I added a high-wattage resistor in series with the lamp, now they are perfect.) I like the idea of adding lighting or flicking the high beams in certain situations.

Fred, you just can't be too careful with the maniacs on the road these days. When it comes to safety, consider a set of snow plough lights. And get this helmet.
1609714747544.png

And if you want to survive those speeding b-tards in their black 4-wheel drive pickup truck, only a blast suit will do.
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