night riding

Is it difficult to ride at night for the first time? thanks

i didn't really have a problem, depending on where i am, i ride slower (damn deer around here)

the very first time at night CAN be a little scarier cuz you're not used to the feel of riding on the street so when its a little harder to see the road condition ahead of you, you might tend to freeze up a little

I hate riding at night. The reason is though is because it gets so damn cold around here at night. I dumped my bike because of cold roads and cold tires. Other than that I don't have a problem with it.

Truthfully the very first time ( a few days ago) that I took my bike out was at night. But I live in Cntrl FL so the weather was still around 80 but I was a bit scared one because I haven't driven much out on the road and 2 because it was night. But I didn't have any trouble seeing the road or the cars around me. Just scared that the cars couldn't see me I'm thinking about getting some damn reflective tape and maybe outlining the graphics on my helmet with it. kre8

I almost got ran over by a WRX STi while getting off the tollway onto the highway at night :2hard ... definitely be extra careful. He passed me like I was sitting still and I was going at least 70...

the very first time i went on the freeway was at night and it was pretty cool. i think i have more trouble driving in the morning than at night but hey, that's just me. :arsenal

Like others said take it easy dark roads thing can jump up quick and you don;t see junk on the roads until your on top of them.I GO TO WORK AT 4AM so its bloody dark and cars dont seem to think any body else is using the roads at that time they just dont look

It can be difficult if your not used to it. Remember to put your lights on and don't wear a dark visor. Other than that it can be fun!

for some reason, night riding turns me into a complete squid :hmmm:

and be ready to do some cleaning afterward, it's really nice when a big ass june bug splatters on you helmet

Well.....i've never ridden during the day. Always at night cause thats the only time I'm able to pick up my bike from my friend. So i wouldn't know how to answer it. Well first time on my bike....i rode it at night around his neighborhood.not going past 25. 2nd time, already took it out for a few hours at night on the streets Even though haven't gone in the daytime yet...seems like night would be easier to learn. They say its harder to see and harder for people to see you, but hey less cars on the rode. Fine with me. Just gotta worry about that fawking visor fogging up the minute you come to a stop. Ah I just leave that sucka up all the time.

My first time out at night was hilarious, I was on my permit, supposed to be home by like 8 or something but I ignored that so it was like 2 in the morning. I was down by the cape cod canal if any of you are familiar with that area, WICKED dark area, deserted, twisty, and no lights anywhere, and being my first time out I at night I had no clue that my headlight was adjusted wrong. By wrong I mean pointed almost straight down, with lows I could see about 2 feet infront of me, highs might have made it 50, it was scary as hell. ANd of course I had no clue how to adjust them. And the thing that made it even funnier was that someone was folowing me the whole way home, thinking that I knew where I was going and new the roads, I'm lucky to have not crashed. The big thing is just to give yourself more time to see potential hazzards in the road. And if you're not familiar with the road then take it slow and make sure you know where the road is going. And before you head out for the first time at night make sure your headlights are adjusted right and that you know how to adjust them if you need to. I have my license now and I've found that whenever I have a passenger at night I have to change the angle from when I'm by myself. The passenger makes the beams aim UP too much, probably just because it's compressing the rear suspension and not the front. Basically just be cautious and you should be fine.

we tend to do more stunting and city riding at night... we hit up the country and the backroads in the day... lot of deer and shit around here, i dont like backroads at night... we usually just cruise downtown or hit a wide nicely paved main road and act damn fools

oh yea, ride with you high beams at night. Whenever you get close to a car from behind or a car comming, switch to lows. Blinkers make you easier to see if your worried about people not seeing you. You should know that by reading your manual.

Yeah I really dont like to ride at night, I would rather just do it during the day!! Even though riding at night here is nice cause the weather is nice year around here I just get un easy thinking about the people that cant see me. And the fact that the visor on my helmet is really really shitty.

Only problem i have, my new helmet has a tinted visor, gettin pretty chilly here in cali to go railin at 90 mph with the visor up. Usually switch back to my POS KBC for nights, but usually just lift up the visor.

switch visors for day and night

Most visors swap out pretty quick with no tools. If you have the room for it (under your rear seat, or somewhere else) it wouldn't hurt to carry around an extra visor... I live in the high desert so it gets pretty cold here at night and I can't go out as much as I'd like. But I usually get home from work around 8pm so it's already dark. Knowing the roads or streets you're on is a great help... Last night I was able to make it home by going anywhere from 90 to 110 mph most of the way and there are not alot of lights on the back-roads I take. Of course the speed from last night was also brought on by what I thought was a cop following me and the fact that I had to take a wicked piss! :lol: Ride safe and know your surrondings..

ha, so you thought a cop was following you so you sped way up? That's the spirit!

I can't afford another ticket on my record... my luck is not as good as it used to be...

ha, so you thought a cop was following you so you sped way up? That's the spirit! Well thats gonna avoid you getting a ticket!! :thumbup:

im new here.. can someone tell me what is a squid? :lol:

Daivd L. Hough in his book "More Proficient Motorcycling: Mastering the Ride" recommends not riding at all during night time !!! I would not go that far but it sure ain't the best time to learn to ride. 1) Visibility not great (duh!) 2) More chance of drunk drivers 3) Most motorcyclist deaths occur between 9pm and 3am... Most people would not recommend a Hayabusa as a first bike... because of the added difficulty in mastering the bike... Same goes for night riding, carrying a passenger, riding in the rain, riding in traffic, carrying luggages, doing stunts, etc... Go the easy way first... Grow into in slowly and avoid the more difficult situations at first. If you ask the question about night riding, it is because you are not confortable with it... so wait a bit if you don't HAVE TO ride at night.

wow you guys posted in a thread that was from 2004?

I never really had a problem with night riding

Night riding is my favorite thing to do. My girl and I will make dinner, then wait till it gets dark then ride. It is a great way to relax as well. I've had so many times that I wake up in the middle of the night and go for a long cruise out in the country. Just me and the open road, its like my own little world... :thumbup:

depends where u r....when im on main streets is practically like ridding in the day....but country roads or whatever are def a little difficult cant go as fast at all

for some reason, night riding turns me into a complete squid :hmmm: +1, i love ridin at night, less cagers on the road

I made my first night ride last night from work. It was the most awsome experience. It is so peaceful and one hell of a way to wind down after work!!!!