Check out my new big Darla's

[Archer]

 

[Archer]

Clearwater lights as suggested and sported by some at Rueben Run last Fall.  Road test today with Greg Harper and says it burns retina. 

 

[Archer]

 

[Bugnatr]

Darlas make night riding fun.

 

[escapefjrtist]

*Nice* Those will do the trick!

-G

 

[SacramentoMike]

Greg Harper is such a puss.

 

[RossKean]

Much brighter than the Glendas (with amber lenses) I have mounted on the forks.  The mirror-mounted Ericas more than make up for it!

Probably run those at a pretty low setting most of the time and go to 100% with high beam.  Mine go to 100% with horn as well but I might disable that.  The Piaa horns are loud enough so I don't need to flash at the same time.

 

[Archer]

I have questions regarding amber light lenses and protocols, please:

Why did I go $40 for Clearwater amber lenses?
Whose is better served by these?
Why is white lens not better than amber?
What protocols, if any, are used, and when?

Thanks for reading, and for your answers if you can see me now!
BTW, I love these lights last two years. Yeehaw!!!!

 

[mcatrophy]

I have questions regarding amber light lenses and protocols, please:

Why did I go $40 for Clearwater amber lenses?
Whose is better served by these?
Why is white lens not better than amber?
What protocols, if any, are used, and when?

Thanks for reading, and for your answers if you can see me now!
BTW, I love these lights last two years. Yeehaw!!!!

One opinion:

If you are using the lights to see with, all you are really doing is reducing the light output, so you will be worse off.

If you are using the lights to be seen by others, the amber colour will make you stand out more from a sea of white lights, which should make you more visible; the reduced intensity will make little difference.

 

[torch]

More than two headlights and amber lenses (other than turn indicators) on a motorcycle are both actually illegal in Canada under the CMVSS. If driven on a public road, they must be fitted with a secure opaque cover. Since the CMVSS closely mimics the FMVSS, I suspect the same is true in the US.

Yamaha had to recall a few models in the early 80's and retrofit the yellow fog lamp with a white auxilliary lamp due to this.

 

[Bounce]

I thought for sure you were using code for getting breast implants. Sometimes you can be weird.

 

[RossKean]

More than two headlights and amber lenses (other than turn indicators) on a motorcycle are both actually illegal in Canada under the CMVSS. If driven on a public road, they must be fitted with a secure opaque cover. Since the CMVSS closely mimics the FMVSS, I suspect the same is true in the US.

Yamaha had to recall a few models in the early 80's and retrofit the yellow fog lamp with a white auxilliary lamp due to this.

I wasn't sure of legal limits but I have never been questioned about the two regular headlights plus mirror-mounted Clearwater "Ericas" (very bright if on full power) plus fork-mounted "Glendas" with amber lenses. I haven't read the statute but I expect nobody would say anything as long as you aren't being an ******* - running them on full power in traffic. (I have never been stopped or questioned for the lighting on my bike.) I run the Ericas at minimum unless high beam is on and they are switched so I can turn them off completely. I don't have covers for them. (Do you have a link to the statute?)

The amber lenses make you more conspicuous. Theoretically, they are better in fog but this is pretty much negated since you are running your conventional headlights simultaneously.

 

[BigOgre]

My Glendas on the forks were basically always for conspicuity so figured the yellow would enhance that even more. Besides, I thought, with so many professional endurance cars running them there must be something scientific to it.

It appears though that the main reason for the amber lights was to differentiate the classes and allow the drivers to more easily notice the other cars. Works for me. I like that my bike might be differentiated and more easily noticed from the others around me.

 

[Archer]

the amber colour will make you stand out

amber lenses make you more conspicuous

I like that my bike might be differentiated

Thank you, all. I'll keep the amber lenses on for the perception of my highest visibility to others. It's all about me and my perky lumens. My next efforts will be illuminated the backside.

 

[RossKean]

You might choose to remove the amber lenses for more light at night if riding back roads. (When seeing is more important than being noticed by other drivers.) Otherwise, I would leave them in place.

 

[SacramentoMike]

I took a ride a few years back with Brodie and another rider--Brodie had the same setup as I had, two Kristas (at the time the biggest Clearwaters) under the mirrors and two Glendas on the forks, but he also had the amber lens covers on his Glendas. He always stayed at the back of the group, and sometimes well behind. No matter how far back, even in pretty heavy traffic, he really stood out from the crowd. There was just no way you didn't see him back there, if there was any line of sight at all. My first stop after that trip was the Clearwater shop and I've had those covers on every mile since. While it's never been an issue, they also offer extra protection from random flying objects.

 

[torch]

(Do you have a link to the statute?)

Canadian Motor Vehicles Safety Standards, Section 108, revision 7, S10.17 (Motorcycle Headlighting Systems) and table 1-c (Required lamps and reflective devices, All Motorcycles). This is the standard referenced in C.R.C., c. 1038 (Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations) which was enacted under the authority of the Statues of Canada 1993, c. 16 (Motor Vehicle Safety Act).

Now, obviously our Canadian statutes and regulations have no force in the US. However, the CMVSS is based on and (with very few exceptions) harmonized with the US FMVSS -- the section numbering is even harmonized between the two. They are generally pretty much identical, with the Canadian version using metric equivalents of US measurements. So I assume that there is some US statute somewhere that references the FMVSS and that the FMVSS has the same basic requirement. But I haven't fallen down that particular rabbit hole.

(Side note: S10.17.5 is the bit that legalizes and defines headlight modulation systems on motorcycles. If the objective is to increase conspicuousness, one could consider that system as a legal alternative.)

 

[RossKean]

Canadian Motor Vehicles Safety Standards, Section 108, revision 7, S10.17 (Motorcycle Headlighting Systems) and table 1-c (Required lamps and reflective devices, All Motorcycles). This is the standard referenced in C.R.C., c. 1038 (Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations) which was enacted under the authority of the Statues of Canada 1993, c. 16 (Motor Vehicle Safety Act).

Now, obviously our Canadian statutes and regulations have no force in the US. However, the CMVSS is based on and (with very few exceptions) harmonized with the US FMVSS -- the section numbering is even harmonized between the two. They are generally pretty much identical, with the Canadian version using metric equivalents of US measurements. So I assume that there is some US statute somewhere that references the FMVSS and that the FMVSS has the same basic requirement. But I haven't fallen down that particular rabbit hole.

(Side note: S10.17.5 is the bit that legalizes and defines headlight modulation systems on motorcycles. If the objective is to increase conspicuousness, one could consider that system as a legal alternative.)

Thank you. I will look it up for the details. I still intend to run with the regular headlights, mirror-mounted auxiliary and the fork mounted (amber) lights - at least until someone tells me I can't. I don't do a lot of riding at night but when I do, the Ericas are fantastic. During the day, being seen is critical.

I promise, nobody will ever see headlight modulators on my bike. I hate those things!

 

[KevinLewis]

Bike in black

 

[Bounce]

Shame they are low and wide instead of high and pencil for distance. But then I suspect we ride different places. When I did a bunch of stuff "back east", a friend re-adjusted my Aux lights to better light up the ditches and trees that grow right up to the fog lines.