Forgetting your headlights..

[NexusDragon]

So I'm out last night, its rush hour and I've popped into a shopping centre car park. Lights brim brightly above offering ample viewing pleasure in order to lift your mood for the upcoming money-spree within. After grabbing my goodies I head back to the bike hoping I haven't got a ticket (P&D), the bike doesn't need warming up so I fire her up and whizz towards the exit. More concerned for the chavs loitering around the stairwells.

Once outside car headlights dazzle and street lamps give off a conflicting orange blur upon the shiny tarmac.. I head for the M40, my destination the M40/M25 interchange! I filtered around 1.5 miles through rush hour traffic and it was only when I reached the adjoining sliproad for the M40 that I glanced down at my speedometer. I couldn't make out my speed, nor my current revs... It was only then that it hit me I'd had my headlights off the entire time and could have almost joined the M25!

So.. For those with slightly older bikes with manual on/off headlights, have you been caught off guard by excessive street lighting or never flashed by other road users?
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DAS Passed 19th April 08. 07' YBR125 > Yamaha FZ6 S2 '08 > 1998 YZF600R ThunderCat

[Polo]

No.
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My mum smells your fingers

[Feasty]

I have manual lights but never ride with them off, therefore I've got into a routine of always turning my lights on before getting on the bike. I think I've only ever forgotten once but that was during the daytime... and I still felt more vulnerable without them on!
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[cyclops12]

Never turn them off even though it is better to have them off when starting her up
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hayabusa trike

[ms51ves3]

[magpiemale]

Owning a FZ1 I don't have trouble as the lights come on with the key turned on but now with my philips extreme power bulbs in a do get flashed.I had them checked out beam is fine but I do get caught out at times by the car headlights getting ever so bright that you cannot see past the car,when it is coming towards you.
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NSR125 1992 (sold) kawasaki Z750S,fazer FZ1 07 now gone present bike 2012 fz1s Fazer,beowulf rad protector,heated grips,sw motech gps holder,power socket.

[the grim reaper]

I have been known to do this in the car, the Fazer's lights are always on so I don't have a mental check to turn lights on. My street has bright lighting, so I do tend to forget to turn them on. The consequences would be less than on a bike though!

Cheers

Grim
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Adverts don't always work: Remember that advert, where the army are running across the desert and they have a wounded man on a stretcher. They get to a ravine, the bridge is down and a caption pops up that says, 'What are you thinking?'. I don't know about you but I was thinking, 'Christ, I'm glad I'm not in the f***ing army'.

[The Original Muzza]

Got manual on the TT and FZR. Keep them on at all times, apart from when I had some work done to the TT, the bastards in the shop (yes, I know it's my responsibility) switched it to off. Only realised when I got home. It was getting pretty close to dusk sort of light at the time, so maybe people didn't think much of it.
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Current Bikes: Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 (2020)
Former Bikes: Honda MSX125 (2014), BMW Funduro (1996), Honda VT500 (1983), Yamaha FZR250 (1989), Suzuki GZ125 Marauder(2005),:Triumph TT600 (2002) (stolen)
From then on, I and the bicycle feelings deeper.

[NexusDragon]

[Noggin]

On my r6 the lights are left on all the time so I don't forget. I think its good to have them on during the day too to aid visibility.


Craig G(Noggin)
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Current bike: kawasaki zx12r 2002
Track bike: yamaha r6 1998
Old Bike: honda NSR 125 1998

[stinkwheel]

I have forgotten to put my lights on before.

To be honest, eveyone drove as if they hadn't seen me, which is pretty much the normal state of affairs anyway.

If I'm riding the VFR, I only need the lights to see by anyway, they are totally superfluous otherwise. Don't need the front one because I always assume no-one has seen me. Don't need the back one because I'm the fastest thing on the road.

I like to be able to switch them off. There are situations where they make you less visible. Especially at disck when other vehicles also have their lights on:
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/clip_image002.gif
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[G]

I've ridden London to Reading on the M4 in the dark with no hearlights. Sections of it aren't lit which are interesting; there was just enough traffic to see by; I try and ensure I am responsible for my own safety anyway .

As I've said elsewhere - even dipped beam on all the time can make it harder to judge distance and speed of a bike, as well as to see indicators etc. If you want to be seen and safe there are better ways to do it.

[pyx_e]

A couple of years ago, one night, I dropped a friend off at his place in my car, engine off chatted about work for a couple of minutes. Set off again, as i came out of his estate a cop car went passed in front of me. I sort of thought "oh his hi-viz is not reflecting" and realised I had not put my lights on. So I turned them on.

Pull out, 30 seconds later - blue lights. So I pull over. "Did you know you did not have your lights on Sir?" Yes, apologised ect. "When was the last time you had an alcoholic drink Sir?" Me; "March 8th 1986 Officer." You should have seen the look on his face. Course he thought I was taking the piss and I had to give him the whole AA story before he let me on my way.
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Shiney!
Kawasaki: ER5, Versys, VN900.