Riding with headlight on bright all the time?

[Omega Man]

Is it safer? I've heard this tip on several Youtube biker vlogs. I've been doing it for sometime now and don't even get flashed(other driver flashes brights). I do have a question though, does this shorten the lifespan of my headlight?

~O~

 

[zman]

Well your drawing more watts and generating more heat..That cant be good for long life but if it saves your life then well worth it.

 

[mcgovern61]

It will shorten the life of your bulb (and is most likely causing a lot of bad things to be said about you inside the other vehicles)! :hihihi:

 

[moreorless]

I do it, makes me feel safer!

 

[KYWinger]

I always do, during the daylight hours; not at night.

 

[dan filipi]

How many headlight bulbs in the 1500, 2? Or is that the 1800 has 2?

The more light the better.

 

[AApple]

I hit the high beam as soon as I hit the highway....don't care if it bothers anyone in front of me. I don't wanna be mashed on the side of the road with some num-nutz sayin "I dint see him...".
I just changed the bulb on mine a month or so ago to one that is definitely brighter than what was in it. I put the old on in the side pocket for emergency use, if needed.
I get a kick out of seeing some goober in front of me having to drop the phone/magazine/map/i-pad so they can twist the rear view mirror and get my bright eyed azz outta their eyeballs....
"Can ya SEE me NOW?" :whip:

 

[slabghost]

One day some squishmobile driver will retaliate. We are in the age of road rage. If it makes you feel safer to piss off the cagers ... go for it. I'll run low beam.

 

[Ansimp]

HID conversion you get the extra brightness without the current draw ad will still get talked about by the oncoming traffic but at least they can say that they saw you. :moped:

 

[badorderbob]

Personally I have super bright LEDS on both side in front and will in time be adding Led Fork Lights, amber but more up front! I will on occasion run brights on the highway and 50% in town. I also will flash high/low beem when going through a very busy intersection trying to bring attention to me!! And, which maybe overkill, 2 sets air horns on the crash/engine guard which have saved my but several times!!! On the rear, 2 sets of Led strips on the top lid of the trunk which pulsate whenI brake and will pulsate everytime I apply the brakes. Plus bright leds turn siganls along with the Oems' and same for extra brake lights on the bottom light bar. Side reflectors have been turned into leds. But as far running front lights on high, saftey is up to you! I may have gotten off track a little and my bike is looking like a some what Christmas tree, it's my hope they see me even if it Pisses them off! Better alive then Dead,....hopefully!!! :hi: Bob

 

[Joep]

A compromise is the pulsing headlight module.. now DOT approved for motorcycles... I am not too concerned about those in front of me on my side seeing me unless I plan on passing them... . :Awe: :whip: it is the cross streets and turners that have me worried... at night the more lit up the better :yahoo: .. Leds strip lights.. side maker lights are a good thing.... and I love the bad boy horns... they help.. regardless you still have the blind drivers out there that never see you or that 18 wheeler out there :music3: :music3: :salute: ... ride your surroundings mateys... be aware.

(Salute is used for the drink drivers at all hours of the day....)

 

[pidjones]

Modulators have been legal for over a decade. I have them on the FOUR bulbs on my 1800. I burn low beam except when behind a brain-dead poking in the left lane. Modulating brights move most of them over pretty quick. I have Signal Dynamics modules on the 1800, and will probably put one of their modules on the 1000 when the build gets that far. I worry about traffic coming toward me turning left head-on into me. Seems to kill a lot of bikers here. One thing that I suspect is the daytime running lights on cars. Motorcycles were required to run headlights 24 hrs a day to differentiate us from the cages. With DTRLs we just blend in again, so the modulators bring us back out (although I worry about it making us a better 'target'). 82k miles in 7 years, so the 'wing is my main transport, and 10 miles each way of my daily commute is white-knuckle. Love the other 10 on back roads, though!

Sent from my LePanII using Tapatalk 2

 

[ianstaley]

In the scandinavian countries it is a legal requirement to show your dipped headlight even during daylight hours, most of the european counties drivers have adopted the same principle on motorway or highways. My own idea on this is simple, "Think Bike Stay Safe Show a Light oh and get a dash cam, you know it makes sense".

 

[KYWinger]

HID conversion you get the extra brightness without the current draw I found it to make a BIG difference!
Personally I have super bright LEDS on both side in front Me too; it helps...
Side reflectors have been turned into leds Helps from the side...

We have to be seen to be be safe, since we're at a disadvantage going into the game...

 

[OldWrench]

During my morning commute it is dark and I encounter very few oncoming cars, I always to to low beam when meeting oncoming traffic. During daylight hours I use high beam in hopes that others seem me.

I really like the idea of HID conversion. I do have bright LEDs on turn signals, brakes, and light bar.

 

[C5Performance]

I run high beams on bright days. I've never burned out a headlight in any bike i've owned so I doubt its an issue.
As for a modulator, I dont have one, but i do pulse my brake lights when stopped and traffic is coming up behind me.
If that keeps just one just one person from running me over it was worth it

 

[detdrbuzzard]

at the M&G at joes this summer the guys were impressed with the brightness of the headlight on my 1500 on low beam. i'm using silver star bulbs and use low beam day and night

 

[C5Performance]

detdrbuzzard » Sat Nov 09, 2013 5:20 pm[/url]":30fl6wuy]
at the M&G at joes this summer the guys were impressed with the brightness of the headlight on my 1500 on low beam. i'm using silver star bulbs and use low beam day and night

I had rotten luck with the Silver Star Ultra's but the high performance versions are in my van and work awesome.
Which ones did you have on your bike? White light sure seems to work better than a yellow tint.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

the ultras don't last as long as the standard silver star bulbs c5

 

[C5Performance]

detdrbuzzard » Sat Nov 09, 2013 5:52 pm[/url]":2qgwc6ml]
the ultras don't last as long as the standard silver star bulbs c5

That was my experience as well. Glad it wasn't just me because the Ultra's cost alot more and only lasted a few months.