Lovin my 01/800 after a few weeks of owning it. I rode my 650 Yamaha for 35 yrs until the Drifter came along. I'm impressed with the brightness of the Drifter headlight. Last Oct. I was on the freeway, 2am, alone, slightly to the right in the slow lane, on a dark section of road, 65mph. Someone had hit a deer and I saw it when it was about 15ft in front of me. I think I had enough time to to say "f...." and I clipped it with the toe of my boot as I went by. I stopped about 300ft down the road and thought about dragging it off the road for safteys sake when a transport blasted it. I rode with my high beam on ever since and have added spotlghts to the Drifter
I agree that the more light you emit, the safer you are. I live on an Island in the Northwest and we have deer standing on the road or walking across the street all the time. I run my headlight and passing lights at ALL times. Especially in the daytime. I want people and animals to be sure they see me coming towards them. To that end, I changed out the 5 watt bulbs in my passing lights to 50 watt bulbs. Cars flash their lights at me in the daytime. It lets me know they are seeing me. That coupled with the LED's in the rear turnsignals, and I know I am seen......
***I HAVE MY HEADLIGHT AND I HAVE 4 FOGLIGHTS ON MY LIGHTBAR!!!! ;D
My headlight switch has never been out of high beam mode, ever, day or night... Loud pipes saves lifes, and so does lights, those r simple facts peeps.
BE SAFE
STAY HAPPY
Quote from: ramakins on May 07, 2010, 22:29:38 PM
My headlight switch has never been out of high beam mode, ever, day or night... Loud pipes saves lifes, and so does lights, those r simple facts peeps.
BE SAFE
STAY HAPPY
Not everyone agrees with that. I am one of the ones who don't. Where is the noise the loudest from loud pipes? Behind you. If you ride in reverse I may agree with you. ;D
Headlights and spots are enough light. Loud HORNS save lives!
I'm far from a noise control nut... I've enjoyed the rumblings of nice sounding pipes since I bought my first Chevelle and HD. My Chevelle was loud if you opened her up, but you could control the noise otherwise... except my Mom... got a ticket for excessive noise driving my car... she didn't know how to handle it!
I think a certain amount of noise is a good thing, but overly loud defeats the purpose. Hell, folks can't hear sirens right behind them sometimes. Plus, the world is looking for reasons to shut us down.
A constant loud noise seems less effective than an alternating one. People tune them out... like the bass on some hiphop rattletrap.
What I have found to be most effective - and satisfying is a combination of nice - not overly loud - pipes and a good LOUD horn. I put an air horn on the drifter - it REALLY makes a difference.
My GW is very quiet and I have not seen any difference in how people respond to my presence... but I try not to give them many opportunities to run me over either!
That's my 2C.
was it hard to put on the air horn? is it something that i need the shop guys to do, or could someone with a medium amount of mechanical abilities do themselves?.......keep in mind, I don't change my own oil, but only because its less messy and (for me) almost cheaper to have them do it.....
I thought it was very easy, but some folks don't like dealing with the electrical part.
Got one of these - http://www.stebel.it/stebel2009/products.asp?IDserie=4&uso=&tipologia=ELECTROPNEUMATICS
on my 1500.
Frightened the MOT tester when he hit the horn button !
And, if you ever burn out your hi beam you can still drive at night without scorching the hair off the back of the head of the driver in front of you, til you get a new bulb. Rarely used my low beam.
Varooom
There is no proof Loud pipes save lives, What they do is aggravate folks and todays cars can't hear them....As for the stock headlight It is poor !! I don't know what you see !!. I added two fused 40 amp relays to my headlight, one for each beam then added a ceramic h-4 light socket and changed the bulb to a Xeon 100/90. Now that is bright. 4 spotlights do little more than run your battery down....I have two amber spots that work with the high beam for city / urban use.
New Audis are like Bose noise canceling headphones. Low frequencies coming in are heard my a mic and the sound system cancels them out. They can't hear your loud pipes at all, or the semi about to T bone them!
Varooom
Where I geographicaly come from and ride, Loud Pipes, and Lights have saved my butt more than a few times (personal experience). And I can't imagine it being different for anyone who rides.
Those selfish "Cagers" riding along in there suv's, cars, ect, on phones, texting,in there own little Bubble, that don't care about anything except whats goin on in there own little lives ( I see them all the time).There dangerous...
And that would be the message I would convey to a newbie rider that did'nt know any better.U know, the ones that u don't see or hear until they pass u ( thats dangerous also)
Thats just how I roll
Peace