Motorcycle Lights: Safety, Maintenance, and Improvements
Even the biggest bikes available today on the market are small in comparison to other vehicles like cars and trucks out on the road. In order to stay seen by other motorists, the lighting on your motorcycle is one of the best ways to increase your visibility.
Some manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson are famous for making their machines loud to increase awareness of the bike’s presence, and other individuals add aftermarket pipes to their machines to increase the decibel output. However, if you don’t ride a louder-than-average motorcycle, the lighting on your bike is another leading way to alert others that you are there. Aside from improving your own line of sight while driving, lighting plays an important part in rider safety and defensive driving.
With these important considerations in mind, we put together some notes to raise awareness of what to look for when purchasing lights for your bike.
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The Road Ahead…And Behind
Headlights on a motorcycle were designed to help riders see the road ahead in dim lighting conditions. As a bonus, headlights also make motorcycles more visible to other drivers on the road, which is why some states make it mandatory for bikers to use Daytime Running Lights (DRL), meaning the headlights need to be on any time the motorcycle is in motion.
Brake lights are equally important, given that motorcycles can come to a stop much faster than a passenger vehicle or truck. If you have someone coming up on you quickly, it’s not a bad idea to tap the brake to let them know you are there.
In addition to alerting others that you are sharing the road with them, bright lighting can improve the perception of your movements to others. They’ll have a much better idea of where you are and how fast you are going when they can see more of you, so side running lights are also an important consideration. Whether they are factory installed or aftermarket auxiliary lighting, this is an addition that promotes safety and can complement the style of your ride.
Keep The Lights On
In order to maintain your visibility while out riding, routine maintenance and inspections are critical. This means cleaning the headlight, taillight, turn signal lights, and running lights regularly with mild soap and water. If you notice a “fogging” of the lights, you can use a plastic-friendly headlight polish to restore their brightness and visibility.
Before heading out, especially in lowlight conditions or prior to night riding, do a quick check to make sure the headlights (low- and high-beams), taillight, brake lights (both front and rear brakes), and turn signals are all working properly. If you are by yourself and you can’t get a good bead on your taillight or brake lights, set your smartphone behind the bike and take a video. After you’ve run through your tests, you can go back and make sure that everything is illuminated the proper way.
If you experience any lighting issues, it could be a sign of a weak battery or blown fuse, so you’ll also want to do regular checks of the battery and electrical wiring. Tighten any loose connections and add dielectric grease to exposed wire and connections to protect them from moisture, which could cause oxidation or rust.
Play It Safe
There are a number of other ways you can increase what you are seeing out in front of you, and how well others can see you when you’re riding. For example, if your bike has an older halogen or incandescent headlight, you may want to switch to light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs. They not only produce a brighter and clearer light, they also draw less power from the electrical system and will last longer than older types of lights. And most motorcycle headlight bulbs are “plug-and-play,” so they should be easy to switch out.
There are also brake light modulators that create a flashing effect when you apply either brake. The motion of the light helps attract the attention of drivers behind you more effectively than a standard, steady light.
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To make you and your bike even more visible to others, you may want to apply reflective tape to various areas on your motorcycle that will “light up” when another vehicle’s headlights bounce off it. Wearing a reflective vest yourself will also help. For riding in daylight hours, wearing high-visibility clothing and a brightly colored helmet can promote safety on the road.
To take things a step further, if you want a brightly colored motorcycle, you can either have it custom painted, or you can trade in your current bike for a new model on the marketplace. Find exactly what you want when you compare makes and models, and get a better idea of the bike’s lighting when you browse the listings.
Barrett Baker
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