Night Riding Tips

[StinkyPete]

I'd be keen to hear some night riding tips from our Long Distance Riding members.

The nuts and bolts of lighting setups are well covered elsewhere on the forum, but information about Speed, How to Ride within your Light Envelope, How to Scan for Hazards, and other topics that I may not have considered would be helpful for anyone contemplating Long Distance Night Riding.   Goodness knows that there is a lot of experience out there. 

[Gadget]

Scanning constantly side to side and ahead.

Staring ahead can lead to line blindness. It happened to me one in a car driving up the Hume Highway to Sydney at night. I became hypnotized by the dotted line and nearly team up the back end of a truck because it was good slow up hill and I thought the tail lights were guide posts.

[Me_3]

Constantly Scanning, ride where your comfortable speed wise.. its a personal preference and also depends on the bike setup.. 

I found with stock lights, night riding was ok, but I found it hard on the eyes and tiring after an hour or two.. With my upgraded lights, 4 hours was easy.. and in a few weeks i'll be doing 6+ hours straight and i'm not really concerned about it getting tiring..  I found the same with the car.. crap lights gets tiring very quickly.. upgraded the light setup now I can drive for hours without getting tired..

Also, make sure your not getting cold.. the temperature can drop quite a lot during a night ride and there is nothing worse than knowing you have 3 hours till your next stopping area and its freezing, can't feel the hands etc... I've bought the heated vest & gloves for that reason, after 2 hours of being cold I hate it and have to warm up by getting off and using the engine heat to defrost me..

[ST2UP]

What a great question Pete  I can see this being a very productive thread 

In addition to the points mentioned.......just being situationally aware and reading/processing your enviroment.

Where's the road side follage, is the road fenced, water courses, dips in roadways hide animals, what's the prevelant wild life....Roos, Wallabies, Emu, Goats, Sheep, Deer or flying dingoes......they all like differing terrain and will behave differently in headlights......even a simple bunny on the run can bring a bike undone.

Target fixation can be difficult to control.....looking where you need to be 

Constantly practice escape plans and options......can you get your head around keeping straight, braking firmly, change down and then opening up prior to impact ?? So far only a fox has gone under me on this ST.....had a swampy take me out on a XT550 years ago and ran into one of our Friesians being a goose in heavy fog on a AG175 at 70 k's an hour......all was good as I had by safety Beanie and gum boots on, but daisy and I both limbed for a week. 

Looking forward to reading this thread 

[Biggles]

Just a couple of observations regarding your post, ST2UP.

What's a swampy?
Where do you encounter flying dingos?
Tell us more about "opening up prior to impact"

TIA,
Bill

[alans1100]

For those that are not used to riding at night.

Roos are the worst around the sunrise/sunset times as they tend to blend in to the scenery. If you're not sure if it's an animal or not slow it down a little. As with anything; it's not the one you see but the one you don't see will be the one that cause the most drama.
18 Wheelers.....not the vehicle but what they might have run over. If you're to close you won't see it.
Trucks rule the Nullarbor at night as there's to many terrorists during the day
Oncoming traffic; headlights worst time for not seeing the road in front of you. Aim your vision to the left (not to oncoming headlights) to the end of low the beam range. Your eyes will adjust quicker once the light has gone.

[Gadget]

Just a couple of observations regarding your post, ST2UP.

What's a swampy?
Where do you encounter flying dingos?
Tell us more about "opening up prior to impact"

TIA,
Bill

I'm being presumptuous, but I think he was referring to a Swamp Pheasant. A low flying bird which normally launches from the ground on the side of the road in rainforest or scrub country trying to get to the other side odd the road.  They are usually dark brown with a long tail.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheasant_coucal

The mention of Swampys reminds me of other birds which can be a problem:

Bustards, Emus and their chicks, Brolgas, the occasional ground grazing Cockatoos and Galahs.

[Wombattle]

All great advice.
ST2UP's comment about roadside foliage is spot on.  Great lights let you see up the road but you don't usually hit what you can see. Furry missiles coming at you from behind trees or out of long grass from the side are the things that will cause problems. So don't judge your speed by how far ahead you can see, judge it by how far away things that might surpise you might be hiding.  Anecdotally and from personal experience this is the most common way things might go wrong.

In the absence of oncoming traffic I ride in the centre of the road, I feel it gives me more options.

Scanning is great, keep the eyes and the head moving, but don't forget to blink.  It can happen when you are peering into the night.  I always take lubricating eye drops when I do LD rides, just in case.  Good for dust etc during the day too.

Target fixation and just staring off into the distance can be a sign of fatigue. If it is for you then rest.

