Riding at Night

For some bikers, the sun going down at the end of the day is synonymous with the end of a ride. However, this doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. After all, riding your motorcycle at night can be full of excitement. You’ll be soaking up the city lights and enjoying the brisk evening air. With that said, nighttime riding does come with its own set of hazards. Fortunately, your friends at Bartels' Harley-Davidson in Marina Del Rey, CA, have prepared this guide to help you stay safe during your night rides. Keep reading to learn more.

Potential Hazards

A major part of remaining safe on your Harley-Davidson® motorbike is being aware of the potential hazards you may encounter. This will help you stay alert and be prepared to respond to anything that comes up on the road. For example, nighttime brings with it an increase in drunk drivers. The number can increase significantly on the weekends and during holidays. If you happen to notice any erratic driving behaviors, such as weaving and swerving from side to side, you may be in close proximity to a drunk driver. Try to get away from them as quickly and safely as you can.

Secondly, nighttime also means an increase in animals on the road. Many prey animals, like deer, tend to come out at night. They do this in an effort to avoid their predators during the day, but it also means they could stumble into your path. Stay alert and be on the lookout for any possible animals in the road. Avoid riding your motorcycle in areas where they’re more likely to be present, like rural roads. You should stick to the freeway whenever it’s possible to do so.

Lastly, riding your motorcycle at night compromises your ability to easily spot obstacles. No matter what time of day you choose to ride your Harley® bike, there will always be obstacles to maneuver. The number of obstacles may not increase, but your ability to spot them does decrease. You’ll want to practice defensive driving to compensate for this.

Upgrade Your Lights

One way to make your night ride safer is to invest in the right lights. Unfortunately, most models are built with standard halogen lights because it’s cheaper for the manufacturer during production. If you plan on a lot of night rides, you definitely want to consider swapping these out for LED lights. These lights are much brighter, which is a crucial feature to have at night. Plus, they last longer, consume less energy, and they’ll cost you less in the grand scheme of things.

You might also consider a brake light flasher. This type of light will flash multiple times, then emit a steady light rather than the solid beam of a more traditional brake light. This helps alert other motorists to your presence so they can be more aware of you.

Another option is to simply add more lights to your motorcycle. The more bulbs you have, the more lighting you’ll have on the path in front of you. This also means you’ll be seen more easily by others. You can add single bulbs or strips of bulbs depending on your budget and stylistic preferences.

Improve Your Visibility

It’s not always enough that you be able to see obstacles on the road. You also need to be seen by other motorists. Additional lights are a great start, but you’ll also want to wear high-visibility clothing. You should wear bright neon or fluorescent colors. Make sure you steer clear of the typical all-black ensemble that many riders like to sport during the day. You could always throw on a safety vest similar to those that construction workers wear. These are made to offer the very best visibility to ensure the safety of workers at night.

Consider making your gear reflective. When you’re shopping for items to improve visibility, try to choose ones that come with retro-reflective panels built into them. When other motorists’ lights hit the panel, it will glow and be difficult to miss. If you already own gear, you can add retro-reflective tape to garner the attention of other drivers.

We hope this guide has been helpful. If you’re still in the market for a Harley-Davidson® motorcycle, stop in and see us at Bartels' Harley-Davidson in Marina Del Rey, CA. We’re proud to serve Malibu and Santa Monica as well.