Can You See Me Now?

[slo-ride]

I'm a firm believer in making myself as visible as possible on the road. So here are a few photos of my efforts. The photos were taken at night with no external lighting around but using the camera's flash.

Below, you will see that my helmet is trimmed with 3M reflective tape and that all my Tourmaster apparel is lined with retroreflective material - including my gloves. Forgive the size of the photo - Photobucket indicates it is much smaller but for some reason.... <_<

Below you will see a picture from the back. Notice the tape around the base of my helmet and the black 3M pads on the saddle bags (which reflect white during the night but are black during the day).

...and a view from the side. Notice the "cat whiskers" on my helmet and retroreflective piping on my Tourmaster PolarTex Gloves.

If you're not riding at night with reflective gear then it is time to change your ways! :clapping: I'm very pleased with my Tourmaster gear. +1

Slo-Ride

 

[hecpilot]

Looks great! Should really help you being seen at night.

Where did you find the 3m tape for your helmet?

Thanks.

 

[slo-ride]

Looks great! Should really help you being seen at night.
Where did you find the 3m tape for your helmet?

Thanks.

I ordered it from some place many moons ago. I found it and thought I would put it to good use. You can get 3M reflective tape from most hardware stores or just Google for it. It's cheep and it covers a lot. The pieces I had were cut from a sample that was about 24" long and 10" wide. The tape on my saddle bags came from the same lot. In the day-light the tape on my helmet is silver so it is a close match to my helmet. The tape on my bag is black so you can't see it during the day. :yahoo:

 

[Bustanut joker]

Geez I'm almost impressed!

With the exception of your gear, Alex ( a forum member here) has the stuff ya put on the bike already.

Now don't get all pissy. Hi Vis is good, Just nothing new here.

:jester:

 

[dean]

good placement of reflective tape. i believe i read somewhere that the human brain processes horizontal visual stimuli better than vertical visual stimuli, i.e. have the tape going left to right, not up and down.

dean

cincinnati

 

[slo-ride]

Geez I'm almost impressed!
With the exception of your gear, Alex ( a forum member here) has the stuff ya put on the bike already.

Now don't get all pissy. Hi Vis is good, Just nothing new here.

:jester:

Yep. Retroreflective gear has been around for a while. I'm not trying to be first - just adding to the heap.

 

[Gizmo]

Great job on the helmet! I have the tourmaster mesh version of your jacket and absolutley love it. :clapping:

 

[dsmack]

If you're not riding at night with reflective gear then it is time to change your ways! :clapping: I'm very pleased with my Tourmaster gear. +1
Slo-Ride

Slo-Ride ~

Thanks for the timely reminder to get off my lazy butt and do what I've been planning for months! Your photos are an excellent reminder just how effective the retroreflective materials are in increasing our conspicuity!

I especially like the "Cats Whisker" treatment you've given your helmet. I'm a firm believer in doing a head check before any lane change, and it seems to me that having that area around the side flash as the head is moved to make the check should be a real attention getter for the cager near me about to do something stoopid!

I have both a FirstGear and a Tecknic jacket for varying weather conditions, and neither have that much reflective material on them. I would love to find some retroreflective material that could be added in a couple strategic places. The self-adhesive tape is generally available, but the fabric type I haven't found yet.

Thanks for sharing!

Don

 

[slo-ride]

If you're not riding at night with reflective gear then it is time to change your ways! :clapping: I'm very pleased with my Tourmaster gear. +1
Slo-Ride

Slo-Ride ~

Thanks for the timely reminder to get off my lazy butt and do what I've been planning for months! Your photos are an excellent reminder just how effective the retroreflective materials are in increasing our conspicuity!

I especially like the "Cats Whisker" treatment you've given your helmet. I'm a firm believer in doing a head check before any lane change, and it seems to me that having that area around the side flash as the head is moved to make the check should be a real attention getter for the cager near me about to do something stoopid!

I have both a FirstGear and a Tecknic jacket for varying weather conditions, and neither have that much reflective material on them. I would love to find some retroreflective material that could be added in a couple strategic places. The self-adhesive tape is generally available, but the fabric type I haven't found yet.

Thanks for sharing!

Don

I'm glad I've inspired you. Here is a place to get the 3M tape. Clicky It is one of many on the web. The official name is 3M Scotchlite™ Reflective Material. From Google I get these results.

Enjoy.

