Dual lights

[jamesmorgan]

I have logged approximately 8000miles/13000km since I started using my high beams last year. In that time I have passed and followed countless traffic cops. And that includes a large number of motorcycle patrolmen who (say it isn't so!) had their high beams on during the day and they certainly didn't switch them off as we passed and waved to each other.

I will thank you in advance for not making assumptions about the riding experience and skills of me or any other person on this forum. I respect your opinion and I imagine it comes from your own personal experience set. I would appreciate if you would extend me/us the same courtesy.

Its logical that the less skill a rider has the more likely they are to leave their lights on full beam. Fear makes people do stupid things - as a general rule I have noticed that to be true (probably why some of your cops do it).

 

[jamesmorgan]

Not once in all my years of driving/riding on many different types of roads has another motorist's high beams bothered me during daylight hours.

Proof if ever one was needed that using yourself as an example may not always lead to a sensible conclusion..............

"My father beat me as a child and it never did me any harm" comes to mind....

 

[Wavex]

If you were foolish enough to drive around London with your main beam on you would promptly be arrested for dangerous driving! Riding with your main beam on is just mad - I cant believe anybody would be so amazingly selfish to even think about it!!! What about on-coming cars - what about the cars you approach from behind?????? Some people are out to give bikes a bad name.

I am sorry, but riding schools in France and even the cops recommend you to ride with your high beams during the day... that`s very common. I do it all the time, and you really can`t blind anyone with high beams during the day... (well, maybe in London you can, since it rains all the time lol). Increased conspicuity = good!

Here is some more info for you

MMSC - Riding Tips

 

[Wavex]

------Do as you will. But if you're ever in the UK I suggest you dont drive or ride with your full beams on because over here its against the law and you will be stopped and given a ticket (as I assume it is in the US come to think of it - maybe try getting up behind a traffic cop and put your full beam on and see what he/she thinks about your argument that 'it suits me and I am entirely comfortable with it).

Sounds to me like you're using high beam to cover up for your lack of awareness and riding skills. Maybe you should consider taking an advanced riding class to sort things out.....

Can you show me the law you`re referring to? I may buy it for cars, but not for motorcycles...

Its logical that the less skill a rider has the more likely they are to leave their lights on full beam. Fear makes people do stupid things - as a general rule I have noticed that to be true (probably why some of your cops do it).

hmmm what? you make no sense whatsoever.\

Here is an extract from the California Motorcycle Handbook, which one needs to study to pass the written test... read it, and plz stop talking out of your ***:
View attachment 6793

 

[CrazyBiker]

BD's is way more complicated than you really need to get - so long as you dont mind cutting the loom to find the green wire this job really can take just a few minutes - otherwise you have to do it BD's way.

Up to you........

The 8 mins version is this:

1) Locate the black rubber protective clip on the back of the bulb for the right headlight - pull it off and you will see there is no wire going into the top socket. Buy an electircal connector thing to go on that and plug it in and replace it all. You should now have three wires coming out of the back of the right hand bulb not two as before.

2) The one you have just added (best if you use black wire so you cant see it) - run that whatever way looks least visible to the left hand wiring loom that comes out of the left hand grip from the handle bar. On that loom - close to the forks so you cant see it all - make a cut of about 2 inches and pull out the green wire. You want to connect the black wire that you've run from the right hand bulb to this green wire - how you do that is up to you - I just cut some of the green plastic off and twisted it all together - you can solder if you want to be on the safe side.

3) Black tape it all up and you're done.

I would change the step 2 to splice the green wire at the left headlight connector and shove the wiring back of the inner subcowls. I did the step 2 first but later changed it as it used to interfere with the steering column and keep on dangling and pulling there whenever I turned the handlebars.

 

[jamesmorgan]

Can you show me the law you`re referring to? I may buy it for cars, but not for motorcycles...




hmmm what? you make no sense whatsoever.

Here is an extract from the California Motorcycle Handbook, which one needs to study to pass the written test... read it, and plz stop talking out of your ***:
View attachment 6793

Wow. It does actually says to do that in the California highway code. Somebody should go talk to them and sort that out before any more people believe what that code is saying!

 

[eparisien]

I ride with my brights all the time and have never been flashed. I never worry about it as I have met police coming at me with my brights on and never got pulled over or flashed by them either.

 

[jamesmorgan]

I ride with my brights all the time and have never been flashed. I never worry about it as I have met police coming at me with my brights on and never got pulled over or flashed by them either.

If you rode like that over here you would get flashed - the police would stop you - you would get a ticket - and you would get lectures from people on how irresponsible, selfish and dangerous your habit it. Thank the good lord you live in Canada I guess.

