Hi Beams on during the day?
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You are definitely more visible which means you are potentially safer. Just be sure to lower them at dusk so you don't piss car drivers off. Those safety folks who have studied this claim that the triangle effect is the most conspicuous. That means your headlight plus accessory lights on either side of the bike closer to axle height.
Marc
Marc
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HOw feasible is that? You would have to add a better battery, no? Also, I am sure there aren't many accessory lights to add to your bike that are aesthetically pleasing, not that it trumps safety. I find people look quickly, and given the small silhouette of the bike have a hard time gauging its speed.
I have a Raven R3 (love the blue too), but I got a great deal on it used, so really had no choice. Raven was my first choice but I thought the blue was safer due to its higher visibility. My old 92 FZR 600 was black as well. But I also wear a murdered out Icon Dark Alliance matte black helmet and Icon Overlord Stealth black jacket, so almost everything about my silhouette is black. However, I have an Icon Stryker Battlescar armored vest which is kind of a military khaki/olive drab green color which is pretty conspicuous and helps my torso stick out.
Therefore, I have been trying to figure out how to increase my visibility. I was thinking of getting some reflective stickers for my armor. I don't want to wear a a orange and reflective vest like the Army forced me to while I was on active duty. I was thinking of adding some LED headlights which are brighter and don't have the problem of melting the headlight housing like HID bulbs can. I have ordered some LED turn signals which should help on turns since they're brighter.
In the Army we used to run around 6am and ran with an adjustable reflective belt/sash. I still have it but I got out in 2004 and the think is thrashed with barely any reflective paint left on it. I use flash to pass a lot because in NY people are either aggressive or idiotic/inept/oblivious. It is amazing to me. With the proliferation of smart phones, people have only gotten more distracted and oblivious.
So I am looking at adding some low key reflective strips to my armored vest, maybe a spot on my helmet, and getting a PT belt to wear like a sash, and definitely going to pull the trigger on some LED headlights soon.
Be safe out there!
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Absolutely feasible. The charging system can easily handle an extra couple of lights. I'm running a Gerbings heated jacket which consumes about 30 watts with no problem. A larger battery has nothing to do with it. It is all about the charging system. You might want to do some research before you make statements like that.
Marc
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Dude, it wasn't a statement, it was a question.
Statement: declaration of facts or a report of facts
Interrogative: having the form of a question rather than a statement or command, hence the ? mark.
I have a stock battery and am a decent mechanics but by no means versed in electrical wiring. My degrees are in economics and computer science. Trying to learn more about the electrical system. My bike has an alarm, and running dedicated electronics like gps, GoPro charging unit, so I am wondering at what point can you know when you're drawing too much from the battery. That is why I was asking. Wasn't entirely clear though. Not sure of the excess capacity. Guess it doesn't hurt to add until you can't add anymore things that draw from it, but given the relatively cheap price of the R3 (but not a cheap bike) I am assuming the stock battery does't have much excess capacity. Does anyone have any idea about how much it has?
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if we are talking about riding during the day...during daylight hours.... whats the point? I really dont see any advantage having the extra headlight lit up during the day would be... buy a white helmet and wear white gear and throw on a high viz vest....apparently drivers notice white the quickest compared to other colors
FWIW I dont ride at night time because risk goes through the roof
FWIW I dont ride at night time because risk goes through the roof
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Sorry, I thought you were making a statement. The best way to determine if the load you've added is overtaxing the charging system is to insert an ammeter in line between the positive terminal of the battery and the red wire. With all the accessories turned on and the bike running you want to see the ammeter showing a positive value when you rev the motor a bit. As long as its showing positive the system can handle the load. If it goes negative with the engine revved up the battery will eventually lose its charge. You can also do it with a voltmeter hooked up to the battery looking for 13.1 volts or more with the bike running and all the accessories turned on. Using a voltmeter is not as accurate as using an actual ammeter. The R3's charging system as an example can handle my Gerbings jacket drawing 30 watts as long as I leave the headlight on low. If I run it with the high beam on all the time it will discharge and eventually run the battery down. The size of the battery doesn't have much to do with it. If the charging system is at discharge, the battery will eventually run down, a larger capacity battery will simply take longer.
As for the aesthetics, there are a number of suppliers who specialize in exactly that and supply very nice looking accessory lights in various strengths and designs. In any case I wasn't suggesting adding extra lights, I was just saying that adding extra lights in order to make a triangle effect seems to be a very good way to make the bike more conspicuous. Some guys add extra lights to all their bikes but I never have. Again, I apologize for jumping on you.
Marc
As for the aesthetics, there are a number of suppliers who specialize in exactly that and supply very nice looking accessory lights in various strengths and designs. In any case I wasn't suggesting adding extra lights, I was just saying that adding extra lights in order to make a triangle effect seems to be a very good way to make the bike more conspicuous. Some guys add extra lights to all their bikes but I never have. Again, I apologize for jumping on you.
