Travelling at night - Dangers?

[crazyhorse]

It was rural Hawkes Bay that put me off. Sure, the unexpected can happen in the day, but at nighttime, the effect of your headlight coming along compels a lot of animals (mostly rabbits) to make a suicide run. In the car, that's great, gives you something to aim for. Not so much on the bike.

I was taught to ride with the motto of "always expect the unexpected" I ride expecting something to jump out, not ride complacently. Yeah, we do have lots of rabbits etc but they can be on the road in daylight too - have had one jump 3 foot in the air before he decided which way he was gonna go, and that was daylight - have also come around a corner in shade of trees and hit a block of wood - wouldn't probably have seen that at night either. But the point I was trying to make was to be more aware at night, but not put off at riding

[george formby]

The same rules apply at night as during the day, travel at a safe speed to react to dangers, for me with mediocre headlights a fair bit slower. I can see further through a left hand bend than a right which feels like riding into an abyss when the bike tips in. I had to regularly commute 150k at night a while ago & got into the habit of watching the reflectors on the road side to show where the road was going. They light up a long way ahead & act like a long distance vanishing point.
A warm night with clean roads & absolutely no traffic is magic, just the engine, wind rush & a bloody great moth exploding on the visor.

[schrodingers cat]

Many years ago I used to work night shift and finish at midnight. I'd leap on the bike and head on up the road (Ingill/Hedgehope/Mataura). It was VERY rare to encounter ANY traffic on the 80km blast

On clear moonlit nights the headlight seemed to restrict vision to what was is its cone and everything else outside was a mystery.
I'd turn the lighs off and ride by moonlight.

I'd don't know if I'd do it now but back then it just felt perfect.

[Ixion]

Yep. Lights off worked better than Joe Lucas's candle.

A big single on song, no headlamp and a good moon on a lonely road is as magical as motorcycles gets.

Still is, but its harder to find the roads.nowadays.

A caveat though - turn the headlamp off, but make sure to leave the taillamp lit

[MSTRS:Me]

Riding at night on the GSXR is probably safer than in the Commode...better lights on the Suzuki.

[rocketman1]

The SV has a very wide flat beam so it shines the sides of the road well, which is great for turning corners, you can actually light the way you are turning.
Came back from Taupo in the dark a few months back travelling pretty quick, seemed to be little problems, but that is on a wide well travelled highway, if I was not on SH1 I would have been travelling alot more cautiously.
The biggest issue was the midges/ sandflies on my visor, looked like it was near totally obscured by the buggers.

[ellipsis]

...hmmmm, real clever, must duck in here know and again, see what kind of really intelligent survival skills I can glean from such people as you, like nothing daft...

Anyone who believed that shouldn't be in charge of their feet, let alone something with a motor. Can't believe you actually thought I was serious.

.....I couldnt give a toss at all about your silly comment, just where it's posted. I wouldn't have looked at all if a 15 year old hadn't asked me if it was serious....bit like telling a four year old that a box of matches are safe.

[Sis]

Many years ago I used to work night shift and finish at midnight. I'd leap on the bike and head on up the road (Ingill/Hedgehope/Mataura). It was VERY rare to encounter ANY traffic on the 80km blast

On clear moonlit nights the headlight seemed to restrict vision to what was is its cone and everything else outside was a mystery.
I'd turn the lighs off and ride by moonlight.

I'd don't know if I'd do it now but back then it just felt perfect.

It is still just as great! Just choose the time and place. Good moon , great road and no traffic.

I was out on a ride at night several weeks back when I lost low beam. At different stages I rode on no beam (I only have high and low beam which wasn't there) as I thought my high beam would be annoying the rider in front.
OK I was safe enough as I had a rider ahead and another behind.
It was bloody fantastic.
You still see all the shapes and movements, just not in colour. Gives you a real buzz

[Berries]

Hope a 15 year old doesn't read that.