Rural two lane curvy roads at night

kenb · 02-07-2009, 11:55 PM

I really don't like 'em. Especially when I am very unfamiliar with them and there is no other traffic. No street lights, cars to judge distances or curves. Had to ride one last weekend. Unsettling.

Yellow Jacket · 02-08-2009, 12:10 AM

Know what you mean. If I have to ride at night I really slow down. Hate it when those stupid deer run right out in front of you.

goldstar225 · 02-08-2009, 07:27 AM

You also have to watch out for road kill and smaller critters. A couple of years ago my Blue Knights group was late getting back and I hit an Armadillo. Fortunately he just clipped my front tire and floorboard. I was #4 in the formation and never saw him. It's very easy to overdrive your lights.

dabull · 02-08-2009, 08:18 PM

definitely should slow down and try to relax...don't outdrive your headlights....

markusmaximus · 02-08-2009, 08:42 PM

There are no curvy roads here in central Indiana. But I'm from KY and there were plenty there. Great fun during the day. No fun at night.

**Top Cat** · 02-09-2009, 08:52 AM

I don't ride at night unless absolutely unavoidable.
As for deer in the road, they are out at all times of the day and night here.
I wish they would open the hunting season 24/7 on them. wipe them out completely. Give the meat to the homeless.

ells · 02-09-2009, 09:26 AM

I end up riding at night some and kind of enjoy it but try to stay aware of the added risks. The 100W headlamp and two 50W mini driving lights help alot. Ditches and road ahead are lit up real well but ya never know what is around the curve.

**schoeney** · 02-09-2009, 11:49 AM

I agree KenBob...throw in some fog and it is really white knuckle time!

I was in this situation not too long ago...scaaaaary!

**coacha** · 02-09-2009, 02:11 PM

Rode some unfamiliar backroads last Friday at night. It was as you say...unsettling. I had ridden them in the day light but only once, so the corners were not engraved into memory. My buddy, on the other hand, was in his neck of the woods so he was humpin it on his BMW. I didn't even try to keep up, just rode my ride.

bosko · 02-09-2009, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoachA

I didn't even try to keep up, just rode my ride.

Very smart and an awesome piece of advise to pass around.

waterman · 02-09-2009, 05:28 PM

Most of my rides are on rural roads. Doesn't concern me much I guess. Generally just slow it down some and keep the high beam on as much as possible. Years of hunting have generally made me better at seeing animals.

Yellow Jacket · 02-09-2009, 05:37 PM

The absolute most scared I've ever been on a bike was in broad daylight. I was going south on I-75 approaching Chattanooga in the late afternoon. Running about 70. I was on a long upgrade and when I crested the hill the sun was dead in my eyes. Couldn't see jack in front of me! Totally blind to the front. I'm getting off the gas trying to slow down just in case someone in front of me is hitting the brakes while at the same time trying to watch my mirrors just in case someone behind me isn't slowing down! It took almost 30 seconds or nearly a half mile before I could see anything in front of me. It took a whole lot longer than that for my heart rate to get back to normal!

dandolfn · 02-11-2009, 05:46 AM

don't outdrive your headlights....

I went riding at night once.

That was enough.

It just felt like I'd never have time to react if something came into my lights at the last minute.

I don't feel that way in a car, but riding the bike at night really left an unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach!

**Cajunrider** · 04-05-2009, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waterman

Most of my rides are on rural roads. Doesn't concern me much I guess. Generally just slow it down some and keep the high beam on as much as possible. Years of hunting have generally made me better at seeing animals.

Hey waterman, I used to do alot of deer and rabbit hunting at night too. Not any more, killing a deer at night will get you plenty of time to think about it down here.

Scoot · 04-05-2009, 11:55 PM

Doesn't bother me at all riding at night. Working swing shift cause me to do most of my riding to an from work at night. Was at 11 pm. couple years ago that I did hit a deer walking down the road the same way I was going so I didn't have the tell-tell bright eyes thing to let me know one was around. Then 3 days ago at 6:45 am I had one run across the road way in front of me so I slowed down and sure enough another one came out right in front of me, it got scared when it saw me so close and it fell down. Unreal how loud those hoofs are on asphalt when their trying to go fast and can't get traction.

02-07-2009, 11:55 PM	#1
kenb Advanced Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Galt, Ca Posts: 514	Rural two lane curvy roads at night I really don't like 'em. Especially when I am very unfamiliar with them and there is no other traffic. No street lights, cars to judge distances or curves. Had to ride one last weekend. Unsettling. __________________ VBA 00735 VROC 28102 2008 KVN MOB & NS The only hand-held device that should be legal to use while driving is the STEERING WHEEL! Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

02-08-2009, 12:10 AM	#2
Yellow Jacket Top Contributor Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Fayetteville, Georgia Posts: 5,792	Rural two lane curvy roads at night Know what you mean. If I have to ride at night I really slow down. Hate it when those stupid deer run right out in front of you. __________________ Bob KawaNOW/VBA 210 Green/Silver 2006 Patriot Guard Riders 2009
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02-08-2009, 07:27 AM	#3
goldstar225 Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Cabot, Arkansas Posts: 211	Rural two lane curvy roads at night You also have to watch out for road kill and smaller critters. A couple of years ago my Blue Knights group was late getting back and I hit an Armadillo. Fortunately he just clipped my front tire and floorboard. I was #4 in the formation and never saw him. It's very easy to overdrive your lights.
	0