Marc
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The point is actually huge. The difference when a bike is coming towards you during the day with the low beam on versus the high beam is dramatic. Have a riding buddy ride towards you with the low beam on and then again with the high beam on and you'll see the difference. White gear is certainly helpful but riding with the high beam on is way more noticeable in my experience. Give it a try. BTW, your comment about riding at night is right on. The danger is less from on-coming traffic as drivers are normally looking for headlights but much greater from traffic crossing your path who can't judge how fast you're going as well as from animals and hard to see debris.
Marc
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732 Posts
Depends on the situation I think. The sun can cause glare and affect a driver's visibility and wash you out. At night, your lights are brighter but they can also be overshadowed by all the car lights behind you and almost disguise you. That is why you should use your flash to pass. One of the things I tell first time riders as a rider of like 25 years, I tell them to avoid hanging in a cars blind spot-I see it happen a lot.
You just have to be on your P's and Q's out there and try to maximize your visibility. Again, I have a Raven R3 and wear a lot of black gear, so I am trying to augment my bike and gear with some things to make it stand out more.
It just amazes me how inept drivers are around NY and how they hesitate a lot, drive slow in fast areas thinking it is safer when it's not-you should see how many people try to merge on the highway at 20 mph here. I see how many people talking and texting on their phone.
The good thing about motorcycle riding is you're almost forced to be locked in and giving everything your full attention. I honestly think driving instruction should be more comprehensive and testing and licensing should be more robust and rigorous. It just blows my mind how many bad drivers are out there. They seem to ignore the fact that they are in a 4000 lb weapon.
When I went to Germany in the Army, I was blown away how good the drivers were. Even the girls we met were very capable. I met a girl with a German Ford Escort that was like 300HP in 1996, and she was driving stick like it was her profession, and she was 20. Speed can kill, but the US has brainwashed people into thinking this is the main cause of accident and fatalities. No, it's crappy drivers. The speed limit is a government racket-it is a revenue stream for them from all the tickets they can dole out. The government has pulled the wool over people's eye and are fleecing their people. Ridiculous.
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No worries Marc. Like texts, you can't discern tone in posts. I wasn't taking it as an attack or anything. I read something really quick on figuring out excess capacity-the battery, alternator, and watts and peak volts, and you multiply this for that and you get this. I just read it in cursory fashion though, and it hasn't stuck yet.
I have a general knowledge of a bikes electrical system but am learning. My bro was my electrical guy. On a computer, as an IT guy, I know power, and how to figure out all the power graphics cards, hard drives, etc draw from the PSU, but the electrical system on a bike or car is totally different. I know what an alternator does, and again, the basics, but am just not that knowledgeable but am a knowelde junkie. I should know more and lealrned more from my brother but I took him for granted!
Thanks for the knowledge drop. Very informative. I bought a Scorpio Ride/Secure alarm and read the install instructions and it does not look that difficult but I hate ripping apart things only to get stumped on something and then caught in a rock and a hard place. Your bike is ripped apart and now you can't take it anywhere and have to figure it out. It's a good way to learn though. All my buddies are either artists, architects, stock brokers or lawyers. None of them are mechanically inclined. The one friend who is excels more at DIY home projects and nothing vehicle centric. SO if I rip something apart, I don't have a friend around for recourse. Bunch of **** book smart geeks!
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I've also done a lot of riding in Europe and you are exactly right. They have a tiered licensing system and very strict training. The other point that helps is that most drivers in Europe are coming from bicycles and small motorcycles so they're much more aware of bikes than drivers over here. Just the fact that their roads are smaller and twisty makes them better drivers. Some of the most fun I've had riding has been in Italy. Those people can drive and every one of them thinks he's a Formula One driver and every drive is a race!
Off the subject a bit but one of the things that bothers me the most about our system is that any 17 year old guy can go down to the local dealer and if he has the cash can buy a 'Busa even if he's never even had a license and then go out and kill himself and possibly somebody else. Makes no sense.
Marc
Off the subject a bit but one of the things that bothers me the most about our system is that any 17 year old guy can go down to the local dealer and if he has the cash can buy a 'Busa even if he's never even had a license and then go out and kill himself and possibly somebody else. Makes no sense.
Marc
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Yeah exactly, and these get caught up in CC size like it's a dick size war. A lot of these numb nuts think bigger is better. I am a skilled rider, but have been a 600 guy my whole life. Hit 40 and don't do 130 anymore, especially in NY and love the R3 for its comfort, it still has some giddy up, and handles like a dream.
Granted, current technology has made 600s faster and 800's, 900's, 1000's, etc more nimble but it's insane. My CBR600RR could still do 0-60 in like 3 secs and topped out at 156. My mechanic was yelling at me for getting an R3 dropping down from a 600. He's like I can't even deal with a 600, not enough power-I need my Hyubusa to get out of sticky situations.
