Tips on riding your Harley-Davidson® at night
Riding your motorcycle at night is completely different than riding it during the day. Some motorcyclists enjoy the isolation of riding at night. Others hate it for the loss of visibility and vision and will avoid it at all costs. Sooner or later, you’re bound to find yourself on your bike during the night time, so it’s important to know what unique hazards you must deal with when the sun goes down. At Pfaff Harley-Davidson®, we are not only in the business if selling new and pre-owned Harley-Davidson® motorcycles. We take great pride in talking about new motorcycle concepts coming out and interesting topics related to the motorcycle industry. In this blog, we talk about some tips on riding your Harley-Davidson® at night.
Be mindful of hazards at night time
People also naturally become sleepy at night. It is possible to doze off on your motorcycle. If you are feeling exhausted, it’s not the best idea to be on your bike since your reaction time needs to be at its best. Deer, raccoons, squirrels, and more creatures come alive in the night time and can jump in your path when you least expect it. These animals are hard to spot with limited light so be aware of your surroundings. If you manage to spot something about to jump out on the road with time to spare, watch your speed and do your best to avoid it without putting yourself and anyone else on the road in danger. Potholes are also a concern at night. If you pay attention to other vehicles on the road and notice their lights bouncing up and down, you can get an idea of where potholes are.
Consider a clear visor on your helmet
Sometimes you may find yourself riding when the sun is out, and continue to while it goes down. You will most likely have your dark, tinted visor attached to your helmet, which will reduce your perception in the dark. If you find yourself in a situation like this often, bring your clear visor along with you, or use an adaptive one. Keeping your visors clear of smudges, dead bugs, and scratches will also help you see clearer. Bring wet wipes or a microfiber cloth with you to clean it to improve your vision.
Think about improving you headlamps if you feel it’s necessary
Every street-legal motorcycle has a headlight. Some are great, while others need some serious help. Upgrading your own with an HID lighting kit, LED headlamp or brighter bulbs will improve your own ability to see at night, and allow others on the road to see your bike better. And don’t forget to make sure they are properly working and adjusted correctly. You can also make use of your high beams, more so on country roads.
There are many advantages of owning and riding a Harley-Davidson® motorcycle. With how powerful these motorcycles can be, it is always beneficial to make sure you are practicing safe riding techniques. If you are looking for more tips on riding your Harley-Davidson® motorcycle at night, we recommend that you visit our Pfaff Harley-Davidson® dealership and speak to one of our representatives today.
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