Some people recommending letting trucks clear the path, I dont subscribe to that train of thought at all. Sometimes I'll follow a car with good lights but only if I can use their lights to see what i want to and can see past them.

Put a torch/head torch in your pocket or somewhere you can put your hand straight on it.  You don't always get to choose where you stop and it's not always under a light. The first time in pitch black you've got your ignition key in your hand and you can't find your torch or the ignition will hammer that one home 

If you are planning an LD ride, particularly a time sensitive one, think about timing the ride so you ride through the more risky areas during daylight.

I rode 260km the other night without seeing another vehicle. If you are riding alone in remote areas at night then share your ride plan and consider a SPOT if you haven't got one already.

I absolutely love riding at night but sometimes no matter how much you've done or how well prepered you are things might just happen. Keep that in the back of your mind, be vigilant, sensible and enjoy it!

[Gadget]

Furry animals dating in front of you reminded me of the other one that causes problems at dusk and that is possums. A big possum going under the wheel can easily unsettle a bike because they roll when hit.

[Gadget]

Just a couple of observations regarding your post, ST2UP.

What's a swampy?
Where do you encounter flying dingos?
Tell us more about "opening up prior to impact"

TIA,
Bill

The opening up before impact is about letting go of the brakes just before impact so that the wheel can roll over the obstacle rather than have the obstacle roll between the wheel and the road.

It can also be about relaxing just before impact so you don't treat muscles from bone whenb you hit.

Flying dingoes.... I'm guessing it's the practice they have of darting at full speed across the road in persuit of prey.

[ST2UP]

Just a couple of observations regarding your post, ST2UP.

What's a swampy?
Where do you encounter flying dingos?
Tell us more about "opening up prior to impact"

TIA,
Bill

 Sorry Bill, my rural vernacular gets thicker after a few honey bourbons......

A Swampy is an Eastern Black Wallaby.....hard to see as they are relative small, but fast moving and a ball of muscle.

A flying Dingo is a wedge tail eagle.....once they are target fixed on dinner crossing an open road way nothing will stand in their way.

And as Gary mentioned......off the brakes, seriously on the power to transfer weight back.....under brakes with front suspension loaded up and nose down is not a great combo 


 

[StinkyPete]

Are wedgies a hazard at night?

[spanner]

When you see a roo crossing the road DO NOT LOOK at that ONE but look from WHERE IT CAME FROM as there will quite likely be another 1 or 3 following and they don't think for them selves     and it is when you are looking at the lead one when you get taken out by the other silly buggers trying to stay with the lead.

Also when approaching cattle ( day or night) do not expect them to move where you expect them to move to!!    often they will just stand there looking at you and  just as you are about to go past them they suddenly realize "of shite ..... there's something there I NEED to get away from" ......  and they do a startle response movement.  Stupid bloody animal they are! 

The flying dingoes can be an issue at dusk and dawn so they also can be classed as a hazard for night driving. The silly buggers are quite slow and lumbering .... a bit like a Lancaster bomber .... need a long runway and no deviation to get airborne ...... sometimes that runway in their minds is right across the path of an oncoming STeed.

The other tip I would give is to have clear safety glasses on under your visor because if you want to open the visor to scratch your nose or get air flow or what ever sometimes those little (and BIG) insects can get past the screen and hit you in the eye!      Having that layer of eye protection will kind of prolong your riding abilities.     Also when a large insect splatters itself right across the entire visor at 110+ kph you might need to quickly open the visor to see where you need to go ..... continue getting pummeled by insects ......  and ......  stop safely! ..... I know this from experience.

[Gadget]

Having grown up on a farm I can confirm cattle are unpredictable. Approach slowly, DON'T hit the horn. That guarantees a starte response.

[alans1100]

Are wedgies a hazard at night?

Not that I've noticed. Most birds tend to sleep at night with the exception of the owl related ones and maybe a bat/flying fox in some areas.
Wombats  are an issue at night near the western side Blanchetown. There's a reserve a few km out of the town and the Hwy runs beside it. Just think about running over a very large rock and you'll get the picture.                                                     

[alans1100]

Having grown up on a farm I can confirm cattle are unpredictable. Approach slowly, DON'T hit the horn. That guarantees a starte response.

I've never had to much drama with cattle.....mother and a calf presented more of an issue if they are separated by a road but mostly they just keep feeding. I have seen quite a few dead ones beside the road between Carnarvon and Port Hedland and you can smell them before you see them........lol

[tj189]

Get your eyesight checked regularly.

Following a truck at night, read through the replies again above, personally I feel it is not worth the risk.

ride the Centerline when no other traffic is about (as said above).

Read up on the distances of vision and reaction times whilst riding in previous topics as it relates to night riding as well.

