Keeping visible in the depths of winter.

[Steam]

So... can I wear a strobe? As long as it's not connected to the bike, it's a part of my clothing or backpack. Legal beagles, what say you?

[bert_is_evil]

There must be some law against impersonating a disco

[moT]

in situations like this its just important to be visable as audable so take off ur can

[HungusMaximist]

I seriously think we need some more motorbike gimmicky stuff in NZ.

If there's any suggestions please post them here.

I've seen a few stuff here and there but it's all too limited and specialised. You too often have to research long and hard for them.

And I am real keen on those reflective strips one of you guys mentioned, preferably that I can purchase at an economical price.

Cheers.

[magicfairy]

I can't find any of these on Tradme at the moment - anyone spotted them anywhere else?

Edit - in NZ that is, I've found websites offshore that sell them

I bought a couple last year (Helmet Halo) from an overseas web site as no one stocked them here but they lose their elasticity if you stretch them a bit much, or take if off, put it on a few times. Then you find yourself riding down the road with a wierd necklace. I don't think I'd bother again. But worked really well for visibility. I have opted for putting reflective tape on my backpack and a little bit on the back of my helmet instead.

[Bnonn]

An update on the spotlamps/secondary headlights I installed: they are cheap for a reason. One of them has blown already, and they both had condensation on the interior of the lens within a day or so. I'll be looking for some more hardy alternatives; preferably ones which aren't quite as bright, since my issue isn't so much with not being able to see, as not being seen by cagers—and since WOF regulations specify only two high-beam headlamps, I'd like to try to stick to the standards. Not that I agree with them, but it will make getting a WOF easier (; At the moment, I'm thinking that a superbright LED cluster on each side of the headlight would be pretty spiffy, since they use very little voltage (and once I have my air horn and radar detector and heated grips and whatnot I fear my battery may not survive), and are very visible.

And I am real keen on those reflective strips one of you guys mentioned, preferably that I can purchase at an economical price.

I have had utterly no luck tracking these down in Hamilton. I can get some short, red or white self-adhesive reflective tape strips, but that's it. No black (which is what I want for understandable reasons), and nothing longer than about 50 cm, which means I can't buy in bulk off a roll, but have to purchase separate lengths at far higher cost. It seems ridiculous that you can't find this stuff. I've been to hardware stores, cycle shops, car shops, motorcycle shops, safety shops—everyone just shrugs their shoulders and says, "yeah...dunno eh..."

If anyone can help with finding some good bulk suppliers of various colors of reflective tape I'd be very grateful.

[xgnr]

Thanks (: Yeah, they are; 12 V, 50 W halogen with glass lenses. I am sure they must be available elsewhere in New Zealand, given that Hamilton is hardly the place to be when it comes to buying accessories. If there is a Supercheap in Auckers, I'd be surprised if they didn't stock these lights. Even if they don't, I'm sure they'd be able to order them in.

I tracked these down and splashed out on a pair BUT after some study I worked out that you cant have more than two dipped or two high beam lamps.

Wonder if I can have one installed under the existing Main/Dip lamp (see my dodgy diagram). Issue is, can you have the running light on at the same time as the dipped beam which is what you would have running during the day? I have read the rules a few times and it sez you cannot have more than two dipped lamps.

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/cer...cles-04-v3.pdf

Any one know if I will pass a warrant or do I have to wire into the Main only (which defeats the purpose of LOTS of light during the daytime).??? Any help gratefully received

[Bnonn]

I don't know; it's all too damned confusing. If you're looking for high visibility during the day, I'd seriously consider avoiding lamps altogether so as to mitigate the WOF issues, and just get high-intensity LED clusters. They're neither a dipped light nor a high-beam, since they aren't designed to cast a beam in the first place; they're just meant to be effing bright so that cars won't miss you (or will, as the case may be). Something like this maybe: http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.sto...uct/View/P8634

At the moment, I have just left the one secondary light which has died, so I'm running only the remaining one plus my high-beams. But I'll get it fixed soon.

[xgnr]

Cool thanks for that. Was a bit of an impulse buy but nice and bright (also cheap).

Just for interests sake I upgraded the headlight from a 60/55w H4 to a 100/60 as I have a glass lens. Melts possums at 50 m lol.

Will check out the leds as an option and also leave the 55w Halogen to run when hi beam is on. One thing you can say about the Beemer is that they have plenty of electrical grunt.

cAn observation; After riding a push bike for many years as well I sometimes wonder if being "bright" means being just a better target...

Cheers