Do you run your high beam at night???

[Guest]

So, my wife asked this question, and I realized I didn't have a good answer for what the "convention" is.

When driving at night, do you bother lowering your light from high beam when other cars are nearby? For a long time now, I have not lowered my high beams for other cars. I don't think it's inconsiderate, my theory is I'd rather be alive than have the other person irritated.

On the old GS's, the light is not that bright and probably bothers nobody. However, on a more modern bike, the light can be much brighter and more focused.

So.......

What are your thoughts?

 

[bonanzadave]

If your light is that dim its time to get a new light. Its dangerous to ride at night with dim lights. Its also dangerous and inconsiderate to blind on coming traffic. Please.....dim your light. The stock light on my bike is brighter than all four on my truck.

 

[Guest]

If your light is that dim its time to get a new light. Its dangerous to ride at night with dim lights. Its also dangerous and inconsiderate to blind on coming traffic. Please.....dim your light. The stock light on my bike is brighter than all four on my truck.

+1....the 8" 1100 train light with an Osram Sylverstar throws down some serious light... even with lowered beam (in Canada we enjoy brightly lit highways) the light is bright enough to blind/irritatate drivers ahead, through their mirrors....I wouldn't dream of passing an oncoming car with the brights on, on the rare occasions I do use it.....most streets are lit, so there is no need. If you have a sealed beam, maybe it's time to upgrade and take advantage of some of the developments in lighting technology.

Tony.

 

[n1elkyfan]

I would say that if your beam is that dim definitly look at upgrading it. There are even some quilty kits out there that will allow you to install a HID headlight on your bike and the nice thing is that they actually draw less current when there running but will draw more when the first turn on.

Me personally the little night riding that I do is usally on well lit city and Highway so I don't use my HIgh a lot. But when I'm one more rural roads I will use the high beam and dim when a car comes the other way.

 

[tkent02]

I blind the oncoming driver and he runs over me. Good plan.

 

[49er]

I blind the oncoming driver and he runs over me. Good plan.

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but boy it hits the mark this time!!

 

[Dogma]

I voted option number two, but it needs to include coming up behind other vehicles as well.

Definitely get a new bulb in there. Sylverstar makes a lot of light. Then when you do hit the brights, it'll just about scorch the grass. Well, maybe not. Anyhow, I was amazed at the difference.

 

[Steve]

For a long time now, I have not lowered my high beams for other cars. I don't think it's inconsiderate, my theory is I'd rather be alive than have the other person irritated.

On the old GS's, the light is not that bright and probably bothers nobody. However, on a more modern bike, the light can be much brighter and more focused.

So.......

What are your thoughts?

My thoughts on this theory are that you are a rather inconsiderate son of a whatever. (Hey, you asked.)
Although the light may not be that bright, it is focused straight ahead into oncoming traffic. THAT is what bothers, not the overall intensity.

If your light is that dim its time to get a new light. Its dangerous to ride at night with dim lights. Its also dangerous and inconsiderate to blind on coming traffic. Please.....dim your light.

I blind the oncoming driver and he runs over me. Good plan.

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but boy it hits the mark this time!!

The only other thing I will add is that if you happen to be coming toward ME, I will politely flash my lights, asking you to dim yours.
If you do not comply, I will simply turn mine on and LEAVE THEM ON.
Here is what you will see (briefly, just before you go blind) coming at you:

It may not look like much in the picture, but the two H4 headlight bulbs are 60 watts each on high beam, the two driving lights are 100 watts each.
The two lower lights are only 18 watts each and are more for effect than for lighting up the road.

Oh, there's also a 90 amp alternator powering all that, so there is NO problem keeping everything at 14+ volts.

Most people get the idea rather quickly that I would like for THEM to lower their lights.
(This avoids tkent's scenario.)

.

 

[n1elkyfan]

I have seen those lights in person and can vouch for the fact if you look to long you will go blind

 

[crapwacker]

I just LOVE those guys who run the triple beams full on regardless. Yes i DO drive a car. I 'look at life from both sides', and I will leave my high on longer on the bike, so it is noticed that I am switching beams, and in the hopes that I'm being noticed. And at night, RIDE THE CENTER OF YOUR LANE. If you ride the outer or inner you can be mistaken for a pididdle (car with a headlight out) instead of as a bike.

