Headlights on/off during daytime?

[zadok]

I checked to see if this had been raised before and couldn't find it.
I leave my headlight on always. I believe that it gives drivers a better chance of seeing me. I've managed to survive 22 years of riding with only a few narrow misses.

My first poll, so hope it works. Choices are:
1. Always
2. Never
3. Only on Open Rod
4. Only in City/Town

+ Reasons for your choice.

[bugjuice]

mine is fixed/hard wired on, no choice. But the full beam is quit bright (ay Nhuan?) so that comes out in the dark when I want daylight..

[marty]

hard wired on.

[XP@]

I keep them on...

But have heard that if you are travelling with the sun low and behind you, turning your lights off actually improves your profile to oncoming vehicles.

Whilst this is logical, I generally forget to do this.

[ManDownUnder]

Hard wired on, but even if it wasn't - I'd leave it on (dipped)

[marty]

i've just realised, the question is 'are your lights on/off during the daytime?'

mine are always on, never off. there's no poll answer for that one. maybe zadok is a spin doctor for helen.....

[eliot-ness]

Always.... Make yourself as conspicuous as possible. Costs nothing and the excuse,'I didn't see him officer" doesn't apply. Volvo wire their cars with lights permanently on for safety reasons after a very in depth study. If it helps in car safety it must be good for bikes.

[zadok]

I meant to add that every now and then there is a push by some legislators, in Oz, to make having bike headlights on all the time, compulsory. As far as I know the MRA don't approve, especially to mandatory hard wiring of headlights.
Me...I just think it makes sense to be as visible as possible.

[zadok]

i've just realised, the question is 'are your lights on/off during the daytime?'

Good point. Should read just 'on'. I think people realise that.

[placidfemme]

Mine stay on all the time And so do my partners on her FXR (But I couldn't vote twice lol)

[Ixion]

Always. And on the Whale, running lights too

Every little helps.

I still assume the idiots WON'T see me, and having seen me will ignore me, but at least it may help with the sensible ones

Even so, I still get "Sorry I didn't see you". "OK, so you're telling me you didn't see a hulking great BMW, about the size a a main battle tank, all white, with it's headlamp on , and another 32 watts of spaced running lights, and me in my fluoro yellow jacket". "uh yeah mate, sorry"

What do you SAY to such idiots.

[Motu]

My 2 Yamaha's are hardwired on,so have no choice,on the XLV750 I ran with the lights on to save the alt/reg - but still ended up doing 3 stators and a reg/rec.Otherwise I don't care if they can see me or not,so long as I can see them all is under control.In my younger days of riding ancient British bikes I had many oportunities to ride at night with no lights at all,in the city and open road - the best defensive rider training you can ever get,you have no idea how more aware you become.

[Jabez]

My current bike is hard wired on, but my previous bike wasn't & I used to ride with just the park light on.

[Ixion]

..In my younger days of riding ancient British bikes I had many oportunities to ride at night with no lights at all,in the city and open road - the best defensive rider training you can ever get,you have no idea how more aware you become.

Actually, in the days of 6volt Magdynos, you could often go faster and see better WITHOUT headlamps, provided there was a moon

Until somebody came the other way and blinded you with their lights, and then you couldn't see anything for 5 miles.

[madboy]

hardwired, but always run with the mainbeam on when on bikes that offer a choice. I'm all for increasing visibility... downside is sometimes visibility is not wanted...