Bogie,

Sorry, had I been paying attention, I would have realized that.

BTW, not positive, but I think we've met. Were you at the PGR Mission for the USMC Helo Pilot Lt Heitmann in Mendota?

 

Yes, I was there...

 

I thought that was you from your sig pic.

We walked together to find the Head

 

After you asked if I was there - and with your screen name - I thought that might have been you - tall you are...

 

I think the HD LED's look very cool, I like the black with my vivid black, and with motolights daytime visability, if in fact a valid variable, isn null and void.

Statistics can be manipulated to prove anything, but there is evidence that headlights on during the daytime don't do anything but sell bulbs. I find HID headlights on cage or bike to be annoying and distracting, day and night.

 

I don't think they look bad either. I don't think anyone said they did. Since you've added other aftermarket lighting to your bike beyond the standard headlight/passing lamp configuration that's been pretty much the subject of this conversation, then your implications quoted below that daytime lighting doesn't do anything but sell bulbs would seem to be null and void too!

I'd totally agree that statistics can be manipulated to any conclusion the individual wants. Having said that, what study or statistical anlaysis are you using to support your implication that daytime headlights don't do anything but sell bulbs? Your next sentence after the one I bolded above for emphesis, that you find HID's annoying even in the day time, would also seem to nullify your implication that they don't make much difference because if they don't, why would you find them so annoying??? Sounds to me like they're doing a pretty good job of getting your attention which is, after all, the whole point of running daytime headlights!

Just wondering!
Ride Safe,
Steve R.

 

I have a link to a site with a thread on the subject however it's on a retired Mac. The state of Colorado performed the study. Increased visibility vis a vi headlights did not lower the rate of motorcycle or automobile accidents, fatal or otherwise.

 

What you're stating about the usefulness of daytime lights conflicts with FAA regulations mandating the use of landing lights on the ground in order to be seen by other a/c in case of runway incursion and to avoid bird strikes during take off.The same criteria can be applied to vehicles on the road IMHO.

 

Subscribed

 

Ok, Colorado did a study. Good for them!

I'm not trying to put Colorado down here but who did the study, what data did they look at and how did they compile it? We've already agreed that statistics can be manipulated. Sometimes governmental agencies do a really good job of compiling and interpreting data, sometimes not and these days, I "always" take anything a governmental agency says with a large grain of salt!! Their study may well be spot on but one study does not an argument make IMO.

This is what I know from personal experience. I haven't personally done some long term study and analized decades worth of statistics. What I have done is ridden motorcycles for over 40 years. When I learned to ride, all motorcycles had a headlight on/off switch on the handlebars to turn them on or off. As time went on (mid 70's approximately), various states passed legislation requiring motorcycles to run lights on in the day time, primarily for visibility reasons. Eventually, the motorcycle manufacturers read the writing on the wall and simply removed the headlight on/off switch from the bike (probably saved them 50 cents a bike!) and the lights were on any time the ignition switch was on. That's why you won't find any modern bikes with a headlight on/off switch these days. I remember clearly the time frame that happened and I can tell you, a single bike, running in traffic, was much more obvious with it's headlight on than one running with it's headlight off. That's why I wasn't thrilled when they started putting daytime running lights on cars. If everyone is using them, them bikes just blend into the mix again, just like they did before the laws requiring bikes to run headlights on in the first place.

Did that ultimately make any difference in accident and/or fatility statistics? I don't know but as we've already agreed, statistics can be manipulated to say just about anything.

Ride Safe,
Steve R.

PS: Enough of this already! Bogie - still waiting with baited breath for your eval of the Phase 7 lights when you get the chance and thanks again for all your input on the subject.