Night Riding - Welcome Feedback

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In a few weeks time I will be attending a Bike Maintenance course, it is being held in the evening and hence will be riding home at night time.

I would appreciate any comments relating to this topic.

Could I ask please that those wanting to reply go to the Wannabe Newbie forum BuckBuck's Newbie Training, as it will be good to keep all this newbie stuff there for me and others to go through the thread. Appreciate it.

[Zapf]

dress warm...

[James Deuce]

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=30010&page=8

[GR81]

dont fall off.

[WickedOne]

I would suggest finding out if you can get a brighter bulb for the GN. I had a GN some time ago and found the standard headlight pretty much useless. Besides that, dress warm and just relax, you'll find you get used to riding in the dark quite quickly.

[kiwifruit]

Take it easy and dont outride your headlight (make sure you can stop where you can see).
Other traffic can get confussed with bikes at night too, they can misread how far away you are.... eg: Thinking you are a car 900m away instead of a bike 25m away.

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Thanks for the feedback, some very good points raised. Appreciate it.

[dawnrazor]

ride to the conditions --- its only night time riding, not space travel. Use your common sense.

[Zapf]

I would suggest finding out if you can get a brighter bulb for the GN. I had a GN some time ago and found the standard headlight pretty much useless. Besides that, dress warm and just relax, you'll find you get used to riding in the dark quite quickly.

good point. GN probly have some really old tech headlights too. you can either replace the whole unit or put a good bulb in... Suzuki uses cheap Osram bulbs for all their bikes, put in some Philips Perimer bulbs...

[crazybigal]

get one of those ice blue ones with 20-30% more juice, they look cool and work real good, my brother have one on his old xv, way better!


good point. GN probly have some really old tech headlights too. you can either replace the whole unit or put a good bulb in... Suzuki uses cheap Osram bulbs for all their bikes, put in some Philips Perimer bulbs...

[sunhuntin]

my biggest dislike about night riding would have to be oncoming cars with only one headlight working. i nearly clipped the left side of one one night cos i thought it was a motorbike.
riding at night in town is easy to get used to as you can also utilise the street lights. just keep a good eye out for any animals that may run out...i had a dog have a go at a former friend once. make sure your tail light is working too.

[98tls]

pretty obvious really but i have been caught out before....if you use a dark visor get a clear one for night riding and make sure its clean.

[Ozzie]

On the visor, it is seriously obvious, and seriously easy to overlook.

I bought an Oxford Sports bum bag, I think it cost about $60, not the most appealling piece of kit I own, but practicle.

It takes a spare visor against your body, has room for a small bottle of pump, sunnies, wallet (shhh! and cigs), and a cap (I hate helmut hair).

Not the cheapest, not the best looking, but haven't been caught out since.

[Zapf]

get one of those ice blue ones with 20-30% more juice, they look cool and work real good, my brother have one on his old xv, way better!

Blue light / ice blue bulbs gives out less visible light.:nono: