full beam. Why?

General discussion of the BMW R1200RT/R1250RT
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Steve398
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Re: full beam. Why?

Post by Steve398 »

Night time - I'll use main beam at night as much as possible in both urban and rural areas so that I can get the best available view as far ahead as possible, but only when I won't be dazzling/affecting other road users (including pedestrians), so when following or with oncoming vehicles it's dipped beam only. If the traffic conditions allow why wouldn't you want to see further up the road when it's dark? It improves your personal safety by your seeing potential hazards far sooner, I want as much illumination ahead as I can get at night 'cos I don't like surprises!

Day time - Personally I see no logical reason for using main beam in the day, particularly in traffic, as it will surely just produce a blinding white glare (particularly LED's) that will cause difficulties for other road users (including pedestrians) to estimate your speed, distance, or position. If it's attention you need for safety then the 3 points of light or yellow fogs will make you stand out better, anything that is different from the norm or something that will make a driver look again. You don't need something that will blind them, they're blind enough already! :lol: This article by Andrew Dalton, a bike riding Solicitor may be of interest -

https://www.whitedalton.co.uk/motorbike ... torcycles/

As an afterthought, it's always bemused me when I'm behind a car at night, just me and him, in an unlit derestricted road and with no traffic ahead or oncoming and he's doing 40 mph on dipped beam, presumably because he can only see about 25' in front of him. I can't overtake him 'cos I can't see where the road goes, but if he switches to main beam he can see further and will therefore be safer, and from a personal point of view he's immediately improved my view and I can get past him... as I said, just a thought.
Last edited by Steve398 on Wed Nov 16, 2022 5:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Doctor T
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Re: full beam. Why?

Post by Doctor T »

More or less what Steve said. Use your common sense when using a high beam. The dipped beam with 2 low powered daylight in yellow stands out. It's called the light triangle. It has been proved that this light setup is more noticeable to oncoming traffic and in a vehicle's rear mirrors.
As for LED headlamp bulbs. Our bikes lamp reflectors are not designed for LED bulbs. They may look nice and bright but you have more of a chance of blinding oncoming traffic. The homemade conversion with these bulbs is an MOT fail and you can also be stopped and fined by the Police.
I have full LED lighting on my car and i don't like them. Compared to a standard halogen bulb, LED lighting is not as good. You get more road definition with a standard bulb, you can pick out curbs, potholes, road surfaces, etc better.
Trust me I am a retired Doctor and lecturer at Oxford University of Structural and Mechanical/Electrical engineering.
scunny12
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Re: full beam. Why?

Post by scunny12 »

Doctor T wrote: Wed Nov 16, 2022 3:00 pm More or less what Steve said. Use your common sense when using a high beam. The dipped beam with 2 low powered daylight in yellow stands out. It's called the light triangle. It has been proved that this light setup is more noticeable to oncoming traffic and in a vehicle's rear mirrors.
As for LED headlamp bulbs. Our bikes lamp reflectors are not designed for LED bulbs. They may look nice and bright but you have more of a chance of blinding oncoming traffic. The homemade conversion with these bulbs is an MOT fail and you can also be stopped and fined by the Police.
I have full LED lighting on my car and i don't like them. Compared to a standard halogen bulb, LED lighting is not as good. You get more road definition with a standard bulb, you can pick out curbs, potholes, road surfaces, etc better.
I too have full LED and find them to be far superior to Xenon or halogens. They bend and illuminate corners instead of just a straight beam. All in all the difference is like Day and Night. ;)
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