Riding in the dark...literally.

[meyrick]

I had a very hair raising experience today (when do I not?). I decided the only way I'm going to learn while working is to take the bike out after work in the dark. Unfortunately the crash seems to have screwed up the headlight alignment somehow, so not only was it my first time in the dark, but I could only see about 10 feet in front of me. I was terrified (BTW, I live in the middle of the country, so think winding country roads without street lamps.)

It was really windy too so I was getting blown about quite badly. It was so cold all my instincts were telling me to get back home ASAP, but I could only go at 35mph tops just in case a corner came up. There were some fun moments though. I managed to do that down shift thing after reading about it in this section before I went out, but best of all was when a corner just arrived out of nowhere and I had to take it at the speed I was going. It must be the first time I have taken a corner at a respectable speed, with pronounced leaning etc. What a rush! Especially as I couldn't see anything. All very spooky

Anyway, as much crazy fun as it was, I think I'll get that headlight sorted before I go out again, because I think it was luck more than judgement that prevented me from crashing. Now, where did that thread about headlight alignment go....

Paul

EDIT: Ooooh, does that mean I have gold karma? Mini celebration:

[TomC]

Yup i am the same, My headlamp is terrible and struggle to see ahead of me and i also live surrounded by country lanes...

[instigator]

When in doubt, don't bother.

If you think for some reason that its not safe to be riding, then stay off 2 wheels.

[steveh]

yup my headlights were off on my old ped, but i was riding along and flicked the lights off to see wat it was like, very scary, never again.

cheers, Steve
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Current : 06 Zx10r, 07 Wr450f SM, 74 850 norton commando, 63 bsa b40, 1962 Triton 650, 67 Triumph Tr6r, 1955 Triton 750, 1978 TY250E.

[mrchips]

My moped used to blow bulbs. Never good as they always seemed to blow in unlit areas.
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Northern Irish? www.nibikers.com

[DM]

I managed to run into a fallen tree (was standing earlier in the evening) while riding home along a section of paved paths that cover the island's old railway tracks. It's restricted to 50cc bikes, but I was riding a 100, so maybe it was my punishment . But the combination of a horrible headlight, narrow road and horrible brakes sorta screwed my chances of avoiding the tree. I had enough time to close my eyes, duck and lean my head forward. The branch I hit wasn't huge but still managed to crunch my neck. Then I veered off into a hedge 30 feet up the road and came to an abrupt stop. Had a bloody swollen lip, a few cuts and an indented boot toe (was originally gonna wear sneakers...) but I was fine besides. I took a picture a few minutes afterwards so my parents wouldn't think I hit something in a drunken stupor and blamed it on a "fallen tree" .

https://www.aprilfoolwebdesign.com/dfiles/bastard.jpg
https://www.aprilfoolwebdesign.com/dfiles/tree.jpg
https://www.aprilfoolwebdesign.com/dfiles/fairing.jpg

[ArabianKnight]

I had my worst (I think) crash in the dark. However, I was on the sand dunes, not the road.

I was on a 3-wheeler with a burnt out bulb, we were camped on the dunes next to an area where the dunes were leveled for large scale land development, so we had the sand dunes behind us, and a flat sandy area in front of us. However....between the time that the dunes were levelled and road work and construction started in that area, the dunes were starting to creep back.

So there I was, riding the bike without lights under the full moon. It wasn't a problem, since believe it or not the full moon provides a lot of light, especially when you are in an unlit area. (kinda eerie though). I was just riding along slowly, doing sharp turns to go on two wheels (side) then one of my friends started driving away from the campsite in his car. I called to him, and I saw his brake lights come on, but when I started riding towards him he started going again. Everytime I thought of stopping, I would see his brake lights go on, and I'd think he spotted me, but then he'd start driving off again.

Turns out he was slowing down for the very small sand dunes which were starting to form in the levelled area.

On my way towards him, I was riding on the footpegs so that my legs can work as extra suspension over the small bumps (think motocross) when I bounced off a larger than usual bump in that area. All I could think of was "that was a warning"....then....

That's all I remember. Next thing I know, I'm standing, waving to a pair of car headlights coming towards me. It was my cousin who had come looking, not for me, but for another of our cousins who was off in a beach buggy. I had the handle of the brake and some other nuts and bolts in my hand that I had to recollection picking up. The bike was a mess. I suffered a burn or scrape on my calf, pain across my ribs (the handles I'm guessing) and I ran a bad fever later that night to the point of becoming a blabbering idiot. (judging by the length of this post, it seems to be happening again). I am assuming the fever was a result of a concussion.

Again, I wasn't driving fast...but...too fast for that situation.


Go ahead...some one ask me what happened the next morning...

HeHehe
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Peace...(of mind)

[TomC]

You've just brought a 8 month thread back from the dead. I was strolling down the page reading the replies and then saw my reply, Was thinking to myself "dont remember posting that" then relised it was months ago.

[ArabianKnight]

We should have a graveyard section or maybe some sort of aging mechanism that locks up posts after nothing happens for a few months.

Funny thing? I could have sworn that I saw a recent post on this and figured...hey, some one is still interested in this.

I just scrolled down and only saw old dates go figure.

I only read the posts here because it was in one of the first posts under New Bikers...even before I posted....hmmm
*shrugs*

Sorry for any inconvenience. Next time I want to contact the spirit world I'll use an ouija board.

Cheers
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Peace...(of mind)

[Groove]

LOL

least u know the search function gets used
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|| Past: 1991 Kawasaki ZXR 250 ~ 2003 Honda CBR 600 F Sport ~ 2004 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H 636 ~ 1999 Yamaha R1 ~ 1999 Kawasaki ZX6R J ~ 2004 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H 636 ~ 1998 Honda VTR1000F Firestorm ~ K1 GSXR 600 Track bike ~ K6 GSXR 1000 ~ 2006 Speed Triple 1050 || Current: 2005 R1 https://www.adrucore.co.uk

[retro]

why aye that seems frickin scary... but fun n spookeh!

[John C]

At least you cant flame him for starting new posts on previously covered subjects.

BTW my NSR lights are atrocious, you just have to go slower.