Daytime Headlights

The way you wrote it, I wondered.

There's a lot of drivers/riders out there who've never/rarely had to use
main beam and wouldn't know what to do on an unlit road. They probably
think it's purely a signalling device.

That's when it gets sticky, I agree. Misinterpreting flashes has led to
collisions in the past, but for the most part, flashes tend to be
interpreted correctly in the context in which they occur.

"She flashed her norks at me and I crashed."

 

when I "find myself on a patch of diesel" I tend to try to avoid using
any fucking brakes, as it happens.

Why? Did you have time to change brakes, then? No.

I notice, as always, that it's the "I've never ridden a bike with
linked brakes, but I know I'd hate them" crew who shout loudest.
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SE-V/CBR1100XX-X/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..75939.../...19198.../..30340.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 PM#5 WG*
'^' RBR Clues: 24 Pts: 400 Miles: 1589

 

Haven't had anything like that happen in nearly 20,000 miles. Perhaps
I get my lines right first time.

They sound it - you need to be quite keen on the lever to get the rear
to engage, and similarly enthusiastic on the pedal to get the front to
chip in.
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SE-V/CBR1100XX-X/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..75939.../...19198.../..30340.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 PM#5 WG*
'^' RBR Clues: 24 Pts: 400 Miles: 1589

 

As they are on my '97 Canadian spec' Wing.

--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SE-V/CBR1100XX-X/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..75939.../...19198.../..30340.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 PM#5 WG*
'^' RBR Clues: 24 Pts: 400 Miles: 1589

 

<GoldWing mode> *more* indicators.

hth
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SE-V/CBR1100XX-X/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..75939.../...19198.../..30340.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 PM#5 WG*
'^' RBR Clues: 24 Pts: 400 Miles: 1589

 

http://www.salad.dodger.dsl.pipex.com/blimey.jpg

hth

--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SE-V/CBR1100XX-X/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..75939.../...19198.../..30340.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 PM#5 WG*
'^' RBR Clues: 24 Pts: 400 Miles: 1589

 

Christmas already.

Do the police frown upon them, or are they okay under UK law?

 

No.

But *now* when it rains I know :
(a) Its fkn hard to spot diesel on shellgrip.
(b) Even shellgrip is *very* slippery with diesel on it.
(c) If its wet really don't use the front brake near *any* roundabout
junction etc.

Therefore I don't want linked brakes.

I s'pose if affordable,really unobtrusive ABS was available I might rethink
that. But 'til then.....

--

--
Nidge
R1 in 'newspaper' livery. ZX6R J2 Stunning in zit yellow. KX 125 MX 'I'm
snot green -fly ME'. A few bits of CB500S in Norwegian Parrot blue.
BOTAFOT#63 BOMB#5

'Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand'.
Homer
(Simpson).

 

Nidge wrote:

*huh*?


--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 TS 156 TS S2
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

I must be completely clueless or simply insensitive to how a bike feels
because I have ridden thousands of miles on oil / diesel soaked roads in
London on my VFR800 and not noticed anything untoward. I have also
ridden *carefully* across a long diesel patch with added drizzle in
Ilford town centre and not fallen off. I have also successfully ridden
through 3 inch deep hailstones and managed to stop at a junction while
on the VFR.

As I say I must be completely crap to not have fallen off.

 

BMW riders too.

 

Is this actually a Euro-wide law, or what? 'cos I *hate* the idea.

 

"You're not a real biker..."

 

Eh? Main beam is just that; *main* beam. Dipped lights are for
avoiding those oh-so-rare occasions where one encounters oncoming
traffic on the Queen's highway and one, in a spirit of good manners
and safe driving, chooses not to dazzle said traffic.

 

I do. I still prefer to have an "off" switch though, in memory of all
those SOBs I used to own that had shite charging systems and knackered
batteries.

 

According to Kawasaki's website:

"Automatic Headlights On (AHO) is an initiative introduced by the
European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) in 2003 in
order to increase the conspicuity of motorcycles. All 2004 MY
Kawasaki have AHO fitted and this system operates in the following
way. The headlamps automatically switch on after the ignition has
been switched on and the starter button has been released."

It doesn't appear to be law, just an idea.

I start the bike, put my gloves on, jump on, put it in 1st gear and
turn the lights on as I go down my cul-de-sac. While having the
lights on is a good idea, I don't think I'd like to have it forced on
me by law.

 

Yup, every journey (which is every day, twice a day).

 

And on my '83 US-spec Silverwing of blessed memory.

 

"Blingdicators"

 

I think that's a positive comment round here so I'll say thanks.

I have fallen off all of my bikes - just not in the circumstances
outlined in this thread.