Night Time Motorcycle Riding: Thoughts, Tips & Opinions

When the sun goes down and the temperature drops, the urban sound starts to diminish. For most people, it is time to leave the road and enter their buildings. However, many motorcycle riders prefer to go for a ride at night. The night time motorcycle riding is an exceptional experience for many riders. Most riders are also free at night. They love the lights, roads, and the hustle and bustle at night.

Riding a motorcycle at night is different than riding during the day. It is just like a new world. The roads are yours, and the heat of the day is gone. Nonetheless, the dark brings new risks. It demands more skills, more focus, and a more defensive approach. Continue reading this article to learn more about different thoughts, valuable tips, and opinions on night time motorcycle riding.

Why do motorcycle riders ride at night? Why take the risk? Riding a motorcycle at night requires pure concentration. There is too much to be careful about. While riding during the daytime, you cannot only see better, but he signs, traffic, and everything are more visible. However, the world shrinks during the night for a motorcyclist. It is only you, the motorbike, and the patch of light in front of you. Riders require a great amount of concentration, similar to meditation, at nighttime.

On the contrary, the traffic is light at night. Riders can pass through congested corners during the noon hour. The atmosphere is dense and chilly, and it is good to run your engine smoothly. There is nothing that will clear your mind like a motorcycle night ride.

However, this peace has a price. You have to admit that you are not able to see well. You have to acknowledge that you cannot see well. Also, others, especially large vehicles, may fail to notice you while riding at night.

It is quite a simple truth about motorcycle riding. We rely on our eyes to ride. We are deprived of one of our primary senses when we ride at night. Apart from the fact that we can’t see effectively during the night, we fail to judge threats while motorcycling at night. We don’t perceive risks at night the way we do while riding during the day.

The colors in front of our eyes fade at night. The texture of the road is not clearly visible to us. Riders fail to judge whether it is a wet puddle or a spot of dark tar in front of them. They are likely to fail to judge if it is a pothole or just a shadow in front of them while riding the motorbike at night.

Speed changes things, too. New riders often fall into this trap. When you ride your motorcycle at night, you only see a small patch of the road in front of you. There is no sun to show you everything in front of you. When you ride faster, the visible area/patch in front of you further shrinks.

If you are not letting your motorcycle's light beam settle down to show you the road in front of you while riding at night, you are riding blind. You are relying more on luck than on your riding skills.

Most stock motorbike lights are poor. They suit well in the city, but not on back roads. In case you intend to ride a motorbike at night on a regular basis, change your motorcycle light bulbs. Replacing them with LED lights is a great option. They cast a wide, white light beam. Also, they use less power, too.

The aim or angle of your motorbike light beam is crucial, too. When your beam is too low, you cannot see far. When it is excessively aiming up, you make cars go blind. Check the aim/angle of your bike’s headlight against a wall. Ensure that the light beam is projected.

High beams are effective for motorcycle riding at night. However, they should be used only when needed with care. Use them while riding on back roads where it is dark. Make sure to turn the motorbike's high beams off as soon as you notice a car coming from the opposite direction, as you can blind the driver. Remember! A blinded driver is also quite a huge safety risk for you.

It is mandatory to wear a motorcycle helmet visor at night. Do not ever put a dark, tinted helmet visor if you have to ride in the dark. A dark visor may look cool during the day, but at night, it can be dangerous. It is exactly like riding a motorbike with sunglasses on.

While riding in the dark, a dark, tinted visor cuts the light you need. If you ever have to ride in the dark, make sure your helmet has a clear, transparent visor.

In case you were riding during the day with a dark visor and can’t reach back before sunset, make sure to carry a spare clear helmet visor safely in your motorcycle saddlebag or your backpack. Keep it stored in a safe space so the visor doesn’t get cracked or scratched.

You can also put on transparent safety glasses in case you have to keep the visor up while riding at night.

Scratches on your helmet visors are bad, too. During the day, a scratch on the visor is nothing but irritating. But, during the night, it reflects the light coming from street lights and other automobiles. The glare it causes can completely make a rider go blind while riding. Make sure to keep your clear visor clean and free of scratches.

We understand that car drivers cannot see bikes in the day. It is because motorbikes are smaller than cars and less visible to large vehicles. This is aggravated when you ride a motorcycle at night. At night, a motorbike is no more than just a point of light, especially in non-urban areas. Car drivers cannot know the speed at which you are traveling. They have no idea what distance there is between you.

You must improve your visibility to help car drivers better see you. Black leather on a motorcycle is nice to look at, but it fades away in the dark. You become a shadow in the dark. Add some ‘pop-up’ element to your gear and your bike.

