Late Night Almost Encounters

Joined
May 27, 2014
Messages
187
Location
Tempe, AZ
Yoow...glad that encounter was an almost! Some underbrush burning bright driving lights would be in order, if that is a regular ride.
Keep riding safe and far.
 

ESB

STRIDER
Joined
Aug 5, 2008
Messages
277
Location
Oklahoma
Bike
'07 ST 1300
WOW - Close call !! Pretty DARK out there !! Guess U prob. know that stretch pretty well, though.
My High Beams handle those kind of country roads with ease. (SilverStar 55/60s)
 
OP
OP
Jim C-G
Joined
Jan 3, 2006
Messages
973
Location
Cow Head, Newfoundland, Canada
Bike
ST1300A '05
STOC #
5967
Your headlights are really dim, suggest you upgrade your headlights with these LED bulbs - you'll be amazed at the difference!
https://www.amazon.com/Headlight-Evitek-6500K-Easy-Installed-4500LM/dp/B017M566T4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1451400580&sr=8-3&keywords=EVITEK h4&tag=viglink20849-20
Action cams are notoriously bad in low light situations. I'm running Silverstar 60/55s and I can see much more than what is apparent in the video. I have been looking for some LEDs though. Will check those out.
Still will get the running lights on to light up the ditches and give me even better peripheral vision.
 
OP
OP
Jim C-G
Joined
Jan 3, 2006
Messages
973
Location
Cow Head, Newfoundland, Canada
Bike
ST1300A '05
STOC #
5967
Tempting the fates there! Rider magazine's Mr. Safety - Lawrence Grodsky - was killed by a deer on a night ride. Not worth the risk.

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/obituaries/2006/04/11/Obituary-Lawrence-Grodsky-Top-American-expert-on-motorcycle-safety/stories/200604110210
I think we tempt the fates every time we suit up. I would prefer to not do any night riding, but I won't let the dark stop me from using the bike for basic transportation or what one needs to do on a long trip. I do slow down and I do keep my eyes moving from ditch to ditch. I tend to hug the centre line when I can. I really do limit my night riding in places where there is a lot of deer. Deer move in no predetermined patterns, night or day. Raccoons and porcupines can be kinda solid at night too. A few years ago I almost got taken out in full daylight by a sheet of Styrofoam insulation blown out of the bed of a pickup truck. Just always keep alert.
 
Joined
Mar 10, 2017
Messages
24
Location
Spartanburg, SC
When I was younger I would ride at night without a care in the world. I have never had a close call at night with wildlife or even in the day but for some reason Im nervous as a cat now riding at night. Sometimes I will just randomly beep my horn over and over to let deer know to get the hell out of my way! I actually love riding at night. Its more of an adventure.
 

Happy Rob

Rob
Joined
Jun 17, 2015
Messages
196
Age
55
Location
CBS, Newfoundland, Canada
Bike
2004 ST 1300
STOC #
8931
Jim
You keep doing our province proud!! I watch your videos here and on ride the rock. You are not attending soiree 2017 in Trout River, July 1 w/e? A few of us plan to take about 10 days and travel around Maine and Vermount after the soiree.
versys rob
 
OP
OP
Jim C-G
Joined
Jan 3, 2006
Messages
973
Location
Cow Head, Newfoundland, Canada
Bike
ST1300A '05
STOC #
5967
Jim
You keep doing our province proud!! I watch your videos here and on ride the rock. You are not attending soiree 2017 in Trout River, July 1 w/e? A few of us plan to take about 10 days and travel around Maine and Vermount after the soiree.
versys rob
If I am not on the mainland, I will be up to Trout River. I might delay my mainland trip. I have got family visits to do in NS.
 

SteveST1300

Site Supporter
Vendor
Joined
Dec 21, 2004
Messages
4,348
Age
69
Location
Ledgewood, NJ 07852
Bike
03&04 ST1300
STOC #
5079
I just did a weekend trip based out of Williamsport PA with the NER and we had many deer encounters during the day time I wouldn't attempt riding out there at night unless I had to. But I do have Aux lighting that lights up the night which I would be using at night headlights alone just aren't enough.
 
Joined
May 12, 2016
Messages
588
Location
Virginia
Bike
2004 Honda ST1300ABS
STOC #
8954

st11ray

2006 ST1300
Joined
Jul 29, 2007
Messages
2,735
Location
charlotte, nc
Bike
'06 ST1300
STOC #
7189
Are these drop in, or do you have to modify the stock bulb mounts?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Check out the thread on the Evitek's in the lighting section. Also check out the switchback LED'S turn signal thread. The 2 cheapest lighting mods you can do and very well worth it.
 
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
Messages
523
Location
Kenly NC
Bike
07 ST1300A(P)
STOC #
7649
Had an incident many moons ago on the outer banks in NC. Late at night, pitch black, running ST nominal, trying to get back to the mainland to find a motel room(missed the last ferry, had to go the long way around) I was tired, ST nominal had gotten the adrenaline pumping, the missus was snoozing on the back. Now, it's miles of empty sand dunes.....or it should be......then something in the back of my brain told me to throw out the anchor, and I did. Woke the missus up fast. The '11 did what it does in those cases, it stopped, rapidly. There, standing in the middle of the roadway, was a deer. Literally an arms length away. Turns out the locals call them dune rats......It just looked at us, and sauntered away. I still shudder when I think what could have been. The '13 throws out a lot more light, I really like that......
 
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
8,110
Location
Cleveland
Bike
2010 ST1300
Clearly, we should be trapping deer and moose and painting them with reflective paint.
 
Top Bottom