Do you like riding at night?

DubVelo

I'm having to keep reminding myself the bike has a proper headlight and I can actually go for a ride at night.
It's like it's ingrained in me from bicycling that you can't really go out on the country roads at night.
Rain too... I've gone soft. :rolleyes: Keep forgetting it doesn't even bother you much behind a visor. Gloves need an upgrade for winter though.

Do ye enjoy actually riding at night though? I'm having trouble getting my head wrapped around it.

I suppose it's a bit different if you're in the city and there's street lighting but I don't ride those kind of roads at the moment.

Dravokivich

Not a biker myself, but from what I've seen of street lights in Dublin, they tend not to do much to aid visibility, they just show where the road is.

WoollyRedHat

Riding in the morning, riding at night, riding on the hills, riding in the park, I'll ride anywhere, anytime. Don't like riding in the snow though or the sand, gets in places you know.

serious3

dont bother me too much unless im on the supermoto, the headlamp on that is like a candle in a jam jar:p

Cienciano

I don't have a problem with it. If it's dark and raining on unlit back roads that you don't know it's a pain, especially when your visor has lots of drips inside and out

Wonda-Boy

Its actually quite nice riding at night, had one of the best motorcycle rides in Germany this summer heading from Holland into Germany as the night fell looking for my hotel. Can be very relaxing as you dont tend to give it beans at night as much as you would when daylight is upon us.

punisher5112

Love it in the summer when actually hot.

thecivvie

I spent the last couple of years commuting for night shifts so did plenty of night driving. Roads nice and quiet, plenty of nice views.Loved it

Luke92

My missus never turns the lights on. I'm always riding in the dark!

Mech1

Luke92 wrote: »

My missus never turns the lights on. I'm always riding in the dark!

who's she hiding?

Tzardine

I love driving late at night. Always did.

I always found that my bike drives a lot smoother on really fresh mornings / nights but then I could also be imagining it.

szatan84

Love driving at night, I can see much more clearly at night (better contrast). Its probably because I'm a night owl by nature.

BKtje

Enjoy it as well at night though I can't be arsed changing the visor so stick with a tinted one at night which can lead to a few hairy moments. New helmet will have e tint though which will hopefully be decent.

goodlad

I really like it! Go for a nice spin taking it handy with little or no cars on the road. I just put some music on and chill out and let the magic that is driving a bike make me forget about any stress in life.

Wonda-Boy

Its funny but not only night riding I love riding in the rain aswell it can be just as nice, obviously not when you stressing commuting to/from work or in a hurry to get somewhere but when you already out and its light rain etc it can be very soothing and challenging.

bladespin

Absolutely love it, very different feel to it, the bike feels better, the engine sounds better (less other noises to drown it out I guess) and less traffic to hold you up.

BrokenArrows

If you count commuting home in the dark then in don't mind.

But I've never gone out for a ride at night just for a ride.

galwaytt

Cienciano wrote: »

I don't have a problem with it. If it's dark and raining on unlit back roads that you don't know it's a pain, especially when your visor has lots of drips inside and out

^^^This. .

Just in now from collecting my bike. ****ty wet, shiney surface, poor or no road markings.
And is it on me or are drivers of oncoming cars getting worse.?

I think they are so used to meeting cars with only one headlight they presume we're a car and nearly bloody stop on the road. I don't trust then to not make a bloody mistake.

CJhaughey

I don't mind riding at night, urban and suburban is OK, where I have the biggest problem is rural areas with livestock,horses,cattle, sheep and deer all have appeared at various times in my headlight.
Nothing like a pucker moment seeing a cow staring back at you in the middle of a corner.

Slicemeister

galwaytt wrote: »

^^^This. .

Just in now from collecting my bike. ****ty wet, shiney surface, poor or no road markings.
And is it on me or are drivers of oncoming cars getting worse.?

I think they are so used to meeting cars with only one headlight they presume we're a car and nearly bloody stop on the road. I don't trust then to not make a bloody mistake.

Just back from a 180 mile round trip myself in the dark, I honestly think there should be night driving tests. People's distance perception is just desperate at times.

galwaytt

CJHaughey wrote: »

I don't mind riding at night, urban and suburban is OK, where I have the biggest problem is rural areas with livestock,horses,cattle, sheep and deer all have appeared at various times in my headlight.
Nothing like a pucker moment seeing a cow staring back at you in the middle of a corner.

Lots of kids out on R roads tonight dressed in black for Halloween. Parents at least should be in Hi Viz.....wtf are they thinking. ..

Frigga_92

Well I don't dislike it.
Like another poster, there's something kind of nice about riding at night, in the dark, seems kind of peaceful or something. I feel the same about riding in the rain, when you're all geared up and there's no rain getting in anywhere and you're warm, it feels like you're in your own little bubble and I don't envy all the people sitting in cars in traffic.

Blondie919

I don't mind it so much now. There's definitely less traffic to contend with except for Friday nights. Always seems busier that night. But as someone suggested there should be night driving tests. I posted a thread about it a few months ago and was a bit shocked that I only got a couple of replies. People should learn how to use headlights properly. And yes there is some amount of cars on the road with only one working headlight. How difficult is it to replace a bulb?

Richard tea

I dont mind it. Working shift means I can be on the road at 3am or heading home at 1am. Little traffic around which is a bonus. A fogged up visor is terrible at night though

Hotblack Desiato

Tzardine wrote: »

I always found that my bike drives a lot smoother on really fresh mornings / nights but then I could also be imagining it.

Shouldn't matter on a fuel injected bike, but many carbed bikes are/were set to run a little rich to be on the safe side (running too lean can cause overheating or knocking), the air density is higher on cool nights taking you closer to the optimum fuel/air mixture. So you might not be imagining it

I don't mind the weather and dark evenings so much at this time of year, but what does bother me are all the f**kwits with headlight aim way off and/or foglights on, you get dazzled by these guys then there's someone behind them with no lights on or one firefly (crappy sidelight) each side, invisible.

BrokenArrows

Blondie919 wrote: »

.....How difficult is it to replace a bulb?

I haven't had a car in many years but apparently manufacturer's are making it very hard with newer cars.
One of the guys at work recently looked up how to replace his and the instructions required him to remove the front wheel. Wtf!!

arybvtcw0eolkf

Its really nice during the warm summer nights.. In fact I work in a rock/metal/biker bar and we'd often take spins after work, pull in at an agreed destination for a smoke then go our separate ways.

Unfortunately one of our number was killed riding home last week, god be good to him.

Rain at night time can be hazardous due to poor visibility, I don't enjoy it then.

Tzardine

BrokenArrows wrote: »

I haven't had a car in many years but apparently manufacturer's are making it very hard with newer cars.
One of the guys at work recently looked up how to replace his and the instructions required him to remove the front wheel. Wtf!!

Its true. I had a 2005 Renault Megane and to change the bulb was a trip to the garage for most people as it involved removing the wheel and the wheel arch trim to get to it.

goodlad

I had a megane too and that's madness.
There is a panel above the wheel that twists and pops open. You just need to turn the wheel in towards the car then pop the panel off and you can put your hand in fine.

Its awkward but by no means needs a wheel off.
I had a neighbour saying the same as you said until I just showed him the panel of his own car and he felt like a dope for not knowing.

MrPudding

Animals on the road aside, I quite like riding at night. I have some fairly serious headlights, so my visibility is not a problem. I also like riding at night as it is easier to tell when there in oncoming traffic, if you are willing to make the assumption that in the middle of nowhere, on windy roads, people turn their light on.

MrP

KTRIC

Thread title disappoints :pac: