Okay, my final couple of communications with Daniel Stern resulted in the additional recommendations after I answered his questions about my normal riding patterns.
I told him my normal riding is:
"For the most part I do long day rides of 150-250 miles, but I also take long trips and sometimes those require night riding. I do not do a lot of riding at night, at least not here and the current lamps really aren't all that conducive to riding at night, at least not out on the highways I prefer to ride on (country). I try to avoid heavy city traffic, although that is kind of difficult in this part of Florida and during the day I normally ride with low beams, not high beams."
His recommendation:
"In that case, I recommend the 70/65w bulb on the right (this would be the Osram) -- that is, your right as you are riding the bike -- and on the left, a Narva 60/55w ultra high efficacy Rangepower+50 bulb on the left, with a selective-yellow clip-on balloon. The combination will result in significantly improved nighttime seeing on low and high beam _and_ night and day conspicuity (ability of others to see and react appropriately to you).
70/65w bulb is here: http://store.candlepower.com/64205.html
60/55w ultra high efficacy +50 bulb is here: http://store.candlepower.com/naraulhiou60.html
Re-usable selective-yellow balloon is here:
http://store.candlepower.com/clyeba.html
Of course, the headlamp needs to be aimed correctly. Get a helper to hold the bike upright and then aim per http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html"
I followed his recommendation up with an additional question about why using two different bulbs and the yellow balloon thing on one bulb and received this reply.
"To provide the optimum combination of improved seeing and improved conspicuity (=others' ability to see and react properly to you as a motorcycle in time to avoid a collision). The yellow light provides a visual cue that marks you out from the sea of white (car) headlamps."
The reason for the 60/55W bulb on the left side, is because the yellow balloon will not fit on an Osram bulb; at least that's what the description of the yellow balloon at the link above says.
I have a feeling it may look a bit funny, but that could be the very reason it might make me more visible to the cagers.
What do you think? Anyone else running this type of setup?
I told him my normal riding is:
"For the most part I do long day rides of 150-250 miles, but I also take long trips and sometimes those require night riding. I do not do a lot of riding at night, at least not here and the current lamps really aren't all that conducive to riding at night, at least not out on the highways I prefer to ride on (country). I try to avoid heavy city traffic, although that is kind of difficult in this part of Florida and during the day I normally ride with low beams, not high beams."
His recommendation:
"In that case, I recommend the 70/65w bulb on the right (this would be the Osram) -- that is, your right as you are riding the bike -- and on the left, a Narva 60/55w ultra high efficacy Rangepower+50 bulb on the left, with a selective-yellow clip-on balloon. The combination will result in significantly improved nighttime seeing on low and high beam _and_ night and day conspicuity (ability of others to see and react appropriately to you).
70/65w bulb is here: http://store.candlepower.com/64205.html
60/55w ultra high efficacy +50 bulb is here: http://store.candlepower.com/naraulhiou60.html
Re-usable selective-yellow balloon is here:
http://store.candlepower.com/clyeba.html
Of course, the headlamp needs to be aimed correctly. Get a helper to hold the bike upright and then aim per http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html"
I followed his recommendation up with an additional question about why using two different bulbs and the yellow balloon thing on one bulb and received this reply.
"To provide the optimum combination of improved seeing and improved conspicuity (=others' ability to see and react properly to you as a motorcycle in time to avoid a collision). The yellow light provides a visual cue that marks you out from the sea of white (car) headlamps."
The reason for the 60/55W bulb on the left side, is because the yellow balloon will not fit on an Osram bulb; at least that's what the description of the yellow balloon at the link above says.
I have a feeling it may look a bit funny, but that could be the very reason it might make me more visible to the cagers.
What do you think? Anyone else running this type of setup?
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