Accessory lighting?

[wheatonFJR]

Just so you know, I don't run high beams all the time. im a jackass, but a polite one if i can be. But if Im running the cartoon mountain roads around here with little sight distance, I run em then. I don't commute the 14 miles to work on the FJR. I don't find the situation to be controllably safe enough...too many variables beyond my control. No safe following distance is ever practiced by any vehicle behind me, and the lethal T possibilities are extensive and real...and if I try to practice safe riding by accelerating out of a pack of cars being blocked by a hall monitor in the left/middle lane, I would likely lose my license within a year and need a qualude to calm down every morning when I got to work because I'd be so pissed off. So I decided a long time ago not to commute. Otherwise, I'd be unlicensed, unemployed, divorced, in jail, or dead a long time ago. For me, it was the only decision. Others make it "work" for them.

[raYzerman]

I tried commuting for a while back when I had the Goldwing...... just not worth your life.

[CollingsBob]

I commute from my bed to the coffee maker every morning. Retirement is good.

[Hppants]

Agree with you if you have no aux. lights. Amber ones recommended. If you're not being seen, you may benefit from re-aiming your headlights as they may be too low. Just look at all the bikes coming toward you and in your mirrors to see the variety out there. As for the freight trains, or even with high beams, others cannot judge distance to you as well as low beams, so may think the freight train is further away, thus think they can do their left turn in time. Doesn't really matter anyway, everyone should be extra cautious at any intersection.

Yeah, I just don't get the guys who think they are safer running high beams plus high power (and mis-aimed) auxiliary lights in daytime (high beams are bad enough). As Ray said, it is harder to judge their distance. Not to mention the fact that the lights dazzle the oncoming drivers and they have no hope in being able to see if you are signalling a turn since signal lights are washed out. Drivers spend more time trying to figure out WHAT you are than WHERE you are. We won't even get into the notion that it is a BAD idea to piss off the guy who is a much better position to hurt you than you are to hurt him.

The worst that I see around here are the Harley guys running aftermarket LED headlights on high beam in OEM buckets that were never designed for them. My usual response is a quick stab at my horn button which brings my Ericas from minimum to full - for just a fraction of a second. Most get the idea.

Anyone want to discuss headlight modulators?

My informal 15 year research tells me without any doubt that running with the high beams on during the day absolutely makes me more visible to others. My aux lights are the cheapies (fork mounted) and they are aimed a bit up. Again - better with them on than off.

YMMV....

[wheatonFJR]

In fall of 2006, I was on my way to the Fall Ramble, I headed south on local highways to US 24EB from eastern Illinois. There was a deadly fog in the area south of I80 as temperatures had just dropped below the previous evening after a storm system had passed. It was brutal, and there was an extremely close call I won't focus on here. As I got just east of the state line and into Indiana, the fog started to clear and a huge feeling of relief washed over me. I felt like the danger passed over me.

I got a few miles east of I65 on this two lane US rural highway, when I encounter 3 lumbering dump trucks...going the speed limit, but no more. There were spaced out a bit and traffic was fairly light. I passed them in one or two jumps, I forget which. I travel at about +10 when I am alone and certainly did back then. I had gotten back down to that speed when I saw up ahead that a car was coming up quickly on a gravel country road on the right hand side. There was an oncoming WB car in the left turn lane waiting, and in the blink of an eye without a hesitation, with me right about on him at +0 by this time, the car pulled across me to head WB on US24.

After being cautioned on FJR boards to look where you want to go and NOT at what is gonna hurt, I instinctively pressed hard right to go right, still fully expecting to impact the midsection of the car. Somehow I didn't and felt instantaneous relief pouring through me. Well I went right, right into a deep rural ditch, with the front end trying to decide whether to flop down right away as it hit both sides of the grassy ditch at 50 mph. I was coming up on something solid in the ditch so I had to hit the brakes and I lowsided with the rear bag tang breaking off from the rear bag.

I think I saw Bevis and Butthead driving the dump trucks laughing as they passed me by and eyed me in the ditch.

Bungee cords fastened the bag the rest of the way to SE Ohio, and after folks, bystanders and the biggest 18yo lol Indiana State Trooper I ever saw got info and tried to apprehend the evildoer to no avail. Im pretty sure he was just happy not to be shoveling me off US24.

There are other ancillary stories once I got to Columbus to Mike Carpenter's house. He was still organizing the Ramble then. George/Escape was there that fall as well. I won't go into those.

