What's your opinion on running lights then?

[LardEmbargo]

(As opposed to running red lights, which is entirely different. There's no dragging someone out of their car and beating them to a pulp in the gutter in this story, for instance.)

Ok, so my bike's a japanese import. Turn the ignition on and I get a dipped beam headlight, a tail-light and also extra bonus orange lights cos the front indicators do this combined indicator/running light thing and light up (not very brightly, just a bit) too.

Obviously they also flash when I'm actually indicating, they're just constantly lit the rest of the time as well.

Inside the housing there's a dual-filament glass wedge bulb thing (no metal fitting, the glass enclosure is just sort of pinched into a flat that slots straight into the holder). The low power running light filament for one of mine blew, anyway, is where this all started. So I couldn't go out for a ride cos with one running light working and the other one dead it looked like I'd got one indicator stuck on. The first (closest) bike shop I visited, clutching my now useless bulb thing to see if they had any so I could go for a ride, gave me the What In God's Name Is That? treatment and said they'd never seen anything like it, which brought all kinds of distressing pictures of having to replace the whole indicator unit cos I couldn't find a stupid bulb for it to mind. They did suggest I try at Mr Repco's finest bulb emporium though, which was great as it turned out cos there they had something that looked almost exactly the same as my busted one for the princely sum of $6. Ker Ching.

Anyway, while hunting through the bulb aisle I noticed they also had single filament ones, i.e. no running light at all. Just an indicator. And it struck me that I dunno how I feel about having the indicators lit all the time. Maybe I prefer them just to flash when, you know, I'm trying to indicate.

What do you reckon? Do bikes often have them? Do I need them? Do the extra bonus running lights make me more visible and less likely to get squashed, or is having the indicators lit all the time more likely to just confuse easily-confused car drivers and increase my getting-squashed-chances?

Your valuable insights on this welcomed anyway :)

[Steam]

Hey it's the Tesla man! Welcome back! I dunno about the answer to any of your questions but when riding around Taiwan I used to keep my hazard lights (all the indicators) flashing at night to make myself more visible. Lots of people did it there. Funny, bikes here don't seem to have hazard lights.

[Ixion]

Ah. This is a very interesting and important topic.

I have separate running lights fitted to the BMW. Orange lights (actually indicators) , with a separate switch. As the rules require, they are turned off when the headlamps are turned on. But I have another secret squirrel switch that overrides that.

That is the law. If you have running lights, they must switch off when the headlamps are on. Which is rather a nonsense on a bike.

Mine (like almost all after fitment ones ) are also technically illegal because they do not have the correct letters on the lenses for running lights they have the coe for inicators. Which is also a load of bollocks.

I think running lights are a very good idea. When I see a bike with them it is always more noticeable. And more importantly they are valuable becaus ethey give a width perception. A single headlamp does not give a viwer any easy idea of how far off youa re or how fast you are moving . Spaced apart running lights do

I think they are good. I wish the law was not such an idiot.

And bikes do have hazard lights. The BMW does,anyway.

Most of my other bikes are too old to have anything much in the way of lights, even a hedlamp was considered swanking.

[Shadows]

I hate noddy lights.
My bike came with them, the problem was quickly solved with some deft sidecutter work.

[LardEmbargo]

I think running lights are a very good idea. When I see a bike with them it is always more noticeable. And more importantly they are valuable becaus ethey give a width perception. A single headlamp does not give a viwer any easy idea of how far off youa re or how fast you are moving . Spaced apart running lights do.

Mr Ixion, you raise a really interesting point, wot I hadn't thought of. I was just thinking more lights = more noticeable, but you're right the extra width they give you might help with people working out whereabouts you are and how fast you're travelling too.

I am starting to think maybe I can put up with the possible noddy-look (I'm already wobbling around with an L-plate on after all, how much worse can it get?) and perhaps I won't have a go at them with the side-cutters just yet after all :) cheers

[Hitcher]

Mrs H's Marauder has "running lights" -- the front indicators are on all the time, irrespective of the headlight.

My ZRX1200R had the same set up, fixed when I ground off the front RH unit and the replacement part wasn't wired for such goings on. Given that Mrs H's Marauder is a US market model and that my Zrex was manufactured in Lincoln Nebraska (albeit for the Canadian market), I suspect that this is something our American friends have dreamed up.

I am unconvinced as to the value of this facility, given that two piddly little orange lights have to compete with (a) dirty great headlight(s). They certainly don't stand out when viewed in one's rear view mirror.

[limbimtimwim]

I like them. Both my Honda's did it for the front indicators. It seemed to be a factory behaviour. They were on all time the, since you could not disable the headlights.

I've wondered idly about somehow getting my Suzuki to do it. Any extra visibility I think is good.

I think you want Honda Part Number: 34906-GAH-003 . At least that is what goes in my RVF's front indicators.

[Macktheknife]

Personally I think they are a good idea, on my bikes that have had them I find that I am more visible to cagers which is always a good idea. The added perception point Ixion raises is a good one and valid I think.
Guess it comes down to taste, what do you think is more important?

[James Deuce]

Personally, I'd like to be able to turn my headlight off sometimes, and running lights can go in the pile of reflective clothing in the corner of my gargre.

[peanuteater]

[
I've wondered idly about somehow getting my Suzuki to do it. Any extra visibility I think is good.

cant find it now, but have seen a "set up" for this on trade me a while back, was around $60 i think ?
have them on the front of my bike, and dont do a lot in the day time, but i think they help give a better sense of distance at night and also stand out very well.

[paturoa]

I was heading down Titirangi road the other evening just after dark. There was a criuser style bike coming the other way with widly spaced riding lights that were lower in height cf the main light. It really stood out because of the triangle configuration. But whoah I it suddently occured to me that there was another bike (a ginny as it happened) travelling in front of the cruiser.

So the 3 light configuration stood out to such an extent that the ginny was lost in the noise.

I've since been looking at a way to mount several superbright LCDs on each of my indicators. White for forward and Red for the rear.

[johnnyflash]

Yep, the Suzy Boulevard 1500 also has similar setup, headlights and marker lights come on with ignition, tho off while starting. as said before by many, width perception is good and aids visability, this model also has hazard lights where all four flash at once... not that Ive used em yet...but I do prefer any extra visability..