 

[Violione]

SLO-RIDE,

Yea man, I am right there with you about being seen, check out the butt end of my bike:

At night with the camera flash

In the day light

I have always been unimpressed by the lack of visibility the FJR has from the rear so I added quite a number of reflective items to the bike. Now, I also agree that moto-clothing is improving with better reflectivity, but is has room for more improvement. Good post, thanks.

P.S. Here is another great site to order reflective tape of all sorts. - - CLICK HERE

 

[mikerider]

I use the SOLAS tape (Safety Of Life At Sea), a super-reflective tape that was approved for marine night time use:

https://www.identi-tape.com/solas.html

Here are 2 samples of my bike and jacket:

 

[luvtoride]

that SOLAS tape knocks 3M out of the water! Shining light on SOLAS tape is like headlights are being pointed back at you. Absolutely not saying bad about 3M... I've used it a few times, myself. Basically saying that, if I had a choice of the 2 types of reflective for the same type of application, I'd use the SOLAS.

 

[slo-ride]

I use the SOLAS tape (Safety Of Life At Sea), a super-reflective tape that was approved for marine night time use:
https://www.identi-tape.com/solas.html

Here are 2 samples of my bike and jacket:

Mikerider,

That looks great! My eyes! My Eyes! :clapping:

 

[slo-ride]

SLO-RIDE,
Yea man, I am right there with you about being seen, check out the butt end of my bike:

At night with the camera flash

In the day light

I have always been unimpressed by the lack of visibility the FJR has from the rear so I added quite a number of reflective items to the bike. Now, I also agree that moto-clothing is improving with better reflectivity, but is has room for more improvement. Good post, thanks.

P.S. Here is another great site to order reflective tape of all sorts. - - CLICK HERE

Sweet! You can see that a mile away. Nice job man! :clapping:

 

[mikerider]

Mikerider,
That looks great! My eyes! My Eyes! :clapping:

haha! We were in the same school, we just use different 'books'...

 

[David Morrow]

that SOLAS tape knocks 3M out of the water! Shining light on SOLAS tape is like headlights are being pointed back at you. Absolutely not saying bad about 3M... I've used it a few times, myself. Basically saying that, if I had a choice of the 2 types of reflective for the same type of application, I'd use the SOLAS.

SOLAS isn't a brand, it is a maritime convention and stands for "Safety On Land And Sea". Years ago I outfitted my little sailboat for an offshore trip and bought SOLAS approved flares among other things.

SOLAS

In fact, 3M is one manufacturer of SOLAS tape

3M SOLAS Tape

 

[mikerider]

You are right that SOLAS is not brand, but a treaty and is Safety Of Life At Sea:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_of_Life_at_Sea

It has nothing to do with 'land'.

that SOLAS tape knocks 3M out of the water! Shining light on SOLAS tape is like headlights are being pointed back at you. Absolutely not saying bad about 3M... I've used it a few times, myself. Basically saying that, if I had a choice of the 2 types of reflective for the same type of application, I'd use the SOLAS.

SOLAS isn't a brand, it is a maritime convention and stands for "Safety On Land And Sea". Years ago I outfitted my little sailboat for an offshore trip and bought SOLAS approved flares among other things.

SOLAS

In fact, 3M is one manufacturer of SOLAS tape

3M SOLAS Tape

 

[David Morrow]

You are right that SOLAS is not brand, but a treaty and is Safety Of Life At Sea:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_of_Life_at_Sea

It has nothing to do with 'land'.

that SOLAS tape knocks 3M out of the water! Shining light on SOLAS tape is like headlights are being pointed back at you. Absolutely not saying bad about 3M... I've used it a few times, myself. Basically saying that, if I had a choice of the 2 types of reflective for the same type of application, I'd use the SOLAS.

SOLAS isn't a brand, it is a maritime convention and stands for "Safety On Land And Sea". Years ago I outfitted my little sailboat for an offshore trip and bought SOLAS approved flares among other things.

SOLAS

In fact, 3M is one manufacturer of SOLAS tape

3M SOLAS Tape

You're right of course. I read it from one page and my mental midget brain lost a whole lot in the translation while typing it to this one.

 

[luvtoride]

Correction on my part, David. I actually didn't mean to suggest that SOLAS tape is a brand. Actually, I knew that it wasn't. Good thing that it was clarified for someone who does not know this fact.