Forward Looking Infra-Red Camera
My research started here with HardTxRider aka Tim Masterson
http://hardtxrider.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/the-flir-pathfindir-project.htmlHe has also done a follow up here
http://hardtxrider.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/using-flir-while-riding.htmlTim Masterson, In my opinion is the guru regarding this piece of equipment and when you read his blog you will understand my reasoning.
Some time ago on one of my rides I was unlucky enough to have a roo strike, what scared me about this the most, was that it happened just as a road train and I were about cross during the night. The roo came out from the side and I just caught it in my peripheral vision to the left then being partially blinded by the truck lights. My result was that I gunned the bike ran over the roo, the handlebars went madly side to side for x number of meters and my sphincter valve near dropped out.
There were two choices for me, stop riding at night or find some method of countering not only the blindness with a vehicle passing at night but being a bit better forewarned of critters that may be on the road on near to it. The second choice was the only one I could accept, so the research began the result is what you see in the links above.
The FLIR camera is reportedly the same one that is used on the yank tanks?
I mounted mine on the right side on the above mirror mount along with the LED light. The bracket is strong enough for both. The screen I used was a 5” waterproof monitor that could also have another camera connected to it (not that I used this feature). The monitor is mounted on the shelf above the dash in the central position.
This equipment takes a bit of getting used to, it is suggested that a bit of practice will help in utilizing it effectively. I found that by using it as you would use your side mirrors was best in general terms. So as I came to the beginning of a straight stretch or a bend I would glance at the monitor for the tell-tale bright white marking of a heat signature then back to the road. The heat signature really does stand out, I found myself coming around a bend seeing a heap of white signatures on the screen and believe that I had come across a herd of cattle, it turned out to be ant nests!!!
One of the good things about the heat signature is that if the heat is in the bushes or hidden by undergrowth you will still see the heat signature, same goes for it if raining or in fog. What sort of distances are the heat signatures visible, please see the comments in Tim’s blog. I did find that on a number of occasions I saw the animals in the lights before checking the monitor so that when I glanced down I was able to notice other heat signatures around as well allow good time to slow down.
One of the better uses I found with this equipment was when passing oncoming vehicles, remember I mentioned above of my incident with a roo and oncoming vehicle, well with a bit of practice I was able to maintain my eyes on the road and oncoming vehicle through the monitor, I was no longer blinded by the lights!!!
I spoke in other posts regarding fatigue management and how I felt that this equipment would assist, well as we all know LDRiding is such an individual sport, so is the equipment that we utilise. I will normally use a fluro vest during night riding, I use roo whistles, I put extra forward, rear and side lighting on my bike, I use a bike that has a windscreen and fairing, all because it suits my type of riding style. All of these things allow me to participate in my riding with at least, a belief, that they are helping, which in turn, removes some of the stress that would be there without these items. I am sure we have all read how stress adds to our fatigue, so to me it makes sense to minimise it the best way we can. The use of a FLIR camera may not suit you but it has assisted me.
The use of the FLIR camera gave me enough confidence to ride at the speed limit during the night, that is, if it was 80Kph I would ride at that speed, if it was 100Kph I would ride at that speed or a little less depending on the conditions, if it was 130Kph I would ride at 100Kph or a little less, what I am saying is that I would normally have travelled at around 75/80Kph at night, all this of course depending on the road conditions at the time. Now I have been able to increase the speed accordingly. There are a great number of riders out there who are comfortable enough and do ride at that speed without the use of a FLIR camera but for me without it I would be back at the slower speeds.
I will keep using the FLIR camera but will purchase a 7” monitor as I found, at times, the heat signatures were quiet small and I may have missed or misinterpreted some of them. I also believe that with some more practise I will get better at using the system. I am still not fully comfortable with it.
This system was utilized on my recent 9 day run Around the Boundary of the Big Paddock which had a fair bit of night riding.
These notes are my experience only. The use of a FLIR camera on your motorcycle is your choice and I will not be held responsible for your decision to use or not use such a system as described above.
