Visibility

[v.ros`]

hey Guys

I was wondering whether is it only my Honda or all of the bikes who only got ONE HEADLIGHT switched on fulltime (for safety reasons of course), but at night, when i try to use both of the lights, the other one is for HIGH BEAM.

I have only been riding my bike in evening this one week and today i got an insult from a cager - reason being my high beam. I did that coz i feel safer that way especially at night , since i belive one light is not enough for people to see you.

So does all bike have this problem or am i missing a bulb in my one headlight?

Regards

[BABY R]

I don't know about the '02 headlights, but the '03 onwards CBR600's have only one headlight on. The other one is HIGH BEAM. If you are finding that your normal headlight isn't bright enough, maybe try adjusting it slightly higher? You can also replace the bulb to a brighter one.

Hope that helps.

[inlinefour]

Its plain and simple. IF you dont feel safe on your bike at night you have two options.
1. Get alternative lighting installed on your ride or,
2. Quit riding at night.
There is no excuse for riding toward traffic with high beam on at all. Its plain bloody dangerous and could be considered careless driving (riding),
As it is your bike then it is also your responsibility to sort it out. Had a bike with a halogen on top of the headlight, great for night riding...

[Ixion]

..
I have only been riding my bike in evening this one week and today i got an insult from a cager - reason being my high beam. I did that coz i feel safer that way especially at night , since i belive one light is not enough for people to see you.

So does all bike have this problem or am i missing a bulb in my one headlight?

Regards

What problem? When on dipped beam you have a dipped beam ? I'm not surprised you got insulted if you're riding around in the face of other traffic on high beam. Road code is crystal clear - 3 situations where you must dip (now, what's the third then). If you continue to ride so selfishly sooner or later one of them will ram you.

And , even in the days of the ancient 6V Lucas systems, I never found a bike that had problems with dip beam. High beam being inadequate for fasy open road work yes, but dip beam is usually fine.

And the majority of bikes only have one headlight.

(Incidentally, how the heck did you go all through the learner and resyricted period without night riding - which would have had to be on another bike)

[FEINT]

I think you should have your normal 'dipped' lights looked at. I only have one light as well on my 636 and I find that bright enough. You can always compare them with someone else and see how that goes. ? But I don't suggest riding around with "high beam". Won't be very popular.

[Zed]

hey Guys

I was wondering whether is it only my Honda or all of the bikes who only got ONE HEADLIGHT switched on fulltime (for safety reasons of course), but at night, when i try to use both of the lights, the other one is for HIGH BEAM.

I have only been riding my bike in evening this one week and today i got an insult from a cager - reason being my high beam. I did that coz i feel safer that way especially at night , since i belive one light is not enough for people to see you.

So does all bike have this problem or am i missing a bulb in my one headlight?

Regards

It's not a manufacturing fault or anything, it's just how they make them! My Honda Blackbird has a single headlight with low and high beam bulbs in a vertical configuration (see pic) - your Honda CBR6 has hi & low in two separate horizontal lamps...get used to it.

As has been suggested, try increasing the bulb wattage if the low beam is not bright enuf for you at night.

Btw, go Honda!!

[inlinefour]

Yea go Honda!

I don't know whats more concerning. !. This turkey is riding with high beam on all the time or 2. He thinks that its OK to do so.

Either way, sounds like a cager who thought it would be cool to get a bike

[v.ros`]

hey inlinefour.

can u stop bloody acting like a retard and stop calling me a 'turkey'.

I wrote that damn post to ask for your guys opinion about the high beam. If i didnt care about other cagers or riders on the road, then i wouldnt even bother starting this thread... i thought my bike had a problem (only one headlight on full time) and thats y i posted here to see if its only my bike or there are others who also ride at night with only one headlight.

Im not saying i need the other headlight for seeing in the dark.... i only switch it on due to the fact that at night, there is alot of glare and so its hardher to see a bike with one headlight then a bike with two headlights.