Heh, in NY there are a lot of rider groups on Busa's, ZX-14s, and R1s flying by in shorts and tees lane cutting at 110. Shows you how insane our country is. They waste billions on marijuana enforcement/interdiction, but alcohol is leading cause of accidents, domestic abuse, fights, etc. You can be a complete idiot but raise a kid at 17-18, go to war and kill people but can't legally buy alcohol, but be a terrible driver and get a license. My road test was a joke. You should see the people in NY who take 5 min to parallel park.
Moral of the story: Always be locked in on your bike. Use your horn, flash to pass, and high beams. Don't be afraid to gesture at idiots too. If someone is tailgating you wave them off or let them pass. Those idiots have no clue you can brake 3x faster than them.
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What about a multimeter-it has all the capabilities of an ammeter, voltmeter, etc right? What is the 13 volt benchmark? Just a generally accepted nymber but obviously there is reasoning behind it, right?
I wonder if anyone has attached the battery powered blinking reflector lights to their bike as they do for bicycles.
Maaybe we should all attach headlamps to our helmets while we ride.I am definitely getting some H7 LED headlights ASAP. Thinking of getting some reflective tape and putting small and visible but inconspicuous pieces of reflective tape on my armor vest.
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121 Posts
A fully charged battery should have 12.6 volts with the key off. With the bike running it will usually show about 13.1 volts or more while charging. Less than that and you can assume it is discharging. You can use a multimeter as long as it is rated to handle about 3 amps or so. An ammeter is way more accurate than a voltmeter but there is a trick. Most commercial ammeters have a capacity way lower than the load generated when the starter motor is starting the bike. If you ran that load through your ammeter you'll either blow its fuse if it has one or just fry it. Here is how you do it: disconnect the positive lead from the battery and clip one lead from the ammeter to the battery terminal and the other to the red wire. Switch on the bike but don't start it. The reading should go negative. If it doesn't then swap the leads. When you go to start the bike hold the red wire firmly against the battery terminal so the current flows directly from the battery to the wire without going through your ammeter. Once it starts move the red wire away from the battery terminal so the current flows through your ammeter. Turn on your accessories and slight rev the engine. The ammeter needs to read positive. If it reads negative when you're revving it then the load is too much and the charging system can't keep up. Try it with the high beam off and on and you can see how much difference that makes.What about a multimeter-it has all the capabilities of an ammeter, voltmeter, etc right? What is the 13 volt benchmark? Just a generally accepted nymber but obviously there is reasoning behind it, right?
I wonder if anyone has attached the battery powered blinking reflector lights to their bike as they do for bicycles.
I am definitely getting some H7 LED headlights ASAP. Thinking of getting some reflective tape and putting small and visible but inconspicuous pieces of reflective tape on my armor vest.
Marc
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732 Posts
Wow, thanks Marc, that is some good info. Did you go to school for Electrical Engineering or what!
It's funny, I was a 19Kilo in the US Army for 8 years, which is an M1A1/A2 Abrams armor crewman. Anyway, it has 8 batteries, situated in the rear hull which you get to on the back deck and lift the armored door to get to the battery bay. It's all in there tightly packed and the doors do not open all the way. You can no idea how many times I have seen new Privates trying to remove the terminals (you're supposed to take off the master disconnect to isolate it from the entire electrical system in the tank) only to hit the hull or door with their tool and arc it. I've seen screwdriver tips melted and sparks flying and near heart attacks to the responsible party.
On the original topic, I'll have to say please don't use your high beams during the day just to get noticed. Sometimes I see cars and bikes with their beams on in the daylight and I'm telling you it's still blinding and annoying as ****. Irritating all oncoming traffic and everyone you follow is not good for motorcycling in general.
If you want to be noticed for the sake of being safe, I'd rather see you get a high vis helmet, keep your stock turn signals front and rear (important if you're going for safety) and simply ride defensively. If you must do something annoying to get noticed, get a full loud exhaust so vehicles around you can hear you even if they can't see you.
If you want to be noticed for the sake of being safe, I'd rather see you get a high vis helmet, keep your stock turn signals front and rear (important if you're going for safety) and simply ride defensively. If you must do something annoying to get noticed, get a full loud exhaust so vehicles around you can hear you even if they can't see you.
Definitely high beam at all times during the day, and as much as possible at night. I love to annoy people, that means they see me. I'd rather annoy cars than become a bug on someone's windshield. It's legal to ride with high beams during the day on a motorcycle so I do it. I've seen cops on bikes do it.
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Perfect timing, I just posted some notes on installing a headlight modulator / blinker for more visibility and safety.
http://www.r3-forums.com/forum/289-...ng-blinking-headlights-safety.html#post254577
http://www.r3-forums.com/forum/289-...ng-blinking-headlights-safety.html#post254577
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