Two Wheel Fix - View Single Post - Making my bike easier to see during the day time?

PiZdETS · 04-07-2008, 03:53 AM

As usual, ebbs knows his shit.
My bike came with a brake light with signals integrated into it and it flashes when I hit the brakes. Very noticable, cars keep their distance more than on my sv where they'd get closer to my rear when stopping. (tee-hee) Don't know the maker but I know the previous owner bought the good shit so I'd go with one of the online vendors, skip ebay. Ebay electrical and lighting stuff is notoriously unreliable/cheap.

About the vests, it might look a little weird but that shit works. At the airport where I work we all have to wear them and they help immensely at night and during the day. When I was in Ireland about 3/4 of all the city bikers wore green or orange vests over their leathers. It just pulls your attention to them when you see a bright vest in the corner of your eye. Any uniform shop will have them, try to get one that has adjustable size but that isn't held together with velcro as many are. They can get a little flappy above 60 mph.

The single most critical way to stay visible is to think invisible. You're right in thinking cagers don't always see you so ride like they have no idea youre there. Stay out of blind spots, make eye contact when you pull along side someone and you're unsure they see you, as your passing a car watch the drivers head - a quick glance to the left is often their only checking before swerving into your lane.
When youre in thick traffic, just be thinking about escape routes, if the car to your left starts coming into your lane you might get to the right of your lane and lane split the cars ahead etc etc..
I've gotten to the point where I don't even flinch when I start getting cut off, you just react instinctually when you've come to expect it.

Also- dont forget your horn! Just because your in heavy traffic and not getting your lane poached yet doesn't mean you cant get a couple beeps in. If I feel suddenly invisible to multiple cars I'll often just do a series of quick beeps and vary my lane position a little to make myself visible to all the cars who will now be looking for what just made the roadrunner sound.

Goodonya for trying to stay visible.

04-07-2008, 03:53 AM	#3
PiZdETS ⎷⎛⎝ ⎝⏠⏝⏠⎠ ⎷⎛⎝ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: ⎷⎛⎝ ⎝⏠⏝⏠⎠ ⎷⎛⎝ Moto: ⎷⎛⎝ ⎝⏠⏝⏠⎠ ⎷⎛⎝ Posts: 990	As usual, ebbs knows his shit. My bike came with a brake light with signals integrated into it and it flashes when I hit the brakes. Very noticable, cars keep their distance more than on my sv where they'd get closer to my rear when stopping. (tee-hee) Don't know the maker but I know the previous owner bought the good shit so I'd go with one of the online vendors, skip ebay. Ebay electrical and lighting stuff is notoriously unreliable/cheap. About the vests, it might look a little weird but that shit works. At the airport where I work we all have to wear them and they help immensely at night and during the day. When I was in Ireland about 3/4 of all the city bikers wore green or orange vests over their leathers. It just pulls your attention to them when you see a bright vest in the corner of your eye. Any uniform shop will have them, try to get one that has adjustable size but that isn't held together with velcro as many are. They can get a little flappy above 60 mph. The single most critical way to stay visible is to think invisible. You're right in thinking cagers don't always see you so ride like they have no idea youre there. Stay out of blind spots, make eye contact when you pull along side someone and you're unsure they see you, as your passing a car watch the drivers head - a quick glance to the left is often their only checking before swerving into your lane. When youre in thick traffic, just be thinking about escape routes, if the car to your left starts coming into your lane you might get to the right of your lane and lane split the cars ahead etc etc.. I've gotten to the point where I don't even flinch when I start getting cut off, you just react instinctually when you've come to expect it. Also- dont forget your horn! Just because your in heavy traffic and not getting your lane poached yet doesn't mean you cant get a couple beeps in. If I feel suddenly invisible to multiple cars I'll often just do a series of quick beeps and vary my lane position a little to make myself visible to all the cars who will now be looking for what just made the roadrunner sound. Goodonya for trying to stay visible. __________________ Last edited by PiZdETS; 04-07-2008 at 12:32 PM..