 

[Wavex]

Wow. It does actually says to do that in the California highway code. Somebody should go talk to them and sort that out before any more people believe what that code is saying!

lol I`ve rarely seen so much arrogance and annoyance from one person in one single thread. Keep going man... :spank:

 

[jamesmorgan]

lol I`ve rarely seen so much arrogance and annoyance from one person in one single thread. Keep going man... :spank:

Ha. Right. OK. Let's see if I can write something without causing any more trouble. Here's the thing on all this. Round where I live there are simply loads of roads where if you did keep your main beam on all the time you would honestly be a danger to other roads users - and if was to take you out and show you those roads I am sure not one of you would dissagree - because it would just be obvious to you once you saw the actual terrain I was speaking about.

Which is why when somebody suggests a blanket 'its OK to run with main beams on all the time' I want to cry foul - because I know the roads I am speaking about - and it would simply be dangerous on those roads. And of course I am also in a very dense city too - most of our roads are tiny in comparison - on-coming traffic is quite often only a few feet away - nothing like the vast expanse of freeways I have seen in the US and Canada where on-coming traffic can be almost a hundred feet away - over here you really are passing cars who are coming the other way and you're only a few feet apart - its a completely different experience.

I have also riden in places like Milan (Italy) and madras (India - on a 350cc Royal enfield with the brake on the left and a one-up, four down gear shift on the right - that keeps you alert for sure) - and in those cities its even worse - and nobody there would think of riding with main beams either - it would cause chaos.

So.

Lets not fight. if you have the time come over to London and I will take you to the roads I am talking about and I am utterly convinced you would understand why I have been rather forceful with my views! I have been riding bikes now for over 30 years - probably done at least a couple of hundred thousand miles on them including trips down through Europe as well as being a motorcycle courier for a while - had so many different bikes - so I do have some experience - and I know we all ride in different areas - so we all get to form views based on that.

In peace to you all!

James.

 

[Wavex]

Ha. Right. OK. Let's see if I can write something without causing any more trouble. Here's the thing on all this. Round where I live there are simply loads of roads where if you did keep your main beam on all the time you would honestly be a danger to other roads users - and if was to take you out and show you those roads I am sure not one of you would dissagree - because it would just be obvious to you once you saw the actual terrain I was speaking about.

Which is why when somebody suggests a blanket 'its OK to run with main beams on all the time' I want to cry foul - because I know the roads I am speaking about - and it would simply be dangerous on those roads. And of course I am also in a very dense city too - most of our roads are tiny in comparison - on-coming traffic is quite often only a few feet away - nothing like the vast expanse of freeways I have seen in the US and Canada where on-coming traffic can be almost a hundred feet away - over here you really are passing cars who are coming the other way and you're only a few feet apart - its a completely different experience.

I have also riden in places like Milan (Italy) and madras (India - on a 350cc Royal enfield with the brake on the left and a one-up, four down gear shift on the right - that keeps you alert for sure) - and in those cities its even worse - and nobody there would think of riding with main beams either - it would cause chaos.

So.

Lets not fight. if you have the time come over to London and I will take you to the roads I am talking about and I am utterly convinced you would understand why I have been rather forceful with my views! I have been riding bikes now for over 30 years - probably done at least a couple of hundred thousand miles on them including trips down through Europe as well as being a motorcycle courier for a while - had so many different bikes - so I do have some experience - and I know we all ride in different areas - so we all get to form views based on that.

In peace to you all!

James.

I`ve ridden in quite a lot of countries, and motorcycle high beams never blinded me during the day. If we assume that it's not raining, or foggy, or dark outside (in which conditions low beams are recommended), motorcycle high beams won`t blind oncoming traffic... Maybe the problem is that London is always either rainy, foggy or dark?

Your local "special roads" don`t warrant riding any differently imho, and I don`t think that "how close you ride from other vehicles" has anything to do with the topic at hand... overall, I believe that if its bright and/or sunny outside, high beams will just be bright enough to catch a little attention from cagers...
Attention which we can all use.

 

[jamesmorgan]

I`ve ridden in quite a lot of countries, and motorcycle high beams never blinded me during the day. If we assume that it's not raining, or foggy, or dark outside (in which conditions low beams are recommended), motorcycle high beams won`t blind oncoming traffic... Maybe the problem is that London is always either rainy, foggy or dark?

Your local "special roads" don`t warrant riding any differently imho, and I don`t think that "how close you ride from other vehicles" has anything to do with the topic at hand... overall, I believe that if its bright and/or sunny outside, high beams will just be bright enough to catch a little attention from cagers...
Attention which we can all use.

This exchange reminds me of a joke...... doctor in a loonatic asylum treating a patient who has a delusion that he's an Egyptian Mummie. No matter what the Doc says the guy insists he is an Egyptian Mummie so he comes up with an idea to prove to the patient that he is deluded - he asks the patient 'OK do mummies have blood?' and the patient says no of course not so the Doc takes a small knife and pricks the patient on his arm until he bleeds and then stands back and says 'well what do you make of that then?'.

The patient looks at the blood coming out of his arm, ponders for a moment and then says:

"Wow - a Mummie that bleeds'.

Sometimes it does not matter how much actual evidence is provided people insist on sticking to what they believe. So be it. Have a nice day.