 

[Guest]

The only other thing I will add is that if you happen to be coming toward ME, I will politely flash my lights, asking you to dim yours.
.

I guess this is what started this for me.... cars DONT flash me when they go by. I definitely used to turn them down, but after a while I stopped because no one seemed to notice.

Maybe they just aren't sure if it just an overly bright light or high beams.

The lights on the 250 are quite bright, and it does an excellent job of spreading it to the areas of interest. The round lights in the old GS's (I've owned 3 now with good charging systems), to me scatter the light in such a way that it's a little difficult to get good function on high and low. High beams are great, but then low beams are too low. If you tilt it too far up, a lot of the high beam just misses the road completely.

 

[Guest]

On my 1150, the high beam (silverstar) will burn your eyeballs out, so I turn it down with oncoming traffic. But I do run my high beams during the day.

 

[Marine36]

I run my light all the time. I dim for others if they do the same. Always dim behind someone at night. During the day 100 percent of the time.

 

[Zooks]

I blind the oncoming driver and he runs over me. Good plan.

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but boy it hits the mark this time!!

It also happens to be 'just p1ssed my pants' funny. :clap:

 

[DanTheMan]

High beams all the time except in fog, snow or heavy downpours, I dim for oncoming traffic and for vehicles ahead of me. I don't like being "blinded by the light", and I don't think other drivers appreciate it either.

 

[rustybronco]

If your light is that dim its time to get a new light.

Not always.
the headlight was dim on my '80. it turned out to be the connector at the ignition switch had high resistance and melted.

there is a reason for checking voltage drops at all the connections.

 

[MacGyver]

Motion and change, not brightness

Motion and change, not brightness

It is motion and change of state that make people aware of your presence, not the brightness of a point of light that gives them no sense of position. I use my high beams only for illuminating the road in front of me, not in an vain attempt to have others see me. Many people will interpret a bright point of light as a car with high beams on a long way away, this is something they experience very often. A motorcycle with high beams on will be right in front of them before the properly register what it is.

The act of dimming ones light catches attention and often allows the person to interpret distance. A slight side to side weave or even a slight tap on the front brake to drop the light will also assist with that association. I would love to have some white HyperLites on my front forks that alternate brightness side to side. I think that would be the best way to have a person know where I am without having them target fixate on bright or flashing lights. At least that is my story and I am sticking to it.

 

[rodm850g]

Do you run your high beam at night???

Guys,
I just finished working on my old GS850G,so its been off road.... but before the illumination it gave off was very low....After my "resto" job it is bright.I had changed the grounding and all of the connections on that 30 year old have been freshened up and major connections have bee given a dose of electrolytic grease...{conductive} and now the headlight is very bright and the change from hi to lo is much quicker than before...So I answered the poll with checking number 2 like the fellow with the wing I too have a honda product.....an ST1300 this bike has dual head lamps that burn together on low and same on high....I added a pair of P.I.A.A. 004XT driving lamps to the fork legs....one aimed down the highway{left} and the right down the side of the road {right} I use standard OEM headlamp bulbs and these are lower than the 55/60 watters you can buy at Wally world....but add the P.I.A.A.'s to the figure and its near daylight much farther down the road.....enough so that upon my return from V.I.R. seeing Suzuki mounted Mr.Mat Mladdin win a 7th Superbike championship I was traveling through the Eastern,N.C. back woods and easily was able to spot bambi on the side of the roads.....
There is something good to be said about auxhilary lighting....I do think it a courtesy to dim your lights for oncoming traffic....and if they don't seem to want to remind them with a flash and if they are stubborn....
Rod

 

[JHawkins]

I almost always turn off the high beams when cars are oncoming. The only exception is if doing so puts me in danger. (in a turn for instance).

Also, my lights on my 79 750l sucked until I did a relay mod with heavy gauge wire. The stock wiring harness made for a fairly substantial voltage drop.

 

[Sandy]

On a motorcycle the high beam at night looks just like a car coming at you about 1/2 mile away. Gee, I don't know why that guy just pulled out in front me, I had my high beam on??? Yes, I use good lights and dim them for oncoming traffic, there's reason it's the law.