NIGHT RIDER’S GUIDE
*Ride at your own risk. Doodle on a Motorcycle disclaims any liability incurred in connection with the use of the concepts outlined on this content. You alone are responsible for your own safety*
15 Nights of Riding…
We are 27x more likely to get in an accident on our motorcycles than in a car. At night, those chances go up even more. In five years of riding I avoided night and rain rides to minimize this risk. With these rules, after going for weeks without commuting to work in the winter, I about lost my mind. I had to learn to be as safe as possible at night, and overcome my fears, so that I could keep riding, despite where the sun was. I made myself ride enough long enough to get comfortable and to get systems in place to see and be seen.
Now, I am not afraid of the dark anymore. Below are all the things I use to stay safe and visible at night:
TO BE SEEN…
Motorcycle under lights * make sure you check your area's laws - in Georgia these are legal as long as the light isn't red or blue and/or strobing
BrakeFree lights up when when you slow down or stop (use code DOODLE10). It works with accelerometer so it's wire free. Clips on with a small stick on mount so you can use this on multiple helmets.
Highly rated on Revzilla for surviving the beating winds of motorcycle rides, unlike a construction vest.
Light colored gloves - REAX is my favorite brand for gloves - they're simple, quality, and actually have palm protection
Jogger's clip on lights... because... why not :P
TO see…
I use glasses to drive at night, as slight astigmatism makes my vision a bit blurry in dim lighting. After a friend got in a motorcycle accident and a piece of glass got lodged in her skull (that could have been her eye!) I do not wear glasses while riding. Those of you hardcore enough to stick your fingers in your eyes and wear contacts… uh… not for me…
A subscriber told me about 787 rated, or shatterproof glasses. I bought these specific Wiley X ones (but they haven’t arrived yet!) - all of their glasses and sunglasses are 787 rated (shatter proof). Here are some more 787 rated glasses.
GO PRO 7 BLACK NIGHT SETTINGS
I got my night riding settings from this video
the night riding challenge
I have rules in place to keep me safe while riding, such as: no riding when tired, when it's raining, or at night; all of which are times of increased risks for accidents while riding. And then winter came. And I didn't ride for weeks. I decided I had to break this rule, and my fears. So I made myself ride at night to figure out how to make it safe, and overcome my fears.
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