02-08-2009, 08:42 PM	#5
markusmaximus Advanced Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 603	Rural two lane curvy roads at night There are no curvy roads here in central Indiana. But I'm from KY and there were plenty there. Great fun during the day. No fun at night. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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02-09-2009, 08:52 AM	#6
Top Cat Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Peoples Republic of New York State Posts: 15,154	Rural two lane curvy roads at night I don't ride at night unless absolutely unavoidable. As for deer in the road, they are out at all times of the day and night here. I wish they would open the hunting season 24/7 on them. wipe them out completely. Give the meat to the homeless. __________________ Tim "TC" Conley VBA #9 2011 Victory Kingpin mine 2013 Victory Boardwalk -hers [LEFT][COLOR=#000000] [SIZE=4]
	0

02-08-2009, 08:18 PM	#4
dabull Sr. Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Crestview, FL Posts: 2,409	Rural two lane curvy roads at night definitely should slow down and try to relax...don't outdrive your headlights....
	0

02-09-2009, 09:26 AM	#7
ells Sr. Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Boulder County, Colorado Posts: 2,014	Rural two lane curvy roads at night I end up riding at night some and kind of enjoy it but try to stay aware of the added risks. The 100W headlamp and two 50W mini driving lights help alot. Ditches and road ahead are lit up real well but ya never know what is around the curve.
	0

02-09-2009, 11:49 AM	#8
schoeney Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NW Region Posts: 5,222	Rural two lane curvy roads at night I agree KenBob...throw in some fog and it is really white knuckle time! I was in this situation not too long ago...scaaaaary! __________________ VBA #659 2003 Nomad 1500 (Gone but never forgotten) 2005 Honda ST1300 - Sweet and still kickin 2006 Honda Goldwing - Best Boat in the Marina
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02-09-2009, 02:11 PM	#9
coacha Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Haysville, KS Posts: 6,259	Rural two lane curvy roads at night Rode some unfamiliar backroads last Friday at night. It was as you say...unsettling. I had ridden them in the day light but only once, so the corners were not engraved into memory. My buddy, on the other hand, was in his neck of the woods so he was humpin it on his BMW. I didn't even try to keep up, just rode my ride. __________________ Ron "Coach" Allan, Haysville, KS 1999 Nomad Wine and Red "KawaTanker" 2009 BMW R1200RT 2003 BMW K1200LT "Magic Carpet" DOA 11/7/2015 VBA #00291 IBA # 41995 DS #320 '08 Elkins, WV; '09 Helen, GA; '09 Custer, SD; '10 Stanton, VA; '11 Maggie Valley; '12 Townsend, TN; '13 Estes Park; '13 Blairsville, GA; '15 Eureka Springs; '16 Helen; '18 Custer, SD
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02-09-2009, 05:28 PM	#11
waterman Top Contributor Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 6,530	Rural two lane curvy roads at night Most of my rides are on rural roads. Doesn't concern me much I guess. Generally just slow it down some and keep the high beam on as much as possible. Years of hunting have generally made me better at seeing animals. __________________ Joel "Waterman" 2017 HD Road Glide Ultra 2006 Nomad - Sold VBA 213 VROC 16913 Custer 09: Cortez 10: Crescent City 11: Kanab 12: Estes Park 13: Tahoe 14: Red Lodge 16
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02-09-2009, 05:37 PM	#12
Yellow Jacket Top Contributor Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Fayetteville, Georgia Posts: 5,792	Rural two lane curvy roads at night The absolute most scared I've ever been on a bike was in broad daylight. I was going south on I-75 approaching Chattanooga in the late afternoon. Running about 70. I was on a long upgrade and when I crested the hill the sun was dead in my eyes. Couldn't see jack in front of me! Totally blind to the front. I'm getting off the gas trying to slow down just in case someone in front of me is hitting the brakes while at the same time trying to watch my mirrors just in case someone behind me isn't slowing down! It took almost 30 seconds or nearly a half mile before I could see anything in front of me. It took a whole lot longer than that for my heart rate to get back to normal! __________________ Bob KawaNOW/VBA 210 Green/Silver 2006 Patriot Guard Riders 2009
	0

02-11-2009, 05:46 AM	#13
dandolfn Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 374	Rural two lane curvy roads at night don't outdrive your headlights.... I went riding at night once. That was enough. It just felt like I'd never have time to react if something came into my lights at the last minute. I don't feel that way in a car, but riding the bike at night really left an unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach! __________________ If you don't grow up by age 60, you don't have to...
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04-05-2009, 11:55 PM	#15
Scoot Advanced Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Selma, Alabama Posts: 878	Rural two lane curvy roads at night Doesn't bother me at all riding at night. Working swing shift cause me to do most of my riding to an from work at night. Was at 11 pm. couple years ago that I did hit a deer walking down the road the same way I was going so I didn't have the tell-tell bright eyes thing to let me know one was around. Then 3 days ago at 6:45 am I had one run across the road way in front of me so I slowed down and sure enough another one came out right in front of me, it got scared when it saw me so close and it fell down. Unreal how loud those hoofs are on asphalt when their trying to go fast and can't get traction. __________________ 2002 1500 VBA #00077 _____________________ 2013 Ultra Classic (Pearl White)
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