High Beam Usage

I am also curious to hear what headlight modifications you might have made to improve safety.

The poll is missing some options .... during the day I run high-beam for visibility and during the night I run high-beam when no other traffic.


I installed HID headlights ...
http://silverwing.org/cgi-bin/topic_show.pl?pid=20617;hl=ddmtuning

I'm like Bill. I use highbeams all the time except at night with traffic. I may get new bulbs one day for better results. I remember when I had my Majesty and was impressed with the headlights. I think they had the best lights of any bike I have ever owned.

Hi All,
During the day and at night I run my low beams. When I need more light in front of me I hit the brights. When I need more light then that on some of these back roads here in Oklahoma, I'll hit the switch for my high mounted, daylight (killer) spot lights which really do a great job of lighting the road up in front of my scooter. It's good....and I do try to be curtus to others at night and just maybe they will be curtus to me in return.

DennisB

Honda-Silver I agree. I run with mine on high during the day. When I started riding with the group in Richmond, IN is when I started doing that. They used to go over safely rules before a ride and always mentioned to put your headlight on high beam during the day. On my Helix I also had a stobe put on. I don't ride at night much but use my high's unless there is an on-coming car and then I always dim them even though it is hard to see.

I agree with the high beam on all the daytime and at nite with no traffic, when, naturally, I go to dim.

It sounds like I am like some of you guys. I usually have my high beams on. The exception is at night if I encounter oncoming traffic or pull up behind someone.

Is there a way to update the options on the poll ... so I can vote properly??

I would suggest adding something to the effect of ...

"Daytime: High-Beams - Nightime: High-Beams only without oncoming or behind vehicles"

Bill,

The author would have to change the poll question. I agree that a few more choices are needed for a more accurate poll.

Skiwoods,

Is it possible to add a couple more choices? Thanks.

I give up. I have tried editing the poll and cannot figure it out. Jeff, any direction?

Gene,

You should be able to edit your poll question by doing this:

1) Log in
2) Go to your first post, when you added the poll, and hit the "edit" button.
3) When the next menu comes up that allows you to edit, you just need to scroll down to , "Add a Poll". Your poll questions will come up.
4) You will see the "Add Option" after your initial choices. Just add the new qestions/choices there.
5) Hit send.

You may want to go to the bottom of the page where you add options and hit the "Allow vote cancellations". If you don't do this we won't be able to change our votes, for those that want to change their vote.

If this doesn't work I can go in and add the additional choices if you would like. Thanks for putting this poll question out there.

When I have gone to edit mode on my first post, there is no choice for "add a poll" to edit.

Gene,

I went in and added a 4th choice. I will look in the system to see if I didn't give members permission to change their own poll question. It might be defaulted that way until I change it. Thanks.

All,

Whoever voted can now go in and cancel your vote if you would like to change your vote. Thanks.

I use my high beam during the day and at night when there is no traffic.

I also added driving lights. I use those at night and during the day if it is raining or is very dark and overcast.

I also have a Kisan modulator on my high beam for during the day.

I want to be seen and I want to see what is in front of me on a dark road.

Cathy

honda_silver wrote:

The poll is missing some options .... during the day I run high-beam for visibility and during the night I run high-beam when no other traffic.

Same as Bill, (he saved me typing.)

Waspie wrote:

Same as Bill, (he saved me typing.)

Option added ... you can cancel your vote and resubmit if you would like.

High beams always during the day

Blinding all on coming drivers!

Yes, and preventing one from seeing what's behind the oncoming Bobby Dazzler.

In the UK, the police motorcycle training manual (and the Institute of Advanced Motoring handbook, so I'm told) warn that one of the main risks of riding with high beams in day time is that it can mess with other road users' perception of how far away you are.
Counter intuitively, it is possible for them to perceive you as further away, rather than as close as you actually are.

Here you could also be prosecuted driving without due care & attention or failing to show due consideration to other road users, both can incur penalty points on your license.

Here in Florida they teach you in the safety course that you must take to get your motorcycle endorsement on your drivers licence that you should use your high beams when riding during daylight hours. I've seen this topic on a lot of forums and it always seems like it's common to use your high beams when riding during daylight hours here in the USA and it's considered rude and/or illegal over the pond. I have never been blinded by oncoming high beams or had a problem seeing what's behind an oncoming scooter or motorcycles using high beams during daylight hours.

I don't know the answer Roger, but I wonder if it has something to do with the daytime light levels in Florida, on the two occasions I have visited there it did seem like a very bright place.
Is it the same rule all over or does it vary from state to state ?

The Bern wrote:

I don't know the answer Roger, but I wonder if it has something to do with the daytime light levels in Florida, on the two occasions I have visited there it did seem like a very bright place.
Is it the same rule all over or does it vary from state to state ?

It agree it's very bright here in Florida. In fact when we are on group rides here the leader of the group will ask people riding with their lights dimmed to turn their brights on so he can see them better to keep count of the riders.
I'm not sure if other states advise using high beams in the daytime but just looking through the posts above it seems a lot of others in the USA do it.
I never notice oncoming traffic blinking their high beams at me in the daytime. If they did and I thought I was bothering them I would definitely dim my lights for them. There's so much road rage here in the USA I wouldn't want to aggravate some nut.

Both the Washington and Oregon state DMV driver's manuals recommend motorcycles (and scooters) operate with high beam headlamps during the day. I've installed a Kisan headlight modulator on my last four bikes because I believe they are a very good safety tool at least in the US and Canada where they are legal.
The most common fatal motorcycle accident in the US is an oncoming vehicle turning left across the road in front of a motorcycle/scooter. The most common explanation by the cage driver is, "I didn't see him". I know there have been several times when my modulator caused a car to stop suddenly when they were about to enter the roadway in front of me. Well worth the cost and the side benefit of longer life for your headlamp bulb is nice too. Modulators are normally installed in the high beam lamp and have photo sensors that shut off the modulator when ambient light is low as at dusk.

http://kisantech.com/mag/index.php/pathblazer.html?id=1481&p=1&category=http%3A%2F%2Fkisantech.com%2Fmag%2Findex.php%2Fpathblazer.html&make=12&model=83&submodel=363&year=33

I have a feeling it also has something to do with what roads are like and the terrain.
Here there are very few flat bits of road and so one is constantly dazzled by oncoming vehicles coming over the brow of a hill with even dipped headlights, especially the damned HID ones. Also, very many roads in the UK are in narrow cuttings (sweeping statement but certainly true in Wiltshire) so there is only one position on the road one can adopt - one is unable to move to a different line.
I didn't experience the 'dazzle' problem in West Flanders which is why I think flatness reduces the problem.

Mike I think you've probably found the main reason for the different
opinions between over there and here.