Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

why turn off passing lamps?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 28, 2009 | 10:55 AM
  #1  
happyfeet's Avatar
happyfeet
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
From: Boise Idaho
Default why turn off passing lamps?

Okay, this is a stupid question but everytime I notice the switch I wonder why I would want to turn off my passing lamps. I ride with them on day and night, with my heated gear plugged in, on empty roads or in traffic. Sorry for taking up your time with this ridiculous question but I keep thinking I am missing something. Please, help save my sanity.
 
Reply
Old Sep 28, 2009 | 10:56 AM
  #2  
huffhuff's Avatar
huffhuff
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,942
Likes: 7
From: guntersville, al
Default

mine are on all the time. got to be visible. i hated it when GM started the DRLs then motorcycles became less visible.
 
Reply
Old Sep 28, 2009 | 11:04 AM
  #3  
HDRider2002's Avatar
HDRider2002
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,142
Likes: 7
From: Michigan
Default

there are situations where you might not want to have them on, but i agree, i usually ride with mine on. In fact, mine are even wired to stay on when my hi-beams are on as well!
 
Reply
Old Sep 28, 2009 | 11:08 AM
  #4  
Jinks's Avatar
Jinks
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 7
From: Daytona, Fla.
Default

How about courtesy? You're ridin' behind your friend, at night, at a bike event, & you have your high beam & both passing lamps on. Yeah, you can be seen, but between the glare from the oncoming guy with the same three lights & your lights in his mirrors your friend can't see anything. Multiply that by the number of friends following you & the number of other "safety minded" riders at an event & you should be able to figure out why I ride at the back of the group............
 
Reply
Old Sep 28, 2009 | 11:08 AM
  #5  
jbe's Avatar
jbe
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 610
Likes: 1
From: Northern Maryland
Default

Mine stay on all the time except when riding in a group at night. A few guys complain that the lights blind them in their mirrors.
 
Reply
Old Sep 28, 2009 | 11:10 AM
  #6  
bdp's Avatar
bdp
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,134
Likes: 4
From: Third Coast, South Texas
Default

I ride with mine on all the time. Every now and then (at night) an on-coming cage will flash me thinking I have on my high beams. So I guess they are bright looking at them.
 
Reply
Old Sep 28, 2009 | 11:42 AM
  #7  
knepp1bj's Avatar
knepp1bj
Road Captain
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 659
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Default

Mine are never off! I was almost T-Boned a few weeks back and they were on, so just goes to show you that you need all the lights on as possible. Lady looked right at me and started pulling forward and almost got me....
 
Reply
Old Sep 28, 2009 | 11:47 AM
  #8  
springer 03's Avatar
springer 03
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,995
Likes: 2
From: Land of 10,000 lakes
Default

Originally Posted by knepp1bj
Mine are never off! I was almost T-Boned a few weeks back and they were on, so just goes to show you that you need all the lights on as possible. Lady looked right at me and started pulling forward and almost got me....
That just proves it. One light or three they will still not see you. Stay alert!!
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

Jason Momoa Is Turning Classic Harleys Into PHEVs

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

6 Weirdest Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold to the Public

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-6

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-7

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Sep 28, 2009 | 12:14 PM
  #9  
frog13's Avatar
frog13
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,140
Likes: 17
From: Wisconsin
Default

Originally Posted by Jinks
How about courtesy? You're ridin' behind your friend, at night, at a bike event, & you have your high beam & both passing lamps on. Yeah, you can be seen, but between the glare from the oncoming guy with the same three lights & your lights in his mirrors your friend can't see anything. Multiply that by the number of friends following you & the number of other "safety minded" riders at an event & you should be able to figure out why I ride at the back of the group............
Xactly! Or maybe you're behind a car and you're lighting up his interior like it's daylight, the courteous thing to do is shut them off. Also, ever go head on with those lights on a 2 lane? They do a good job of blinding your fellow bikers, so my thanks to all you guys who do that on my way to work in the dark, I really appreciate you looking out for your fellow riders. In some states those lights are illegal if you are oncoming or following, haven't heard of any enforcement lately, but if you get a pissed off trooper coming at you and you blind him, you may just find out what the exact law is.
 
Reply
Old Sep 28, 2009 | 12:21 PM
  #10  
SA315B's Avatar
SA315B
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 702
Likes: 2
From: Florida
Default

Originally Posted by Jinks
How about courtesy? You're ridin' behind your friend, at night, at a bike event, & you have your high beam & both passing lamps on. Yeah, you can be seen, but between the glare from the oncoming guy with the same three lights & your lights in his mirrors your friend can't see anything. Multiply that by the number of friends following you & the number of other "safety minded" riders at an event & you should be able to figure out why I ride at the back of the group............
+ 1 Also, they don’t make you more visible to oncoming traffic on rural roads at night. They do make you very annoying in those same conditions.

In town mine are always on, on the highway at night I turn them off.
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:48 AM.

story-0
Jason Momoa Is Turning Classic Harleys Into PHEVs

Slideshow: Jason Momoa's latest restoration project blends 1920s Harley-Davidsons with modern electric technology, creating some of the most unusual hybrid motorcycles ever built.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-10 17:18:58


VIEW MORE
story-1
Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom

Slideshow: Killer Custom's latest build relies on styling changes rather than performance upgrades, giving the cruiser an entirely different personality.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-03 18:28:05


VIEW MORE
story-2
6 Weirdest Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold to the Public

Slideshow: From military-inspired singles to scooters and three-wheel utility vehicles, these Harleys took the company far outside its comfort zone.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-02 18:34:10


VIEW MORE
story-3
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-4
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-5
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-7
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-8
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE