Riding with headlights on

[Courier265]

Never bothered with lights during the day, that changed when I bought a
newer bike like my CBF500, I could of fitted a switch so I could turn them
off but I wasn't about to screw around with wiring.


I personally don't get the advantage of lights on during daylight hours.

[B5234FT]

Both my bikes have lights auto on, but even in the car I have dipped beam on permanently.

DRLs need to be banned however, excessively bright with no directionality and leads to people believing their lights are on (because the dash is illuminated) but displaying no tail lights in the dark/fog.

[Polarbear]

[doggone]

There's definitely been an increase in cars looming at you in thick fog over the moors - with only daytime running lights.
Quite a few now have auto lights and some owners likely assume they are on but in spring daytime sea fog it's too bright to trigger them.

Sometimes you are trying to get out of a junction and first see lights from a car behind the *invisible* silvery one.

[MarJay]

I'd like to switch off my lights during the daytime, but all of my bikes have DRLs apart from the KR1S which pretty much stays in the garage anyway.

And my 2p worth:

Moonzoomer you have no clue what you're talking about so you may as well shut up now to prevent further embarrassment.

For those who don't know what to believe: Yes, some types of battery work best when discharged and then fully charged. These are generally the types of battery that are *likely* to be discharged completely, IE the ones that actually power items completely, e.g. phones, remote controls, model cars, tablets, handheld games or whatever. Generally you name it, and the battery is like that.

However, automotive batteries (that includes everything from bikes to cars to trucks to aircraft) which are constantly charged, are generally designed to be constantly kept at a high level of charge. If you used the wrong sort of battery for the wrong application you'd be in trouble, IE if your phone used a constant charge battery you'd need to keep it permanently plugged in else you'd lose capacity when it discharged. If you used a discharging battery in a car you'd blow the thing up from overcharging it.

If you discharge a bike or car battery too far you will do permanent and irreperable damage to it, that even the 'desulphate' option on your Optimate won't fix. This is why bikes often need a new battery after a winter in the garage, as they are designed for continuous charging and lose charge when not in use.

Lightweight lithium ion batteries used for performance enchancement on bikes contain special circuitry that correctly regulates the charging and discharging of the battery. I'm not sure if you could continuously charge them without this 'smart' element, but nevertheless it's there, because without proper management a lithium ion or lithium polymer battery is a liability. As anyone who is into radio controlled models will probably tell you.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[moonzoomer]

[stinkwheel]

[Polarbear]

[MarJay]

[Triton Thrasher]

No need to doubt anyone’s truthfulness.

Some people are daft enough to put a NiCad battery in their airbox!
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Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Johnnythefox]

My light is always on and I'm not dead, proof it works FACT

[Jewlio Rides Again LLB]

[andym]

[Dave70]

While it won't guarantee that you'll be seen with your headlights on in the daytime, I do think it helps you to be noticed sooner.

I've certainly seen a motorcycles light in my mirror before I've seen the bike.
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There ain't no devil, there's just god when he's drunk.

2012: R125 killed by white van. 2016 R125 killed by 30,000 miles of redline. Current: 2016 Kawasaki ER6f.

[Triton Thrasher]

[bigdom86]

what about riding around with high beams not that I do it but always wondered if would make you more visible. friend of mine rides with high beams as he doesn't like the single bulb on the double-light housing as he thinks it looks weird and seems to think alot more people see him coming, wouldn't this drain the battery with city riding?

[Polarbear]

[Dave70]

[woo]

some thing smells a bit Arcaney here lol!
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Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[Courier265]