• Use Reflective Tape: Use reflective tape on your motorbike rims and helmet. You can use it elsewhere on your bike as well. When it is exposed to light, it reflects light.

• Hi-Viz Vests: The bright yellow, orange, or neon green bike riding hi-viz vests are of great help. Make sure to wear such a vest whenever you plan to go out for a night ride.

• Brake Light Mod: This is also a great addition to your bike if you ride at night. This allows your bike to become more visible and noticeable to other drivers as soon as you slow down and apply the brakes.

• Use Brighter Color Riding Gear: Do not go for matte-finish dark colors while riding at night. Use bright-color safety riding gear to stay more prominent on the road in the dark.

• Use Reflectors on Your Bike: Make sure to install reflectors on your bike to ensure it reflects light from every direction.

Improving the visibility of yourself and your bike while riding at night can help you be safe. The brighter you shine, the safer you are.

While riding a motorcycle at night, it is more about where you ride your bike, in which lane. The placement of motorbikes at night is essential when riding. Do not ride in the center of the lane. Also, stay away from riding in fast lanes where high-speed vehicles usually ride. Also, choose your route and lane wisely. Plan your night motorcycle trip accordingly. Do not choose roads that have poor lighting. Also, choose the lane that is more visible.

On the highway, take advantage of the cars around you. When there is a car in front of you, observe its tires. When they experience a bump, be ready to face the bump as well. Just make sure not to follow too close. Keep a safe distance.

Prepare yourself when these cars in front of you swerve. You must use these cars’ headlights while riding at night. You can check more roads in front of you.

A major threat to motorcycle night riding is animals. When it gets darker, stray dogs, raccoons, deer, and other critters are on the move. They are difficult to notice at night. Also, they can suddenly get in your way and cause terrible accidents.

Make sure to scan the sides of the road. Their eyes usually shine. Their glowing eyes can help you indicate the presence of an animal. If you find an animal on a roadside while riding at night, there are likely more in the area. Slow down right away. Do not attempt to swerve hard. You can hit a tree or a car if you swerve hard. Slow down and apply brakes in a straight line.

If an animal comes in your way, try to hold on to your bars tightly. Do not swerve hard and try to stay in a straight line without losing control. It is worse to crash into a tree on the roadside while riding in the dark.

Oncoming cars may make you blind. The modern-day motorbikes installed on cars are extremely bright. You will have to deal with this when you ride late at night. Do not look at the light. Look somewhere else without losing your focus. Look at the white line that is on the side of the road and at the center. Use these white lines as a guide. The car will be tracked by your peripheral vision. This prevents your vision at night from being completely blinded.

You will likely get tired after some time while riding at night. Your brain is forced to strain to process the low light. The cold air saps your energy. This is a real danger. A fatigued motorcycle rider will make slow decisions. His judgment while riding at night will fade away.

If you feel your eyes are getting heavy while riding at night, you should stop riding. Don’t push yourself too much. Get off the bike. Drink some water. Try to do a bit of stretching or something else. Taking a rest after every five minutes can save your life. Caffeine is of great help, but the only true cure is rest.

The sun goes down, and it gets cold even in summer. At 60 mph, the wind gets in touch with your body. Being cold is distracting. You tense up. Your reactions slow down a great deal.

Wear a lot more than you think is enough for you. Bring a windproof layer. Wear a scarf or a neck gaiter. When your hands get cold, you cannot operate the clutch and the front brake. You may also lose control of the handlebars. Riding a motorcycle at night requires warm gloves.

After sunset, the roads are filled with danger. The traffic and drivers on the road during daytime and nighttime are different. The increase in risk of drunk drivers occurs after 10 PM as the bars close and parties end.

Watch out for cars that drift at night. Be aware of overspeeding and accelerating cars. Give them lots of room. Stay away from them by keeping a great distance. You must not ride in their blind spots. Assume they are drunk and a threat on the road. Suppose they will be taking turns without seeing.

The most dangerous places for riding motorcycles at night are intersections. Regardless of the time of day, most accidents occur at intersections. These intersections become more life-threatening to bikers at night. The usual crash occurs when a driver is turning left. Car drivers are likely to misjudge you as a car that is far away from them.

You must ensure you are highly visible when riding at night. Avoid intersections as much as possible.

It is much safer to ride with a group of bikes at night than to ride alone. The more lights you have, the more visible you are to other drivers. You can assist one another in scanning the road hazards.

In case you are riding on your motorbike alone at night, make sure to inform someone of your route. Inform them where you are heading. In case you crash on a dark back road, nobody may be able to see you until morning. If you ride solo, you must have a phone tracker app.