 

[teeter]

Sometimes it does not matter how much actual evidence is provided people insist on sticking to what they believe.

Well put, jamesmorgan. I'd say that about sums it up.

 

[Wavex]

This exchange reminds me of a joke...... doctor in a loonatic asylum treating a patient who has a delusion that he's an Egyptian Mummie. No matter what the Doc says the guy insists he is an Egyptian Mummie so he comes up with an idea to prove to the patient that he is deluded - he asks the patient 'OK do mummies have blood?' and the patient says no of course not so the Doc takes a small knife and pricks the patient on his arm until he bleeds and then stands back and says 'well what do you make of that then?'.

The patient looks at the blood coming out of his arm, ponders for a moment and then says:

"Wow - a Mummie that bleeds'.

Sometimes it does not matter how much actual evidence is provided people insist on sticking to what they believe. So be it. Have a nice day.

Exactly! and you`re the mummy :thumbup:

 

[wjo165]

high beams on all day with -4000k silverstar upgrades:Flash:. everyone gets out the way or goes blind.

 

[OLYpilot510]

Wow- I started reading on informational tips on a headlight mod...AND THEN IT GOT INTERESTING!

Okay folks- I've ridden/driven roads in Germany, France, England, Scotland, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, the U.S., Mexico & Canada. Motorways, carriageways, autobahn, interstates & freeways- you name it...so I really do see both sides of the argument.

And you're writing from London??? Hat's off, man. Around there, I stay strictly on The Tube/Underground..."mind the gap" and all that; or on foot. Screw trying to drive or ride in that city!!!

 

[chimneydoc]

For me I did BD's dual headlight mod. It seemed the most pratcial way of doing it. I usually ride with my highs on untill night time. If someone flashes you it means they see you, I just wave back.


Doc

 

[chemicalsmile]

Wow, nice resurrection. I ride with highs on during the day and have never been flashed or anything.

Oh and ya'll got trolled by james ...just sayin

 

[snwwlkr7]

BD's is way more complicated than you really need to get - so long as you dont mind cutting the loom to find the green wire this job really can take just a few minutes - otherwise you have to do it BD's way.

Up to you........

The 8 mins version is this:

1) Locate the black rubber protective clip on the back of the bulb for the right headlight - pull it off and you will see there is no wire going into the top socket. Buy an electircal connector thing to go on that and plug it in and replace it all. You should now have three wires coming out of the back of the right hand bulb not two as before.

2) The one you have just added (best if you use black wire so you cant see it) - run that whatever way looks least visible to the left hand wiring loom that comes out of the left hand grip from the handle bar. On that loom - close to the forks so you cant see it all - make a cut of about 2 inches and pull out the green wire. You want to connect the black wire that you've run from the right hand bulb to this green wire - how you do that is up to you - I just cut some of the green plastic off and twisted it all together - you can solder if you want to be on the safe side.

3) Black tape it all up and you're done.

This is a great mod and I just performed it today taking my time in maybe 45 minutes. I will add a little to JamesM's post.

I found the right angle electric connector like the ones in the factory light plug at the local Autozone. It needed just a minor tweaking to fit onto the spade coming out of the headlight but once done and inserted into the factory plug it all plugged right in no problems. Then carefully routing and wire tying the new black wire up towards the left side wire loom as described by JamesM I discovered that right around the top triple clamp there are 2 protective wire wrap sleeves that over lap the wire loom bundle. Slide these apart and inside you will find the green wire, no cutting. I carefully removed a section of green insulation about 3/4 inch from the green wire, wrapped it with the new black wire from the headlight and soldered them together.After it cooled I wrapped it with electric tape and slid the 2 loom wraps back into place. I did have to slightly cut the loom cover that was coming up so the wire fit better, placed a thin electric tape wrap on it and then slid the upper wrap over it.. Wire tie everything nicely and it looks factory. I will have to report back on if it helped as far as low beam night driving. It definitely looks better than the single low beam...

 

[steveindenmark]

BD's is way more complicated than you really need to get - so long as you dont mind cutting the loom to find the green wire this job really can take just a few minutes - otherwise you have to do it BD's way.

Up to you........

The 8 mins version is this:

1) Locate the black rubber protective clip on the back of the bulb for the right headlight - pull it off and you will see there is no wire going into the top socket. Buy an electircal connector thing to go on that and plug it in and replace it all. You should now have three wires coming out of the back of the right hand bulb not two as before.

2) The one you have just added (best if you use black wire so you cant see it) - run that whatever way looks least visible to the left hand wiring loom that comes out of the left hand grip from the handle bar. On that loom - close to the forks so you cant see it all - make a cut of about 2 inches and pull out the green wire. You want to connect the black wire that you've run from the right hand bulb to this green wire - how you do that is up to you - I just cut some of the green plastic off and twisted it all together - you can solder if you want to be on the safe side.

3) Black tape it all up and you're done.

This is the way I did it 2 years ago and it took me all of ten minutes.

Steve