Bikes: Twin lights more dangerous than single?

Rilot

Rilot

Rilot

Don
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
23,341
Location
Wargrave, UK
One of my mates was complaining last night that motorcycles with two headlights look like cars a long way away due to the spacing of the lights. He then went on to tell me that he has pulled out on motorcycles with two lights more than he has with bikes with one light.
After he's got up off the ground due to a sudden impact with my fist, we sat down and had a conversation about it.

What say you? Bikes with two lights look like cars a long way away?
 
Those people need their eyes testing.

The second and subsequent looks should tell you that the vehicle is NOT far away.
 
its a common thing, thats why some bikes with 2 lights on the front only use 1 side, so as not to give the illusion on a distant car.
 
I always thought 2 headlights were better due to the fact that 2 lights give a reference point to where the lights are and you can gauge the distance better.

My Fazer has 2 at the front, though from reading the internet I think it only has the left lamp lit when in dipped lights, and 2 when high beam. We'll see when I get home.

OT: My Fazer has EU lights and such they point the wrong way, is there any fix to this other than buying new headlight unit? (i.e. rewiring?)
 
I always wondered why I've only ever seen one light on, you learn something new every day :)
 
Rilot said:
One of my mates was complaining last night that motorcycles with two headlights look like cars a long way away due to the spacing of the lights. He then went on to tell me that he has pulled out on motorcycles with two lights more than he has with bikes with one light.
After he's got up off the ground due to a sudden impact with my fist, we sat down and had a conversation about it.

What say you? Bikes with two lights look like cars a long way away?
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Why did you take offense to this?? When you're driving in the black of night with no street-lights on the motorway your only reference point is what you can see in your mirrors and you are very unlikely to see the silhouette of a motorbike due to the glare of the headlights.

Even checking your blind spot wouldn't point this out... How many people turn their heads a full 180 degrees to actually see what is behind you before pulling out?
 
I took offence because he's pulled out of side roads in front of bikes several times
My view is one should look, if one isn't sure, one should stay put.

I've been driving cars for 15 years and I've never pulled out on a bike.
 
Rilot said:
I took offence because he's pulled out of side roads in front of bikes several times
My view is one should look, if one isn't sure, one should stay put.

I've been driving cars for 15 years and I've never pulled out on a bike.
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Ah well that's fair enough then, I was assuming he meant pulling out in front of someone on a motorway :) Yes - no excuse for pulling out in front of somebody at a junction.
 
I heard that it was actually illegal for bikes to have twin headlights / dipped beams, whatever they are due to it making the bike look like a car that's further away.

Regardless, I don't see the point. Surely, a bike with one headlight just looks like a car with one headlight that's further away than it is(?).

I think they should have two (if designed to have two) and people should just pay more attention. I've never had a problem distinguishing a 2-lighted bike from a car.
 
fRostiE said:
its a common thing, thats why some bikes with 2 lights on the front only use 1 side, so as not to give the illusion on a distant car.
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Most bikes with twin lights have one for dipped beam and one for full beam, both of my bikes have been like that and so are most others.That's why ordinarily you'll see a bike with twin lights and only one is lit.
 
Not all though. The Aprilia RSV1000 has 2 for dip and a further 2 for main-beam.

The reason for one for dip, one for main is actually a matter of optics. The reflector and lenses can only be tuned for a certain beam length. It's better to have different lights for the different beams needed for dip and main. Rather than having two lights that are "average" at both jobs, better to have one beam tuned for dip and another tuned for main. This is why most high-performance cars have 4 headlights.
 
Jono said:
I heard that it was actually illegal for bikes to have twin headlights / dipped beams, whatever they are due to it making the bike look like a car that's further away.
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Nope, my Honda VFR800 has 2 dipped and 2 main beam.
 
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MY GSXR has two lights. They are both identical, so 2 dipped and 2 main beam.

I guess the fact that somene has just pulled out and crashed into me speaks for itself.

I thought having only 1 light at the front was more to do with weight saving than safety. My next bike is going to have massive flashing coloured lights and sirens going off to alert any blind fools in front of me that I'm there.
 
Bug One said:
MY GSXR has two lights. They are both identical, so 2 dipped and 2 main beam.

I guess the fact that somene has just pulled out and crashed into me speaks for itself.

I thought having only 1 light at the front was more to do with weight saving than safety. My next bike is going to have massive flashing coloured lights and sirens going off to alert any blind fools in front of me that I'm there.
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Did you have a nice loud sports exhaust.. i've always considered a race can a safetey device on bikes. Cars always stop and think when they hear me coming even if they don't see me coming.
 
2 lights on my Tuono both on with dipped and high beam . My Gsxr was a single light .

I would guess that 2 lights may confuse some but like rilot been driving 25 years and never pulled out on a bike .
Also always have a loud pipe on the bike

Persil
 
so he thought it looked like a car was coming towards him.... then he pulled out ?

eh i dont get it

edit- oops read it again and noticed the long way away bit
 
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