Since it seem that its prefectly normal, i now know not to use my high beam.
(passes apologies to the cager whom i insulted yesterday)


and to Ixion, i had a 250cc cruiser bike as well before this and it only had one big light in front. Thats what i rode all the time until i got my full license.

[stify]

(Incidentally, how the heck did you go all through the learner and resyricted period without night riding - which would have had to be on another bike)[/QUOTE]


thats gota be a go for all vehicle classes,just look how many roadusers
cant see at night and drive like "turkeys"
(i dont like night ridin....far to many bugs to clean off)

[Zed]

and to Ixion, i had a 250cc cruiser bike as well before this and it only had one big light in front. Thats what i rode all the time until i got my full license.

Hey v.ros, that 250 you owned would have had a double filament bulb fitted in the single headlight assembly which acted as both high and low beam. Your new bike has two separate single filament bulbs each in their own headlight assembly, one acting as low beam and the other as high beam...new design and technology, that's all.

The twin headlights on your CBR6 and other modern sportsbikes look neat and give the bike heaps of character, but the single low beam often gives other motorists the impression that you have a light out, which you'll probably get sick of hearing. It's just the way that they are manufactured, there are aftermarket options available to sort it out though if you're willing to spend the extra dough?

Btw, I agree that the "turkey" comment was 'out of line' by inlinefour!

[v.ros`]

thanx Zed for explaining clearly.

I appreciate it.

I used to ride at night in my 250 but it was different as there is only one light - so u dont get the impression that by your switching ON your full beam, you will get noticed more...

with this CBR, i just "assumed" that switching on the ful beam would make me safer but i guess i need to consider other road users as well...

well thanx to those who replied nicely.

Ride safe

[Zed]

with this CBR, i just "assumed" that switching on the ful beam would make me safer but i guess i need to consider other road users as well...

It might surprise you to hear that there are a number of riders out there (and in here) who ride regularly with their high beam on! I've heard of guys who ride on the motorways with full beam on so that other motorists know for sure that they are approaching...you're not alone out there v.ros!

[Wolf]

with this CBR, i just "assumed" that switching on the ful beam would make me safer but i guess i need to consider other road users as well...

Yep, never underestimate the power of even a single high beam, I've encountered a few cars in my time that have - keep coming towards me on a long straight (plenty of time to see my approaching headlamp) with their lights on full - after all, it's only a motorbike, not of any consequence really...

Until I flip the switch back to "full" and leave it on 'til they get the message - usually in under two seconds - and dip their own lights. One headlamp I may have, but on full it is still pretty uncomfortable.

Run your low beam at all times, even during the day to make you more visible. At night use full beam when you're out on the open road with no traffic in front of you (that includes people you're following - an intense glare in the rear view mirror is a serious hazard). Dip your lights when following, when there is on-coming traffic, when a police officer is directing traffic and when you stop. Generally in well-lit areas you should not need full beam (if you somehow manage to find a well-lit city street that doesn't have other traffic on it).

[Flyingpony]

Never run around with hi-beam in traffic. Even the tiny FXR units get flashed and tooted at by cars.

Only in an emergeny have I broken that rule. Both (twin headlight set) lo-beams blew at roughly the same time. It was the only working light option I had that evening to get home. Stuck to day riding for the rest of that weekend till I could get spares on Monday 9am, shop was out, so it became Tuesday 5pm. Never mind.

[Ixion]

... Dip your lights when ...a police officer is directing traffic and when you stop. Generally in well-lit areas you should not need full beam (if you somehow manage to find a well-lit city street that doesn't have other traffic on it).

Yep, that's the trick one. Alway's made we wonder a bit, how many times do you see police officers directing traffic in situations where anyone would be riding on full beam anyway. Still, I wouldn't want to be blinded either. Ones that aren't mentioned but courtesy should enforce, is when approaching road work gangs or an accident scene.