How To Safely Ride Your Motorcycle At Night
Riding your motorcycle at night can be a fun and unique experience compared to riding during the daytime, or it can be something that you do out of necessity. You may find yourself needing to ride at night on long trips or during the winter, when the sun sets very early. Either way, it’s important to be smart about how you’re riding. Indian Motorcycle® of Orange County, located in Westminster, is proud to be your southern California motorcycle dealer. We want to help all of our customers stay safe out there, so we’ve provided some tips on how to safely ride at night.
The Hazards You Face
When riding at night, you’re exposed to some hazards that aren’t as common during the daytime. One thing you’re sure to spot is an increase in the number of drunk drivers on the road. This is an unfortunate consequence of bars closing late at night, so you’ll want to watch for cars that weave from side to side or speed up and slow down at strange rates. Stay as far away from them as possible. If you see something very troubling, you can pull over and contact the police with the license plate numbers of the offending vehicles to keep others safe.
Another common nighttime hazard is the presence of animals in the road. Many nocturnal animals, like deer, will cross the road to avoid predators. However, this puts them directly into the path of oncoming traffic. Stay on busier roads when you can, since deer are more likely to be on small rural roads. You’ll want to watch for them either way, as hitting them on your bike can be disastrous.
Finally, it’s just going to be harder to see anything in general. This lack of visibility increases if there is any precipitation or fog. You won’t be able to spot gravel or potholes as well, so you’ll need to be watchful.
Let There Be Light
If you can’t see well, you’re not going to be able to avoid cars, animals and other obstacles in your path. Many motorcycles come from the factory with standard-issue halogen lights since they’re less expensive to install. However, LED lights are much brighter and bolder. They consume less energy and last longer, which will save you money over time. Installing LED lights will help you to see and be seen by others on the highway.
A brake light flasher is another good upgrade, as it flashes several times before becoming a steady beam of light. This trait helps to attract attention, so other motorists will be alerted of your presence. Adding more lights to your bike, in general, is a good idea, since it will illuminate the road ahead and make you more visible. Strips of bulbs or single bulbs are fine; it’s your choice which to use.
Be Seen By Others
Your own attire needs to be more visible so that drivers can see you in the dark. An all-black ensemble might look cool in the daylight, but it renders you completely invisible at night. You could invest in riding gear that has retro-reflective panels built-in, which glow when hit by the lights of cars behind you. Neon and fluorescent colors or even just white are better choices, too. Safety vests like those worn by construction workers are also easy to throw on over your usual gear. You can even get reflective tape to add to your helmet and your bike to make them stand out. This is a good alternative if you don’t have the budget for reflective gear.
Keep Your Guard Up
When riding at night, you’ll need to be more vigilant than usual and ride more defensively. Drivers around you may be distracted or tired and the darkness will make it more difficult. You might even have drunk drivers around you, so increase your following distance and watch for cars that are swerving around. You’ll want to give yourself sufficient space to brake or switch lanes as needed. Keep scanning the environment around you for obstacles so you aren’t blindsided.
With some precaution and vigilance, you can ride your bike at night safely. We hope these tips prove helpful! If you still don’t have a bike, then come by our dealership in Westminster, California, to see our full stock of new and used motorcycles for sale. Indian Motorcycle® of Orange County welcomes all of our customers in greater Los Angeles, as well as those in the Inland Empire here in southern California.