The thing is, I had Magnum Blasters horns and blasted my little heart out. Im convinced that the young guy in a hurry pulled up quick, took a peek left, saw the three trucks rolling behind me, saw the waiting left turner and thought, I've got enough time to go before the trucks...so he went.

I believe with better visibility, whether aux lights or highbeams, he MIGHT not have started across my path.

I fully expected to impact the latter half of the engine compartment, or dead on the driver. How I did not, I don't know. I don't believe in miracles necessarily, but Im convinced that this was close to being one. The left turner who saw the whole thing happen certainly thought I was going to be a hood ornament.

All I know is that if I didn't listen to ToeCutter on the other board, I wouldn't be here. Even with the advice, I didn't think i'd make it.

Fall 2006

" Look where you want to go, NOT on the thing that's gonna hurt!"

[bill lumberg]

I chose clearwaters because of their comparatively low draw.

Mine run on the lowest setting unless my high beams are on. Then I’m alone and it looks like a UFO landing.

I ride in the dark a couple hundred days a year. Good light is critical. I can see road conditions and deer much better than I ever could stock.

And those same lights, on their lowest setting, help me with conspicuity during daylight hours.

[wheatonFJR]

...And those same lights, on their lowest setting, help me with conspicuity during daylight hours.

That's a big 10/4 m.f!

Yeah. Yer good. I got in front of him on I40 WB last June and asked him to give me the full on light treatment. All of a sudden it looked like a nuke went off and I had burns on my scalp through the helmet. My gear will never get that burnt smell out. You owe me mf! Lol

No, yeah. Polite but significant when usual mode. Incredible-fkn-Hulkish when the full treatment is applied. Stadium lighting could take a cue...jes sayin.

[raYzerman]

My inexpensive fog lights on the ManStrom...... I forgot to switch to the white high beam, but not a ton brighter than the yellows... you can see these a half mile or more back in your mirrors if I'm behind you.

[Uncle Hud]

Darlas mounted on the lower forks. They turn with the handlebars, and illuminate what's in my turning path. I also rode a lot in the dark, and it's not cool when you take a right turn at 25 mph but cannot see the edge of pavement.

My Darlas are also pointed own about 10 degrees so they shine on the ground rather than directly at oncoming drivers.

[CollingsBob]

I’ve got a quote from Denali coming with 2 x D3’s….and a quote from Clearwater with 2 x Darlas…

[danh600]

Here are some pictures I took a couple years ago at SFO. That is Turk's driveway. It was late and guys started comparing lights. No idea which is which in the pictures. There was everything from stock pre LED FJRs to ones with several accessory lights. As you can see it makes a big difference!

[CollingsBob]

Yesterday I ordered a pair of the Denali D3’s and the DialDim controller from Motorcycle Innovations.

[bill lumberg]

I’ve got a few miles stock, and a few miles with Clearwater’s. I’d have hit a few deer without the Clearwater’s.

That said- the gen 3 stock headlights on my 2014 were like parking lights compared to the stock headlights on my 2018/2022. No substitute for Clearwater’s, but about 200% better than the gen 3 stock lights.

[Uncle Hud]

Here are some pictures I took a couple years ago at SFO. That is Turk's driveway. It was late and guys started comparing lights. No idea which is which in the pictures. There was everything from stock pre LED FJRs to ones with several accessory lights. As you can see it makes a big difference!

A Photo Essay named "What Do Drunk Motorcycle Guys Do After Dark?"

[bigjohnsd]

Here are some pictures I took a couple years ago at SFO. That is Turk's driveway. It was late and guys started comparing lights. No idea which is which in the pictures. There was everything from stock pre LED FJRs to ones with several accessory lights. As you can see it makes a big difference!

A Photo Essay named "What Do Drunk Motorcycle Guys Do After Dark?"

A precursor to the "Dick Measuring Contest"?

[Hppants]

Here are some pictures I took a couple years ago at SFO. That is Turk's driveway. It was late and guys started comparing lights. No idea which is which in the pictures. There was everything from stock pre LED FJRs to ones with several accessory lights. As you can see it makes a big difference!

A Photo Essay named "What Do Drunk Motorcycle Guys Do After Dark?"

A precursor to the "Dick Measuring Contest"?

Gonna need the Clearwaters for me to participate in that contest. Hey! Some are showers, some are growers. JSNS....

[natehawk750]

Dan we need to add my new seviena and darla set up to the measuring contest!