If you can afford it....infa red night vision camera (make sure you learn how to use it)

There was an article published regarding the amount of loss of vision from looking through glasses, via the helmet visor, via the screen  (something to be aware of and worthwhile tracking down and reading)

affects of fatigue on you during night riding (everyone is different and each rider should learn as much as they can about themselves and how to manage this)

yellow "night" glasses do not work

install some good lighting and practice riding using it (high/low beam), it is interesting to work out how long it takes to get your vision  back after having a vehicle come towards you.

train to ride in different weather conditions at night and the affect the weather has on your lighting.

re-read every thing in the above posts regarding animal behaviour

My night speed would normally be dependant  on location, weather, animal life (or dead animals) road conditions etc.

[STeveo]

I have seen quite a few dead ones beside the road between Carnarvon and Port Hedland and you can smell them before you see them........lol

If you can smell them they aren't going to be running in front of your bike. 

[Totgas]

Be careful where you pull up. Not only could you be unseen by oncoming traffic but embankments can often be steep and unpredictable

the use of reflective material on you and your bike cannot be over emphasized

use a second set of work or fog lights pointed away from the center to give you good visibility of what's going on either side of the road

rest is extremely important as the concentration required at night is much greater

carry a damp cloth to wipe away the bodies from your screen or visor

treat every imperfection in the road as a potential hazard, the depth of potholes can be impossible to judge

fit shoo roos (if you believe in them)

and, it is probably more important when riding at night, that someone knows where you are and your likely ETA at X

A.



 



 

[alans1100]

I have seen quite a few dead ones beside the road between Carnarvon and Port Hedland and you can smell them before you see them........lol

If you can smell them they aren't going to be running in front of your bike. 

No....but I'd hate to be beside a bloated one when the body can longer keep the build of gasses contained.

[Brookester]

Mentioned lightly...but a great quote from one of the great LD Riders...

High Vis Reflective Vest....Not about being seen whilst riding...About not being a speed hump for the approaching road train if you do have an off due to furry critters and are left laying on the black top...

[Gadget]

Mentioned lightly...but a great quote from one of the great LD Riders...

High Vis Reflective Vest....Not about being seen whilst riding...About not being a speed hump for the approaching road train if you do have an off due to furry critters and are left laying on the black top...

Yes, yes, yes. Reflective gets you noticed.

My wife had an off at night in the wet, and it was the reflective on her jacket which prevented her being run over.

The driver didn't see her go down, her taillights disappeared as the bike spun away,  he saw her jacket on the road in front of him and braked.

[StinkyPete]

Thankyou to all the experienced night riders who have contributed to this discussion.   Here's my distillation of the information that has been offered, and keep the suggestions coming.   I will amend this list to keep it up to date. 

Bike Equipment
Install appropriate lights on the bike (lots of threads on this topic)
Use grip heaters if you ride in cold conditions
Fit “Shoo Roos” if you believe in them
Use reflective material on the bike
Use a SPOT to enable others to monitor your journey
Consider carrying the SPOT on your person rather than bike mounted, for better access to SOS in case of an "off".
If you can afford it, use IR night vision

Rider Equipment
Wear a high visibility vest
Carry a damp cloth to wipe away bug splats
Yellow glasses don't work, but wear clear glasses under the visor
Keep a torch in your pocket where you can find it easily
Use lubricating eye drops
Keep warm, with Heated Vest, Gloves, Grip heaters etc

Rider Skills, Attitude & Practices
Treat all road imperfections as a hazard, as pothole depth is impossible to judge, so use caution
Night speed would normally be dependant on location, weather, animal life, road conditions etc and not necessarily speed limit
Research and be aware of distances of vision and reaction times whilst riding
Practice quickly using High/Low beam
Listen to your body regarding fatigue and heed the messages
Have your eyesight checked
Ensure someone knows where you are going
Regularly move your head and look to each side to break target fixation
Constantly assess and reassess all aspects of your situation
Constantly look for escape routes
Slow for anything that is unidentified
Don't ride behind trucks
Look to the left as on coming vehicles approach,  to minimise glare & recovery from glare
Ride the centreline if there's no traffic
Constantly scan the roadsides
The roo you don't see coming from the side is the one that will get you, not the one you see well ahead in your headlights
If you see a roo, look where it came from for the others
Be aware that animals can be unpredictable
Don't brake if an impact is imminent, but look ahead and ride straight

[Biggles]

Excellent compilation Pete.  I'm added that to my file of "Need To Know" motorcycle skills and interests.

Which also makes my 8000th post to the Forum.     

[Wild Rose]

Excellent compilation Pete.  I'm added that to my file of "Need To Know" motorcycle skills and interests.

Which also makes my 8000th post to the Forum.     

8,000 Posts, Congratulations